DemonicPersuasion by Kim Knox Page A

oblivion.
    Foster’s soft “Love you too” followed her down into brief,
exhausted darkness…
    * * * * *
    Fade jerked upward, lost and confused. Where was she? What…?
    Foster’s words drifted back and she collapsed against his
hot, damp chest, her heart tightening as his strong arm wrapped around her. For
a moment, she closed her eyes, reveling in the bliss of knowing that the
affection, the love she had for him was returned. Was real .
    She let out a slow sigh and pressed her lips together as he
nuzzled her hair, his lips brushing her temple. This was her life now. The
three of them, bound by flesh and joy and love. Could be her life. The old
panic wrenched her insides. Despite what Foster had promised, Dolon would never
give up. Even Athanasios had admitted that.
    “You’re safe, Fadeyka.” Foster waved his hand and a light
curve formed at the foot of the bed. He pulled her closer to him, tightening
his hold. “Completely safe.”
    A broadcast from Earth filled the translucent curve of film.
Fade frowned. The footage was from the base of a building she recognized. It
towered over the River Thames, its glass and metal gleaming in hazy summer
sunshine. A line of live feeds drew down the curve, pulled from cameras
circling the upper floors. Their images were distorted by censor fields, but
even so, she recognized the obscuring tech. It was the head office of Aleander
Dolon. The vast building she’d worked in as a lowly administration clerk, there
by the grace of having the dubious honor of being distantly related to Dolon.
    A news strip ran along the bottom of the curve and she
blinked. Her gut twisted.
     
    Breaking: Aleander Dolon has been found dead in his
London office. Suspected suicide as evidence appears of his dealings with the
Castor Cartel.
     
    Fade wet her lips as the image flipped back to the anchor.
“You?”
    “Us.” The thrum of Athanasios resonated through her, the
change in Foster’s voice subtle but there. “Foster wanted to exact more lasting
damage. But Dolon’s suicide leaves his death less open to question.”
    “How?” She turned in Foster’s arms, meeting his
silver-ringed gaze. “We jumped from the attack to here.”
    He stroked a finger down her face, teasing back a loose
strand of hair. The silver faded from his eyes. Foster was with her again. “You
did. With the power of the Yalene and my skills, we went hunting.” His smile
was dark. “Didn’t take us long. The man thought he was untouchable. We
persuaded him he was wrong.”
    Fade expected to feel guilt at the relief that flooded her.
But she didn’t. Aleander Dolon had broken her life, tried to kill her and who
knew how many other lives he’d ruined. She closed her eyes and rested her head
against Foster’s chest, listening to the slow, solid beat of his heart. He’d
saved her, him and Athanasios.
    Fingers teased through her hair and the beat quickened. His
dick hardened against her belly. “How grateful are you?”
    Fade grinned against his skin. “Foster, you’ll lead
Athanasios into bad ways.”
    Laughter shook him. “You don’t have him in your head
full-time.”
    “Filthy? Depraved?”
    She looked up and the ring of silver edged Foster’s blue
eyes. Athanasios pushed forward and his smile was all of those things. Fresh
need swelled in her and she sucked in a quick breath, the hint of coal sinking
into her flesh. The slow weave of their combined touch ghosted over her skin,
offering the promise of pure bliss.
    This was her life. Her choice. As strange as it was,
it couldn’t be more perfect.
     

About Kim Knox
     
    Kim lives on an ancient boundary line, once marked by a
Neolithic burial tomb. The tomb’s now a standing stone circle—thank the
Georgians for that one—and stirs her mind with thoughts of history and ancient
myths. She mixes the essence of the past into fantasy, along with the essential
mix of magic and sex. She also writes science fiction romance, pushing out into
the far future with