Page 166 of Outcast’s Vow

“Show me what you can do to me, woman.”

She smiles, and she slowly – and reverentially – heads down my body, using her hand to gently push me back against the cushioned couch. I lean back eagerly as her mouth trails down my muscles.

“I really thought I had lost you again,” she whispers.

“I’ve still got some fight in me,” I reply as her lips brush down my abs.

Her hands are steady.

And she takes me. Almost as if she’s finding me again. As if she wants to look after me completely. I grip the couch with one hand, and the other is buried in her hair.

I guess this is our way of coming to terms with what happened in that labyrinth.

“Sylvie...”

I mutter her name like it’s a prayer. I look down at her as she looks up at me. She sees how vulnerable I am, and still she wants to tend to me.

And I surrender to her.

“You’ve saved my life twice tonight,” I breathe as I finish in her mouth, finally feeling safe.

* * *

“I was scared when I saw you lying there on the ground,” Sylvie says, her hand resting against my chest, over her name above my heart. “I am still so scared. What happens next? Why was he after you? What do we do now?”

I turn my head toward her. My fingers comb through her hair. She’s watching me, desperately needing reassurance. It would be so easy to lie...

But she deserves the truth.

“I don’t know the answer to any of those questions. But I’m going to find out. I’m going to stop this killer.”

“I am worried about you.”

“Don’t,” I reply. “You know me. I will track this guy. He should be afraid of me.”

“Yes, he should.”

“I will find him, Sylvie.”

“You said he was good. Professional. It could be anyone, Baptiste. Anyone in the world who has a vendetta against the Castaways.”

I shake my head.

“I don’t think so. I think it has to be someone with intimate knowledge of the Order. There’s no other way they’ve been able to infiltrate the Castaways.”

“You mean...”

“It’s one of us,” I whisper. “It might even be someone we know.”

“Who?” Sylvie asks.

“That’s what I’m going to find out.”

“Father said he needs you.”

“Before it happened... in the labyrinth, there was a letter. They were asking me to become an Elder.”

Sylvie stirs. There’s a sharp intake of air.