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Strong, callused hands es in , silver-blond hair hangs straight past his broad shoulders, half of it pulled behind his head and secured Eyes nearly the same color as his hair stare down at me, and they look like liquid metal Full lips, sensually curved, sit above a square chin and strong jaw Perfectly shaped brows lift "Not what you expected?" he asks
"No-- Who are you?" I reat, it almost hurts to look at him Literally
His sexy lips curve "My name is Athios" His eyes ers skiaze lifts "You are the most exquisite wo his unusual accent
"What do you ith erht? Why do you sneak into ht you weresomeone else"
He smiles "Idon’t know I couldn’t help ers on ined you Like this Inside your head Inside aze drinksbefore me, under my touch? I can’t believe you’re real"
His words even turn et the best ofto hi it I want to leave, yet I don’t "You are one of the Fallen"
His jaw ly, but yes, I am And you’re one of the hunters"
Slowly I nod I can’t see His scent, his entire being is intoxicating I don’t understand it, and confusionto ain The hu hears I want to cover my ears
"What’s theIn razesstops "’Tis the relics, I fear," he says "Your acute hearing is attuned with their low frequency"
I blink I’ve been hearing the freaking relics the whole time? Now ain, I frown
"What is it?" he asks His hands ski me closer
"I don’t know," I answer honestly "Iknow this is wrong, yet I can’t help ?" he asks "Do you not recall the other night? The one we shared with such passion?" He lifts my chin with his hand and forces ht?"
"You don’t know me," I say "I know that the Fallen seek pure souls Mine is anything but, so don’t get any funny ideas about sucking hs low, deep "That’s the farthest thing from my mind," he says "And I do know you, Riley Poe From the very first encounter, I scanned your entire soul I knohat your very first cognitive thoughts were, all the way up until now" He grazes my jaith his thumb "I know your whole life And I admire the person you are I envy your fiancé You’re an a wo the drug of his touch against my skin "How do you know my fiancé?"
"You knowmy question about Eli "Please hold still, Riley," he whispers, drawing close "Just for a o deathly still as he leans toward me, head bent, and brushes his lips over mine His silky hair slips over my shoulder, and the sensation across my skin makes me shudder His lips are full, pliable, and theyat my bottom lip with his teeth My hands move to his chest, up the collar of his tux, and around his neck to pull hiainst his body I can’t seeh His lips claih into hie hiainst hishirasp onto what little control I have left My hand own’s herate my blade, and I release it froainst Athios’s throat
"Get off of rasp I press the blade harder, and Athios flinches "Now"
Athios pulls back just a fraction "Impressive"
"Turn her the fuck loose before I take your head right here," a voice says vehemently in the corridor
"Do as he says," another voice demands "Now"
Two bodies fly toward us, and I’ainst the wall My head smacks the hard, sharp stone and ied The bulb is hit and is swinging on its long cord, eway I hear nothing but fists, grunts, and swearing at first, then the sharp clang of steel against steel I see nothing; it’s pitch-black
And I know that voice, those curses, belong to Jake The other is Victorian
The fighting continues, and I try to stumble up to help Stop it! I demand to anyone ill listen No one does Jake! The second relic is here so continues as if no one hears s back and forth, I see Victorian and Jake have both changed; their jaws are dropped, fangs protruding, eyes ablaze It does nothing to deter Athios Then, all at once, everyone freezes No one makes a move or a sound The air chills even h Suddenly, twotuxedos One lifts his hand toward Victorian andbody up Jake lifts his sword and charges the two Then, before I realize what’s happening, the one makes a quick flick of his wrist toward Victorian He completelyvanishes
I pull every ounce of concentration I have into a small, condensed ball in the center of my chest I focus on the two Fallen Leave here Now!