“Giving her a slight smile, he whispered, "I'm putting my hand to your cheek right now." The stubborn strength that had kept her knees locked threatened to give way. Closing her eyes, she whispered back, "I'm putting my arms around you, and leaning my head on your shoulder." "And I'm stroking your hair, and kissing you." He took a deep breath. "And I am always, always going to hold on to you with all of my strength. Always, Pia.”

“I want you too, so much,” she whispered. He murmured in her ear, “Then take me.”

“They were all Fae, yet not fully Fae. They were among the rarest of all the Elder Races. In modern-day slang, they were “triple threats,” creatures with the blood of three different races flowing through their veins. The strongest, most magical – the most tainted. The Fae of the Light Court called them ‘abomination.’ Nikolas called them brothers.”

“The stranded Daoine Sidhe knights of the Dark Court gathered at the ring of ancient standing stones under the pale light of the harvest moon. Whenever the Daoine Sidhe gathered, they raised the natural energies of the world around them.”

“The love has got to be bigger than everything else. The isolation, the separation, the danger. When the love is bigger than all of that – you just do it. You pay the price in uncertainty and sometimes bereavement, because every moment you’re together is worth the cost.”

“Why use a sledgehammer when a butterfly net will suffice?”

“Stop looking at my mouth.” His eyes darkened, as she saw his pupils dilate. He mouthed back, just as silently. “What if I don’t want to stop looking at your mouth?”

“His true nature, leopard, knight, and prince…“Just as you see the Wyr in me, I see the Djinn in you.”

“I didn’t know I was looking for you, but I was,” he whispered.”

“I don’t know,” she lied. “I need a few days to think it over.” Even as she said it, she knew she was going to take the offer. Hell, she might even escape from whatever dark menace haunted her rune readings lately, along with the owner of that predatory, handsome face. Or if she went, she could be running right toward it. Toward him. Ah, well. You’ can’t fix stupid. And you can’t heal crazy.”

“Lifting his head, he whispered against her wet, throbbing lips, “Too much?” Wasn’t that sweet, Consider even. But oh, hell no. She gasped, “Not enough.”