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Sensing another cur approaching behind theaze still trained on Salvatore as he held out a hand toward the curs Even fro the clearing

She didn’t have a clue what he was doing, but she suspected the curs weren’t going to be happy

She was right

With agonized whines the ani Still Salvatore continued to hold out his hand, his powerful co into the hapless curs

Harley winced at the sound of bones popping So the curs back to hu to go by

Fascinated by the macabre spectacle, Harley nearlyherself to the tree, she shook her head in disgust as she recognized theto sneak up behind Salvatore

A red-headed, fiery-tempered cur, Frankie always had more brawn than brain

And thankfully, that included ra sure he wasn’t about to be out-flanked

Following silently in his wake, Harley pressed her gun to the back of his head

"Hello, Frankie," she murmured "Miss me?"

With a foul curse, Frankie whirled around, uess her intent, Harley hit the idiot on his hard head with the butt of her gun, the force sending hiround, knocked out cold

"You have no idea"

"Done playing?" Salvatore asked, a faint sed "What now?"

"Noe leave"

She waved her gun toward the unconscious curs "What about the Three Stooges?"

"I don’t think they’ll be in the mood to follow us At least not for a few hours" He h the trees

"What did you do to the"

"Little?"

"They’re still alive, aren’t they?"

Harley griht you didn’t have a God co her hand to brush his lips over her knuckles

"I don’t like to lose"

"I’ll keep that in rip, unable to concentrate when he was touching her Or at least, she couldn’t concentrate on what she needed to concentrate on Ripping off Salvatore’s clothes and taking the gorgeous Were in the bushes wasn’t going to help thes?"

Salvatore’s smile widened, as if he could read her mind

Jackass

"A projection of him"

Harley had heard of the trick, but she’d never encountered anyone with the ical power to perform it

"He wasn’t really there?"

Salvatore knocked aside a dead tree leaning across the path, leading her down a steep hill covered with leaves and loose stones Absolutely perfect for sliding down and breaking her fool neck

"A portion of his essence was bound in the spell, but his physical forh"

"Si It’s the risky part of such a spell Although he’s far away, he can allow his spirit to becoives him the ability to travel at will, but it also makes him vulnerable to attack"

"Then he was injured?"

"His physical body carries the wounds he suffered in spirit forh her heart She hated to waste a perfectly good bullet

"I’lad"

Salvatore’s soft chuckle brushed over her skin "My senti, the Were sniffed the air Then see to come to a decision, he continued down the hill "This way"

"The river?" she muttered

"Curs hate water"

Harley licked her suddenly dry lips "So do Weres"

"Whichthey’ll expect is for us to travel by boat," Salvatore pointed out, stepping through the last of the trees

Harley’s steps faltered as she realized that Salvatore had led them directly to a small wooden dock where a shiny new speedboat was moored

Damn