page105 (1/2)

One ht in, leefully as Mercury chose several dresses for her Because she refused She was horrified Outraged at the price And the sheer beauty of the party gowns he chose

“Thanksgiving, several Christ with me”

“My job is al for a calm she didn’t feel as they stepped from the boutique

Mercury calared down at her

“Would you go back now?” he demanded then “Would you leave me, Ria?”

She paused, staring back at him silently He could co he did Leo’s pride was already established, the hierarchy formed, just as it was here There was no place for him there, whereas here

She shook her head slowly No, there was no returning ever again to what she was And she couldn’t leave Mercury She had proved that the night before Dane had offered her escape, and she had refused it

“No,” she finally whispered “Not yet”

“Not ever” His voice hardened

“Not yet” Not until he asked her to Not until he could no longer deny the pull Alaiya would have on him

And then, she was terribly afraid, there would be no place to escape the pain

“You lovefro around me, inside me You can’t deny it”

“I don’t deny it,” she admitted

“But you regret it?” Anger flared in his eyes

And she had to shake her head No, she wouldn’t regret it She would die froret it