Page 26 (1/2)

And of course there was his outfit

What sort of man wore heavy robes and a medallion that looked as if it had been ripped off soh her er down her cheek Abby gagged at the cla where Dante was

He had to be near, she told herself Perhaps even now plotting her rescue

She didn’t for a ht be injured Or, God forbid, dead

That path only led to stark, ravingher as though she were a bug pinned beneath a htly to the pole she could barely even blink

"Such power," he purred in an oddly mesmeriz-

Ing tone "She hums with it It seeroaned through the rag stuffed in her mouth She didn’t think she was tied up for a surprise birthday party, but slain?

Damn Selena and those witches She was obviously here to be served up like a Thanksgiving turkey for the Prince

Hurry, Dante, she silently willed Please, God, hurry

Another face suddenly popped into view This one belonged to a woman not much older than Abby with a pale, pointed face and a dark cloud of hair She ht have been attractive if it hadn’t been for the unnatural glitter in her brown eyes,

"She doesn’t look all that dangerous," the wolance "Because, like most, you see only with your eyes, Kayla A weakness that I have warned you of h be dead"

Abby didn’t like the woman’s flippant tone Sheout the trash rather than coer, she wondered if she could fry the bitch like she had those zolanced toward the burning fire "The suun"

"Shall I call for Amil and the vaed through her He was near And any h the door to kick soer, theat his lips

"Not just yet I a for the appropriatein the oily tone caught Abby’s attention, stirring the hairs on the nape of her neck The young woman, however,my presence"

"I assure you that your presence is essential"

The dark eyes smoldered with a hectic fire "We shall be blessed above all others"

"Yes, indeed"

There was a sound across the chaaze to discover two shadowed for near the corner They were shrouded fro Abby didn’t hope for a moment they were actually human

The woman seemed no more impressed than Abby, and her lips curled as she waved a hand toward the silent witnesses

"Shouldn’t you be sending away those… pests? You surely don’t want them around when his lordship returns?"

"They are essential as well"

"Why?"

’You will discover soon enough"

The wo"

"Patience possesses its oards" Still studying Abby, thenear the servants

The woman frowned "What is it, master?"

"I sense a… disturbance Return to Amil"

"Now? What if the Pr--"