01c. 1962 ADLondon was littered with social clubs and houses of chance, but Malfeasance was not just any gaming hell. It was located in the most notorious part of London and, Graydon had heard, was run by a pariah Djinn named Malphas.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
02c. 1962 ADHe had not become a sentinel by worrying about what he should or shouldn't do. He would live or die as he always had, by making decision he knew to be right...Graydon didn't hide from life. He flew at it with everything he had.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
04c. 1962 ADHe closed his eyes. Swiftly like a predator, the vision of his death struck. This time it would not be denied.The white ground, black rocks, and red drops of his heart's blood growing on the ground like blooming roses. He lost himself in the sensation of liquid warmth flowing between his fingers.When he could finally see again, he found himself kneeling on the floor, shoulders hunched. That damned scene hung like an albatross around his neck, until he almost wished it would go ahead and happen, just so that he could get it the fuck over with.He had carried that albatross for almost two hundred damn years - exactly from the moment when he had responded to a damsel in distress and had embroiled himself in another man's curse.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
05c. 1962 ADGiving him a grateful nod, Graydon turned away.A heavy hand fell on his shoulder, causing him to stop in his tracks. Dragos' grip clenched, almost to the point of pain.Normally, Dragos was not demonstrative with anyone other than Pia and Liam. Moved, Graydon angled his face away. After a moment, he reached up to grip the other man's hand in return. Only then did Dragos' hold ease and allow him to continue on his way.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
06c. 1962 ADShe paused and unexpectedly stroked her fingers down the feathers of his neck.He froze. She couldn't know how intimate that seemed, or how sensitive he was to her touch even through the sleek covering of eagle feathers. Pleasure at being petted ran down his spine.He should say something or step away. He did neither. Instead, ever so slightly, he leaned into her touch.It was wrong of him, but his wrong button seemed to be broken, and he didn't care.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
08c. 1962 ADGreat, numbskull. Just bloody great. You've already managed to piss off the Queen. What's next on your agenda, setting fire to Disneyland?Thea Harrison / quote ↗
09c. 1962 ADTiago turned to survey the large, crowded ballroom. "Good job not killing anybody.""That's what Pia said," Dragos told him. "Night's not over yet.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
10c. 1962 ADDo you have to take note of every little thing I do? I mean every tiny, little thing, Dragos?""Yes," he said simply. "When I look at you, even when things are going to hell, somehow everything is all right.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
11c. 1962 ADI'll make you eat those words.""You are very welcome to try," she whispered. Her attempt at cockiness had turned breathy and yearning. "Please, try very hard."A smile lit his hard features. "Trust me, that will be entirely my pleasure.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
12c. 1962 ADSo, is that your long scaly reptilian tail, or are you just happy to see me?Thea Harrison / quote ↗
13c. 1962 ADMaybe your sperm is so mighty, you shoot magic bullets."His intent expression splintered, and he burst out laughing. Almost as quickly, he sobered again and told her with a completely straight face, "Of course I do.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
14c. 1962 ADShe crooned in his head. Honey, I'm so proud of you for not killing anybody.His gaze flashed to hers, and that flat, assessing expression vanished as he laughed. Squeezing her fingers, he told her, Week's not over yet.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
15c. 1962 ADHis words were almost soundless. "I've gotten to a really dark place, Melly. The darkest place I've ever been.""You don't have to be there anymore," she told him gently. "Don't you know what happens at the darkest point of the day?"He stroked her soft lower lip with the ball of one thumb. "What?"She rubbed her fingers soothingly along his muscled forearms. "A beautiful, brand-new day begins, and it's all fresh and full of promise." She smiled into his gaze. "That's why magic in the fairy tales happens at midnight, you know. When you reach that point, you have the power to change everything.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
16c. 1962 ADHe was the darkest of voices inside her head, the Night-kind King, and when he turned his gift of persuasion onto her, she wanted to take her soul out of her body and hand it to him.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
17c. 1962 ADPersonal growth was damn hard work. It also took a lot of time, so it was going to have to take a backseat for a while.Because right now, he had a battle to fight and Vampyre ass to kick.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
18c. 1962 ADBlood tricked down Molly's neck from the stinging cut Justine had given her. She thought, dear lords and ladies, all I want in the whole wide world is a bath, a pina colada, and the chance to stake this bitch in the heart.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
19c. 1962 ADShe had tried to imagine him as a young Gladiator in the arena. Back then he must have been as dangerous as a lean, half-starved alley cat. Now, the alley cat had long since vanished. What stood in his stead was a scarred and even more deadly lion who carried the weight of having lived for many years in his prime.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
20c. 1962 ADHe groaned, "Goddamn, you're so hot.""I know," she whimpered as she moved restlessly under his weight. "I'm burning up."At that, he had to lift his head and grin down at her. "No, baby," he said gently, rocking his hips to begin moving in her. "That wasn't what I meant. I meant, you're so hot."Her eyebrows quirked, and dimples appeared in her cheeks as she suppressed a grin. "Yeah, I knew that.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
22c. 1962 ADShe made a hungry, eager sound, parted her lips and took the tip of his cock in her moth. Belatedly her mind caught up with what she had done.Um, maybe she should have asked first. If somebody had grabbed her crotch and helped himself without so much as checking in with the rest of her, you can bet your ass she would react with a strategically aimed knee to the privates.Just because he had an erection didn't mean he was willing or prepared to act on it....Her face flooded with heat. Pulling back, she muttered, "Sorry."Incredulity sharpened his gaze, "You're sorry?"Her shoulders crept up to her ears. "I just grabbed hold and started sucking. Then I thought maybe I should have asked first."Amusement bolted over his hard features, completely banishing his moody isolation.Then, sobering -- or at least appearing to -- he said, "Melly, please suck me off. Fasten your sexy mouth around my cock and pull on me until I don't have anything left to give. My God, just looking at the erotic shape of your lips makes me want to spill all over your gorgeous face.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
23c. 1962 ADWe could cut loose, you know. Every man for himself. I look after my orgasm, you look after yours. Right here, right now. Quick and dirty.Thea Harrison / quote ↗
