aIf we are to help you,a Stefan said to Sofia, not even trying to sound interested, awe need to strike while Veyron is away. Do you know where he has gone?a aAway. Hunting,a she said in a rushed voice. aBut he should be back within the hour. Please, we must hurry before he returns.a aYouare right. We must hurry,a I said as I walked soundlessly into the room. Rowe stood behind me, capturing Danausas dark stare.

aOh G.o.d! Sheas escaped!a Sofia cried, tightening her grip on Danausas arm. aShe came here last night out of her mind. She was trying to kill me, spouting nonsense about evil plots to destroy her. Veyron locked her up in hopes that a good dayas rest would heal her mind. Please, you must protect me!a Danaus simply stared at me, his face an unreadable mask. I couldnat tell what he was thinking, and I was too scared to touch his thoughts. I didnat want to know if he believed Sofia. In the end it didnat matter. Danaus and I were already over, and I was going to kill Sofia.

As I took a step toward Sofia, the nightwalkers and lycanthropes that had been patiently waiting in the wings at her disposal entered the room. Ferko brought a low hiss out of Stefan as he eyed the lycanthrope.

aLeave that one to Stefan,a I said as I laid one hand on Roweas shoulder. He stared at Ferko for a couple of seconds, frowning, before he finally nodded his agreement that Stefan would get the alpha. Rowe would make do with the nightwalkers.

Angry and frustrated, I was in no mood for a prolonged armed battle. I waved my hand, intending to set the lot of them on fire, but the flames merely swirled through the air and settled in a ball above Sofiaas head before finally winking from existence.

aWitch,a I snarled.

aYouall not win this one, Fire Starter,a she said as she took a couple steps away from Danaus. aYou are outnumbered and outgunned. Veyron needs you dead and that is what I shall deliver.a The nightwalkers and lycanthropes charged as one. Rowe launched himself at one nightwalker with lightning-fast agility, while Stefan sought to corner Ferko, tearing apart one lycanthrope in the blink of an eye as he moved to protect his alpha. Three nightwalkers flew at me but suddenly dropped to their knees, clawing at their flesh. A familiar warmth filled the air, brushing against my bare cheek and down my neck. I turned to find Danaus standing with one hand extended toward the nightwalkers, killing them with his special gift.

aHere,a he grunted, tossing me a knife from his belt with his free hand.

With a wide grin I launched myself at the remaining nightwalkers. Slicing through tendons and muscles, crushing bones and lacerating vital organs, I left the nightwalkers shrieking in pain as they lay writhing in a pool of their own blood. They had chosen their path, siding with Veyron, and by extension Macaire. Iad had enough of the Ancientas games. Washed in their blood, I vowed that I would end this struggle for power with Macaire once and for all. I was tired of dodging shadows and running from every perceived threat, whether real or not. I wanted my life back, and I knew it would start again when I finally took out Macaire.

Placing a hand on the chest of each nightwalker, I set them on fire, ending their suffering as I burned them from the inside out. I was too close and too focused for Sofia to be able to stop me this time. They screamed but for a moment, and then were silent forever.

Sliding easily on the b.a.l.l.s of my feet on the blood-covered hardwood floor, I turned to face Sofia, who was watching me through narrowed eyes. Her face was twisted with rage, but she suddenly wiped it clean and turned to Danaus.

aPlease, Danaus! Sheas gone mad! You have to protect me. The nightwalkers want me dead. Iam just some pathetic human for them to play with,a she cried, clutching his arm again.

aRelease him,a I hissed, pushing into a standing position. It took all my will not to set her on fire. aHe doesnat believe you any longer. He knows youare a witch. He knows you tried to use and trick us.a aItas a lie! Sheas insane!a Sofia screamed, growing more frantic. She was a superb little actress, but my patience was growing short and I was in no mood for games.

aWho stopped my fire attack?a aHow am I supposed to know?a aTell me what Macaireas demands were. What did he require of Veyron and Odelia?a I demanded.

aMacaire? I donat know who this Macaire is,a she continued. She took a step away from Danaus for every step I took toward her.

