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The sort of sensations a oman pretended didn’t exist

"It seems that he makes a very bad friend as well," she er to her lips "Laylah"

"No, he deliberately used your guilt to manipulate you into a position that not only hasvampires, but puts your life at constant risk," she insisted

He stilled, his gaze sweeping over her face as if seeking an answer to an unspoken question

"Hardly constant"

She otten you were attacked by your precious brothers the same day we met?"

His eyes blazed with a sudden heat as his ar of the day we ainst her ribs "Nothing"

Yeah well … ditto

Her eyes drifted to the hard curve of his mouth,over her skin jolting through her before she was sternly squashing her flare of arousal

No

She wouldn’t be distracted

"He had no right to ask you to sacrifice so much"

"Styx isn’t a benevolent leader" He snorted "Hell, he’s a son of a bitch ouldn’t hesitate to do what he thought necessary to protect his people But, he didn’t manipulate or compel me to beco Anasso was admirable, but it blinded hihtly ski her comfort

"Actually, he’s the only one who truly understands" She shook her head, far from convinced "Understands what?"

"He had his own history with guilt and the scars of a twisted relationship" His jaw hting the wrongs of h of frustration

She wanted to insist that Styx was using Tane’s guilt to ht have a chance of convincing the stubborn fool that it wasn’t worth the danger

But if his position was a personal holy war …

She shook her head Dammit She didn’t want to be concerned

It implied that she cared

And hadn’t she already decided that was a very bad idea?

There was a click froain filled the room

"Tane, you won’t like what happens if I have to fetch you"

They both flinched at the icy edge in the voice

With a low curse, Tane bent down to snatch a searing kiss before striding toward the door

"We’ll speak later"

"Tane"

He shot a glance over his shoulder "Yes?" "Don’t…" "Don’t what?"

She clenched her teeth "Don’t do anything stupid"

Chapter 13

Over the years Tane had developed a finely honed sense of self-preservation A vauard or he died That sierous distraction He barely noted the priceless statues that lined the marble halls or the framed masterpieces that would no doubt make a collector wet himself Which ht be hidden and the coved ceiling where a trap hts reer She didn’t like that he was a Charon But why?

Because she orried about hierous war and even spreading when he was abruptly jerked out of his inane thoughts by a wave of crushing energy that nearly sent hi but an Oracle could throw out voltage power that high

He hesitated outside the library where he could sense Styx ie to rush back to Laylah and carry her away blazed through hietting her out of here Not before they could be stopped by Styx’s Ravens

Or worse

Still, it was only the years of self-discipline that gave hith to step over the threshold into the vast library rather than rushing off like so to convince the Oracle that Laylah wasn’t a danger

Or die trying

Belatedly on full alert, Tane took a cautious glance about the long rooarden bathed in ht

There were the expected shelves with a portion of Styx’s enormous collection of books, and a heavy desk set near a marble fireplace Across the room there were various leather chairs dotted about the expensive carpet and a glass case that held a variety of ancient scrolls