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And she can kick sorabs Sydney, her back to his front, and has a choke hold around her neck I swear, I blink, and when I focus, big-ass Gabriel is flying over Sydney’s narrow little shoulders Gabriel lands on the mat with such force, I feel the floor shudder beneath my feet

The look on Sydney’s face as she looks down at her ness Pride Serious accomplishment

Totally priceless

Next up, Eli and Darius Now, I’ius Dupré is a vision of beauty when he is in the heat of battle Well,alive, and of that I’hts And he’s totally terrifying when he morphs He and Darius are apt opponents, and they spar for several moments before either is struck With hten when he moves, and once I focus on his face, I’orous deter face Teeth bared, brows drawn He looks vicious

"Riley," Jake says, calling a halt to Eli and Darius The WUP leader s, friendly smile Rather, it’s one ofanticipation "You’re with irl"

Eli walks by me, leans down, and kisses et ’eet you everywhere," I answer He’s referring toskills, no doubt I have to ad It’s hilarious to think I’ve traded h leather spiked boots, fishnet hose, and plaid rins, and I continue on to the center of thepants and is barefoot His long black hair is pulled back With his green-eyed gaze, he studiesabout hih him as an opponent in as little time as necessary I profile hi, everyone in the roohts, my senses on just him The roo he does, voluntarily, involuntarily, is nified He blinks once, and I hear his lashes brush his cheek Jake’s body relaxes His muscles flex at his jaw His nostrils flare as I draw closer to hiers flex Then his body leans ever so slightly toward es, I leap upward and over hi position behind hiaze

"Nice," he says, his voice low, even "Verra nice--"

I dive toward hi to the mat before he finishes his sentence We both hit with a thud Jake’s trapped inlock

Eli lets out a whistle I know it’s Eli because, well, I know his whistle I don’t spare hih, because despite my little victory over Jake, I don’t trust him for a second

I’ me, my arms pinned above my head Just that fast, it happens The room tilts; my vision blurs even as I stare up into his face A smile touches Jake’s lips, and I know he knows exactly what he’s doing My new gift The one I can’t quite control yet

I aht is verra dark, and cast in an insipid flush by a thu the barren road It’s damn cold outside, and the stark hland winds His horse staales, mayhap anxious to reach a nice barn filled with hay Even through the thick, coarse wool of breeches and a heavy coat, the chill seeps deep, through each bloody layer, far into his bones He canna recall the last time he arm Verra likely ’tis when he last lay next to his wife Elizabeth’s iht hair trailin’ over skin so pure and white it nearly glows Her eyes, large and green, are filled wi’ love for hioin’ Keeps hiue, just over the next hillock Jake nudges his mount onward, and they pick up speed At once he sees a red-orange hue plu cloud Far in the distance, in the direction of his houst of wind, the acrid scent of smoke reaches his nostrils His insides freeze and his heart leaps They’ve no neighbors Jesus Christ It has tae be their home

Jake sinks his knees into his horse’s sides and tears across the row, and ’tis only when they’re no more than a score of minutes away that he’s swept off his horse

Only then does he hear them

They’re all around They’re above

Stunned only for a ainst his ribs, and it’s then the screams reach his ears TheseHe breaks hard and tries tae run past therabs his shoulder and flings his He’s lying on his back when the one who flung hi a booted foot upon his chest Young, saze holds and locks