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20
Anxiety made her restless, and pacing her small room didn’t help. She needed out, so she threw on some jeans, a navy sports bra and a long sleeved, black shirt. Dressed for success, she scaled her garden wall.
She wasn’t trying to escape the Dark Lands. It was freezing cold on the other side of the gate, assuming she could even find it. Her sense of direction sucked. Even if she could follow the snow machine tracks back, she’d freeze long before she reached civilization.
No, she just needed a break from company, especially Fallon’s. Crossing the grassy spot behind the wall, she took a straight line toward the looming shape of an obstacle course she’d seen in the distance that morning. At the time it had been swarming with Haunt, but now it
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Golden Bell 21
“Matter of time with that one.” To look at him, you wouldn’t think Rykarr was a romantic. He looked like a mercenary with his gunmetal gray hair and black eye patch. Even a Haunt couldn’t heal all injuries.“A bottomless well of interesting turns, I’ll admit. That’s largely her appeal.”“Not her fetching hazel eyes. I understand. Her mind is exactly what I’d pursue, too.” An old veteran who’d served his father and taught Fallon much of what he knew, he got away with a lot of cheek.Fallon just smiled. Rykarr could fish all he liked, he wasn’t going to get a bite. “How are her replacement soldiers doing?”
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He brushed a kiss on her temple and worked over to her ear. “So pretty,” he murmured. “You make me burn from the inside out.”“I think…”He placed one long finger against her lips. “If you’re about to make a comment about me and another woman, I promise you’ll unleash that hidden side you keep wondering about.”She shut her mouth.“Better. Let’s try this again.” This kiss was longer, more satisfying. Hot and restless.“I got a bite!” She grabbed for the
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He might be calm, but she was ready to jump with sizzling awareness. “Y-you know, I haven’t done this before. How ‘bout you give me back my shirt?”“The sensual tension is part of the pleasure,” he murmured, stroking her cheek with a soft brush.“How can you even see what you’re doing in the moonlight?”“I can see. Make a kiss with your lips. Mm. I do love deep red lipstick on you. Such full, sweet lips.” He put away the lipstick and got out a nail file. “Give me your hand.”She was beginning to understand this was going to be a slow torture ses
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Her eyes snapped to his. “Your mother? I didn’t even know you had one!”They’d stopped at the tub, and he whisked off her robe with quick efficiency. “Didn’t want to jinx the deal.”Loathe to stand around naked in front of him, she slid into the water. “Yeah, but you could have dropped a clue! How am I supposed to face the woman, knowing that I just found out about her hours before I met her?” Knowing what she’d just spent the night doing with the woman’s son. Yikes!“I wouldn’t worry about it. She’s been nagging me for years to marry, so she’ll be delighted about you. Oh, she’ll scold me, but she&rsq
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They didn’t make love before the party. She told herself she hadn’t been looking forward to it, anyway. Instead, they talked, and Fallon massaged her feet until she fell asleep on the couch. He woke her with a kiss that almost made them late and then hurried her into a striped sarong of olive, burgundy and black. While not what she would have chosen, together with the sleeveless black top, it looked far better than she expected.“You know, these clothes keep appearing in my closet…” she said tentatively as Fallon helped her dress her hair.“Do you like them?” He closed a hairclip over the back of her hair and brushed the loose ends off her shoulders.Fe
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The laughter attracted his mother. Rain wasn’t sure if that was bad or good, because while she at least knew that Portae liked her for her good sense in marrying her son, she also proceeded to introduce her to everyone in sight, dragging her around the room with dizzying speed. Her traitor husband quickly found a group of friends to hide behind, chatting with them while his mother showed her off, occasionally gesturing to Fallon for emphasis.To Rain’s relief, she got to sit down at a table reserved for Portae, herself and Fallon while those being honored, including Fallon, took turns making speeches at the head of the room. Grateful to be in the shadows, Rain sat back and studied the two elders who were also retiring.Elder Azion took his turn at the pulpi
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Fallon wasn’t going to give her the chance to do something stupid. The minute they entered his rooms, he summoned Rykarr. Rain listened with interest as Fallon brought his captain up to speed.Rykarr heard Fallon out and started issuing orders over his com unit.Rain slouched in her chair and walked a coin through her fingers.Fallon felt a burst of anger as he watched her. She was willing to put herself at risk for the sake of revenge. Justice, she called it. Maybe it was, and overdue at that, but she didn’t need to get herself killed to obtain it. They had plenty of time, and he was patient. They could see this thing resolved easily enough.
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“Just as well, as you were going to use it to leave me!” Fallon’s eyes glowed gold.“Ah…you said there was a second reason?” Jayems said, interrupting a doozy of a brewing quarrel.A little abashed, she looked at him. “I haven’t tested it yet.”“Ah.” He set the Bell carefully on his desk.Fallon picked it up and looked at it. “So this is what I spent so much frustration trying to figure out.”Rain shrugged. “If it makes you feel better, it frustrated Azion for year
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