aIam quite confident that you do. I have no doubt that Macaire directed this entire farce. You already confessed that your goal was to come between Danaus and me. Separate us and force us to fight each other, to kill each other. For who better to kill me than my greatest ally? Definitely a plan of Macaireas making.a aPlease, Mira, I never meant you any harm.a Sofia extended shaking hands toward me, but there was an evil glint in her eyes. She was plotting something. aVeyron is the one that locked you up. I went to Danaus because I thought he could free me from Veyronas grasp. I never meant to come between you.a aI donat believe you and neither does Danaus. You locked me up with Rowe in hopes that he would do your dirty work for you. Macaire could then go to the rest of the world stating that a naturi killed me.a Sofia looked over at Danaus, but I refused to drop my gaze from her face. The witch dropped her hands back to her sides and then frowned at me. aA lot of good that did us,a she finally confessed. aThe naturi is now fighting with you when he should have spent the day ripping your insides out with his bare hands.a My hold on my temper finally snapped. Flames whooshed up around Sofia, burning through the carpet, drapes, and furniture. She kept the fire from consuming her but remained trapped in a tight circle. I stepped through the flames with my blade in hand. Above the crackling of the flames I heard someone shout my name, but I didnat look up. I couldnat take the chance. Sofia was a witch and I was sure that she still had a trick or two up her sleeve.

As I stepped into the circle of fire with her, she disappeared from my sight. I immediately extinguished the flames and scanned the room. I had felt the brush of power when she disappeared. She didnat have enough power to go far. She wasnat as strong a witch as I had thought, which was more than a little surprising. But then, Macaire wouldnat have been able to control a powerful witch very easily. Regardless, she was mine for what she had done to Danaus and me.

aWhere did she go?a I shouted, my eyes whipping from one end of the burned and b.l.o.o.d.y room to the other.

aI feel her outside,a Stefan replied after a second.

I darted outside, my blood-soaked stockings slipping on the hardwood floors. Gravel and snow bit into my feet as I hit the yard. With a wave of my hand the tires of the car that Sofia was climbing into exploded as the rubber melted under the fires that suddenly burned around them.

A roll of thunder rumbled in the distance, but the sound was approaching us. Rowe was outside and finally in the clear to use his own powers. The wind swirled around us, throwing up flakes of snow and the occasional dead leaf. I didnat need to look overhead to see the black clouds beginning to pour across the sky. Rowe wanted Sofia dead as much as I did. She was one of those responsible for his imprisonment.

aSheas mine!a I shouted, pointing at Rowe.

aNot if I get her first!a aMacaire!a Sofia screamed in terror, but it was too late. I lunged across the yard in a blur of color and grabbed her by the neck. I threw her away from the car and followed after her, narrowly missing the lightning bolt that came streaking from the sky to smash into the car. She landed in a mound of snow with a heavy rush of air expelled from her lungs. I landed on top of her and sank my fangs into her neck before she could make a sound, before she could even raise a fist to push me away.

As I drained her of blood, I pushed deep inside her mind. She felt me in her thoughts and tried to scream, but it came out as only a low gurgle. Once there, I showed her the horrors I had witnessed over the years. I convinced her of the torture that still awaited her when I was finally through feeding off of her. Her heart pounded in her chest until I was sure that it would soon explode, pumping her warm blood that much faster into my cold frame.

When I had drunk all I could, I lifted my mouth from her throat but not my presence from her mind. She stared off into oblivion, not seeing the world around her, but the horrible world of bleak terror and pain that I painted for her. After only a couple seconds longer, her heart finally gave out and she uttered a shuddering gasp. She died in the tight grasp of fear, convinced that a long existence of pain awaited her.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I rose to my feet and backed away from her corpse. Her blood still leaked from her neck, staining the white snow red. I felt both rejuvenated and disgusted simultaneously. It had been a long time since Iad last killed someone in that manner. Locked in fear, I left their mind a shattered mess of chaos and pain in their final minutes. It always left me wondering if the soul ever escaped those grim horrors when death finally came or if those same fears followed them through the rest of eternity. I didnat like it. Killing someone was a matter of blood, violence, and hopefully a quick death. This was a slow torture that damaged both mind and soul.

