Burning Dawn 3 by Showalter Gena

Author:Showalter, Gena [Showalter, Gena]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3
Tags: Demons & Devils, Paranormal, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Literature & Fiction
ISBN: 9780373778447
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Published: 2014-04-29T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ELIN DID HER best impersonation of a Popsicle and froze. Red alert, red alert. The worst has happened.

Thane hadn’t sounded angry. He’d sounded desperate. Nothing like the man who’d kissed her so passionately in the elevator. Deep down, she knew this was far, far worse. As strong a warrior as he was, he wouldn’t be happy with the person who’d made him vulnerable.

“Let’s shelve this conversation until Muesday, May 32nd, at thirteen p.m.,” she said.

“Elin,” he snapped. “Answer.”

Panic choked her. If she admitted the truth, he really would send her away with the Phoenix, back to Orson. Once again, she would be forced to serve the people responsible for the deaths of her loved ones. Once again, her life goals would be placed on hold. Even if she no longer knew what those goals were. This—all of the sweetness and romance and wanton touches—would end. But she couldn’t lie. He’d know. Besides, she wasn’t going to play the part of coward any longer.

“I never hurt you,” she said, her tone soft. She had given him everything. Given—not cajoled, as Merrick had suggested. Because, the singer had it wrong. Not every victory was sweetest after a battle. Some victories were better as gifts.

He stiffened. Now anger oozed from him as he said, “Tell me you are part banshee, or even chimera. Shifter, vampire, Drakon. Cetea, gorgon. Minotaur. Hydra. Siren, laelaps, sphinx. Or any other of a thousand different races. Tell me!”

Tears burned the backs of her eyes. “I want to. I do. But I...can’t. I’m so sorry, Thane.”

He flung her off his lap, and as she stumbled to her hands and knees, he stood with lethal grace.

“You are Phoenix?” he demanded, practically spitting fire at her.

Won’t cower. Not this time. She popped to her feet, the glass shard she’d never thrown out now palmed and outstretched. At the ready. “Yes. I am.”

Accept it. Accept me. Don’t turn me into an outcast again.

More than that, she didn’t want to lose Playful Elevator Thane. Or even Protective Killer Thane. She’d tried to resist him. Not with a lot of effort, but still. She’d tried. And she’d failed. She hadn’t just added an amendment to her vow, she’d broken it, utterly shattered it, and there was no going back. Now, she wanted a chance to enjoy the results.

His eyes narrowed, and she was suddenly glad she couldn’t hear the thoughts tumbling through his mind. “You deceived me. You talked to me about yanking weeds, yet all along, you are a weed.”

Disappointment struck her. A sense of betrayal bloomed, accompanied by defensiveness. “I kept the truth to myself, and quite wisely, too. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to be staked. Can you really blame me?”

With a single, skilled swipe of his hand, he batted the glass out of her grip, leaving her weaponless. He advanced on her, saying, “Can you enslave, like Kendra?”

“No!” His electric gaze was as sharp as blades, mentally slashing her to ribbons. Still Elin held her ground. “And if I could, I never would.

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