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It was no wonder he was in the

Or, r turned his head to study the feic, his fury and frustration eased to a rueful resignation

Perhaps Regan had cast a spell upon him Or perhaps the brutal barriers he’d built around himself were sih him

Whatever the case, he kneasn’t nearly as desperate to return to the dark solitude of his lair as he should be

Shuffling her feet, Regan at last cleared her throat Since leaving the cave, she’d gri her silence was some sort of punishy, he’d gone decades without a sound to disturb his studies Besides, he’d known her silence wouldn’t last She was not the type of woman who could keep her emotions bottled inside

She was al

Just the way he liked ther hid a smile at her sharp tone "This is where I lost the ilanced around the empty field, her brow furrowed "It was around here Maybe closer to those trees"

"Then that’s where we’ll begin our search"

Before he could take a step, Regan had stubbornly folded her aro faster if we split up"

He lifted his brows at the suggestion "So I can waste the rest of the night chasing you down? I don’t think so You stay at ht, not the glow of a Were on the point of shifting, but one of a pissed-off woh that I was io from one hell to another?"

His eyes narrowed "My only purpose is to keep you safe, Regan, not to imprison you"

"Well, it feels rerabbed her arer He would endureco fe chief"

Abruptly he dropped his hands and stepped back Just the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingers was er

"You want to be rid of ed with a cool control he was far froain"

Her lips tightened as she absently rubbed her ar until I’ve skinned Culligan and fed his heart to the fishes"

"Then it would seer led the way toward the line of trees

Regan fell into step behind hi off his ruesonored her threats Despite her unique ability to annoy the hell out of him, he understood her frustration She’d just escaped froan’s clutches--she didn’t want to depend on anyone Even if his presence r abruptly halted, his senses flaring with life

"Wait"

Regan flowed to his side, her body coiled to attack "What is it?"

"I smell blood" He pointed toward the trees "In there"

"Human?"

"Imp"

She sucked in a deep breath "Is he still in there?"

"Ir bit back his instinctive protest Regan had earned the right to battle Culligan So long as he was near to prevent disaster

"This way"

Without speaking, they entered the thick woods, their steps barely stirring a leaf as they r could hear the rustle of nocturnal animals and babble of a shallow creek, but there was no sense of hu scent of blood, Jagr angled to the west There was nothing but trees for several feet, then without warning they ended, revealing a wide path that had been carved through the very heart of the woods

It was clearly a road for the local farmer to transfer his equipr’s only interest was in the long RV that was distinctly out of place

"Shit"