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“Hm. You told me you did not experience that.”

“I lied.” She raised her head hopefully. “You should punish me.”

His mouth quirked at the corner.

“As enticing as that sounds, I will leave that for another occasion. But I can give you something to help stave offteshekalehsh. Just in case.”

He got up, ignoring her soft sounds of disappointment, and went to the dressing table. Picking up the nail scissors, he snipped off a length of his hair. Deftly, he twisted the strands into a thin braid and wrapped it round her wrist.

“There. It is only a temporary fix, it will work as long as the oils remain in the hair. But it should last until I can touch you again. And believe me,kalehsha, I will be touching you again soon. All over. Thoroughly.”

The frank desire in his eyes made her shiver.

“What about you?” she asked. “Let me do the same.”

She repeated the procedure with a lock of her own hair, twisting it into a braid which she fastened round Vahn’s broad wrist.

“Better than ripping off a scale from your leg,” she murmured, thinking of Vysh.

“I am sorry?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Listen, thank you. For coming here tonight and for letting my mother come to Vraxos.”

“I’m not sure I could stop her if I tried. She is quite, ah, forceful.”

“Future mother-in-law, don’t forget.”

“I will bear that in mind. And now, beloved, I must go.” He lifted her off her feet and kissed her soundly. “You have kept me here long enough, vixen.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining,” she pointed out.

“On the contrary. It was a pleasure. One I hope to repeat frequently.”

She was about to reply when there was a knock at the bedroom door. They both froze.

“Kara?”

It was Vysh. Silently, Kara gathered up their clothes and gestured to Vahn to follow her into the bathroom. She closed the door and turned on the shower.

“I’m just having a quick wash,” she called out as Vahn put his clothes on. “I won’t be long.”

“It’s okay. I’ll wait.” Vysh’s voice was louder, as if she’d come into the bedroom. Vahn finished dressing and gave Kara a last lingering kiss, before disappearing the way he’d come through the secret passageway.

She took a breath and tried to collect her thoughts.

“Just give me a minute, I’ll be right out,” she said, hoping like hell Vysh didn’t notice how rumpled the bed was.

She stepped into the shower, washing off any giveaway signs that she’d spent the last few hours making out like a rabbit. Freshly scrubbed and wrapped in a dressing gown, she checked herself in the mirror.

Well, there was nothing she could do about the flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes but at least she didn’t smell of sex any more. Wrapping her wet hair in a towel, she went out to see Vysh.

The Vraxian female was sitting on the edge of the bed. Kara took the stool at the dressing table.

“Party over?” she asked.

“Yes. Inyria had too muchmurlatand threw up in a pot plant. I was trying to direct her towards Layahn’s shoes but she couldn’t quite make it.”

“Sounds like there’ll be a few sore heads tomorrow.”