Page 24 of Kiss of Magic

“Begging your pardon, your Majesties,” he said. His face was red and Kam guessed he’d been hovering for a while, wondering whether to interrupt their moment of intimacy. He suppressed a smile.

“What is it, sergeant?”

“There’s a young lady here to see you. Says she wants to help.”

“Help with what?”

“She wouldn’t say, your Majesty. She said you’d know.”

“I’m not in the habit of meeting strange ladies for spurious reasons, sergeant.”

“At least, not now he’s married,” Ren quipped. “Where has she come from, did she say?”

“She said she’s from the Forbidden Zone, your Majesty. And to give you a message.” The soldier wrinkled his forehead as if he was trying to remember the words. “She said the Beast sends his regards.”

Twelve

Baltimore

Blackness scratched at her thoughts. Round and round, dark with rage and longing. Scurrying, searching. And the voices. Hundreds of them. Voices she’d been hearing for the past few days. A low crooning that circled and writhed.We’re coming. We’re coming.

And suddenly, they were gone.

Dani jerked awake. She was hot and sweaty. Moisture pooled unpleasantly between her breasts and her jaw hurt. She lay for a moment, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, puzzling over where she was.

Memory came slamming back and she sat bolt upright. Her left arm tightened painfully and she saw it was handcuffed to the bed-post.

“What the f…? Where the fuck am I?”

Across the room, the bastard who’d hit her was sprawled in an armchair. He put down the half-eaten burger he was holding.

“Welcome back, princess. You hungry?”

He reached into a takeaway food bag on the table and fished out another burger. “Double whopper?”

Dani’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m vegetarian, dipshit.”

Blake reached into the burger and flicked off the meat patties. Then he replaced the soggy bun over the limp lettuce and tomato and held it out.

“Better?”

“Go fuck yourself.”

Blake shrugged and dropped the food back into the bag.

“Suit yourself.”

“What is this? Why have you got me chained up?” She shook the handcuffs. “Living out your bachelor fantasies?”

“You should be so lucky. We’re in a hunter safe-house.”

“How the fuck did you find me?”

“Just before you paralysed me back in New York, I managed to put a tracer on your skin. Very effective and virtually indetectable.” She gritted her teeth as she remembered the way he’d brushed his fingers against her waist. He grinned. “Don’t feel bad. I’ve tracked some sneaky bastards in my time.”

“Yeah? I bet they couldn’t dissolve your organs from the inside. I bet they couldn’t stop your breath with a single gesture.”

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