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Simon just stood there, bare feet, bare chest. Watching her.
Dressed, armored, she finally asked, “What kind of deal?” No, not for me. Don’t tell me that you’re?—
“I found a warlock in Vegas. Asshole named Skye. He has magic—dark magic—and he used it on me, for a price.”
Dee licked her lips. “What price?”
“I bled for him. Thirty days straight. Skye drained me nearly to death before each sunrise.”
“Simon!” Blood loss like that?—
“In return, he put a spell shield in place for me. One strong enough to weaken Grim’s call. Not block it completely, but to mute it so I could turn away from the Born.” He stalked toward her. Lifted his hand and ran his fingers down her cheek. “And find you.”
Her fingers lifted and curled around his wrist. “Why didn’t you tell me all this at the beginning?”
“Because you would have run from me. No.” A slow shake of his head. “You would have tried to kill me, and I needed you too much to have you turn away. You’re my shot at freedom, Dee. Real freedom. This shield won’t last forever. I’ll be lucky if it lasts a few more months. Grim’s too strong to keep out. I know it. Skye knows it. Grim knows it.” His eyes blazed darkness as he told her, “I don’t want to become what he’ll make me.”
Her fingers tightened around his. “You won’t.” He wasn’t like the others. He’d fought too hard. Held on to his sanity by going right into the darkness.
“Over the years, there have been others who were changed and didn’t become—” His lips flattened. “Vamps don’t have to be killing machines. It’s the Borns, they’re in control. The Taken just dance like puppets on freaking strings. The Borns who have been tainted by the power?—”
Or curse, depending on who you asked.
“—they’re the ones who want the blood on the streets.”
“Is that what Grim wants?”
A bitter laugh. “Grim wants the world. And if he can, he’ll take it.”
Not while she was around. “He’ll keep coming for me, won’t he?” Keep attacking those she cared for, just as he’d attacked Simon’s family.
“It’s his way. He separates his prey. Makes you suffer, tries to break you.”
His skin was warm against her. “I don’t break easily.” Never had. Never would.
“No, you don’t.” He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “That’s one of the things I love about you.”
Whoa, now, what was that?—
“Dee, I know this thing between us—shit, I know I wasn’t honest with you at the start, but you and me, what we’ve got between us, it’s real.”
“It’s lust,” she told him, fighting to keep her voice even. Couldn’t be more.
“It’s that.” One brow rose. “But if it was just me wanting to fuck you, things wouldn’t be so damn complicated.”
Ah, okay.
“We want the same thing, Dee. We want to stop Grim.”
A nod.
“Partners?”
She’d need him. No doubt. But when hell came calling, would she be able to trust him in those last minutes? Or would Grim take control?
His lips thinned at her hesitation. “When you drink from me, what happens?”
Pleasure. Need. Fire. Dee swallowed. “I get stronger.” The revulsion wasn’t there. Not with him. It had never been there with him.
