Page 4 of Hexbound

His cock hardened. He sucked in a sharp breath.Jesus, she was brazen. "That's not going to get you anywhere."

"Maybe I'm right where I want to be?" That whisper did damage to his willpower as she reached forward and brushed her mouth along his jaw.

Bishop trembled. Her lips were like silk, and he could feel the crush of her breasts against his chest. The inky black cloud was starting to dissipate as his attention slipped, and he caught a glimpse of her pale face, his hands tightening on her wrists.

"Where did you get your scars from?" she whispered, licking the one that ran along his jawline.

That congealed his sagging willpower like nothing else. It felt amazing; wet velvet over raw silk, but with it came the damning memories.

"That's none of your business," he growled, and wrestled her toward the desk.

"You shouldn't be so serious all of the time."

"I'm not your friend."

"Pity."

Somehow she turned the tables on him. He almost had her pinned to the desk, prying her legs from around his waist and disentangling her arms, when she hammered a blow into his jaw. His foot slipped on the rug beneath him, and he fell to the floor.

He cracked his head on the marble and the spell dissipated completely. Light sprang back into being just as a whirlwind of action accumulated in the doorway.

His thief smiled as Bishop lay sprawled on his back.

"Such a shame. Just when we were getting to know each other." Her gaze slid down over the hard, naked planes of his chest, almost regretfully. "Just as an aside, Icanteleport further than five feet, but a part of me wanted to get to know you a little better." His thief blew him a kiss. "Sometimes the thrill is in the chase."

Boom. Crackle.

She was gone. And so was his tracking ward.

"No!" Bishop darted for the window and slammed his hands on the ledge, but the gardens outside were silent and empty.

Nothing moved.

His heart hammered in his chest. Guilt and failure formed a bitter stew in his gut. He'd never been so distracted that he'd lost his mark before.

Damn it. He had to get the Chalice back before someone dangerous got their hands on it.

And now it was personal.

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Chapter 1

Three days later...

SOMETIMES IT PAID notto reveal the full extent of your talents.

Verity staggered along the street, one hand clapped against her ribs and the bloodied gash there, and the other trailing along brick walls she could barely see.Bloody bastards. Bloody swiving rotters!The world swam and suddenly she found herself up against an iron-railing fence with little idea of how she'd gotten there.

"She's been this way!" someone shouted behind her. "I've got her trail again!"

Her blood. They were tracking her blood. Verity swayed. Pain had left her lightheaded, and now only determination fueled her. Mother of night, where was the house? Bishop couldn't be far away. She'd spent weeks tracking this house, watching it, watching him....

Only place those behind her wouldn't dare follow.

If Mercy were here, she'd be the first to tell Verity what a bleeding stupid idea this was.But, ah, Mercy-love, not a lot of choices. We're down to our last hand here, and it's not a great one.Sometimes you've just got to play it.

"There she is!"