Page 41 (1/2)

“She does not know”

Mathias waved hi coreet thereat pleasure”

Sydney watched hi behind hione, Mathias snatched the Doo up the space to the door out of the makeshift office The moment Mathias stepped over the threshold, he cursed

The book reappeared on her lap

When he turned back to her, he fixed his stare on the diary, then lifted his terrible gaze to her The force of his anger was like ahis eyes with red could be fatal

He took a deep breath Another Then strode across the rooain in measured steps and sat on the sofa once anna Did a woo to hell, but he’d kill her for it At the very least she had to stay alive long enough to help any of the Doomsday Brethren who came

“Yes”

“Hu” Mathias sat back against the red velvet sofa, looking perplexed Suddenly, he snapped

Molossy black hair and black-rilided to his side She wore a blue bra that supported pert breasts, but was cut low, nearly exposing her hard nipples Herknickers were nearly transparent

“Sir?” she breathed

He stood and dropped an open- her taut nipple She keened and writhed under his touch Surely he was forcing her response by ical means, because the wizard made Sydney’s skin crawl When he caressed her hip and buttocks, pulling her close, the wo over his hip and writhed sinuously

They needed privacy If she had to watch another rab that book from the human’s lap”

With an absent nod, the thin woman slinked across the distance between Sydney clutched the book The woo Once she did, she was pretty sure she’d lose control of the Dooht; the little journal didn’t seeo,” Mathias instructed

“Sod off”

“You’ll pay for that backtalk”

Mathias flicked his hand in her direction and the scorching boain Reflexively, she released the book and doubled over, clutching her sto to die at the hands of this madman

“Take the book to my bedroom, sweet I’ll join you there”

The tall wo mind Likely so Rhea strutted toward the door on four-inch stilettos, as if she’d been born on theh with her head held high, then kept walking—taking the book with her This time, it didn’t reappear on Sydney’s lap

Sydney’s storeatest weapon and put it in the hands of a madman who’d likely use it to kill her and all the Doo Caden Her reckless need to tell the story, her voracious curiosity to explore the aic had been her downfall Why hadn’t she listened?

It was her last thought before darkness overtook her

After free-falling through black weightless space, Caden slaround in a cold field Fresh snow had fallen and seeped under his clothes Every exhalation misted the chilly air The crisp smells reminded him of the north country He had no idea how far he’d traveled, but he closed his eyes, feeling for Sydney, and kneas closer

Her earlier panic had been replaced with a muffled unease, as if she had a disturbed sleep Now he prayed it was sluic

He followed the feel of Sydney, closer, closer with each step through the dark He al his ith the reflective e estate rise in the distance More Italian Renaissance than Middle Ages, the beautiful liht as pristine snow surrounded it She was in there, his Sydney He knew it, just like he knew if he took too ical traps

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes He was a trained

soldier, often able to find and disable security Mathias’s would be ical senses would be critical

Magic buzzed through his systes were a bit wobbly after the teleport, and this level of energy wasn’t going to last But he had to endure until he saved Sydney

Caden skirted the peri for traps and holes in the security A few feet ahead, he encountered a wall, presu more than put off a “keep out” vibe It included a very h to deter a normal human

Too bad for Mathias he wasn’t “nor his eyes, Caden let his senses crawl around the wall About ten feet high Siic, there was nothing he couldn’t do if it helped him reach Sydney For all he knew, he was bloody Superman When he was a tot, his mother had certainly made it sound as if he would be Besides, he’d already perfor Sydney’s password off her co into Anarki when the Doo a wall be?

Squeezing his eyes shut tight, he juic, ju tenfoot walls was no problem One step closer to Sydney

Mo of the air Then he saw so unexpected So up out of the lasses, so Caden had no idea what he was thinking He’d never really trusted the sod, and now that the man had all but stolen his brother’s mate away, he didn’t trust Shock at all

“You’re here for Sydney I’ll sneak you past the alarms and take you to her”

“Why should I trust you? You had Anka under your roof and in your bed for days and told no one Nor did you return her to my brother”