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He opened his mouth to say something, but then immediately closed it. He cocked his head. “Then what of your regret?”

“I have hurt people who did not deserve it. It is hard not to feel regret over that. I deceived people, used evil magic. The soldiers who came to the castle with me must have been terribly confused when I released them from my spell. I worry they will be punished for not protecting the real Cecily. I do not even know if she is alive. She may be dead because of me.”

“Do you feel regret in tricking me?” He twisted his head once more, and Valerie found it hard to look away from those metallic blue eyes, particularly when he was watching her so intently.

As before, she found them spellbinding. Her heart quickened a little.

“No,” she lied, causing him to pout cutely. “Since you were also deceiving me.”

A wide grin spread across his lips. “I think you do.”

“Believe whatever it is you wish to. It still does not change what I have done – to you, to my family, to those in the palace.” She unfurled her arms to point at him. “Do not forget I threatened King Bradwick. I threatened his balls, his eyes, his face, and then I tied him up.”

“But you did not kill him when many others would have.”

She made a face. “Of course not. I only wanted my sister. I did not care who took her or why she was taken, only that I found her, and we returned home.”

“Now that you know what I am, what would you have done if you discovered I mistreated her?”

He gave her toys.She’d even looked healthy, had a bed, and must have been fed regularly. Kaeylyn had been healthy, despite where she was. She’d been unharmed; there hadn’t been a single bruise, cut, or welt on her.

“Hated you without a doubt.”

“But you do not, do you?”

Her voice pitched, almost spitting the words. “What is it you want from me, Geryon?” She turned her head to the side, needing to look away when confusing emotions arose. “You have approached me in your human form, and do not think I have not noticed you crawling closer. What is it you seek from me? Why have you imprisoned me instead of killing me like you promised?”

Why was her pulse wildly picking up speed the closer he got? Why did Valerie feel the unbearable need to retreat?

It didn’t help that he had a certain look in his eyes. She thought she saw heat, but she didn’t dare believe it.

“I do not care why you hide your emotions; all I know is you do.” He was near her feet now, so close, and she tucked them away. “You show you are unfeeling, but you are not unsusceptible to whatever it is you have buried inside you. Perhaps youareuncaring most of the time. I can see it, times where you do not truly feel.”

“And you wish to change me?” She gave a singular, mocking laugh. “Do you know how many people have tried? To coax me to become a friendlier or more compassionate person and have failed?”

Valerie finally retreated. She scooted backwards when he placed a knee next to hers to kneel.

“Changing implies a permanent shift to your personality, and I have no desire to change what I like for the benefit of others.” He grabbed her knee to stop her, then reached forward to grab her around the base of her neck. “I plan tobreakyou, for me and me alone.”

Valerie tensed when he closed the space between them; he was so close, in fact, she was able to take in his sweet scent. Then he tilted his head and ran his tongue across her closed lips. She flinched at his touch.

“Break me?” she whispered, pressing the bottom of her fists against his chest.

Geryon wrapped his arm around her and cupped the back of her head, tilting it to the side with his hand. She pushed at him with shaking arms, a raspy gasp breaking through when he ran his tongue against her wildly beating pulse.

She didn’t understand; it was not just his words, but his actions as well.I am so confused.That confusion alone was enough to derail her from that wet tongue’s trance, despite how her nipples pearled.

“Yes. You have not given me what I want, but you started to, back in the palace. Every time you look at me with that cold stare, something inside me demands I rip that mask from your face.”

He started to trail light kisses down the side of her neck, and her body went warm – not just inside, where desire flipped in her stomach, but also from the heat radiating from him.

“It angers me that someone else has seen under that mask.”He is speaking of Carwyn.She tried to get away, to stretch her body from his touch. “I want to see under it, too. I want it to slip away, to show me the passion you have hidden.”

Her lips fell apart when she realised what he wanted.He wants to be intimate with me?

“I am a Witch, Geryon. Why do you even want this from me?”

“You are hardly a Witch with this hex on you.” He placed his fingertips against the cold, burning symbol on her back – the one locking her magic away. “Regardless, you are not filled with darkness, which is what I truly hate.”