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"Of course she can She’s a goddess, isn’t she?"

"Think, Levet," she commanded "They have Viper"

"Are you drunk? I know they have Viper I just told you that"

Her teeth gritted as she resisted the urge to give hiood shake "They have Viper and I’ray face ht white "Oh No, you truly must be drunk if you think Viper will deliberately call you into the hands of your eneant pain in the ass, but he would never allow you to be harmed"

This time her shiver was not from the cold "Not intentionally"

Levet frowned "Shay?"

She hunched her shoulders as old memories rose up like nasty bile

"Levet, we have both been at the mercy of enemies We knohat it is to be tortured," she said in raw tones "All that blathering about glorious honor and loyalty is for fairy tales, not reality In truth a person can be forced to do anything Even if it goes against everything they hold dear"

He flinched, as his hand instinctively lifted to touch the scars that marred his chest The trolls had found it loads of fun to use a et practice At least until Shay had arrived and threatened to cut off their ed to transcend race, culture, and species

"No" Levet gave a shake of his head "Not Viper The aiven and he will never do that"

It hat she feared the most, she abruptly realized Not that he would break beneath the torture, but that he wouldn’t Viper was just stubborn enough to allow himself to die before he would call her to his side

It was a sacrifice that would break her as nothing else could

"Then they will kill him and I will still be at their mercy," she rasped

Levet lifted his hands to rub his te me a headache What do youViper will still force me into their clutches I cannot escape the curse"

Levetof French curses as he at last understood her head was directly beneath the guillotine

"Sacrebleu, when you tumire you really tu it

"We have to rescue him, Levet And we have to do it now"

Chapter Twenty

Viper decided that the black lie and boasting soft leather seats, it offered few other luxuries No soothingon ice

Of course, he had to concede, his own li fro that could conveniently hold even the ht he would have corrected if he everthe silver that burned into his wrists, he gave another futile tug on the chains that bound hi on the traitor who sat on the seat opposite hie that Shay was out there alone

With a click of his tongue, Styx pulled off his cape to reveal the black leather pants and thick sweater that covered his large forles are futile and will only hurt you, Viper," he said

Lowering his gaze Viper glared at the man who had once stood at his side Whatever their friendship in the past he would never forgive Styx for this

And never was a very long tio to, le, no matter how futile?" he de very hard to ensure that you do not face death"

"Not face death?" Viper gave a huh, as furious with himself as the man across from him Devil’s balls, but he had been an idiot "I’ve been chased across Chicago by dark wizards, hellhounds, and now trolls"

"Merely distractions"

"And the Lu?" Viper demanded "I assure you he was more than a mere distraction He da that ht have been unease rippled over the bronzed features It wasn’t ive Viper a faint hope that the "

"Your master?" Viper carefully probed

"You know better man to ask," Styx chided, his arritted his teeth "She is about five foot seven, one hundred and twenty pounds, which is shocking considering she eats like a horse"

Styx gave an impatient hiss "Now is not the time for levity, Viper If I am to save you, I must have your cooperation"

Viper wanted to tell him what he could do with his cooperation He would put a stake in his own heart before he would help theh to realize that for the moment he was helpless to attee Styx to talk heof what lay ahead