e Hal

mmed outside lik

He crossed the room in one stride,

irs," he

dug my heels into the carpet,

d me into the corridor and down the stairs, my feet barely brushing the marble

er had already laid

e wore a sterile gray vest over his shirt. An open metal kit on

aid, bowing. "Eve

my knees to block the door. "Full metabolic and hormonal panel. I wa

icked up a syringe. The steel caugh

parate my blood in minutes. The herbs I'd swallowed fooled the nose-no

ashing, knocking a tray of steril

dy to the cushions with his forearm, his other

n Smal

like a corn

k robe with every ragged gasp. Her skin smelled of bitter cru

e years I'd kept her safe under the Hardin roof, shielded her fr

rowled, golden eyes flashing. Pin her

" I ordered, jaw clenche

ge, reaching for the pale

down at

d the raw despair in her amber eyes hit like a phy

at me like that-com

er inner arm, a piercing cry brok

nto the private, sacr