Page 82 of Kiss of Magic

“Are you angry because of what happened last night?”

He flinched.

“This isn’t the time. We’re on a deadline.”

“For fuck’s sake. Just stop for a minute. One minute, okay? You owe me that much.” Broodily, he nodded and she took a breath. Softened her voice. “I know you think you’ve broken a thousand rules by sleeping with me. But it was my choice, okay? Please don’t hate me for it.”

An expression flitted across his face and she recognised it as shame.

“I don’t hate you, Blue. I hateme.I shouldn’t have let it happen.”

“But it did. And I’m glad it did.” She squeezed his hand. “For what it’s worth, I care about you too.”

They stared at each other, bitterly aware of the irony. It made no sense to share feelings like this, not when the relationship was only ever going to end one way. And yet somehow, it felt right.

Blake shook his head ruefully.

“You are one crazy witch, Blue.”

“No crazier than you.”

“True enough. At least tell me we got those damned demon voices to quieten down?”

“They’re manageable when I’m close to you.” She lay her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “But I’m not sure how long I can go on like this.”

He kissed the top of her damp head.

“I’m not going anywhere, Blue. I’ll stay close till we get to England.”

“And during the ritual?” She looked up, her turquoise eyes clouded. “You’ll stay with me until I… until the end?”

His mouth went dry. Could he do that? Could he bear to? He wasn’t sure he had the guts. To watch this woman be sacrificed…I can’t. I just can’t.

He did the only thing he could. He nodded.

She held his hand as he drove them to the airfield. It made driving awkward but Blake didn’t let go. He told himself he was only trying to help her mute the voices in her head but he knew that wasn’t the whole of it.

If only Tala could see him now. She’d piss herself laughing. The cynical tracker undone by a blue-haired witch.

A thought began to take shape in his mind. A notion that would never have occurred to him previously. And once he’dconsidered the possibility, he couldn’tunconsider it. It lay in the back of his head like an unwelcome visitor.

He tried to shake it off as they pulled up at the airfield.

“We’re here,” he said.

Dani tried not to let her mouth fall open. She’d never seen a private jet before, and in the sunlight the Gulfstream positively gleamed. A heavily made-up flight attendant was waiting at the bottom of the steps.

“Welcome Mr and Mrs Blake,” she trilled. “Countess Lemar sends her regards. Please make yourselves at home and we’ll get underway.”

“Oh, I’m not Mrs Blake,” Dani said automatically. Blake rolled his eyes.

“You’d be terrible at undercover work,” he observed. He smiled at the attendant. “Thank you, doll. How about some champagne?”

“Of course, sir. I’ll bring it right away.”

They climbed the steps and walked into the brightly-lit cabin. The seats were white leather, large and sumptuous. Each row of two faced a polished table adorned with a fixed vase of silk flowers. Dani sank into a chair with a sigh.

“This is heaven. Never thought my final journey would be so swish.”

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