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she could do about it. She needed him to leave so she could
concentrate on why she was here.
"There will be guards posted outside the room. At any hint
of trouble let them know and they will contact me."
She was sure he was talking to her but Llaryn ignored him
and after a moment he strode out of the room. She took a
slow, deep breath and let it out, more than a little relieved.
With Paladin gone all the tension in the room vanished. For a
moment she watched Kai and Genae. His big hands framed
the human woman's small face and she knew for him there
was no one else in the world. Her heart turned over and she
looked away, uncomfortable with the sad longing that filled
her.
Genae's voice murmured something too softly for her to
hear, followed by a long moment of silence.
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"Remember, healer " her attention snapped back to the
golden warrior, " it isn't only her life and heart you hold in
your hands."
Llaryn watched him turn and stride away, her heart
thumping hard in her chest. Did he mean he would kill her if
Genae didn't live, or he wouldn't live? Either meaning wasn't
good. Did the VanDai go out of their way to make everyone
around them uncomfortable or was it just her?
Genae slumped where she stood.
Llaryn knew exactly how she felt. It was a relief to have
the big warriors gone.
* * * *
"Leave me with her for a moment."
Eln, the VanDai healer and Llaryn's second in the DNA
retrieval, nodded at Llaryn's quiet order. Tears made the Mriln
woman's eyes glow like lavender stars. She'd fought a battle
beyond anything he'd ever seen. If anyone could have
performed the procedure and healed Genae Galaran
successfully it was Llaryn. He'd never seen talent like hers
before.
He walked into the monitor room as Kai, followed by
Paladin, rushed in from the opposite side. "Kai " Kai ran past
him, his attention focused solely on the door that hid Genae.
Paladin was right behind Kai and Eln hurried after them.
The Mriln healer stood over Genae, her whole being
glowing with silver-striated golden light, her hands pressed to
Genae's chest. Her eyes shone and her determined
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expression faded as she looked at them. Her shoulders
slumped and her eyes closed.
Eln grabbed the monitor, looked at it and yelled, "She's
killing herself to save Genae."
Paladin moved faster than Eln had ever seen a VanDai
move. He vaulted the table, grabbed Llaryn and ripped her
away from Genae. The tall, fragile woman collapsed in his
arms.
"Bring her in here," Eln ordered.
Paladin followed him and, with obvious reluctance, laid
Llaryn on the table. Eln had never thought to see the proud
and fearsome leader of the VanDai brought to his knees but
the huge warrior dropped to the floor beside the exam table.
Only one thing would bring Paladin down: he'd found his mate
and he might lose her.
Eln readied an injection to help slow Llaryn's heart and
lower her metabolism. He had to buy her time to heal. He
turned and found Paladin had taken her hand, his dark gaze
moving restlessly over her face.
* * * *
After Eln had done what he could and left, Paladin
remained at Llaryn's side. He'd been in killing rages before
but nothing had ever prepared him for this standing beside
his mate and not knowing if she would live or die.
He reached out and grasped her face. "Llaryn. Look at
me." He wouldn't let her ignore him. He wouldn't let her fade
away. She would do as he said. "Llaryn. Open your eyes and
look at me."
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Her lashes fluttered.
He tightened his hands on her face. "Open your eyes."
Her lashes fluttered again and finally lifted. She looked
dazed, her eyes not quite focused.
Barely resisting the urge to crush something, Paladin let
his rage show only in the force of his voice. "You tried to
escape me." He wanted to pick her up and crush her to him.
He wanted to take her and make her understand what he felt.
He wanted her to feel the same thing. "You will never escape
me. The moment I saw you, you were mine. I claimed you
and when you're stronger I'll mate with you. You are mine."
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Chapter One
Something sharp pressed but didn't pierce the skin at the
base of Llaryn's throat, jolting her from sleep. It was Paladin.
It had to be. Since she'd healed Genae no one but Paladin
had been allowed close to her except Eln, the VanDai healer.
Even then, Paladin was always close.
No one else would be in the room alone with her. Not if
they wanted to live.
The sensation moved down her body, between her breasts,
down her abdomen and pelvis where it tangled and combed
through the tight curls covering her mound. She could barely
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