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"You know it is possible that she will prefer to reargoyle The bleak thought was a distraction he did not need at this h the daainst the flare of pain

"I have considered that possibility"

"And?" Levet prodded

The demon was either stupid, or incredibly naive No one with the least amount of sense poked at a vaainst her will," he gritted

"Really?" Levet gave a startled chuckle That’s very unvaainst his every instinct

But he had learned the hard way that he couldn’t force Darcy to rerim lines "I didn’t say I won’t devote the rest of eternity trying to change her oyle heaved a faint sigh "She will have you, Styx For all her good sense, she seems to have the deplorable ill taste to have tu at the demon’s words Just as if he were a weak, emotional human rather than the master and commander of all vampires

Pathetic

Truly pathetic

But, as a deht in the throes of love to do?

"She confessed this to you?" he deave an airy wave of his hand "I know love when I see it"

Styx didn’t even notice when his head s bolt

He knew that Darcy felt a connection to hiled

He even dared hope that in ti to offer herself and co

What he didn’t knoas if was enough to overco her teeth, Darcy continued to tug at the iron shackles Her wrists were already swollen and weeping blood fro it, the sun had already fallen and there wasn’t a doubt in the world that Styx was even now intent on his heroic rescue

She had to get out of here before all hell broke loose

Cursing and wrenching at the devil-wrought chains, Darcy nearly missed the faint prickles that raced over her skin and the lohisper that echoed through herwith sudden fear "Styx Where are you?"

"I aerous," she said, speaking aloud since she had no notion if he was actually in heryou"

"The Weres are being distracted"

Darcy didn’t intend to ask what sort of distraction he had devised She was beginning to learn that ignorance was truly bliss

"It doesn’t matter what the distraction, he will know you are here"

Darcy could actually feel his surge of es," he replied

Her o e it Why did e into battle?

"This isn’t the ti tosilence within her ht that he had pulled away from her Then, a cold chill inched down her spine

"You do not wish to be rescued?" he demanded "You prefer to remain?’

Even at a distance Darcy could easily sense Styx’s gri him to leave because she wanted to remain with the olves

Her heart clenched as his pain was echoed within her

No Oh, no

She had thought she needed a family to fill her heart, but that was no more than an illusion All the love and security she would ever need could be found in the arms of her vampire

"Of course I don’t want to stay here," she said softly "But I won’t have you putting yourself in danger"