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"Where is Violence? Death? Doubt?" he gritted out They hy he was here, after all

The struggling continued, intensified, terror leaping to life in those red eyes Not fear for what Geryon would do, he knew, but terror for what its brothers-in-evil would do if they learned of any betrayal

Though Geryon hated for Kadence to see hiain--it could not be helped He raised his hand, spread his elongating, dripping nails and struck The poison that coated his nails was a "gift" from Lucifer to aid in his duties and acted swiftly, withoutit froony, its struggles becoan to burn away, sly bone But the bones, too, disintegrated and black ash soon coated the air, blowing in every direction

Geryon stood to shaky legs "You are next," he shouted to the others

They quickly scah?

He should move on Instead, he kept his back to Kadence for several --that she would say so What did she think of hi? Would she rescind her offer of a kiss?

Finally curiosity got the better of him and he pivoted on his heels

She stood exactly as he’d colorious ringlets cascaded around her Her eyes ide and filled with…admiration? Surely not

"Kadence"

"No Do not speak Coer

CHAPTER TEN

KADENCE HAD BEEN UNABLE to hold back her entreaty Geryon stood several feet away, panting shallowly, his cheeks cut and bleeding, his hands dripping with his opponent’s lifeblood

His dark eyes were more haunted than she’d ever seen theain, she ers

The first tih he hadn’t believed he’d heard her correctly This time, he blinked Shook his head "You wish to…punish me for my actions?"

Silly ry that he’d kept her froht, that he’d threatened--vowed--to leave without doing what they’d coain But part of her was relieved As the demon had struck at hinificent, beautiful power Born of fury, perhaps, but born nonetheless

I am not a coward Not anymore Next time, I will act No matter his wishes, no matter mine He deserves that Deserves to have someone look out for him

"Kadence," Geryon said, and she realized she had been staring at hielse about ain he blinked "But…I killed I hurt another creature"

"And you were injured in the process Come, let me attend to your wounds"

Still he resisted "But you would have to put your hands on ht should be loathsoht bother you?" Please don’t let it bother you "I mean, I have done so already and you did not seem… I mean…"

"Bother me?" One hesitant step, two At that pace, he would never reach her

Sighing, she closed the rest of the distance herself, twined their fingers--experienced an electric jolt, gasped--and led hied his hand from her and rubbed where they’d been connected Had the same jolt pierced him? She hoped it had, for she did not want to be alone in this…attraction Yes, attraction, she realized Physical, erotic The kind that prompted a woman to leave her inhibitions and invite a man into her bed

Whether that invitation was accepted or not was a different story

Reluctant as Geryon was, she was positive he would turn her down As he had done for the kiss And perhaps that was for the best, she decided now Her love tended to scare men away Because when the pleasure hit her, she could not control her nature The chains she’d erected broke, unleashing her ith a vengeance

Physically, her lovers beca she had stolen their freedoh it had been

She had never bedded the saether One she had considered bad luck Two, a coincidence Three, undeniably her fault

Hoould Geryon respond, though? Would he hate her as the others had? Probably Already he knew the horrors of being bound to someone else’s will She would not doubt if freedom was the most precious commodity in his life