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The ice coating my insides thawed with a single look like that. Those lips, and eyes, and that damn hair. I checked in with myself, assuming he glamoured me again, but nope. I didn’t feel that push in my head I’d felt earlier.

He leaned in farther, his face only inches from mine. I swallowed heavily, the taste of garlic still in my mouth. I couldn’t keep my eyes off his lips, his eyes, as he oh-so-slowly closed the distance between us.

His mouth brushed mine at the same time his hand shot up the slit in my nightgown and closed around the knife I’d stashed there.

Chapter Seven

I jerked away from his lemon-flavored lips and slapped him so hard my hand stung from the force of it.

He stood, placing the butter knife inside a potted plant on the sideboard. While he turned away, I snagged the fork from my chicken and launched myself toward him. He gripped my wrists with his hands and held me back too easily. I kicked out, but he effortlessly dodged my feet.

My chest heaved with each breath, and I glared my hatred at him.

I’m a violent person, but right now I was myself pretty damn blood thirsty. I wanted him crying on the floor, apologizing.

It took a minute to sink through my haze of rage, but he hadn’t glamoured me. He simply held me off and waited for me to calm down, staring down at my face with such a soft look it made me want to

smack him again. An angry red handprint bloomed on his left cheek.

“Why aren’t you using your power on me now?”

He sighed as if I’d shifted from adversary to petulant child. “I only used my glamour because we were in public and I didn’t want a scene in front of all those humans. You’re strong and viscous from what I’ve read about you. I didn’t want to risk someone getting hurt.”

I tried to jerk from his grip but barely moved at all. After a few seconds, he released me, and I stumbled back into the chair.

“Do you think I’d hurt innocent people? I’m not that person. I admit to using my skills when necessary to get information, or make a catch, but I would never hurt a random bystander to save my own skin.”

Some of my fight fizzled at the idea he’d considered me to be one of those hunters who reveled in collateral damage. I’d always been careful in that aspect. The chief didn’t tolerate it, and neither did I.

He studied me and I avoided his gaze.

“Can we put the cutlery away and discuss this like civilized adults?” he asked. “Can I pour you some wine? I promise, you’ve never had anything this delicious.”

I spoke before thinking. “Is that where the poison is?”

Childish, even for me. I couldn’t get past the anger pouring through my veins.

He pulled the loose cork from the bottle, poured a glass, took a sip, and then offered it to me. “No poison here. I promise I won’t hurt you. I just want to talk. Afterward, if you still want to leave, I’ll have someone take you home and pay you for the time I’ve taken. Sit, please, and eat. We can discuss things when you finish your meal. I can hear your stomach growling from here.”

The food had tasted good, I had to admit. I sipped the wine and then cupped my hand over my mouth. Holy hell. It tasted wonderful. Like grape cotton candy.

Once I swallowed, I held out the glass. “What is this?”

“I’ll tell you soon.” At the look on my face he laughed. “It won’t harm you. It just reveals more than I’m willing without your agreement to work with me.”

Fair enough.

I sat in the chair and then had to get back up to grab my fork where he’d put it farther up the table. My face burned all the way back to my seat. As I ate, he skirted the end of the table and came to sit in the chair directly to my right. I was grateful for the silence as I polished off the last of the meal and sipped the wine.

“Dessert?” he asked.

“No, thank you. I’m fine. Please, say your piece so I can go home.”

His jaw tightened, and he leaned over to pour a glass of wine for himself. I got the impression he wasn’t the sharing type. Maybe his reluctance to reveal whatever he held back had been the reason for all the kidnapping and mind-control.

“Tell me what you know about the Black Mage.”

I snorted wine through my nose and it dotted the plate and table around my place setting. Through the burn, I mopped up my face and the table with the cloth napkin.


Tags: Amelia Shaw The Rover Fantasy