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Who knew that a declaration of love was the surest deterrent?

"Oh, Brigid," he groaned quietly A thousand years old and he felt clueless as a boy The woht be the death of him He ached for her Dreahed "I know"

"Why are you down here at the pub?"

"Because you and Max insisted I give her soet your woer to seeinto your beer and ruining theto hell for kissing you, then live happily ever after or so into your beer"

Max slid next to hi pathetic"

"Wonderful children, both of you Such support and love And why does Brigid think she’s going to hell for kissing usted "Very, very duhed at his brother, then turned to Carwyn and lowered his voice in the quiet corner of the pub where they were sitting "Carwyn, are you forgetting who she is? You’re not dealing with an iid knohen you were human priests often married and had families Yes, she knows that you are a thousand-year-old earth vampire who doesn’t often abide by the orthodoxies of your faith I’d even say she loves you, too But she’s also an Irish Catholic who has seen you wearing a collar Of course she has reservations"

Carwyn sat, blinking in surprise "You think she loves me, too?"

Tavish snarled "Pathetic! Go away Maybe you should take up writing sonnets in your spare tiht about one thing This is going to be "

An hour before dawn, Caras stillover what Max had said as he wandered back to the castle He cut through the woods where he had kissed Brigid

Oh, that kiss

Toohis lips to bottled fire Her passion was a revelation As he passed by the clearing, he caught her scent and approached quietly, resisting the urge to pounce

She was standing in front of the tree where he’d cornered her She had her hand pressed against the black outline she’d left in the trunk of the oak and wore a concentrated frown He stood behind some thick brush and watched her for a minute

"I know you’re there, Carwyn"

He s "Of course you do"

"Besides, the rather powerful feel of your around"

Carwyn leaned against a tree, careful to keep his distance He ached for her, but he wanted to talk to her more "I’ll keep that in mind How are you?"