Ghostwalker 07 - Murder Game

forth between her hypnotic state and actual time.
    She concentrated on the bite of pain in her shoulders. She felt each individual finger digging into her flesh, nearly to the bone. Recognizing Kadan's touch brought her a little more into the present. She grabbed at that, at his warmth and the solidness of him.

    "Look at me."

    She heard that note distinctly—the edge to his voice, the absolute authority and command that often annoyed her, yet now was her lifeline. She obeyed him, because one l
    a ways obeyed Kadan when he used that tone. She struggled to look beyond the veil coating her eyes, the one that imprisoned her in her own mind, so that she could co p m ly
    with Kadan's demand. It took strength and determination, but she managed to raise her gaze to his.

    Immediately his eyes locked with hers. Hunter's eyes blazing with sheer force. Her breath hitched in her lungs and she choked, but didn't look away. The water poured down on her. She could feel the heat and sting of it on her raw skin. Vapor curled around the , m
    and it was real, from the water temperature and not in her mind. He stood there, a warrior of old, fully clothed and soaking wet, his blue eyes so dark they were midnight blue, his mouth set in grim lines, his fingers still digging into her shoulders, connecting her with reality.

    "Are you back with me, baby?"

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    His voice. She wanted to melt into a little puddle at his feet the moment she heard that soft, velvet voice caress her, stroke her body, slip inside her to wrap around every cold spot and warm her. She didn't dare speak. If she continued crying, she'd never stop, and speaking would bring another flood of tears. She knew what had happened. She couldn't hide it from him. She'd been standing on the brink of madness and he'd pulled her back from the edge.

    She nearly crumbled, humiliated and ashamed, wanting to tear her gaze from his, but he refused to release her, stepping forward to close the gap between them, still looking dow n
    at her, still commanding her gaze. One hand slid up her shoulder to the nape of her neck, sliding around her throat to tip up her chin with his thumb.

    "Say it, Tansy. Say you're with me."

    She swallowed, knowing he felt the movement in the palm of his hand. "I'm with you."

    "You're mine. You belong here, with me. Say it."

    She touched her tongue to her lips. They stood there, water pouring around them, her clothes torn and strewn on the floor, her skin practically scrubbed off, her mind damaged almost beyond repair, and he wanted…

    His hand closed tighter around her throat. He gave her a small shake. "Say it."

    "I belong here, with you." She wanted to belong with him, but he was so strong and she was so falling apart. Her mind was shattered, the pieces scattered everywhere. She had the mad desire to look around for them, but his gaze continued to command hers, refusing to allow her look away from him.

    "Who do you belong to, Tansy? I want you to say that you're mine. Say it out loud so that you know it. So that you believe it. I'm not letting you go. I refuse absolutely to give you up. Not to someone else, not to your parents and certainly not to a bunch of murderers. Who do you belong to?"

    She was lost in his strength. Lost in his eyes. "You. I belong to you." She barely whispered the words, her throat clogging.

    He still held her gaze, refusing to release her. "And who do I belong to?"

    She blinked. Warmth poured into her. She was aware of him filling her mind, pushing out every ugly thing that had been there. He was there, slamming the door closed on the voices, building a brick wall across it. Kadan. Of course. She felt a ghost of a smile, of hope. "Me. You're mine and you belong to me."

    He crushed her to him, so tight it drove the breath from her, nearly cracking her ribs, but she only wrapped her arms around him and held on. He buried his face in the soft hollow ABC Amber LIT Converter
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    of her shoulder, and it was impossible to tell if the water from the shower soaked into her skin or if his face was wet with tears. He didn't move for a long time. When he did, his hands were gentle.

    "Let's get you out of here." He reached up and turned off the water, then pulled a towel around her. "The others should be