“If you believe that, you don’t know me very well.”

“Oh!” she growled, clutching the collar of his robe. “You make me so mad at times. But guess what? I won’t be intimidated. I decline both options and offer you another. Go screw yourself.”

He wrapped his fingers around her throat, drawing her deeper against his chest, and placing her ear at his mouth. “I’ll decline that one, and give you another. Tell me you are half human, half Phoenix, and I’ll let you leave with every single one of the warriors now.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ELIN DID HER best impersonation of a Popsicle and froze. Red alert, red alert. The worst has happened.

Thane hadn’t sounded angry. He’d sounded desperate. Nothing like the man who’d kissed her so passionately in the elevator. Deep down, she knew this was far, far worse. As strong a warrior as he was, he wouldn’t be happy with the person who’d made him vulnerable.

“Let’s shelve this conversation until Muesday, May 32nd, at thirteen p.m.,” she said.

“Elin,” he snapped. “Answer.”

Panic choked her. If she admitted the truth, he really would send her away with the Phoenix, back to Orson. Once again, she would be forced to serve the people responsible for the deaths of her loved ones. Once again, her life goals would be placed on hold. Even if she no longer knew what those goals were. This—all of the sweetness and romance and wanton touches—would end. But she couldn’t lie. He’d know. Besides, she wasn’t going to play the part of coward any longer.

“I never hurt you,” she said, her tone soft. She had given him everything. Given—not cajoled, as Merrick had suggested. Because, the singer had it wrong. Not every victory was sweetest after a battle. Some victories were better as gifts.

He stiffened. Now anger oozed from him as he said, “Tell me you are part banshee, or even chimera. Shifter, vampire, Drakon. Cetea, gorgon. Minotaur. Hydra. Siren, laelaps, sphinx. Or any other of a thousand different races. Tell me!”

Tears burned the backs of her eyes. “I want to. I do. But I...can’t. I’m so sorry, Thane.”

He flung her off his lap, and as she stumbled to her hands and knees, he stood with lethal grace.

“You are Phoenix?” he demanded, practically spitting fire at her.

Won’t cower. Not this time. She popped to her feet, the glass shard she’d never thrown out now palmed and outstretched. At the ready. “Yes. I am.”

Accept it. Accept me. Don’t turn me into an outcast again.

More than that, she didn’t want to lose Playful Elevator Thane. Or even Protective Killer Thane. She’d tried to resist him. Not with a lot of effort, but still. She’d tried. And she’d failed. She hadn’t just added an amendment to her vow, she’d broken it, utterly shattered it, and there was no going back. Now, she wanted a chance to enjoy the results.

His eyes narrowed, and she was suddenly glad she couldn’t hear the thoughts tumbling through his mind. “You deceived me. You talked to me about yanking weeds, yet all along, you are a weed.”

Disappointment struck her. A sense of betrayal bloomed, accompanied by defensiveness. “I kept the truth to myself, and quite wisely, too. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to be staked. Can you really blame me?”

With a single, skilled swipe of his hand, he batted the glass out of her grip, leaving her weaponless. He advanced on her, saying, “Can you enslave, like Kendra?”

“No!” His electric gaze was as sharp as blades, mentally slashing her to ribbons. Still Elin held her ground. “And if I could, I never would. Her actions disgusted me.”

“You expect me to believe you?” he roared down at her. “You, the liar.”

“Yes, I absolutely expect you to believe me. You Sent Ones can taste lies, right? So you should know I’m telling the truth. Right?”

His scowl darkened. “You could be unaware that you’re poisoning me.”

“Kendra was always aware. She bragged about being able to control just how much her victims received. And if that’s not enough for you, think about this. My husband was never mindless, and I did him so good, over and over again.”

The jab only made him angrier. His chest brushed against hers, and she was horrified to note how tight her nipples became for him, eager for more contact. “You used me, helped me at camp so that I would help you.”

“Well, duh. I told you that already.”

“You never desired me. This whole time, you’ve been seducing me. To get what you want—money!”

Seducing him? For money? “First, what has that got to do with the Phoenix? Second, you are such a douche. I did want you. Did. Past tense. Your money was just a bonus. Money I earned, by the way. May I remind you that I refused payment for making out with you. And while we’re at it, may I remind you that I ran away from you before intercourse occurred and I didn’t come back begging for more? That was you.”

Thane raised his hand, as if he meant to strike her or grab her and shake her. Or grab her and haul her the rest of the way into his body and finish what he’d started in the elevator. Instead, he dropped it and backed away from her.

At the door, he turned, giving her his back. “I’ll return in an hour,” he said to his friends. “I want her gone.”

“Thane—” Xerxes said.

She’d forgotten about their audience.

“This isn’t a debate. Release the Phoenix. All but Kendra. When they leave my cloud, Elin goes with them.” He slammed into the hall, vanishing from view.

Elin remained in place, trying not to cry while panting with...relief. Yes. Relief. He hadn’t staked her or ordered it done. Also, he hadn’t banged her, but he’d definitely bailed. And, okay, it hurt just as much as she’d always known it would. Actually, it hurt worse. She wanted to curl into a ball and sob.

Thane had abandoned her.

Thane was disgusted by her.

Thane was giving her back to his enemy—to her enemy.

“I...I’ll go pack my things,” she said to no one in particular. And then I’ll run away before I can be escorted to the Phoenix. Surely she could pay someone in the city to fly her home.

Home. Where was home? She didn’t have one.

“I purchased every item with tip money,” she added, just in case they thought to deny her. “Tip money I earned fair and square. I won’t pack anything that isn’t mine.”