I had killed Sofia like that out of hatred and pain. I hated what Iad done, but at the same time I couldnat salvage any feelings of regret. Despite my distaste for the act, I still hated her with every fiber of my being. She had stolen Danaus from me.

aMira?a Stefan said, drawing my gaze over to where he stood with a blade pointed at Rowe. The naturi glared at me, his hands lowered but open, showing that he held no weapon. For now he was abiding by our agreement. He had only struck at Sofia, the nightwalkers, and the lycanthropes that had attacked us. Rowe had made no move against me and mine.

aLet him go,a I said in a low, weary voice.

aAre you insane?a aIam beginning to think so,a I muttered. I had already heard that enough from Sofia. I was starting to question my sanity.

aMira, heas the one youave been after all these months! Heas been trying to capture you. Heas going to kill you. We wonat get another chance like this,a Stefan argued, taking a step closer to the naturi. Rowe never moved. He just stared at me with his narrowed eyes flashing in the light coming from the house.

aI know that!a I shouted back at him. aDo you seriously think I donat know exactly who he is and what he means to do to me? I said, let him go!a Stefan glared at the naturi for another second before he finally straightened his stance and put the knife he was holding back into a sheath up his sleeve along his wrist. He walked over toward me, partially standing between me and the naturi as if he were still determined to protect me.

Rowe arched one brow at me while the corner of his mouth tweaked in a smile. aI am . . . surprised.a aJust go now before I change my mind,a I growled.

Rowe hunched over as a pair of ma.s.sive black wings sprouted from his back. He extended them to their full length, catching the wind that was still snaking through the city. As he lifted off the ground, I took a step toward him.

aFind Cynnia!a I shouted up to him.

The naturi hovered in the air like a piata waiting for me to take a whack at him. Rowe c.o.c.ked his head to one side in thought. aYou think killing her will win me back to Auroraas side?a aNo, but I think you will find a home with Cynnia that you will never find with Aurora. Live your life, Rowe, while you can, instead of chasing after death.a aSame to you, Mira,a he murmured before rising into the night sky. I watched after him for several seconds until he completely disappeared from sight. I knew he would leave Budapest. All the other naturi here were dead, and he knew that I wouldnat be remaining there for long. I wasnat sure he would actually seek out Auroraas renegade sister Cynnia, but for him it would be a step in the right direction. I had a feeling that Cynnia would accept him, scars and all, where Aurora never could, no matter what he accomplished for her.

Closing my eyes, I buried my face in Stefanas chest. The nightwalker wrapped his arms around me, blocking out some of the cold wind that beat against my exposed flesh. I had killed Sofia, and soon I would have to face Danaus, but I wasnat ready. Not yet. Not tonight.

aTake me back to the hotel,a I whispered, barely getting the words past the lump in my throat. I needed to be away from this place. I had woken up to find myself locked with my mortal enemy, a p.a.w.n in an elaborate game to turn Danaus against me so he would be forced to kill me. Iad had all I could take for one evening. I needed somewhere safe where the world could touch me no longer.

Chapter Twenty-Six.

I stood in the shower for nearly an hour. Blood and dirt washed off me, but the gritty feeling of death and torture still lingered in my mind. I couldnat escape it, couldnat rinse it away no matter how long I stood in the steaming hot water. I washed my hair twice and scrubbed every inch of my body so that my flesh was rubbed red, but the memories and the pain stayed.

As the water finally started to chill, I turned off the spigot and towel-dried as much as I could. Wrapping a robe around me, I walked back into the bedroom as I rubbed a fresh towel through my wet hair. I paused just over the threshold, my hands growing instantly still. Danaus was in the hotel room with me. The door had just slammed shut and I could now sense him moving through the room.

My first instinct was to summon Stefan back to my side. He could take me away so I wouldnat have to face Danaus and his scathing words regarding my murder of Sofia. But I couldnat keep running from Danaus. I just wished Iad had enough time to become numb on the inside so that his words wouldnat have the power to reach my heart.

Pulling the curtains closed, I lit a handful of candles around the room with a wave of my hand, casting the room in a soft glow. I started to walk over to the closet when the bedroom door swung open and slammed shut.

aJust give me a minute to get dressed,a I said softly.

aYou left me,a he replied. His voice was rough and ragged, as if it had been dragged across the concrete.

A sigh escaped me before I could catch it. aIam not ready to do this now, Danaus.a I didnat have a chance to argue. He roughly grabbed my upper arm and spun me around. His lips found mine in a violent kiss as the back of my head hit the wall. Both of his hands cupped my cheeks as he kissed me again and again until his ragged breathing danced across my face. My eyes fell shut and I kissed him back, not questioning whether this was an illusion or just a hallucination of my own fractured mind. I didnat care. I would welcome death of this sort so long as he didnat stop kissing me.

My hand drifted down to his chest and I could feel his beautiful heart pounding beneath my fingertips. I knew the beat as if it were my own heart. His smell swam around me, that distinct scent of some distant sea and the soft caress of the summer sun. I wanted to drown in the smell so that it washed away my own scent. I wanted to become a part of him for a little while, just enough so the world would slip by us both unnoticed.

