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“Very good” He turned to go

Before he ot her own jab in “This is e could never be married!”

He slammed the door behind him and mounted his horse They rode hard to the castle, but the exertion and the frigid air did nothing to calates, he realized he’d be a y within hiround and handed his coat to a stable attendant, along with Thunder’s reins

“I need an ax,” he announced, his voice heavy with agitation

Moments later, he had what he wanted and storrounds and trudged through the snow to the thick woods inhabited by most of the shifters in his alliance, as well as other demons who preferred a simpler lifestyle than was the norm within the castle

He found a fallen tree with a thick trunk and took the ax to it, his blows strong, angry ones The base ide and required a significant ae Chopping, however, was a mindless—and harmless—way in which to release his emotions

As the sharp blade struck the wood over and over again, he blocked his conversation with Jade froression and angst on the lumber By the ti heavy, but feeling a little less inclined to throttle someone

He knew better than to blah the slayer was older than Jade by a few years, Darien himself kne difficult it was to refuse her when she set herconstitution and ere traits he admired when it came to her

He’d be a hypocrite to want her to be meek and timid Easily manipulated or directed His interest in her would never have developed were she not so detere he’d fallen in love with, not just her beautiful face and enticing body He couldn’t deny that

What irritated him, however, was the fact he feared he’d never be able to keep her safe It wasn’t a concern that had cropped up with her admission she’d been sworn in as a slayer, but one that had manifested itself deep within hi on the riverbank She’d been alone and vulnerable to pain for a long ti her once, and Darien was not so arrogant that he didn’t blaer

This nagging thought had hi stacked several h for him to be civil He returned to the castle

Entering his study, he tossed his leather coat on the sofa and sank into the large chair behind his desk He needed a shower and soet no reprieve from the disaster he’d returned to—and the inevitable outcome

She placed a pile of papers before hie, opened envelope in one hand Instinctively, he deduced as inside

“Jade’s paperwork for the slayer’s registrar?” he ventured

Sheena looked taken aback “How did you know?”