“He laughed, looking down into his empty cup. “Decent people don’t expect that kind of twistedness.” He put the cup down on the floor. “And if they ever did suspect it, they’d just blame themselves for thinking too mean. You should trust your disquiet the next time. That’s what it’s there for. A man like that gets where he is by seeming. And then he makes you feel obligated to him. It’s an old trick.”

“Varian cringed as Merewyn faced him. If he looked half as bad as he suspected, he wouldn’thave blamed her had she run for the door. “You don’t have to do this.” She stepped into his arms. “Yes, Varian, I do.” She brushed the matted hair back from his face. “I don’t care what you look like. It’s you I love, not your looks. Your humor, your kindness, even that little snuffle snore you make when you sleep.” “I don’t snore.” She laughed. “Yes, you do.” And with that she pulled his lips to hers.”

“Time seemed to stand still as they remained embraced, him holding his body weight on his elbows as he looked down at her and grinned. “Now that’s a vacation.” She laughed and then his grin fell and he shook his head.“Like a couple of horny teenagers with no thought of tomorrow and no thought of protection. We should both be shot.” “Can you wait until the glow leaves me before you shoot me?” she asked. He smiled down at her. “You are glowing. You look gorgeous.” “It’s the look of a sated woman.” “I like it.”

“You worry too much. Can’t you just trust me?”“I don’t know,” I answer him honestly.He nods in acceptance. “You’ll learn to. I promise.”And then he kisses me. It’s a slow, deep kiss that carries meaning and emotion, neither of which I know how to interpret.I pull away to speak, but he puts his finger over my lips. “Shhh, just let me love you, okay? Don’t think. Just feel.”

“He cups my face in his hands and stares down into my eyes. “Two things…”I take a deep breath and look up at him.“…I’m sorry for everything and… And I’ll always love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

“They want to hold a seance and go dressed as bunnies.”“What kind of bunnies?” he asked suspiciously.“Playboy, I think. Whatever that means.”“That sounds about right.” Xavier laughed. “But don’t let them talk you into anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”“They’re my friends.”“So what?” He shrugged. “If your friends walked off a cliff, would you do it too?”“Why would they walk off a cliff?” I asked in alarm. “Is someone having problems at home?”Xavier laughed. “It’s just an expression.”“It’s silly,” I told him. “Do you think I should go as an angel? Like in the film version of Romeo and Juliet?”“There would be a certain irony in that,” Xavier said, smirking. “An angel posing as a human posing as an angel.I like it.”