Page 50 of Kiss of Magic

But as it faded, it was replaced by shame. She kept her face pressed to his chest, unable to look at him. What the hell was she supposed to say?Thanks for the fabulous O? Hey, do they teach you that at hunter school?

“Um, I think that did the trick,” was all she could manage. Her voice was muffled against his chest.

“Good. How are you feeling?”

“Mortified. Humiliated. Suicidal.”

“Hm. Not the reaction I normally get.”

He sounded amused and she finally plucked up the nerve to look at him.

“I suppose this is all in a day’s work for you.”

“Getting my bounty off in a cloakroom? Nope. It’s a first for me.” His eyes crinkled down at her. “Can’t wait to tell everyone at the next annual hunters’ meeting.”

“You wouldn’t!”

He laughed out loud and she realised he was teasing her.

“Of course I wouldn’t. It’s far too fucking weird. You are without doubt the strangest bounty I’ve ever had, Blue.”

He met her eyes and his smile died away. They stared at each other for a long moment. She realised her dress was still rucked around her waist at the same time as he remembered his arms were still wrapped around her.

Awkwardly, they stumbled apart.

“Let’s go,” Blake said. “We need some sleep. Tomorrow I have to get you to England.”

His words were like a bucket of water dashed in her face. Any notion that he might feel some connection towards her because of their recent intimacy evaporated.

Angrily, she yanked her dress down. Blake was clearly incapable of any feelings other than professional pride. It didn’t matter that he’d just given her the best orgasm of her life. He was going to hand her over anyway, because to him she was nothing more than a job.

“Fine,” she said coldly. “Wouldn’t want to keep my executioners waiting.”

She stormed out of the cloakroom and made for the exit, not stopping to see if Blake was following. It was only when she got outside that she saw they had company. She pulled up short.

Three large figures were waiting on the street. They were dressed theatrically in trench coats that were far too small for their strangely bulky frames. But it was their craggy faces that gave the game away – these dudes weren’t human.

Blake moved so he was partially in front of her.Always the protector,she thought bitterly.Until tomorrow, at least.He examined the newcomers.

“What the fuck are they?” he asked.

“Trolls,” said Dani flatly. “Thugs for hire.”

Blake eyed them. From what he could see of them, they appeared to be hewn out of granite. They were powerfully built with shoulders twice the width of his. But they looked slow. Perhaps if they went back into the nightclub and ran out the back way…

He turned. There were three more behind them.Fuck.

Blake scanned the area. No-one else was around. The street was empty and the bouncer who’d been on the door had either been bribed to disappear or was lying in a ditch somewhere.

He cursed himself silently. He’d been so damned distracted by Dani, he hadn’t been paying attention.

“You come with us.” The voice that rumbled from one of the trolls sounded like rocks crashing down a ravine.

“I don’t think so.” Blake drew his Glock and Dani tugged at his arm.

“You can’t shoot them.”

“Why not?”

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