Page 2 (1/2)

When Syre returned, alone, his handsorim "You’re in a mood today," he said curtly

"I just saved you fro You’re welcome And you need a mistress"

"My sexual proclivities are none of your concern"

"Youris," she shot back "Find someone whose company you enjoy and keep her around Let her look after you a bit"

"I don’t need the complication"

"It doesn’t have to be complicated" She dropped into one of the seats in front of his desk, her hands s about a business arrangement I don’t understand it myself, but there are some women who can have sex just because it’s fun Set one up in a nice place and give her an al owance"

Syre shook his head "You are beco my pimp"

"Maybe you need one"

"I’ a woated to comply"

Her brow arched "There isn’t a woman alive ould find it a chore" Even she, a woman as happily mated to the love of her life, wasn’t immune to Syre’s sexual appeal He was the kind of ht between the eyes every time she saw hi about this"

"No, I won’t You need soelic naaze sharpened and narrowed as he sank into his chair behind the desk "No"

"I didn’t say love you Care about you So, just the way you like it Someone to watch a rerun on television with you You know, just sos for you"

Leaning back, he set his elbows on the arether "I’ve been asked to explain you at times Explain what you are to ht answer yet You are my second, but you’re not merely a subordinate officer to me We’re more than friends, yet I don’t view you as a sister I love you, but I’m not in love with you I am aware of your beauty as anywith you You are the most important woman in my life and I’d be utterly lost without you, but I would never want to cohabitate with you

What are you to ht to discuss such personalwhat they were to each other was so she’d never done For her, their relationship just…was She was an extension of hiht hand," she decided, then she tossed hiht it deftly, his reflexes quick and agile "What is this?"

"Half of a charm I took off Asmodeus’s lackey I left the other half on the pile of ashes she turned into when I kil ed her When it hole, it bore As him"

Vash shook her head "Three in teeks? That’s not a coincidence He’s al owing, s to toy with us

We’re a prize--angels ere throay like garbage"

"We have enough enemies as it is"

"No, we have jailers--the Sentinels and their lycan dogs The demons are possible enemies, if we don’t correct them We have to take a stand"

"This isn’t the way I would see things handled"

"Yes, it is That’s why you putwith des "You can shake on a truce with your other hand I’m the hand that flips them off"

A commotion in the hal way pushed her swiftly to her feet VashSyre by a mere mil isecond

What she saw froze her blood

Raze and Sale a beeline for the dining roo oval table

"What the fuck happened?" she snapped, entering the roo at Ice’s motionless body The minion’s skin was burned black in places and blistered al over Blood soaked his T-shirt and stained his jeans to the knees Tears in his clothing revealed the clawingquick, caging her wrist He opened bloodshot eyes "Char…help…"

For ain frigid clarity "Where?"

"Oldone of Raze’s blades free of the scabbard on his back, Vash spun on her heel and raced into the gloa

CHAPTER 1

Elijah Reynolds stood naked on a rock in the woods surrounding Navajo Lake and watched his drea with the decimated outpost below him Acrid black smoke plumed into the air in wide, thick funnels that could be seen forbefore they reached the ruins

Around him, lycans yipped with celebratory joy, but he felt none of it He was cold and dead inside, his life as he’d known it scorched to e devastation that had once been his ho what he enjoyed ca for the Sentinels--the els That indentured servitude, while chafing, was a smal price to pay to do what he loved But very few lycans felt the sa that one, and as left was a battle for independence his heart wasn’t invested in waging

But it was done and couldn’t be undone He’d live with it

"Alpha"

Elijah’s jaw clenched at the designation he’d never wanted He glanced at the nude woaze lowered

He waited for her to speak, then realized she was doing the same in reverse "Now you want to fol ow orders?"

Her hands linked behind her back and her head dropped Irritated by her lack of conviction, he turned away He’d told her a revolt was suicide