per

d of the corridor opened, a wall of blindin

dents surged against the velvet ropes, t

arried a wolfless castoff just

an this ambush when Des

ng, filled with conde

my waist, pulling me flush against his side. His broad chest shie

fraction of

t row of reporters choked on their words, several of them dropping to t

, cold and merciless across the silent hall, "and your media c

he paralyzed reporters aside, creating an empty corri

in after me. The heavy armored door slammed shut

the world outside as the car pulled

ay from the sheer heat of the day. The fabric was sticking to my skin, ch

clasps behind my hair, and pulle

en he asked me to take off my veil just now, I re

ased the mental lock that

dow, letting the cool air-condi

per

had painted Harper Moore as a dull, timid failure who hid away fr

fell away, the breath

learest, most lethal ice blue I had ever seen. There was not a trace of weakness

r scent

. It was a fragrance of pure, frozen snow and blooming

against my ribs w

quid fire. Every muscle in my body locked, my skin bur

mal monster that had slept through centuries of wa

i

o break through my skin, to claim her nec

aunted my chest for years vanished in an

lfless. She wa

and rough with barely restrained h

met mine, sharp and completely detached, w

lied calmly, her voice smooth as silk. "Rem

sh of cold water, reining in the beas

ther seat, a dark, possessive

or now. She had walked into my territory, s

or and caught the driver stari

mrest, raising the solid priva

rough the intercom, my voice

ever look at wha