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7b2e519
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Rafe took his time, still checking out the room. He gestured at a pile of textbooks on the floor. "What's he use those for? Weight lifting?" "If you showed up in class more often, you wouldn't be asking that. Daniel's not a dumb jock." "No kidding." He leaned over to read the titles. "Pre-law? Please tell me those belong to his older brothers."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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c8ad8a8
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When I glanced over at Rafe, he was staring into the night, sipping his beer, looking just as calm, happy even. Neither of us said a word, but it wasn't an awkward silence. Just...nice. After a few minutes, he said, "Better not let my thirty minutes slip away, huh?" "I'm not wearing a watch." His grin sparked at that, and I felt this tingle in my gut, a slow heat, as if there was more than Coke in my glass. I glanced away and took a gulp. I..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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6d88267
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So, you wanted to get to know me..." he said. I laughed, and the fuzzy feeling evaporated. "Um, no, I don't think I ever said " "Close enough. Here's your chance. Ask me anything and I'll reply with relative honesty." "Relative?" "I'm the mysterious new guy in town. You like that. You just won't admit it. So, yes, relative honesty. Ask me anything." "Fine. What's the scariest thing you've ever done?" He laughed. "Wow. Straight for the jugu..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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85140fa
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So, you wanted to get to know me..." he said. I laughed, and the fuzzy feeling evaporated. "Um, no, I don't think I ever said " "Close enough. Here's your chance. Ask me anything and I'll reply with relative honesty."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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52c219d
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Ask me anything." "Fine. What's the scariest thing you've ever done?" He laughed. "Wow. Straight for the jugular."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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652f4c9
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And, having won thirty minutes of your time, I think I just gave you thirty minutes of reasons to run the other way as fast as you can." "I don't run away." He looked at me, startled, and what I saw in his eyes was so raw that my breath caught and all I could do was sit there, staring at him, that weird floating feeling trickling through my veins. "That wasn't what I meant to talk about," he said, his voice low. "I really wanted to impress ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4195e5e
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And, having won thirty minutes of your time, I think I just gave you thirty minutes of reasons to run the other way as fast as you can." "I don't run away." He looked at me, startled, and what I saw in his eyes was so raw that my breath caught and all I could do was sit there, staring at him, that weird floating feeling trickling through my veins. "That wasn't what I meant to talk about," he said, his voice low. "I really wanted to impress ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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02c5745
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This tiny voice in my head screamed "Slow down!" but it was so small and so faint that I could barely hear it and I didn't want to. All I felt was Rafe's mouth on mine, his arms around me, his body against me, and I didn't care about anything else. It was like jumping from a cliff, a terrifying, exhilarating, mind-blowing rush, and I didn't want it to end, didn't care where it led, only wanted to follow. I could feel his heart beating, and ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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c4caefd
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One minute we were sitting up, making out. The next we were lying on the roof, and I was on top of him, and I didn't know how I got there. I was kissing him and then, all of a sudden, I wasn't. He was holding my face in his hands, poised above his, as he panted softly, his pupils so huge I could drown in them. "Hate to ask," he said, struggling for breath. "How much did you drink?"
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Kelley Armstrong |
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bc546ce
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I remember the cat snarling. I remember Daniel backing up. And I remember Rafe, lying on the ground, saying, "It's okay. It's okay" over and over in this calm voice, completely calm, like he didn't even the cougar. The cat backed up, getting closer and closer to Rafe and he didn't move a muscle and I remember thinking, "She's protecting him," which was crazy, but that's what I thought. Then the world blinked, and my legs gave way. As I we..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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a439f0b
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Sure, you don't know me that well, but you said it yourself--I get a girl and I back off before I can collect the payoff. I don't need to dose girls." He stopped, "That sounded unbelievably arrogant, didn't it?" "Kinda."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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e520839
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You're new in town. You're trying to fit in, make an impression. You've heard I don't go with local guys. You've probably heard I don't make out with near strangers at parties. Maybe that's the impression you wanted to make. The cool stud who can get any girl." "Sure, if I want Daniel making an impression of my head in the nearest wall."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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95ed481
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Yes, I know your reputation," he continued. "So when we started heating up, I knew something might be wrong. That's why I asked if you'd been drinking. Even when you said no, I wasn't sure, but, hell, of course I to think you were just that into me." Definitely a valid point. "And, let's be totally honest. If a guy gives a girl a roofie, he's not looking for a make-out session. If my hands weren't wandering by that point, they weren't goi..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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b626702
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Yes, I know your reputation," he continued. "So when we started heating up, I knew something might be wrong. That's why I asked if you'd been drinking. Even when you said no, I wasn't sure, but, hell, of course I to think you were just that into me." Definitely a valid point. "And, let's be totally honest. If a guy gives a girl a roofie, he's not looking for a make-out session. If my hands weren't wandering by that point, they weren't goi..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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f401a1e
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I do like you, Maya. You get that, right?" "Why?" His frown deepened. "Why what?" "Why do you like me?" He laughed. "Do you want a list? Smart, pretty, funny--" "That's not what I--" I shook my head. "Never mind."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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bc3272c
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Something happened in the shed," I blurted it without thinking. "What?" I laughed uneasily. "That didn't sound good, did it? Cue the ominous music." I shook my head. "Never mind. It was silly."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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92023ff
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Daniel turned to the page as I looked over his shoulder. One word caught my eye. "Witches?" I said. "Shouldn't this have been sent to me?" "Not witches," he said, pointing. "Witch-hunters. An Italian cult of witch-hunters." "Okay, so what's the connection to you? Your parents are Italian and you like fighting. Oh my God. You're a witch-hunter. I'm a witch. Hate to break it to you, Daniel, but if you're a witch-hunter? You're doing it wrong...
