Reverence Read Free Page A

start and not...finish again, ok? Let’s just wait until we know we won’t have any distractions.”

    She started thinking all sorts of things to get my blood boiling again. I pulled her to stand.

    “I better get you inside,” I said into her ear, “before you convince me that the public beach is an appropriate place for such a thing.” I nipped her earlobe.

    “Caleb,” she breathed, her fingers digging into my shirt front, “that’s not helping.”

    “I know," I said and laughed as she swatted at me. Oh, I did know exactly what buttons to push. And I had no intentions of stopping anytime soon.

    She was mine. All mine.

Three

    Defiance Chapter Thirteen

    I had never been in the cells myself, but I knew it was bad down there. And when they brought me down the steps, the smell of mold and stench choking me, I knew I wasn't going to be impressed with the place.
    Then they took my shoes off and made me walk on the disgusting floor to my cell. I felt stuff crunching under my feet. I assumed it was bones or trash of some kind, but tried not to think about it. I sat in the cell and just waited…for something, anything, because there was nothing but a cot in there. Not even light enough to see, just enough to tease my senses from the guards lamp down the hall.
    I didn't sleep because I just couldn't. Then I felt Maggie's heart skip. I sat up at attention and inquired about it. She said it was a spider, which was an appalling attempt to lie, but she slammed her mind shut and kicked me out.
    That's when I knew she was up to something. My legs twitched uncomfortably with the need to make sure she was safe and not up to anything that would get her hurt. But I was useless in here, wasn't I?
    I knew it was going to happen, but that didn’t make me like any of it more, and knowing that Maggie was wandering around out there on a rescue mission was making everything worse. So I sat there simmering in my pity party.
    A while later I felt her and knew she was close. My veins screamed at me to get her away from here.
    Maggie, dang it, get your butt out of here!
    No, Caleb. I'm already here. May as well see the accommodations.
    I growled and banged my fist against the wall. If they touched one hair on her head, I'd…I jerked up to the bars and shook the door latch in vain, knowing full well that they charmed it. Like they did everything else. Cowards.
    Then I heard her, and just her voice was like a punch to my core. I leaned against the bars, but still couldn't see her yet. She was arguing with Donald. I waited, angry and anxious. It wasn't like she was in mortal danger, I knew that, but it was just the fact that I was helpless in this cell and if she had been in danger, I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.
    But when she charged down the hall towards me, and I saw in her mind how Donald had ran away like a weasel, my anger slipped away and pride took its place. Gah, she was amazing…
    The smile that lit her face was gorgeous as she reached me and I held her face through the bars. I hadn't even realized we'd already begun to withdraw until her skin shot me a dose of relief. I'd been so worried about her, I'd forgotten all about anything that was happening to me.
    "Open it," I said, my voice gravelly and grated.
    "Keys?" she asked.
    "They don't use keys down here, babe," I explained. I motioned to the bars to show her there was no lock. She pulled on the door, but it wouldn't move. She looked at me questioningly, biting her lip. "It's charmed."
    She huffed, the energy ribbons starting to glow around us, so I explained how to get the door open. She slammed the door on the other side, having to sidestep so as not to be crushed. I held my curse in and engulfed her in my arms, breathing her in. She smelled heavenly, and I probably smelled like a sewer, but didn't care right then.
    "Mmm, you're in so much trouble," I said to her, but she knew my threat was ridiculous, given by the grin on my face. "You refuse to listen,