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Sighing, he drove them over the Harlee Washington Bridge, before bringing the car to a stop on a clifftop outlook that faced Manhattan The cityscape was a spread of ge across it cast in silhouette “I’ you under Contract, Sorrow” It was the only way to teach her control “Doesn’t matter if you were Made without your consent, you won’t be free until I decide you’re not a risk”

Having unzipped and pulled off her boots during the drive, she curled her legs under her on the seat Tiny as she was, it didn’t take much effort “Will you teach me what I need to know?” A plea

“No Veno dependent on hi a very brave boy”

“They hurt Maht his sobs “They hurt Mama and Rina, Papa”

The sound of Misha’s cries still haunted him He wouldn’t, couldn’t, add another voice to that “Veno you how to control your talent” Though Sorrow didn’t know it, Venom’s ability to mesmerize put hers in the shade “I expect you to follow his cos unsaid after that quiet acknowledg?” she asked at last

He could’ve lied to her, given her false hope, but that would only get her dead Turning, he reached forward to tuck a wing of slick raven hair, streaked with color stolen by the night, behind her ear She flinched and he knew she’d felt the cold blade of his anger “No one knows But the one thing I will not allow you to become is a problem Do you understand?”

Her throat moved as she sed “Yes” A whisper before she turned her face into the hand he still had brushing her cheek “I’m scared, Dmitri”

“Papa, I’m scared”

Sorroasn’t Misha, sht as well have been And so, in spite of his vow to maintain his distance, he didn’t tell her that she should be afraid, that al this were beyond limited Instead, he caressed the dark silk of her hair and thought of the soft black curls he’d once felt under his palm as his son’s body lay wracked with convulsions in his arms

“Please! No! Stop!”

Honor shoved off the sheets and rolled out of the bed, her heart thudding triple tilance at the clock told her it had been a bare three hours since she’d collapsed, after having worked on the tattoo pastwhat Valeria, Toht to do with the pit Maybe it had been an echo of the childhood night terrors that had been the reason she’d never been adopted, though infants were always in demand Apparently, she’d screamed and screaain as soon as she woke The screa had continued until she was four or five, after which she’d tended to wake herself up when they began and spend the rest of the night fighting sleep

Abandonist had called it Honor wasn’t so sure What she’d felt when she woke froe, too vast, a terrible darkness filled with utter desolation The sa deep and hard enough to bruise Rubbing her hand over her chest to dispel the feeling, she headed to the shower

Dressed in fresh clothes afterward, she picked up the phone and input a nu ht-filled offices in the high-rises

A darkup, she rubbed her palraphs of the tattoos on the sh, or what she’d thought was a breakthrough, just before she’d fallen exhausted into bed Now, her an to retrace her line of thought