Free The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter Page A

wanted a forever without evil. That these boys didn't bear the mark... Huh. "Maybe they're just recruits. When they entered, one of them said something about being let in. Maybe he meant being let in to the Hunters Are Assholes club."
              Gideon nodded as he stood, a lock of cobalt falling over his brow. "That makes no sense."
              "Because I'm smarter than you are." She fought the urge to smooth the hair into place. Still no closure, but she forced herself to say, "I guess we're done here, then." For real, this time.
              "Sure." He closed what little distance there was between them, putting them nose-to-nose, his heat enveloping her, his musky cologne fuzzing her senses. "Don't listen carefully. I'm upset you're okay." His lashes fell, oh, so slowly, before stopping, lingering, and she knew he was peering at her lips.
              Thinking of kissing her?
              She gulped. No. No, no, no. "Gideon."
              "Keep talking." Slowly, still oh, so slowly, he leaned toward her, as if he did intend to kiss her.
              No. No, no...yes. Yes, yes, yes. Every muscle in her body tensed, waiting, ready. The blood inside her veins sizzled and snapped. Would he taste the same? Feel the same? She had to know. Then she could leave him. Then she would have closure and wouldn't ever have to look back and wonder.
              But just before their lips touched, his fingers circled her wrist with a soft clink. No, not his fingers. Too stiff, too heavy and too cold. Frowning, she glanced down and saw that he'd handcuffed them together. Understanding dawned. That...bastard...
              A red haze shuttered over her vision. Not dots, but a full-on cloud. Tricked. The bastard had tricked her. Had never meant to kiss her. Had used her obvious desire for him against her.
              "I hope you're proud of yourself." That was all the warning she gave him. She jabbed the fork into his chest and rather than twist, she slammed her palm into the handle, pushing it deeper. This time, he couldn't contain his grimace. "And I hope you know this will seem like child's play when I'm done with you."
              "As long as we're apart," he gritted out, "I'm happy."
              As long as...as long as... He needed to be together to be happy? Though part of her suddenly wanted to grin sheepishly, perhaps bat her lashes, she scowled up at him. Stupid softening heart. He'd just betrayed her, and she almost melted when he tossed a few flattering words at her. Flattering words that meant nothing, because he still only wanted answers.
              "Tell me. Does this make you happy?" She kneed him in the balls.
              He hunched over, gasping, but amid those gasps, she managed to make out a single word: "Yes."
              Good. "So where are you taking me?"
              "Heaven." Another gritted admission.
              Still. She easily translated. He planned to take her straight into hell.

CHAPTER FOUR
              AFTER THE swelling went down in his balls, Gideon phoned Lucien, keeper of Death, asking for cleanup at the hotel, then dragged a protesting Scarlet outside, through the glass-covered atrium and along the brightly lit city streets to the Escalade he'd hidden in a parking garage a few blocks away. Night was in full swing, the star-sprinkled sky framing the golden half-moon. Though he was prepared for anything, there were no other Hunters--or recruits, as the case may have been--waiting to attack.
              He wasn't sure how those four kids had followed him. Especially if they'd had no training. He'd made damn sure he'd lost any tails. If there had been tails, that was. Which he would've bet every cent of his, uh, Torin's money that there hadn't been. So either a god or goddess was watching him and reporting his whereabouts or the boys had simply gotten lucky and had