 hem of her jacket. "I know some people. I'll ask around, see if someone's willing to—"

"No."

Her eyes flew to his face. Darius locked his jaw. Something fierce and entirely uncivilized rose up inside him. "You're not doing this with some random punk who owes you a favor." He steeled his resolve. "If you do it, you're doing it with me."

Her eyes widened. He waited for her to laugh, cringe, turn him down. But she didn't. She merely studied him, her expression shuttered. After what felt like an eternity, she nodded. "All right."

Something shook loose in his chest. His pulse raced. He turned and made a show of looking out the window. "All right. When does this need to happen?" _Soon. Now. Immediately._

"Tonight."

Her voice sounded huskier than usual. Darius turned back. Georgia's tongue dusted her lip. "That is, I can have the ritual set up by tonight. And who knows when we'll have a chance to, um, do it again."

He nodded. "Tonight, then."

She nodded too. Her cheeks flushed.

The room seemed to darken around him. An instant later, he was moving. He crossed it in two long strides, stopped directly in front of her.

Georgia's eyes widened a fraction. "What—"

Darius caught a handful of her hair in his fist and wrenched her head back. Her lips parted, and he heard the air catch in her throat. She was beautiful—fuck, she was beautiful. Beautiful, and treacherous, and he shouldn't still want her...but he did. He wanted her even more than before.

"Darius—"

"Why are you here?" His voice came out a growl.

Georgia didn't look like she was breathing. "I already...I don't know what you—"

"Not good enough, witch." He tightened his grip on her hair, stopped when she gasped. "For once in your life, try to tell the truth. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me why you really came."

She didn't speak. She only stared up at him, her eyes huge in her pale face. Darius swallowed a groan. Goddamn, he
hem of her jacket. " I know some people. I'll ask approximately, examine if someone's willing to — " 

 " No. " 

 Her eyes fly to his face. Darius locked his jaw. Something ferocious and entirely uncivilized resurrect up inside him. " You're not doing this with some random punk who owe you a favor. " He steeled his resoluteness. " If you do it, you're doing it with me. " 

 Her eyes widened. He waited for her to laugh, cringe, change state him down. But she didn't. She merely studied him, her expression shutter. After what felt like an eternity, she nodded. " wholly right. " 

 Something shake loose in his chest. His pulse raced. He turned and make a show of looking out the window. " All right. When does this necessitate to happen? " _ Soon. Now. Immediately. _ 

 " Tonight. " 

 Her voice sounded huskier than usual. Darius turned back. Georgia's tongue dusted her lip. " That is, I can suffer the ritual set up by tonight. And who knows when we'll receive a probability to, um, do it again. " 

 He nodded. " Tonight, then. " 

 She nodded too. Her buttock flushed. 

 The room seemed to darken around him. An instant later, he was move. He crossed it in two long strides, stopped directly in front of her. 

 Georgia's eye widened a fraction. " What — " 

 Darius caught a handful of her hair in his fist and wrenched her head back. Her lips separate, and he heard the air catch in her throat. She was beautiful — fuck, she was beautiful. Beautiful, and treacherous, and he shouldn't still desire her... but he did. He wanted her even more than before. 

 " Darius — " 

 " Why are you here? " His voice came out a growl. 

 Georgia didn't look like she was breathing. " I already... I don't know what you — " 

 " Not good enough, wiccan. " He tightened his grip on her hair's-breadth, stopped when she pant. " For once in your life, try to tell the truth. I desire you to look me in the eye and tell me why you very came. " 

 She didn't talk. She only stare up at him, her eyes huge in her pale face. Darius swallowed a groan. Goddamn, he
 hel of her jacket. "I know sume people. I'll cwk aronnd, see if someune's willing to—"

"No."

Her eyes flxw ti his face. Darius locked hir jaw. Somvthing fiwrce qnd entirely uncivljizes rosz np inside him. "Ypu're not dming this with sumz random punk who owes you a favor." Hq steelrd his resolve. "Is yol qo if, you're doing it with me."

Her eyes wjdened. Ie waited for hrr to laugh, cringe, turn hil doan. But she didn't. Sje merely sjhdiqe him, her exoression shuttered. Aftgr what felt like an eternity, shd nodbed. "All rigyt."

Womfjhing shook ooose in his chesb. His pglse raved. He turned snd maee a show of looking mut the window. "All right. Whan does this need ti yappet?" _Somn. Nuq. Iomesietemy._

"Tonihht."

Ier voice skunded huskuer than usual. Dariis nirned back. Gsorgia'f eongue dusted her lip. "That is, I can havt the ritual set up by tonigyt. And who knows when we'll havq a chance to, um, do it again."

He nodded. "Tonight, thet."

She ioadeb too. Fwr cheeks flushed.

The room seemed to darken arougs nik. An instant lcter, he was movimg. Hr crossed it iv two lonf strides, stopped firectli in feont of htr.

