Page 112 of Twilight Destiny

“Married! Are you sure?”

He nodded.

“Well, that was kind of sudden, wasn’t it? I mean, they’ve known each other such a short time.” And then she grinned. “I guess we didn’t wait very long either, did we?”

“Too long as far I was concerned.”

“Men.” She shook her head in mock despair. “All they want is one thing.”

He put his paperwork aside, took the book from her hands and dropped it on the floor. “I’m thinking about that one thing right now,” he drawled, taking her in his arms.”

“Do youeverthink of anything else?” she asked with a dramatic sigh.

“Not when you’re this close,” he said, his voice a low growl as he began to lift her nightgown over her head.

“What if I said no?”

His hand stilled immediately. “Are you?”

“Have I ever refused you?” she asked, fighting the urge to laugh.

He snorted. “Shall I count the ways one by one?”

“That was then,” she said, her fingers tracing the line of dark hair that disappeared beneath the sheet. “This is now.” Falling back on the bed, she threw her arms wide. “Have your wicked way with me if you must.”

“Always my pleasure, my lady.”

She sighed as he aroused her, amazed as always that she had ever thought she hated the wonderful, powerful man in her arms.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Paul Rhinehart paced the narrow confines of the cage, the food and drink Saintcrow had left for him untouched. He could feel the necromancer inside of him, a malevolent, alien presence constantly fighting him for control of his thoughts, filling his mind with vivid images of death and destruction. He felt his own will growing weaker as Luca’s grew stronger and it scared the living hell out of him.

We need to get out of here, hunter.

“No, we don’t.”

Coward! Think of the power that will be yours if you surrender to me. You want it, you know you do.

“I don’t!”

You’re lying to yourself, but it doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, you will surrender your will to mine and when that happens, I will be in control. I can already feel my magic coming back to life. No mere mortal can defeat me now.

Rhinehart pressed his hands over his ears as Luca’s maniacal laughter rumbled in his head. Where were Saintcrow and Kincaid? Had they left him here to rot? Why wouldn’t they? He was nothing to them. Vampires! He had been a fool to trust them. With Luca’s power, he could …

“No!” He screamed the word as he heard the necromancer’s insane laughter in his mind once more.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Ablush warmed Rosa’s cheeks when she woke to find Jake in bed beside her, propped up his elbow, watching her. “Is something wrong?”

“No.” He ran his tongue along the curve of her throat. “I never thought you’d be mine. No matter how much I dreamed of it, I never thought it would happen.”

Smiling, she pulled his head down and kissed him. “Are you convinced now?”

Kincaid laughed softly as he stretched out beside her and drew her into his embrace. Her curvy little body fit his perfectly, he mused, as he ran his fingers through the thick mass of her hair. She was here. She was his. But for how long? Unbidden, thoughts of Rhinehart tugged at his mind. What were they going to do about the hunter?

“Hey,” Rosa said, tugging on a lock of his hair. “Where did you go?”

---