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"Upset?" I hearand force es were dropped?"

"No Not because of that"

The elevator door opens, and I follow him into the hall, then halt at the door of our suite

"Then what?" I ask as he slides his keycard into the lock My speech is unnaturally calm "Dammit, Daht turns green and he pushes open the door and steps into the suite I aination, but he seeoing to disappear out from under hi to scare me

He may say that he’s upset, but I don’t believe him When Damien is upset, he lashes out That fas Hell, he takes control ofthrough his fingers like sand This isn’t upset--this is damn near shattered And I am terribly, terribly afraid

"Damien," I repeat "Please"

"Nikki--"

He yanks h I’m startled, I almost cry out with joy Yes, I think Kiss ive And he knows that--da Nothing except thrust his fingers into ht

"Damien" His name feels ripped froainst his in a bruising kiss He responds i underme closer The kiss is brutal Violent Our teeth clash, he bites down on my lip, I taste blood, and I don’t care On the contrary, I feel as though I a, set aloft by the passion in his touch, by the desire coursing through hiainst mine, and one hand has ainst hiainst his slacks I grind against hi from the white-hot relief that boils within me He’s back, I think He’s back

But it’s only an illusion, because suddenly he’s shovinghard He reaches to steady himself on the back of a chair and tilts his face away from me But it’s too late, I’ve seen too much, and what I saw in his eyes was horror

I stand frozen, not by fear, but by the knowledge that right then I am impotent He has shut me out, and I don’t know the way back to hie and I have to force it past nore ray pallor of his skin Immediately, I am at his side I brush my pal the hotel doctor"

"No" He looks right at me and I see pain in his amber-colored eye, but the black one is as eht He moves to the sofa and sits down, his elbows on his knees and his forehead in his hands

"Da on? Can’t you talk to h me, not quick and neat like sharpened steel, but hot and raw and brutal A serrated blade across unprepared flesh I could do it, I think Just one quick motion I could do it, and I could follow the pain back here Back to Damien I need the anchor I need--