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When Lucienne scurried to the backyard, Ashburn was already on Spike. He wore an ebony sweater and white pants. The pale light was on his silver hair, highlighting strands of pale gold. It flowed easily in the breeze against his gorgeous pale face.

Lucienne felt her breath catch as she saw his eyes twinkling at the sight of her. She’d put a little more effort than usual into her outfit and makeup. Her smoke-colored, leather jacket fit her body like a second skin. Underneath she was wearing a red dress shirt, andleather pants that added just the right edge of sexiness. Her bold look would make it easy to spot her from miles away. With a bright smile, she strolled toward him. “Hi, Ash.”

“Hi, you.” He smiled back. “Where would you like to go?”

“The mountains. For the first and the last time.”

Ashburn’s silver gray eyes were a pool of profound sadness and relief. “You’ve made the right choice,” he said. “You’re stronger than I. It is not easy for me to stay away from you, but you seem to do it with ease.”

“Don’t be so sure about that.” Lucienne hopped onto the back of Spike.

“You ready?” Ashburn asked.

Lucienne curled her fingers around Ashburn’s waist. “Rock it!”

Spike soared into the gray sky that was just starting to wake up. Lucienne held back her yearning to press her face against Ashburn’s firm back, but she couldn’t help screaming. “We’re faster than a shooting star!”

Ashburn laughed. “Isn’t it beautiful? I’m glad I can share this with you.”

Lucienne heard the wild wind around them, but it didn’t assault them. Spike created a force field to shield its riders.Vladimir would kill to have a ride like this,she thought.

“G-force!” Lucienne shouted. And Ashburn’s nearness was even more intoxicating. A fierce tenderness washed over her. She cared about him more than she thought.Well, it’s just the program,she told herself.Like Ash said, the TimeDust is doing this to both of us.

“Spike can go much faster. You won’t believe it,” Ashburn said.

In a few seconds, they reached the ring of mountains that enclosed Nirvana.

Spike halted on top of a snow-capped mountain. As the orange-red sun leapt out of its nest, Ashburn pulled Spike backward, so he and Lucienne could have the best angle to watch the sun breathe between the mountains.

“It’s the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen,” she sighed. “It’s our first one together.”

“And our last. I won’t forget you.”

“I won’t either,” she said. “Can we park Spike in the valley? Let’s take a walk.”

“Anything you want,” he said.

Spike landed in the center of the valley. Lucienne swung her long legs off the machine and, at the same time, pulled a syringe from her leather pocket and stabbed it into the side of Ashburn’s neck. The serum shot into his vein.

Ashburn twisted his body and stared at Lucienne, his ice blue eyes widening in disbelief and bitterness, then he dropped his head. Lucienne caught him in her arms. “I’m sorry, Ash,” she said. “I had to do this. You’d never listen to me.”

After placing Ashburn on the rocky ground, Lucienne pulled out her Eidolon and hit speed dial. Kian answered at the first ring. “Are you all right, kid?” His voice was anxious. “The boy has been blocking our satellite—”

“Not anymore. I’ve got him,” Lucienne said. “Find me in the mountains and bring all our birds. We’re leaving for good.”

“What about the mutant?” Kian asked. “I can stay behind and finish him.”

“We’ll come back and deal with him after we ship Ashburn to Sphinxes.”

Lucienne hung up and looked up at the sky. The light hadn’t quite reached the valley yet, blotted out by the mountains, but her red pants should be easy for her men to spot.

The chilly wind blew across the landscape. Lucienne shuddered and squatted beside Ashburn, who lay still on the ground like Sleeping Beauty. “Don’t hate me, Ash.” She brushed his platinum hair from the corner of his eye. “Everything will be all right, I promise. My home will be your second home.” Her fingers lingered on his cheek alittle too long, wishing to move down to trace the shape of his flawless lips and the lines of his perfect jaw.

Lucienne rose, shoved her hands into her leather pockets, and waited for her men to show up.

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

The first helicopter flew across the mountains.