Page 9 (2/2)

She twisted and shimmied out from under him His arm fell with a sharp ooetting better?

He rolled to his other side with a grunt, and Greta eased out of the bed She grabbed her duffel bag from the corner, and made her way to the kitchen for her pills

She didn’t need crazy lust while trying to survive It had already inconvenienced her twice Now her heart hurt to leave theheat cycle Her body and heart were convinced he was the guy for her, but her brain knew better

She felt a pang of regret at breaking her agreement, then her brain kicked back in as she reet her blood at the fullit No, she didn’t feel bad leaving Besides, she’d slept with him To men of Dayne’s reputation that was probably considered payment in full

She wondered how he’d struck the deal with her tribe Jaden wouldn’t send her to a sorcerer if she cared about her Duh, Greta

And the story Dayne had concocted about Jaden betraying hiht away Gullible It wasn’t a lesson she’d be forgetting anyti she survived her birthwhen the hardwood floor creaked beneath her feet She stopped and held her breath as she waited to see if it would wake Dayne The house re of the clock over the fireplacethe stillness

"Mrarrr"

She jus "Shhh! Do you want him to wake up and come in here?"

"Mrarrr?"

Greta se tabby She’d have to leave Mink behind Covert ops were clearly lost on the talkative cat

She rue until she found a slice of ha it would shut the cat up She poured herself a glass of water, gulped down a pill, then slipped the prescription into her pocket and took one last look around

Tears teased the corners of her eyes She wished Dayne hadn’t turned out to be evil She could have ie in the woods It felt co?"

Her hand had been on the knob So close "Nowhere Outside for soarden is protected; the front stoop is not You know it’s not safe out there"

She turned toward hiing pants and no shirt He had the kind of body college students sketched in art classes everywhere So warether perfectly, in the carnal way She wanted to run into his arh for a body that still trusted him

"It’s not safe in here either," she said after a beat

Dayne incanted soic swirl up as the deadbolt turned She pressed herself against the door as if somehoould bend to her will and unlock This was nores of wildness intruded on her senses, but even stronger was her oill pressing back, for once choosing not to change

"Please," she whispered as he moved closer "You don’t have to kill me Whatever you need my blood for, you can have it You know that"

His brows drew together "What are you talking about?"

She wondered which would be faster, her enhanced strength, or his ic

He embraced her, then pulled back to look into her eyes "I’ on in that head of yours?"

"Stop lying to th, and he went flying back, confiruage upgrades

He opened hisand clawing With one last burst of energy, Greta slaainst the wall Dayne cru its siic now that the spell caster was unconscious

She ran into the night, her eyes adjusted, and she fought the urge to shift No fur No paws The trees were cos before, but her reflexes cah the woods without even a branch snagging her top

When she’d put a few miles between herself and Dayne, she slowed her pace Ti for her; they’d just expect Dayne had her, keeping her safe until it was ti he’d stay unconscious She ht be able to make it out of the city and take shelter with a wizard Unlike sorcerers, wizards could be trusted Too bad there weren’t any within Cary Town city limits