Danaus deepened his kisses, tasting me. My hands slid up to his arms and I kissed him back with the same pa.s.sion, getting swept up in everything I had dreamed about for too many lonely nights. But he suddenly pulled back. He had p.r.i.c.ked his tongue on one of my fangsa"we hadnat had enough practice kissing each other to escape a little bloodletting.

aIam sorry,a I said, hating to ruin the mood. I didnat want to shatter it, didnat want him pulling away from me already. aIall be more careful.a A frail smile crossed his lips as his eyes danced over my face, as if trying to soak in the sight of me. aI think my eagerness was to blame,a he murmured before leaning in to kiss me again. I tried to pick up exactly where we had left off, but he pulled away again. His large hands caressed my cheeks and swept down my neck. aI thought I had lost you,a he whispered in a wavering voice. aI came back to the hotel as they were leaving. They shot me. It knocked me out and I lost a lot of blood. I wasnat conscious again until you reached out to me. I had nightmares. I thought you were gone. Thought you were dead forever. I thought I had lost you.a aIam here,a I replied in a shaking voice, leaning my forehead against his. aI thought I had lost you too. Sofia . . . I . . .a I stammered. I didnat want to say the words out loud.

aI knew you were telling the truth. She was careless tonight, not bothering to cloak her powers. She used me,a Danaus said, and I knew that I had been forgiven. Everything had been forgiven for tonight. Tomorrow there would be more words, and more arguments waited on that distant horizon, but not tonight.

aKiss me again. I want to forget,a I murmured, brushing my lips against his. Danaus leaned into me again, pressing me harder against the wall. He exhaled and I inhaled, drawing just a little bit of his soul into my body as he kissed me. My hands roamed down along his hard chest until I finally found the edge of his shirt. A low groan escaped me as I finally touched bare flesh. How long had I dreamed of the satiny warm feel of his skin? I wanted to run my lips along every inch of his skin, tasting him, memorizing him, but for now my mouth was trapped by his.

aMira,a he growled at me as my hands slid under his shirt, exploring the sides of his stomach as they slowly worked higher.

aI need you, Danaus,a I said as his lips slid down my jaw to my neck. The edge of his teeth sc.r.a.ped across my flesh, sending a shiver down my spine and lighting a fire deep inside of me that I knew I would never be able to put out. aPlease say yes. Say you need me too.a He grabbed both of my wrists and stretched them above my head, where he held them with one large hand. He reached between us with the other hand and untied my robe, spreading it open so he could see my pale skin against the black silk.

aYouare enough to break any man,a he said in a low voice.

I smiled as I lifted my right leg and wrapped it around his left leg, pulling him back against me. aI donat want you broken,a I purred in return. aItas more fun when youave still got some fight left in you.a Iad run the tip of my tongue along his jaw and down his neck when I felt him stiffen but not pull away. Pressing a kiss to his neck, I nuzzled him once, chuckling. aI promise, no matter what happens I will never bite you.a aThank you,a he murmured before capturing my mouth in yet another rough kiss. His free hand slid up from my waist to cup my breast, leaving me squirming beneath his touch as I struggled to get closer to him. His hand was strong and firm, caressing me and pulling at the nipple until he finally got a moan out of me as I arched my whole body against his.

aRelease my hands,a I commanded, but he only laughed at me as his lips drifted down from my mouth to my neck. His hot breath trailed along my collarbone, lighting little fires down my body before he finally took my breast in his mouth. I jerked and groaned, my head falling back against the wall. He touched my hip bone before slipping around to cup my bottom, keeping me pressed tightly against him. I could feel his body growing harder beneath me, and the thought wrung another moan out of me.

aRelease me, Danaus! I need to touch you!a I choked out as he switched from my left breast to my right.

aAre you not enjoying this?a he asked, sending his hot breath against my wet nipple. aIt certainly sounds like you are.a ad.a.m.n it, Danaus! Youare killing me. I want to touch you,a I said between clenched teeth as I struggled to hold onto a single thought amid the pleasure shooting through my frame. It was unfair. I was standing there completely naked and shivering in pleasure, while he was still fully clothed and completely in command. Closing my eyes, I arched against him again, pressing as close as I possibly could. aIave dreamed of touching you for so long,a I said, lowering my voice so it ran like a hand over his cheek. aI need to touch you.a A groan escaped him as he released my hands. His lips crushed mine as one hand tightened on my a.s.s and the other closed over my breast. I kissed him back while I brushed both hands away so I could push his coat off his shoulders and down his arms. My lips never wavered from his as I ripped his shirt down the front, giving me full access to his chest. My fingers slid down as if I were reading him. I could feel hard unyielding muscle and smooth skin. My fingers tripped over the occasional scar from a wound too deep for even the bori-bound Danaus to heal completely. While his skin was soft and ageless, I could feel the centuries of life flowing through him. His powers brushed over me and through me, binding us together so that our powers were a single force within the room.

