Page 72 of Kiss of Light

“Of course. Unlike you,Tala-ji, I have never met a mind I couldn’t bend to my own.”

“You’re a fucking monster.”

“But not the only one, it seems.” He closed his eyes as he savoured the memories swirling around his host. “I see the Count has already tasted you. His thoughts of you are quite… explicit. My. What would your boss say, mixing business and pleasure?”

“Hate to interrupt,” Blake said irritably, “But let’s get this over with. I’ve hobbled the girl so I’ll take the vampire’s head now, like we agreed.”

He drew a long knife from inside his leather coat. The moonlight glinted off its sharp edge.

Ravij-Lemar shook his head.

“New arrangement, Mister Blake. You will get your head but first, I need him to take hers.”

“You want her dead? Why?”

“For the optics, Mister Blake. He kills her, then you kill him. All wrapped up nicely, don’t you think?”

“Don’t listen to him, Blake,” Tala said fiercely. “All he wants is to start a war to benefit his master. But his master’s a complete and utter prick. If he gets the throne, he’ll make everyone’s lives a misery.”

Ravij-Lemar gave a bark of laughter.

“You think Mister Blake cares about Nush’aldaam? He’s a mercenary. He only cares about the contract. Isn’t that so, Mister Blake?”

Blake studied Tala for a moment.

“Yeah. That’s all I care about.”

“I thought we were friends?” Tala asked softly.

“That was before you left me sleeping like a baby and stole my Charger. I really loved that car.”

“Blake…”

“Shut the fuck up, Blondie. You want me to bring her to you, Mister Ravij?”

“If you would be so kind, Mister Blake. Don’t feel bad,Tala-ji. When I force your lover to rip your throat out, I’ll make sure it’s quick.”

Blake strode to Tala and squatted beside her.

“Blake, please don’t…”

“What you have to understand, Blondie,” he interrupted, “is that this is going to hurtyoumore thanme.”

He met her eyes and carefully grasped the protruding tip of the arrow. In that split second, she saw he’d deliberately shielded the movement from Ravij.

“Any time today, Mister Blake.” The demon’s voice was tinged with impatience.

Blake raised a brow at Tala questioningly. She braced herself and nodded.

He yanked the arrow from her shin in one smooth movement, which she would have admired if the pain hadn’t made her almost vomit. Ravij-Lemar gave a roar of rage when he saw the incapacitating silver had been removed from her body.

Blake rolled to one side, bringing up his crossbow and firing at the demon.

“Blake, no!” screamed Tala. But Ravij-Lemar had already blurred out of range.

“Relax, Blue-Eyes. I wasn’t going for the heart. I just wanted him out of the way while you start your healing shit. Youarehealing, right?”

Tala examined the wound. Injuries from silver healed slower because of the minute particles they left behind. And her shinbone had been badly shattered, first by the arrow’s entry and then by its brutal exit. But at least the bleeding had slowed.

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