The Devil's Claim

ched, her pulse hamm

amed under the dim light, pressed

Dante's voice was smooth, coaxing

eath h

ed with her, his chest risin

he whispered, h

was the

ememb

oor when she was a child, how he had taught her how to rid

red the gunshot

let had barely

yalty had turn

t nothing in

her did

hoi

would define who

is presence looming, intoxi

stomach

live, it would be

would cross a line sh

spilling from his lips.

hed into fists.

as if enjoying the dile

ulse

ath qui

d to c

-

th of I

tepped

her, pain flicke

to me," she whispered,

mething broken

e a daughter," he ra

led the

the gunshot s

zo sl

ent of blood fi

e weight of the gun wa

ad do

made her

exhaled slowly,

hands, brushing a stran

he murmured, his voi

couldn

de her had sha

e only man who had eve

lting her face toward him

o you

mouth, but no

she didn

pty. Fre

, satisfied. Like he h

aybe

asn't the same

-

Sealed

and fireplace in Dante's room, the flame

she had done pres

pected

pected

only f

oor o

to look to kno

her, silent fo

h

itate," he said

her head sl

ked. "Not

er lips. "Is that what y

s eyes glinting with

ed in, his lips brushing against he

ran down

down-she knew

ed her more t