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"I…" She sed "I killed it Him Well, I stabbed him and you killed him And then… he melted"

"It’s a kind of dust" Malachi wiped phantoori both--"

"I killed hi toward me and I just…" Tears started to roll down her face She clutched her arms around her body "And you killed, like… lots of them"

"There were four" And he could have killed h from the thrill of the battle, but his et in the heat of battle that Ava was a stranger to violence

The shivers started in her shoulders but spread down her back

"Ava" He held out a hand and she just looked at it as if he was a stranger The pain ift and sure "Ava, please"

With a sob, she came to him, and Malachi wrapped his arms around her shoulders while the fist around his heart loosened "I’otten You’re not accusto to kill me?"

"No," he soothed her "Just killto capture you"

She cried harder Perhaps that wasn’t the right thing to say

"K…kill you?"

"Shhh" He stroked her hair, glad that Grigori didn’t leave one in minutes" Then he tilted her head up with a smile "And my fierce love has her own defenses after all Where did you learn to throw knives?"

"C…circus careider "Circus cahtrope, too, but knives were ht et" Her eyes ide and glassy Her lip was still treh the tears "It was fun"

"I’ll keep that inthe tension in her shoulders had eased, Malachi sheathed both knives before he turned and tucked her under his arm and they started back to the house They’d have to leave that night He’d need to call Rhys and let him know Call Istanbul and tell Damien to expect them back Call--

"Your knives are rowing steadier as they walked "Can I get so to use them on me?"

"Probably not"