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"I am not burned" He didn’t want her to see the flash of his fangs, which had sprung into his mouth the moo back to your seat before we encounterlooked down at the buttons on the carpet around his feet and stepped inside, closing the door behind her "Please let me help you" She put her hand on his useless arertips brushed over the long, narrow recess in his flesh

The place where Thierry Durand had brought down his blade and severed Valentin’s ar’s other hand as she gently traced the length of his scar, following it all around his arm "How did this happen to you?"

"It was an unfortunate accident" He turned his head so he would not see the pity in her face "There was only so much the physician was able to do to repair it"

"When did you have the reattachery?" Her voice sounded thin and strained

"So him like this, only half a man He did not want to face her sympathy or her revulsion "I am partially paralyzed, Miss Harper, not helpless Youaway, Liling stepped closer, bringing her other hand up to the scar, spanning it with all of her fingers She bent forward and brushed her lips against the recess of flesh

Valentin went still "What are you doing?"

Her lips ainst his scar, but whatever she said was lost in the acco rush of sensation Human warmth, effortless and beautiful, wrapped around his cool flesh and sank into hi into his very bones

No lover, human or Kyn, had ever touched hi’s cheek brushed his shoulder as her sentlest of bracelets She looked up at hi her black eyes wet

"I’ "I’ered hiht he had lost the duel with Thierry Her touch ht have saved him then

It was too late now

Valentin tried to move away from her, but discovered that he didn’t want the ain, he brought his good ar it around to pull her closer

"No," he murmured when she stiffened "Stay"

He closed his eyes as Liling relaxed and rested her hands on his chest, where the war the cold stone of his heart

He held her for as long as he dared, until the need to taste her beca inside hiht it to his lips

That her compassion aroused hiusted with himself "You should be careful You don’t knohat you do toyou," she said, her voice low and shy "I wish I could dohis talent, but it didn’t stop hi her, "What more do you want?"

"I’d like to kiss your ainst his lips "And put my hands on you, and move theht about hoould be How you would make me feel I’ve dreamed of you with "

"You cannot desire me" He could not believe her words L’attrait compelled her toNow"

"I’ve wanted you since the first ti her lips with halting reluctance, as if she fought saying them It was the sa they considered a shaht Luisa the caht you were a prince out of a fairy tale Then you spoke to her, and I knew that you were better than a prince You treated Luisa with such kindness and respect" She sed "I envied her your friendship"

Valentin’s hand trembled as he slid it over her hair to cradle the back of her head "Why did you never say anything to me?"

"You’re an iardener I knew I could never be with you"