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"There are three of us working this training session," the gwyllion said "Griselda, Bernard, and me"

"And you are?"

"I’ly

Reed grinned "It’s derived frohter"

"Why do these things keep surprising me?"

"I like it" Aeronwen beamed

"Of course Griselda is the faery?"

"No, Bernard is the faery Did you like the godh a e of the roof, levitating over the lip and landing beside Eve He pointed to the shacklike protrusion that shielded the stairs from the eleon peering around the corner

"Great," she uel," Reed greeted

"Did she herald you?" the archangel asked

"No"

"Then why are you here?"

Reed arched a brow in an expression that asked, Do you really want to talk about that here and now?

Raguel nodded "You frightened the others with your abduction of Ms Hollis"

A shrug was Reed’s reply The other Marks were Raguel’s concern

The archangel’s gaze passed over the two Infernals, then settled on Eve Deep grooves framed his lips and eyes He could hide the, Ms Hollis?"

Eve felt herat all hu out Losing my mind Take your pick" Outwardly she probably looked coun hand were beginning to hurt frorip and the set of her shoulders was causing a crick in her neck She was still screa, even if no one could hear it

"You should be with the others"

"No, I should be in Orange County Designing the interior of so hitting the beach Re Mrs Basso to see if she needs anything froravel "But I can’t do that, because she’s dead And the poodle is dead And now Molenaar is dead I’ aroundto do? Make us pack up our toys and go ho the two Infernals to duck below the arc of the gun "This is a perfect training exercise We have sohter You couldn’t have planned it better if you tried"

Gadara stared hard at her It took everything Eve had to hold his golden gaze He was a handsoant ifts, he was blindingly beautiful His dark skin like silk, his features finely wrought by a deft and loving hand "This is far beyond your lio"

"It is against protocol You know that"

"I also know that it’s ‘perfectly acceptable to continue a deviation once it has been set inher gun froarment fell away from her overheated body "Isn’t that what you said when you assigned u and travel to Upland before I was trained?"

"If proceeding is the only reasonable course," he added "Reree with hi, even when contradicting her

Eve tried not to look at hi it would just make her even hotter, but she lost the battle He stood with his hands thrust into the pockets of his tailored black slacks, his pale yellow dress shirt sans tie and open at the throat The wind ruffled his dark hair, draping the locks across his brow Like his brother, he watched her with a predator’s stare, hungry and deteraze If he’d touched her, it couldn’t have felt more real In some ways, the brothers were very much alike In others, they couldn’t be more different One warnited a scorching fire

With Alec the world stilled, external concerns faded away She enjoyed him as she would a fine wine, with delicate sips and limitless time With Reed her response was like a runaway train, increasing in velocity until she was breathless and reckless

Eve looked away, rolling her shoulders to ease the knotting there

"We are vacating the base," Gadara said

"What if that was the goal of the attack?"

"Why?"

"I don’t know, but it’s a possibility"

"A far-reaching one," Reed interjected "And regardless, it’s too dangerous for you to be here"

Gadara continued to watch her intensely "I have already ordered an investigative team up here They are far more qualified and are therefore at less risk"

Eve knew she couldn’t argue with that She also knew that doing nothing at all wasn’t an option "Will you let us participate in the investigation fro evidence or whatever else can be done?"

A hint of a sel’s mouth, but she was too upset about Molenaar to chafe over playing into Gadara’s hands So what if she was determined to participate? That didn’ta Mark

"I ananiestured for Eve to head toward the stairs "I’ll take the class back to the house"

Gadara nodded "You can record your report and transfer it toaround awhile"