I shook my head, disgusted with myself for being so distracted by Gabriel that I hadn’t been aware of Savian. ‘‘And you simply followed us to London, and then later on, tracked me down at the warehouse. I can’t believe I didn’t see you.’’

‘‘I’m very good at following people,’’ he said with no pretense of modesty. ‘‘It’s my specialty, if the truth be known.’’

I digested all of that on the flight to Paris, ignoring his further attempts at conversation, preferring to dwell in the horrible inky pit of despair that wrapped me firmly in its embrace.

‘‘Don’t think that there’s any chance you’re going to get away from me,’’ Savian said as we deplaned at Orly Airport.

He waited until everyone else had left the plane but the flight attendants, all of whom watched me with interested eyes. I had no idea what story he’d concocted to tell them; to be honest, I didn’t care. I just wanted to get away to somewhere dark, somewhere I could make my escape.

‘‘Do you know, I’m almost sorry I caught you,’’ he continued in a conversational voice as we walked up the long ramp to the concourse. ‘‘It’s been rather exciting trying to keep up with you. Are you really mated to the silver wyvern?’’

I stopped to give him an astonished look.

‘‘Word gets around fast,’’ he explained, giving me a little push to get me going again.

‘‘You are a very strange man,’’ I told him, thrown off guard by his entire demeanor. I expected the thief takers to be harsh, ugly little men with no souls and less humanity. But Savian was… well, charming. And handsome. And judging by the glint in his eye, probably also quite the ladies’ man.

‘‘I’ve been told that. I consider it a compliment, actually. Wouldn’t want life to become boring and staid, now, would we?’’ he asked, gesturing me toward a room marked with a private notice. I entered the small room, most likely used for interviews of suspicious people by customs officials, and tipped my head as I watched Savian gesture to someone at a desk. He came into the room, closing the door behind him. ‘‘Won’t be but a minute, and we’ll be through customs. I expect you’re anxious to be through all this, hmm?’’

‘‘I don’t suppose you’re open to bribes?’’ I asked, ignoring the charm he was so clearly trying to wield upon me.

That took him by surprise for a few seconds. ‘‘What did you have in mind?’’

I ran a mental accounting of my checkbook, disregarding both it and my credit cards-Magoth didn’t mind paying my travel expenses when necessary, but he certainly didn’t pay well for the rest of my services-then musing for a few moments on the amulet, which was tucked away under my left breast in the inner pocket of my leather bodice, but I dismissed the thought almost immediately. I hadn’t been strafed by lasers and given myself a concussion just to hand over the amulet to the first thief taker who managed to grab me.

Which left only one thing I had with which to barter my freedom. I toyed with the leather laces of my bodice. ‘‘What about me?’’

His eyes opened wide at that, his gaze turning calculating as he examined me thoroughly from my toes to my crown. ‘‘What would your wyvern say to that offer?’’

I swallowed back the bile that rose in my throat at the thought of having sex with Savian. ‘‘This has nothing to do with him. It’s between you and me.’’

‘‘Indeed it is,’’ he said, taking a couple of steps closer to me. I forced myself to stand where I was, lifting my chin to meet his gaze.

‘‘You’re positively rank, woman. You reek of things I don’t really want to name.’’

‘‘Thank you. There’s just nothing like being told you smell like a sewer to make a woman feel wanted.’’

He laughed. ‘‘Hmm. Despite your current state, I have to admit I’m very tempted. Beneath all that muck you’re really quite lovely, in a silent movie sort of way.’’ He reached out to touch my hair. I had to steel my arms to stay at my side, not flinching when he trailed a finger down my jawline. ‘‘Very tempted. Oh, what the hell, you only live once.’’

He turned back to the door, opening it to call something out to the official who was approaching with a clipboard.

I tried to calm the gorge rising within me, but my repulsion must have been evident, for when Savian turned back around he burst into laughter. ‘‘Good lord, woman, you look like you’ve been asked to do the most heinous things imaginable to babies. I take it you’ve had a change of heart about your offer?’’

I slumped into one of the three wooden chairs, which, along with a small table, were the room’s only furnishings. ‘‘I’m sorry. I thought I could do it, but I just can’t.’’

Savian looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘‘Is it me? Or are you in love with the wyvern?’’

‘‘I’m not in love with anyone,’’ I muttered, my forehead resting on my hands as I hunched over the table, unsure of whether I should cry or laugh at the ludicrous situation I found myself in.

‘‘Then it’s me? You don’t find me… dashing? Attractive, in a roguish sort of way? Kind of a cross between Han Solo and MacGyver?" Savian asked, a note of worry in his voice.

I looked up, a smile twitching my lips. He looked almost devastated. ‘‘No, you’re very Han Solo. It’s just… well, I did promise to be Gabriel’s mate, and I know it’s silly to take fidelity seriously these days, but I guess I’m just one of those people who is faithful whether they want to be or not.’’

He was silent for a moment, then nodded. ‘‘He’s a lucky dragon. Was there anything else you wanted to try to bribe me with? Or was that it?’’

‘‘That’s it,’’ I said, wiping back a few tears of hilarity that had squeezed out of my eyes.

‘‘Ah, well. Perhaps another time you might have a priceless gold treasure hidden upon your lovely person.’’

My gaze shot to his, but he was already back at the door, calling for the official.

‘‘This won’t take-’’

Suddenly he was jerked out of the door. I leaped up, racing for freedom, but shrieked when the doorway was suddenly filled with a large, hulking man with dirty dark hair, shrewd eyes, and a wicked-looking scar that started beneath his eye and curved down to his earlobe. ‘‘-long,’’ the man said, his lips curling up in a smile as he clamped one hand around my wrist, my bones protesting as he yanked me out the door after him.

‘‘Who the hell are you?’’ I asked, trying desperately to free myself. To the right I saw a small group of people bent over a prone form, one person on a radio obviously calling for medical aid. ‘‘And what did you do to Savian?’’

The surly man tightened his hold on my wrist until I howled my protest, beating on his arm to let go of me. ‘‘Stop your bitching or I’ll stop it for you! Here.’’ He thrust an identification card at a customs official who hurriedly backed out of the way.

‘‘Help!’’ I yelled, trying to simultaneously claw the man’s grip off my wrist and twist myself free. ‘‘I’m being kidnapped! Someone help me! He-’’

The last thing I remember before a white pain exploded in my head was the man turning toward me, his fist raised. After that, blissful darkness claimed me, welcoming me with a familiar comfort. I wandered the pathways of the shadow world for a bit, that place between realities that few can reach, and fewer can leave once they get there. It was a dreamworld, a place of sanctuary for those for whom reality had become too much, and I was tempted for a few moments to just remain there, safe from the pain and strife that made up my world. But the image of Gabriel’s bright eyes rose in my mind, the memory of his burning kisses stirring the slumbering embers of my desire.

A cold shock of water dragged me out of the shadow world and back into my body. I sputtered and choked, rolling off my back and into a sitting position as I wiped water from my face. ‘‘Agathos daimon!’’

‘‘You will please to come to the chamber,’’ a voice said with a complete lack of emotion. I shook the water from my eyes well enough to see the slight young man speaking.