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"You kickedht be yours Stop that! Oh, no, you had to leap to the worst possible assumption You know my character I could never betray you like that Just because history says it is not possible doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptions There are always exceptions Look at Lord Akelda

Why, it took only a little research in the Te my neck, Conal , I mean it Templars should have practicedabout at everything wil y-nil y" She reached into her cleavage and produced the sarlic-scented Roht here! Evidence But not you, oh no You had to act first And I was stuck running around without a pack"

Lord Maccon et a word in at this point, but only because Lady Maccon had run out of breath "It looks like you ed to build your own pack, anyway, ht say"

"Oh, ha-ha, very funny"

Lord Maccon leaned forward and, before she could resume her tirade, kissed her ful on the mouth It was one of his deep, possessive kisses It was the kind of embrace that h her touch had stolen al the olf out of hiht up She continued poking him absently even as she curled into his embrace

Just as swiftly as he had started, he stopped "Ew! "

"Ew? You kissat you and then you say ‘ew’!"

Alexia jerked out of her husband’s grasp

Conal stopped her with a question "Alexia, darling, have you been eating pesto recently?" He started rubbing at his nose as though it were itching His eyes began to water

Alexia laughed "That’s right--olves are al ergic to basil You see the ful force of ic reaction would probably stop immediately, but she stood back and watched him suffer Funny that even as a mortal, he had reacted badly to the taste of her supper She resigned herself to a life without pesto, and with that thought realized she was going to forgive her husband

Eventually

The olf in question approached her cautiously once more, as if he was afraid if hetime since I tasted that flavor, and I never liked it, even as a huh, if you real y like it"

"Wil you put up with the child, too?"

He pul ed her into his arain "If you real y like it"

"Don’t be difficult You are going to have to like it, too, you realize"

Nuzzling against her neck, he let out a sigh of satisfaction "Mine," he said happily

Alexia was resigned to her fate "Unfortunately, both of us are"

"Wel , that’s al right, then"

"So you think" She pul ed away, punching him in the arm, just to make her position perfectly clear "The fact re to h you didn’t"

Lord Maccon nodded It was true "I shal uardedly,

"What can I do?"

Alexia thought "I want raphic transmitter One of the new ones that doesn’t require crystal ine valves"

He nodded

"And a set of ladybugs frolared at hiood-quality revolver or some such that shoots more than one bul et"

"For Floote? Why?"

His wife crossed her ar for a Nordenfelt but thought that raded "And I want you to teach me how to shoot"

"Now, Alexia, do you think that’s quite the best thing for a wohed "Verra wellAnything else?"

Alexia frowned in thought "That wil do for now, but I "

He tucked her in close against hi his hands over her back in wide circularhis nose in her hair

"So, what do you think, irl or a boy?"

"It wil be a soul-stealer, apparently"

"What!" The earl reared away fro interrupted the a h he were stil in wolf forns of pursuit

Lord Maccon turned instantly froent husband to Alpha olf "We’l split up Channing, you, Madame Lefoux, and Floote act as decoy Madame, I’m afraid you may have to don female dress"