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Itwasa tough call. One Vivian would face since that responsibility would fall to her. After all, she was the one forced to witness those victims’ suffering. The one who’d had a piece of her soul bound to the stone. The one who’d kept the dagger safe all these years.

“Vivian will have a hard time making that choice,” Liam said, again seeming to read her mind. Her tension eased. She’d little doubt he would support her in whatever decision she made.

Then he added, “Best we keep this between the two of us.” Steel shot into her spine, and her pulse thumped against her temples. That deceitful bastard.

Jericho heaved a weary sigh. “Keeping secrets between mates is never a good idea. You shouldn’t have brought your Bride here without telling her you intended for her to stay.”

Stay?She braced her shoulder against the wall and pressed her palm to her forehead to steady her reeling mind. Liam didn’t bring her to the middle of nowhere simply to regroup. He’d brought her here to abandon her.

“If I’d told her the truth, she never would have come along willingly,” Liam argued. “Believe me, this way is better. Once I’m gone, you can tell her anything you want.”

“And when she flies into a rage and comes after you?”

“Then you get Alex to use some of her witchy-woo-woo on Vivian and calm her down.”

Get Alex to give her a supernatural tranquilizer? That pounding in her temples turned to banging sledgehammers. Was Liam’s former Chosen in on this scheme too? Were they all in on this asinine plan?

“Besides, if you keep the SUV and snowmobiles locked down, she’ll be stuck,” Liam added. “It’s not like she can walk out of here. Not even Vivian is foolish enough to hike through miles of snow.”

“Hope you’re right about that,” Jericho said.

On top of the lies and deceit, now they insulted her intelligence? Hot breaths wheezed in her chest. They’d soon learn they never should have underestimated her.

“So, this Well of Souls,” Liam went on. “How do I find it?”

“Victor agreed to make a few discreet inquiries. As you can imagine, it’s not easy to locate. Getting there is meant to be difficult, forcing those who visit to prove they are worthy. We should know something by this evening. If word gets out that you’re looking for the well—”

“Team Zion will beat us to it,” Liam interrupted. “No sense in delaying then.”

“Does that mean you’re leaving in the morning?”

“Yeah. I’ll sex Vivian up real good tonight. Make sure she’s sleeping, then head out with the dagger before the sun comes up.”

Sex me up?She clenched her jaw, grinding her molars. The hell he would.

“Liam, my old friend.” The sound of Jericho’s hand thumping Liam’s shoulder rang out. “You know I’d do anything for you, but I still think this is one of the worse ideas you’ve…”

Vivian whipped her head back from the door. It took everything in her not to storm outside and scream at her mate until her lungs had shriveled.

After all they’d been through, Liam planned to leave her.Again.

Mated less than a week, and already he thought he knew what was best for her. Even going so far as to plot with Jericho behind her back, making decisions about her life.

She’d been down this path once before.

Alistair claimed he had her best interest at heart as well.

How could she be so stupid? She’d let her guard down. Allowed herself tofeel, giving Liam power over her.

Screw the fates. Those chains that bound her and Liam were no different than the chains that had bound her to Alistair.

It was past time she took control of the situation. Liam would rue the day he’d betrayed her.

* * *

Liam selecteda pair of throwing axes from the barn wall, while his Bride chose a set of knives. “Are you sure you don’t want to hop on a snowmobile and join Alex and Jericho for a bit of sightseeing?”

Newborn vampires were usually sensitive to sunlight. Alex didn’t share the same problem, though, her faerie genetics making it possible for her to go out during the daytime. Good thing since Jericho had given her the day off from training. From Alex’s reaction, you’d have thought he’d agreed to take her on a tropical vacation.