I dropped my hands from his body with great reluctance and pressed my fingertips into the wall so I could push off. We stumbled blindly over to the bed, where I pushed him down and continued to strip him naked. Burying his hand in my hair, he pulled me on top of him. His kisses were hotter now and his body felt like it was on fire next to mine. I stretched out, pressing my entire length along his so I could feel all of him.

My fangs ached to enter his neck. Something inside of me craved his blood like a human craved air. The feeling crawled inside of me, burning away at my soul. I clenched my teeth and focused on his hands as they slid over my body, learning every curve and hollow. The craving finally subsided but the need to have him grew stronger.

aPlease, Danaus, I need you,a I panted, pulling him on top of me. He rolled over, positioning himself between my thighs. I grabbed two fistfuls of his hair and pulled his mouth down to mine as he grabbed my hips and thrust into me. My back arched off the bed and I moaned.

Danaus swore softly once as he started to slowly move inside of me. I dropped my hands to the bedsheets and raked my long fingernails along the fabric, shredding it. I moved in time with him, following each wave of pleasure as it pulsed through me.

Smiling up at him as his long black hair crowded around his face, I wrapped my legs around his and pushed him over onto his back while he remained inside of me. Straddling him, I rode him slowly, running my fingers along his rib cage and over his flat nipples.

aI take it you want to be on top,a he murmured in a deep husky voice that sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to take this slowly. I had waited too long to finally be able to touch him, to look down on his face wreathed in peace and pleasure. I wanted to savor this moment when the world wasnat crashing in around us.

But the slow ride couldnat last. I felt the o.r.g.a.s.m rising within me, building so that muscles tightened and I could no longer form a coherent thought beyond the feeling of him moving in and out of my body. The need was on Danaus as well. He roughly grabbed my hips, forcing me to go at a faster pace as he pushed harder within me. I braced my hands on either side of his head and arched my back as the first wave rippled through me, tearing a scream from my throat in the form of his name. I rode him into mindless oblivion, where he joined me only seconds later. I felt the warm rush inside me as his own o.r.g.a.s.m claimed his body. His arms tightened around my waist and he let out a low groan that seemed to have been torn from his very soul.

I collapsed on top of him, no longer able to hold myself up. My body was covered in his sweat and I rose and fell with each heavy breath he took. I felt at peace. There were no naturi or coven Elders waiting for us just around the corner. The world wasnat going to h.e.l.l in a handbasket. We werenat enemies sworn to fight until one or both of us died. We were just two people enjoying each other.

After several minutes I leaned up on one elbow and looked down on Danaus. His eyes were closed and his breathing had evened out at last. I brushed some of his long hair out of his eyes and smoothed it away from his sweaty brow.

aFeeling better?a I asked, unable to keep the contented purr from my voice.

aItas a good start,a he said with a smile.

But to my dismay the smile faded almost as quickly as it formed and slight furrows appeared on his smooth brow. His look of peace and contentment crumbled before my eyes and I couldnat understand why. Reluctantly, I dipped into his mind. I just wanted to see where his thoughts were going. Were worries of the naturi and Veyron seeping back in already?

How are we going to make this work?

Danausas words echoed through my brain, a.s.saulting my heart. I could feel the doubt hanging in those heavy words and I felt paralyzed. I was losing him before we had ever really had a chance.

Sucking in a deep breath, I forced a smile on my face before pressing a brief kiss to his temple. aDonat think about it too much. It was just s.e.x,a I forced myself to say as I rolled off him. I briskly scooped up my robe from where I had dropped it on the floor and pulled it on while walking into the living room of the hotel suite.

I carefully erected a wall of stone around my heart, but it felt as if it were crumbling before the mortar had a chance to dry. I wanted Danaus. Not just in my bed, but in my life. I wanted him as my companion, my lover, and my friend. But I could feel the doubt rising within him. I was a nightwalker and he was a nightwalker hunter. He had spent centuries hating my kind. That was not going to be overcome with one night in bed.