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Kelley Armstrong |
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0d78627
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I do want to talk to Mina Lee and see what she knows, and the only reason I'm stalling is because I've got something to say first. It's going to piss you off, and I'd really rather be sitting in a public place when it happens.' "So I won't storm off?" "Exactly." --
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Kelley Armstrong |
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551893c
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I do want to talk to Mina Lee and see what she knows, and the only reason I'm stalling is because I've got something to say first. It's going to piss you off, and I'd really rather be sitting in a public place when it happens.' "So I won't storm off?" "Exactly." "I'd never do that, Daniel." I stepped closer and looked up at him. "You have the keys, and it's a very, very long walk--" I snagged the keys from his pocket and took off. I easily ..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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84e66a9
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I was rounding the local theater, planning to circle back, when Daniel's shout pulled me up short. I turned. He barreled toward me, his eyes wide with alarm. Right, like I was falling for that one. I started to run again. I should have been able to outpace him easily. I always could. But the next thing I knew, I was being tackled. He knocked me into an alcove, both of us hitting the wall, then collapsing to the ground. "Stay down!" he said...
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Kelley Armstrong |
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17c76b1
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He looked around as if expecting a posse of armed gunmen to round the corner at any moment. When footsteps sounded, he tensed, muscles bunching, prepared to leap up and defend us against-- Two preteen boys passed the alcove. One of them saw us and whispered to his friend. They grinned our way and shot Daniel a thumbs-up. When they'd gone by, I pushed him off me. "Okay, I might have overreacted," he said as we sat up. "You think?"
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Kelley Armstrong |
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159da96
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I thought I saw someone." "Where?" "I--I--" He looked around. "I don't know. Down there maybe?" He pointed along the wharf. "I was running after you and it happened so fast, I didn't get a good look." "Was it a man? Woman? Young? Old?" "I'm...not sure." He exhaled and leaned against the wall. "Okay, that sounds nuts. I'm not even sure I saw someone." "You someone?" He made a face. "Now that really sounds nuts." "Hey, if you're okay with m..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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888a72a
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I'm not even sure I saw someone." "You someone?" He made a face. "Now that really sounds nuts." "Hey, if you're okay with me imagining myself as a pine marten, I'm okay with you sensing unseen assailants."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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8b62b2b
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Mina Lee was right. The isolation is driving us crazy. We just hadn't realized it yet." "Not the isolation. The mad science experiments. They've spiked the water with hallucinogens."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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74a4654
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I'm here doing something to apologize, because I know that I handled yesterday badly. I pushed too hard, too fast, and stormed off in a temper when you needed me to slow down. It won't happen again. I'd like to turn back the clock to Saturday night, when we were talking, hanging out. I promise not to try to get you back into the woods." He paused. "For at least forty-eight hours." I laughed. "So you on a schedule." "No, I'm impatient. But..
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Kelley Armstrong |
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fed4ef8
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I promise not to try to get you back into the woods." He paused. "For at least forty-eight hours." I laughed. "So you on a schedule." "No, I'm impatient."
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Kelley Armstrong |
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4dc00e0
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I promise not to try to get you back into the woods." He paused. "For at least forty-eight hours." I laughed. "So you on a schedule." "No, I'm impatient. But I will wait." "For forty-eight hours. And if there's no make-out session by then, time's up." "No. I said I won't for forty-eight hours. What happens after that is up to you."
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Kelley Armstrong |