Page 38 (1/2)

Two Sorceri guards charged her and Lothaire The va to enjoy the battle, easily dodging their swords with his tracing

He slew one, then clasped the second's flailing body tightly to his own, piercing his neck His blonde brows drew together with pleasure Between his and the demon's brutality, Sabine stared in horrified fascina­tion

She shook herself, scra to her feet to escape the with two more revenants, and the three barreled toward her

Out of the corner of her eye, she saord hilt rushing toward her head

When she cried out in pain, the dehts were dim-any part of him that was ratio­nal washi soldiers charged up the stairs With Sabine draped across his shoulder, Rydstrouard he'd been draining, then clutched Rydstroht"

After an instant of blackness, Rydstrolowed off the sand of a barren plain The vampire had traced them to Grave Realm

Rydstrom was free-and Sabine was in his possession He drew her from his shoulder into his arms She looked innocent, but it was a false face She'd torain

His ression and primitive need

My woman So pale and perfect To use as I please

Chapter 10

He bent down to lay her limp body in the sand, then checked her head A knot had risen, but nothing her irated as he untied the cord he'd bound her with When Lothaire handed hiths that he tied around her wrists like cuffs, then he secured the two together with another line

Once he'd finished, Lothaire tossed Rydstrom a black tunic and the pack "There's a canteen of water and sup' plies to camp for a few days" From his waist, he unfas­tened a sword belt "And a weapon-to defend against the beasties," he said, see amused by that

Rydstrom drew on the tunic, then strapped the sword

to his waist

"You've got a week at the most to locate a portal Strike out due west froees ill know the way"

Rydstrom lifted Sabine once aze locked on Rydstro that will be worth what I've lost here by breaking my pact with Omort"

"When?"

"When the time comes In a week, a decade Maybe a millennium"

"You're still my enemy," Rydstrom said "I could si less You're an honest king, but you're still a ruthless one Now go The clock ticks"

When Sabine woke, thepain in her head, and since the de strides was increasing that ache Her hands were still bound behind her back Which h her braids, she could see they were in a different region of Rothkalina-gone from the seaside castle and verdant forest to a desolate plain There was only one region in Rothkalina that wasn't replete with green forest-the aptly nas are