Maybe he was right. How were we going to make this work?

I walked over to the desk and leaned my hands against the top, staring down at the piece of paper on which Iad written the names of the leaders of Budapest. Picking up my pen, I drew an X through Ferkoas name. One down, four to go.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Danaus walk into the room still completely naked and oblivious to the broken bit of furniture and gla.s.s that still littered the ground.

aWhy did you leave?a he asked as he came to stand behind me. aI wasnat done with you yet.a aI thought Iad give you a chance to recover,a I said, not moving from where I stood leaning over the desk.

Danaus reached down and pulled up the edge of the robe so my backside was exposed. I started to stand upright when he placed a firm hand on my lower back, keeping me bent over. His other hand swept over my thighs before he reached between my legs. He inserted two fingers inside me, drawing a groan from my throat as my eyes drifted shut. aWhy did you run from me?a he demanded as he drew his fingers in and out.

aI didnat,a I croaked. My throat would no longer work and I was choking on the words. aI thought you needed to rest.a aYouare wrong and youare lying,a he said. He removed his fingers and immediately pushed his rock hard p.e.n.i.s back inside of me. He slowly drew it out and then pushed it back inside. aSo wet,a he murmured. aJust for me. So tight and so wet, just for me.a His words sent a shiver through my body as I could feel his pleasure. He grew harder and thicker as he moved within me. From this angle he was deeper than he had been before, driving me insane with his slow movement when I wanted him hard and fast.

aItas never just s.e.x between us, Mira. It never could be,a he whispered in a rough voice. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my shoulder that nearly brought tears to my eyes. aDoes this feel like just s.e.x to you? Do you think thatas even possible between us?a aNo,a I groaned as I tried to quicken the pace, but he held me still. He moved with a slow pace, driving me toward madness as he brought me to the edge of an o.r.g.a.s.m, but I couldnat quite reach it.

aThen why say it?a aBecause you have doubts. You donat think we can work. I heard your thoughts,a I admitted. I tried to reach between my legs to touch myself, to finally push my body over the edge I was teetering on, but Danaus grabbed my hands and held them down on the desk and leaned forward.

aI have doubts, but Iam willing to try. Itas the best I can offer,a he said, growing still as his voice became deeper and huskier. aWill you try? I need you, Mira. Try for me.a aIall try,a I whispered. I leaned over and pressed a kiss into his arm, loving the feel of him wrapped around me and pressed deep inside of me.

aThank you,a he said. He reached down between my legs, pressing his fingers into my c.l.i.toris. My body jerked and hummed with a newfound tension as he pulled me back toward the edge. He picked up the pace, pounding his body inside of mine, earning a whimper from me as I hovered just short of an o.r.g.a.s.m.

And then my world shattered. My bowstring taut body snapped and everything exploded as wave after wave of pleasure hammered through my frame, leaving me weak-kneed and shaking. Danaus held tight to my hips as he continued to pound into me until his body went stiff with the o.r.g.a.s.m that swept through him.

Panting and covered in a fresh sheen of sweat, he leaned over me and bit my shoulder. aYouare mine, vampire, from here until the end. You are mine.a I laughed at him. I was feeling light-headed and more than a little giddy. It had been too long since Iad last been touched, since I had last felt these warm feelings of concern and pa.s.sion. It had been too long since either of us were happy.

aThen take me back to bed, hunter,a I commanded in a weary but contented voice. aTake me back to bed so you can be sure that I stay yours.a

Chapter Twenty-Seven.

Unfortunately, any additional quality time was cut short by the appearance of Stefan in the hotel suite. He was considerate enough to appear in the living room instead of the bedroom where Danaus and I were spread naked across the bed. Danaus brushed his lips across my temple and heaved a deep sigh.

aCan I stake him?a he asked, running his fingers up and down my back in a slow caress.

I snuggled closer as I smiled. aNo, you canat.a aCan you at least get rid of him?a Leaning up on my elbow, I looked down at him. aIam afraid not. We need to make plans for how weare going to get rid of Veyron and his companions.a aBack to work,a he groaned, sitting up in bed.

aBack to work.a After pulling on some clothes, I went out to keep Stefan occupied until Danaus could join us. The nightwalker was also considerate enough not to make any comment on my obviously disheveled appearance. There was no question as to what we were doing.