Destiny Divided Read Free Page B

clearly more powerful than she.
    “ All right. I’m going to remove the rope. Do not move from that chair. If you try to run, I will catch you. Do you understand?”
    It really couldn’t get any mo re humiliating. “Yes.” The light rope faded away and she stretched out her arms.
    If it had been a normal person guarding her, she’d have either run or fought. But since the arrogant spawn of Satan stood by her instead, she sucked up her pride and, for the first time in a long time, she allowed someone to tell her what to do.
    “I’m not a child.” For some reason she needed to make that clear.
    His gaze landed on her breasts. Usually she liked the attention her low cut shirts and well-endowed chest got her, but now she felt naked under his heated gaze.
    “ I can see that. Here’s the thing, Sage. There are rules for our kind. You can’t go around using magic anytime you please. That’s not how it works and it’s going to get you in a lot of trouble. You’re lucky it hasn’t caught up with you so far.”
    “ I’ve never known anyone else like me. How am I supposed to know all the rules for your magical wizard world? I can barely follow people rules in my own world.”
    “I know. And that’s why I’ve decided to train you.”
    She waited for him to crack and smile and admit he was joking. When didn’t, she arched a brow at him. “Excuse me?” What makes you think I want to be trained? And by you, no less.”
    “I don’t really see how you have a choice.”
    “Uh, yes, I do. It’s called ‘no’. No, I will not be trained by you. I’m not a dog.”
    “How will you know what the rules are for our kind?”
    “I don’t know. Don’t you have a book or something?”
    “What happens when your powers get out of your control? You need someone watching your back.”
    She snorted. “Yes, that’s just what I want. You watching my back. Did you forget the part where you almost suffocated me with a magical rope?”
    He took a deep breath. “What if I told you that I could make you more powerful?”
    This pi qued her interest. Momentarily.
    “You could be ten times stronger, Sage. With some guidance and practice –”
    “No thanks,” she snapped. “I’ll figure it out on my own.”
    He didn’t seem shocked by her refusal, which made her uneasy. She shifted in the chair.
    “When’s the last time you ate?” he asked.
    “Lunch.”
    “And before that?”
    She couldn’t remember but that was none of his business.
    “Stay here with me, Sage. I’ll give you a warm place to sleep and regular meals. All you have to do is allow me to teach you how to use your powers responsibly.”
    She’d grown up with the old adage, if something sounded too good to be true, it usually was. “What’s your angle? If you think I’ll sleep with you, you can forget it. I’d rather starve.”
    “No angle. Just a sense of obligation. You’re dangerous and need to be cont rolled before you hurt somebody. I don’t want that on my conscience.”
    “ Controlled? Who the hell do you think –”
    “Don’t be stubborn,” h e snapped. “You look like you’re half-starved.”
    She grima ced and peered down at her body. Average height with curves in all the right places – she wasn’t ashamed of using her body to get what she wanted. But lately, the curves had been shrinking.
    “Don’t let your pride get in the way of taking something good that’s offered. There’s no better opportunity for you than this. And I promise, when I’m done with you, you’ll never have to mop floors again.”
    She gave him a wary glance. “I don’t trust you.”
    “Nor I you. But what do you have to l ose?”
    Dignity? That didn’t seem so important anymore. Not after living on the streets. She hadn’t known James for more than five minutes and already he drove her batty. But h e appeared to be ready to feed her and teach her. If she learned more about her abilities – how to harness them and control them – maybe she could