Page 125 of Land of Shadow

“Georgia—”

“I will fight you. The whole fucking way, Valen. I won’t let you tell me what I can and can’t do. This ismylife.Mydecision.”

He presses his forehead to mine. So tender when I expect him to be furious. “I can’t deny you.”

“You … can’t?” I close my eyes, breathing him in even though I’m on the verge of murdering him.

“How the fuck could I?” He rests his hand at my throat. “When I’ve been searching for you for centuries? You’re my Blood, Georgia. My only one.Mine.”

“Is this a trick? If it is, I don’t care what you do to me.” I kick my chin up. “I won’t leave Juno. Not her, not even Vince.”

He scowls. “He’s never trusted me.”

“What can I say? He has great instincts.”

He gives me a look, one that carries more meaning than a thousand words could. “It’s not a trick. Even if you wanted to walk into hell, all I ask is that you let me walk with you.”

How is it that only minutes ago I wanted to scratch his eyes out, but at this very moment, I go weak in the knees for him?

“I can’t lose you,” he whispers. “Please. Don’t stay. Trust me to finish it with Gregor and come to you.” His seething darkness is gone. “Please.” He draws his knuckles down my cheek, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. Begging me in a petal-soft voice, he guts me more surely than any knife. All his violence, the power that runs through his veins—and yet he listens to me. He begs me, a man who has probably never begged for anything in his life.

“I’ll go, but only if my conditions are met.” My voice comes out breathy.

“Yes?” he asks.

“I’d need you to get a message to my friends in Atlanta, but if you can promise me that, I’ll go wherever you want to send me. Me, Juno,andVince. Fatima, too.”

He ponders for a long moment, his scowl deepening as he thinks it over. “Done.”

I blink. “You … you agree?”

“You’ll be safe. That’s all I need…” His gaze drops to my lips. “For now.”

“I honestly can’t tell which one of us is more delusional.” I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him.

He meets me, his tongue plundering my mouth as he grabs my hips and lifts me, pinning me against the wall. Heat rises in my veins, warming me as I give myself over to this kiss, this unspoken connection I’ve felt with him from the moment he walked out of Juno’s office that day. I’m falling. I’vebeenfalling.

“I can’t.” I gasp as he presses kisses to my throat.

“You can.” He sucks that sweet spot right below my ear. “I’m already yours. I’vealwaysbeen yours.”

“Valen.” I meet his lips again, letting go and kissing him with every bit of fire in me. I want him. I may be damned for it—I probably am—but I want him.

“My only one. My Blood.” He cradles my face, his eyes on mine.

In that moment I realize my heart, once firmly ensconced behind my ribs, is gone. Given without my consent. Taken before I even realized it. Valen has it, and he guards it with a fierceness that guarantees I’ll never get it back.

He wraps his palm around my neck, his mouth owning mine as he angles my head to the side. Then he stills, his head turning quickly, his gaze on the dark window.

“What?” I whisper.

“Fuck.” He grates and slowly lowers me to the floor. “It’s time. We must go.”

29

“Imuch preferred the ‘tie you to the bed’ option,” Valen grumbles as he peers out into the street from the lobby windows.

All I see is darkness beyond the glass, a faint illumination glowing farther along Pennsylvania Avenue from a lone streetlight. I’m still tingling from our kiss, from the feel of his hands on me. “Anything out there?”

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