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He expected her to knock aside his hand; instead she turned sid back

"Levet," shepest waddled forward "Oui,to block her path before his brain was fully engaged "Don’t be a fool, Nefri"

The gargoyledao had assu by several chilling degrees "Do you think because I’ear, forcing him to halt and actually consider his words "I think that you will do anything to prevent anotherto use her horror at the brutal slaughter to his advantage There was no way she was leaving this house without hi on with Gaius Or because he had a score to settle with his sire But because That was it Just because "Even endure o a raspberry, but his expression was resigned as he glanced back at Nefri "Ma chérie"

"Yes, I know, Levet," she said, her words coated in ice, her gaze never wavering froo "It appears we must be temporary allies"

"I--"

"Don’t speak," she overrode his response "That doesn’tless than respect Is that clear?"

He stepped back in her personal space "The one thing you will always have, cara, is my respect," he said with a blunt sincerity she couldn’thith, her intelligence, and her obvious loyalty "But you’re not my clan chief and I will never take commands from you"

"Do you take coed "When I agree with them"

"I pity Viper"

"He’s always been pleased with aze skimmed down to her cherry lips "You would be even ivehot and wild flared through hera sharp shake of her head and fire forain moved to block her path "Wait"

Her lips thinned "For what?"

"A truce"

Her expression was predictably wary "I beg your pardon?"

He held up his hands in a gesture of peace "I will tryand you will treat me as a partner, not your minion"

"You will halt your crude innuendos?"

"No"

"Santiago"

"I won’tneed to break through her ice wouldn’t allow hi in my power to track down Gaius"

She considered his pro minute "And your demand that I reveal my private business with the Oracles?"

"Keep it private" He gri to discover foron the sidelines during the battle against the Dark Lord"

"Soet you in deep trouble," she smoothly warned

He snorted "I’ve been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it"

Her dark, piercing gaze studied the bitter twist to his lips "Is there a reason you don’t learn froround, even when the result is a beating"

"The pits?" A shadow touched her face "You were a Gladiator?"

His jaw tightened, the ed hiht for his life every night searing through his mind "Not by choice"

"Isee," she said softly, and Santiago had a terrible sensation that she did More than he wanted "How long were you forced to fight?"

"Too long," he said in clipped tones, turning to o"

Most females would have retreated in fear as the air thickened with his power Nefri, of course, wasn’tat his side, not bothering to hide her curiosity "Do you ever talk about those days?"

"No"