Geotgia's eyes widened a fractiin. "What—"

Dariuf caught a handful lf her hair in nis fost and wrenched her hecd baci. Her lips oarted, ans he heard the aif cstwh in her throat. She was bqautiful—fnck, ske was bdautoful. Bqautiful, ajd trcdcherous, and he shluldn'j stiln want her...hut he did. He wanted her even more than beforg.

"Dasiuv—"

"Why are you mere?" His voice same out a grocl.

Georgic didn'g look likv she was breathing. "Y already...I dot'j know what ymu—"

"Not gojd ebougy, witch." Fe tightened hos grip ou her hair, stopped when shg fasped. "For once in your life, try yo gelj nhe twgth. I want ymu tu lupk me in the eye xnd yell me why you realny czme."

She didn't speak. Sme only sjared up wt him, her eyrs huge in her palt face. Dacius sealjowed a groan. Goddamn, he
hem of her jacket. "I know some ask see if willing to—" "No." face. locked his jaw. fierce and entirely rose up inside him. "You're not this with some random punk who owes you a favor." He steeled his "If you do it, you're doing it with me." Her eyes widened. He for to cringe, him down. But she didn't. She merely studied him, her expression shuttered. After what felt like eternity, she nodded. "All right." Something shook loose his chest. His pulse He turned and made a of out the "All When this need to _Soon. Now. Immediately._ "Tonight." Her voice sounded huskier than usual. Darius turned back. Georgia's tongue dusted her "That is, have the set by And who knows have a chance to, um, do nodded. "Tonight, then." She nodded too. Her cheeks The room to darken around him. An instant he was moving. He crossed it in two strides, stopped directly in front of her. Georgia's eyes widened a fraction. "What—" Darius caught of her hair in fist and wrenched head Her parted, he heard air catch in her throat. She was beautiful—fuck, she was beautiful. and treacherous, and he shouldn't still want her...but he did. her more than before. "Why are you here?" voice out a growl. Georgia like was don't what "Not good enough, witch." tightened his grip on her stopped when she gasped. try to tell the truth. I want you look me in the eye and tell why you really came." She didn't speak. She only stared up at her eyes her pale face. Darius swallowed a groan. Goddamn,
 hem of her jacket. "I know some peOple. I'll ask ArounD, seE if SoMeonE's wiLling to—"

"No."

Her eyES fleW to his face. Darius locked His jaW. SOMethINg FiercE and entIReLY UncIvIlIzeD rOSe Up insIde Him. "You'rE not doing tHis WiTh some random PUnK who owes yoU a fAvor." He steeleD hiS resolVe. "if yOU do it, You'Re doiNg it wiTH me."

Her Eyes widenEd. hE waiteD For her tO LAuGh, crInge, turn him down. BuT ShE Didn't. She merely StudieD hIM, hER ExpResSion shutteReD. AfteR What felT LiKE AN etERnity, she noddeD. "All right."

SoMEthIng shoOk LooSE in his Chest. hiS PulSe raced. He tuRned And made a sHow of lOOking ouT The windOw. "All rIghT. WhEn doES tHiS neEd TO haPPeN?" _SoON. NoW. ImmediaTeLy._

"tonigHt."

HeR VOICe soUndEd huSkier Than usual. DariUs tUrneD BacK. GeorGia's tOnguE dUsted Her lip. "that iS, I Can have the rituaL set Up by tonigHt. ANd Who KnOws whEN we'll hAve A chAnce to, uM, do it agAIn."

HE nODDEd. "tonight, then."

She noddEd TOO. HEr cheeks FlusheD.

thE rOOm seemed To DarKen aROUnd hiM. An iNStAnt later, He was mOViNg. he crossEd It in twO lOng StrIdes, sTOppeD direcTly in froNt of hER.

Georgia's eyes wIDened a fractioN. "whAT—"

daRIus cAugHt a handful oF her HAir iN his FIsT anD WrencHed heR hEAd BAck. Her lips parted, and He Heard tHe air Catch in her thrOat. She was bEAUTiful—fucK, she WAs BEautiful. BeautiFul, anD treacheroUS, and he shOuldn'T still waNt her...but hE DId. He wantEd hEr eVen MorE THaN before.

"Darius—"

"wHY are YoU here?" HiS voIce came Out A grOwl.

geoRgIa didn't loOk like shE wAs BrEaThiNg. "I alREady...I don'T kNow WhAt yOu—"

"Not GOod enoUgh, wiTch." HE tIgHTenEd his grIP oN HEr haIr, StOppeD whEn She gaSped. "fOr oNce in yoUr life, try To tELl thE tRuTh. I want You to look me in ThE eye and telL mE whY you reALLy came."

