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As he had told Darcy, he wasn’t an aninant Even it didthe precious children they so desperately needed

So nohat?

Salvatore stiffened as the scent of expensive perfu a dodge for the nearbyHe could easily sca and ether as he realized the cowardly direction of his thoughts He feared nohi his brandy when the door was pressed open and the beautiful pureblood strolled into the room

A faint smile touched her lips as she halted before hiaze to roam over him

"Poor Salvatore, you don’t look particularly happy for a hed with deliberate boredoreen eyes flashed with annoyance She was a wo with desire when she was near

"How can I?" Her gaze dropped to his half-elass "As a hter’shis sorrow in brandy"

"One shot is hardly drowning"

"Ah, then you’re drinking because it’s the only way you can force yourself to do your duty?" She gave a ue "How sad"

"Shut up, Sophia"

"You don’t find her attractive?"

"I find her considerably ave a short, brittle laugh "Tellyou"

Salvatore drained the last of his brandy and set the glass on his desk with a loud click

"Your daughter has decided that she doesn’t particularly care to have ave an indifferent shrug "She’s here now and in your power"

"And unwilling" He abruptly straightened, resisting the urge to backhand the woive her the satisfaction "I don’t rape wo violence, Sophia offered a taunting smile

"Surely you don’t doubt your powers of persuasion? Really, Salvatore, I thought you had rowl How in the hell that sweet, innocent child upstairs had ever possibly come from this woman’s ould forever be a mystery

"My balls are not the problem She believes she’s in love with the vaet him in time" Sophia reached out to draw amore than a false elusion that ri"

"Surely you don’t believe in love?"

Salvatore kept his expression i the Weres was now no more than a oal, and nothing so mundane as emotions, even passion, was allowed to interfere

It would be seen as nothing less than a fatal weakness if he were to aded to discover that one wo that Sophia was studying hiive a nonchalant shrug

"It doesn’tas Darcy "

"Oh, for God’s sake, just go upstairs and get it over with," Sophia groith annoyance "Once you have her pregnant you can hand her over to someone who doesn’t possess your refined sensibilities What about Huntley? He has a taste for forcing himself on reluctant women"

Salvatore stiffened He couldn’t believe even Sophia would be callous enough to hand her daughter over to such a savage ani up his hand, Salvatore was on the point of physically re woman from his study when he came to an abrupt halt

His senses sharpened to full alert as he tilted back his head and sniffed the air

"Soave a sharp hiss "Damn, it’s the vampires"

"Good" A cold shts of Darcy and his unpleasant duty were forgotten as a flare of anticipation raced through him This hat he wanted The opportunity to rid hihtly or wrongly he held the vampires entirely to blame for the decline of the Weres And s done to his race "Once Styx enters my lair I will be free to kill hi his territory"

Sophia paced the rooitation "You think he will be so foolish?"

"Don’t you pay attention to anything?"