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"You’re right Sorry Sirens Yeah, they lured sailors to their deaths Can’t quite see you doing that, Glory" Rafe picked up the paper Ian had left on his desk "‘Sexual beings, able to ensnare men with their powers Irresistible to males who beco that one You had me the first tirin at ain Rafe had been shifted into a dog body when I’d ot off to that I sto his hands when he reached for ot Jerry in the first place Why you won’t forget me and move on Hell, why Ray, a world-famous rock star, still makes passes at ot to know that’s not his normal behavior oaze "I’uys are in thrall to me You can’t freakin’ help yourselves"

"Don’t be ridiculous, Glory I’m in thrall to nobody I have free will I can walk away at any tiot a real chance at you Still, I don’t see hi for your favors, do you?" Rafe tried to pull me into his arms but I knocked away his hands I just couldn’t be distracted right now or coure this out

"Go back for a second Can you? Can you really walk away, Rafe?" I thought about how I used our friendship, how I leaned on him Rafe deserved a life of his own A love of his own Not ive hiine anytime in the near future "Then let’s test it Go Date other women Screw your brains out Have a relationship, a real relationship with another wo to prove? I love you, Glory Would it be fair to another woet my rocks off while I’ht with pain "My feelings for you won’t go away just because you tell them to"

"Get a clue You’re under a damned spell, Rafe" Tears filled my eyes and ran down my cheeks "I’ve ruined your life" I sobbed and fell into the chair again

"No, baby, you haven’t Let reat life If anybody’s in thrall, it’s you That damned Blade bit you, drained you and sired you Made you his vampire and you’ve been under his spell ever since"

I raisedto what Rafe said The sire/fledgling bond was strong, some said unbreakable I’d never seriously tried to sever it Oh, as I thinking? Jerry had never given o, even paying for a bodyguard when I’d actually given independence a shot over the years Underbreath

"You don’t know the half of it Ian says there’s so in ine it, but he’s even thinking he can y Vara"

"Now you’ve convinced me this really is a scam That doesn’t make sense You and Blade have taken breaks We were in Las Vegas for al ive up your ‘addictive’ blood for all that tilanced at it then threw it down in disgust "This is a bunch of scientific et to Blade"

"Don’t be ridiculous Why would he bother using me? Ian has an army at his disposal Besides, he swears the feud between their clans is old news" I did see Rafe’s point Jerry and I had taken breaks Was he able to walk away fro? Or could this be a lie and Clarity was all a scam?

"You’re exhausted" Rafe smoothed my hair back from my forehead "Let ht now"

"Hoic

Ian stepped into the rooive you a tranquilizer? It will also help your nausea You can lie down in one of my spare bedrooms You’ve had a shock And you probably should have a talk with Aggie later To get more information What do you say? A little nap now Talk later? So you can process all this new information" Ian moved closer

"Are you nuts? You knohat happens when I take your drugs" I waved hiain and I did take the bottle of synthetic Ian held out to me "I need to stay here, Rafe I’ll just lie down for a while I’ a little off-kilter Confrontations with Lucifer always leave me drained"

"Fine I think you’re actually in shock, Glory" Rafe watched me drink every drop in the bottle

"Noho’s the doctor? But Valdez is actually spot on Shock You sure you won’t let e then put it on the desk "Fine Distrust me till the end But you’re welcome to a bedroom Second rooe of passing out, Valdez Carry her"