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She pulled frorip and eyed hi Caine?"

His s

"Si"

"I’ froreatest co the throne"

Harley lifted her brows "Is there really a throne?"

"Of course" He seemed startled she would even ask "It’s a ilt and velvet cushions It’s also bespelled so that only the true king can sit on it It helps clear up any doubt as to the next heir"

She griaudy croith a lot of flashy jewels

"And your contender’s ass wasn’t royal enough to fit?"

A feral smile curled his lips "He wasn’t in the mood to try after I ripped out his throat"

"Nice" Harley tossed her head, hoping he didn’t notice her tiny shiver of alar to remember "It’s no wonder he’s chuuts"

"Actually, it’sless than a s’s throat, I cut off his head, carved out his heart, and burned his carcass" The golden eyes flashed "He should be dead"

"Yeah," she breathed unsteadily "You’d think"

Salvatore watched Harley griht not be the best strategy to reveal just how brutal he could be when the occasion demanded Not if he was to convince her that her only hope of safety was in his hands

Then he shrugged Unless Caine developed the ability to think with his brain instead of his ego, Salvatore was going to have to kill him And anyone else who threatened Harley

Perhaps it was best she knew the truth fro to the saaze squarely

Brave and tough

Just his kind of woman

"Have you considered the possibility that s?"

Ah, if only it were that simple

"No, the description fits too perfectly" Salvatore shook his head in disgust "Cristo I should have known his death could not be so sih the cell "You did everything but eat his carcass for dinner That isn’t simple by anyone’s standard"

"Not forin ic"

She took a sharp step backwards, her expression oddly wary "Weres can do ic, he wouldn’t be stuck in this daic like a witch, but any creature--" He broke off as he realized he wasn’t being entirely honest "Well, any creature besides a vaic"

"Imbued? I don’t understand"

"There are ancient demons who can share their poith others"

She considered a moment, her expression dubious "I haven’t met many ancient demons, but they’ve never struck , let alone their power"

"Very perceptive, cara," he said "Only the very stupid or the very desperate would agree to becoh for whatever reward you hope to gain"

"What’s the cost?"

"Your life, if you’re lucky"

She hesitated before asking the obvious question "And if you’re not lucky?"

"Your soul"

"Dalanced toward the door, perhaps realizing for the first time just how truly perilous their situation was "Why would this Briggs be willing to give up his soul?"

It wasn’t a tough question to answer Like Caine, Briggs had always been an egotistical jackass who assuht he wasn’t going to be top dog (quite literally), was enough to send hie

"He’s nearly a century older thancandidate to becoht on quickly "And you stole his thunder?"

"What can I say?" He smiled with a faux modesty "It was known since I was in the cradle that I was destined for greatness"

"You’re is is borrowing some demon’s power?"