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And then the stranger ies Scent of jasmine and sandalwood Snowflake sand dotted with fuchsia silk tents and butterflies upon every bough of every li in the cool sands and healed by tropical lapis waves

"Beauty, er for er was palpable in the air

Adrienne forced her eyes open a slit, and gasped If her body had obeyed, she would have shot straight up in bed But it didn’t obey It lay flaccid and weak upon the bed while her temper shot up instead "Get out of or

"I was just checking to rinned puckishly

"You thickheaded oaf! I don’t care why you’re in here, just get out!"

Finally her body obeyed a little and she ers around a tumbler at the bedside Too weak to throw it, she was at least able to slide it off the table Glass crashed to the floor and shattered The soundI cured you," Adaet out"

Adaet out?"

"Don’t think I’ my breasts!" she whispered fiercely At the abashed look on his face she realized he had indeed thought she’d been unconscious "So that and rowled "I hate beautiful men Hate them!"

"I know," Adam smiled with real pleasure and obeyed her dishtly but upon the pink-gray insides of her eyelids shadows arose Ihs, wrapped in ar her na her back De words of … what? What had he said?

"She lives, Lord Buzzard--"

"Hawk"

"Both birds of prey What difference?"

"A buzzard is a scavenger A hawk selects his kill as carefully as a falcon Stalks it with the sa conviction And fails as frequently--which is never"

"Never," Adam mused "There are no absolutes, Lord Hawk"