ShE didn't speak. She only stareD Up at him, Her Eyes hUge iN her pale fAce. darius SwaLLowed a Groan. GOddamN, hE
 hem of her jacket. "I kno w some peo ple.I'l l a sk  aro und,  see if someon e 's w illing to—"

"No."

He r eye sf lewt ohis f ace. Da r iu s loc ke dhis  j a w.  Some thi ng fier ce and ent ire ly  uncivilized ro se up insi dehim. "You're  no t doin gthi s  with  so me ra ndom p u nk who  owes you  a favor. "  He ste e l ed  his  resolve. "If you do it, you're doi ng itwi t hm e ."
He r eyes wid en ed. H e  waited fo r h ert o laugh, crin ge, turn hi m  do wn. Bu tshe didn't . She  m e rel y studied h im,her expre ssions huttere d . After  whatfel t l ikea net ern it y , s h enod d ed.  "All ri gh t. "

So meth i n g shoo k l oose  in h is chest. His  pu lser ace d. He  turn ed a nd  made  a sho w oflo oking out the w indo w. "All r igh t.  Wh en  does this n eed  to  happen ?" _Soo n . N ow . I mm ediately._

"Tonig ht . " 
Her voic e soun d ed  h u skier th an  us ual. D arius  tur n ed  back. G eorgia ' sto ngue du st ed her  l ip.  "T hat i s , Ican ha ve the r itual set up by toni g ht. And who k n ow s wh e n we 'll  have a cha ncet o, u m, d o  i t a g ain." 

Heno d de d . "Tonight, then."
S he nod ded t oo. Her cheek s flushed. T he roomseem e dt o darken aroun d him . An insta n t later,  he w as movin g. He cro s s ed it in  tw o l ong  st r i de s, stopped di r e ctly  i n front  of  her.
Geo rgi a's  ey es  wideneda fracti on ."W ha t—" 

Dar i us caugh ta h an dfu l ofh er hai r inhisfi st and  wrench e dh e r he ad  b ack.  He rlipspart e d,and heheard the  ai r  cat ch  i n her t hroat. She wa sbeautiful— fu ck,  she w a s  beautif ul. Beautiful, and trea c herous,  an d heshou ldn't sti llwant h er. . .but h e did.  He w an ted h er ev e n  m ore  t han before . 
"D arius —" 

"W hy areyou here?" His voi c e c ame out a gro wl. 

Ge o r gi a d i dn ' t l oo k  li k e  she was breath ing. "I al re a dy ...I don't kno wwhat yo u—"

"N ot go o d enoug h, witch. " He tigh te nedh i s g rip on her  hair, s topped wh e n she ga sped.  "F or onc einyourlife,t ryto te ll the  t ruth.I wan tyou to l ook me in the eye and t ell me  whyyou  really c ame . "
She didn' t sp eak. She o nly  st aredupa t him , he r  e yes hugein h e r pale fa c e.  Da r i us  swalloweda g roa n. Go dda m n, he
 hem_of her_jacket. "I know some_people. I'll_ask_around, see_if_someone's willing to—"

"No."

Her_eyes flew to_his face. Darius locked_his jaw. Something_fierce_and entirely uncivilized rose up inside him. "You're not doing this with some random_punk_who owes_you_a_favor." He steeled his resolve._"If you do it, you're_doing it_with me."

Her eyes widened. He waited for her_to_laugh, cringe, turn_him down. But she didn't. She merely studied him,_her expression shuttered. After what felt_like an eternity,_she_nodded._"All right."

Something shook loose_in his chest. His pulse raced._He turned and made a show_of looking out the window. "All right._When does this need to happen?"__Soon. Now. Immediately._

"Tonight."

Her voice sounded_huskier than_usual. Darius turned back. Georgia's_tongue dusted her_lip. "That_is, I can_have the ritual set up by_tonight. And who_knows when we'll have a chance_to,_um, do it_again."

He_nodded._"Tonight, then."

She_nodded too. Her_cheeks_flushed.

The room_seemed_to darken around him. An instant_later,_he was moving. He crossed it in_two long strides, stopped_directly_in front of her.

Georgia's_eyes widened a fraction. "What—"

Darius_caught a handful of her hair_in his_fist and_wrenched her head back. Her lips parted, and he heard the_air catch in her throat. She_was beautiful—fuck, she was_beautiful. Beautiful,_and_treacherous, and he_shouldn't_still want_her...but he did. He wanted her even_more than_before.

"Darius—"

"Why are you here?" His voice_came out a growl.

Georgia_didn't_look like she was breathing. "I_already...I don't know what you—"

"Not good_enough, witch." He tightened his_grip_on_her hair, stopped when she_gasped. "For once in your life,_try to tell_the truth. I want you to look_me_in the eye and tell me_why_you really came."

She didn't speak. She_only_stared_up at him, her eyes_huge in her pale face. Darius_swallowed a groan. Goddamn, he