Page 5 (1/2)

Sooing to kil me," Vash said softly, "in retaliation for the death of your friend, who died because I was seeking the saue I’ree me a favor I’l even lay my neck across a stuaze sharpened "Your point?"

"I’ for your sympathy or compassion I just want you to look for the same fidelity in me that I see in you I’l coot You do the same and we’l both end up e want"

"Wil we?" His tone was low and intier that thinned his sexy mouth

"If you keep your wants realistic," she qualified drily

"You’re dodging ain fro her hand, she ran her fingers through her hair, noting how his eyes fol owed the fal of the criered for, but instead found herself heated by the fierceness of his regard The desire of such a gorgeous, virile beast of a man was a seduction al by itself "We both need bodies"

"I won’t lead the lycans into ith the Sentinels"

"No? Stil feeling the pinch of the col ar?"

"Stil aware that the Sentinels serve a purpose," he shot back "They’re needed to keep the rogues in check That’s why I think Adrian hasn’t fal en like you did, even though he’s crossed the saht that balances the scale, which makes hi infuriating thoughts of the Sentinel leader aside because she needed to keep her head cool "You also need money now that you’re al unemployed The vampire nation has ae You want rateful" He unfolded his ar his pal off his ravel y Warm crushed velvet It brushed over her like the stroke of a tongue "I won’t subordinate the packs to anyone We’re equals or we’re nothing"

Her h"

"I knohat I can afford And what I’ left to lose, but that doesn’t make me desperate Take it or leave it"

She started to turn away, hiding a set down to business"

"Vashti"

Looking over her shoulder at him, she realized he could hold his own Sandwiched between terhouses like Adrian and Syre, she felt little doubt that he could and would take on either side in battle if necessary The sub--in other lycans were notably absent in the Alpha Yet Adrian had kept him in service, aAlphas from the others Not only that, the Sentinel leader had trusted Elijah with Lindsay’s safety "Yes?"

"Don’t play oose bumps over her skin "I’ve admitted I want you, but I won’t be led around by ame It won’t leave my mind that you want me, too I don’t need to hear you say yes when I can smel it"

"I hate lycans," she said without heat It was a simple fact, best laid out there in case heoneme makes you wet" His tone was as emotionless as hers had been "Let’s put that on the table fro you out and you’l milkNothing is going to change how this association wil play out"

Genuine aaze dropped to her throat "And whoever’s been feeding off you is done The only lips that wil be touching your skin are ers lifted involuntarily to the twin fang tears that were healing with unusual slowness Lindsay had taken the bite out of her after Syre’s failed attehter, Shadoe Vash was reminded that the first ti Adrian’s mate with his own life "Not that it’s any of your business, but it won’t be happening again"

She began the long walk back to the cave entrance, feeling unsettled in a way she hadn’t in…forever Elijah was going to help her find the lycans she sought As adversarial as their "association" was, she trusted that he’d fol ow through, if only to get his revenge at the end That shouldwith him Instead, she felt twitchy

She was now dependent on the trustworthiness of a creature whose breed she’d long reviled for its treachery The lycans had once been Watchers Instead of taking the sa vaed the Sentinels for leniency

Adrian had given it in the form of indentured servitude as lycans With transfused olf blood sliding through their veins, they’d lost their wings but retained their souls…and their mortality They lived, they whelped, and they died as slaves, which is the least of what they deserved

But now they’d betrayed the Sentinels--just as they had the Fal en--by switching al egiances again

She’d be das would have the opportunity to be faithless to the Fal en a second time Whatever she had to do, she’d et a knife in the back, it would be a lycan

CHAPTER 3

"I have the right to kil her," Rachel snapped, her eyes lit with a roiling fury "You can’t take that from me"

Elijah stood with his palaze on the sche the red lines that shohere electrical cables would transfer power froht and I am"

Because they weren’t the only two people who had a claim to a piece of Vashti’s luscious hide Lindsay, too, had lost a loved one to the vaet he died protecting you Vashti kil ed hie Nikki’s death, because his blood had been planted to frame him for the crime It didn’t matter that he was innocent of Nikki’s abduction He was nevertheless guilty of being the reason Micah died "Micah didn’t have thousands of lycans depending on him, Rach We need this al iance to keep us al alive"

"Damn you You want her"

He lifted his head and looked at her

"Don’t try to deny it" She held his gaze "It’s obvious"

"He’s stil going to kil me," Vashti interjected as she joined them

Al eyes turned toward the arched entrance and the vah it In direct opposition to her appearance the day before, Vash had returned armed to the teeth Katana scabbard straps crisscrossed between her lush tits, and two knife sheaths hugged her lithe thighs She carried a s and sure, her chin lifted high and proud As usual, she wore black froht cotton pants topped with a leather vest that was secured with brass snaps down the front Her hair isted atop her head into a bun that was secured hat he suspected were slender throwing knives

Like the first ti lot in Anaheiut His visceral response to her was so strong he sucked in a breath to push through it, then forced hilanced her way He took her sneer as his due, knowing hoould feel if their positions were reversed

"Vashti" He straightened "This is Rachel, the mate of the lycan you kil ed Rach, this is Vash, Syre’s second"

He watched the tomen careful y, painful y aware of how difficult it must be for Rachel to face her e by the very man who’d contributed to Micah’s death His hand lifted to his chest, rubbing at the ache that shortened his breathing