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every moment of the night. Now he felt nothing but revulsion and hatred.
    “The girl. Lady Ophelia. I need to take her power away from her.”
    How did she know he had Lady Ophelia? She could not read his thoughts. Raven grimaced. She probably had spies watching him. “Why?”
    He used his jaded, unconcerned tone. But he was worried.
    He didn’t understand why he felt that reaction. Why should he care about Lady Ophelia? Was the girl not just a nuisance to him? Yet, he pitied her, while he hadn’t felt anything but disgust for mortals and their weaknesses for a long time.
    He had teased her with his threats to pass the time by pleasuring her. It was entertaining to make her angry.
    Maybe that was a sign he spent too much time alone.
    “Does the power kill our kind?” he asked Jade. “Why the hell do you want it?”
    “Yes, it does kill vampires.” Jade floated around him, her hair fluttering on the cool breeze. “It kills us very slowly. At least, it would kill you slowly for now, but her power will become stronger. If she keeps her power, it will become so strong she will be able to kill a mortal without touching him. And she will kill against her will. I mean, she will not want to hurt anyone, but she will not be able to control it. You, Ravenhunt, can take her power away from her. You would be doing something kind for her, freeing her of her curse.”
    Poor kid. He knew what it was to be a monster—to kill against his control. But he did not trust Jade. “How would I take this power?”
    “By making love to her.” The queen laughed. “Is that not always the way? By giving her pleasure, by touching her heart, you will cause her power to become stronger. Then you will have the ability to take it from her.”
    “What does that do to her?”
    Jade shrugged. “It might kill her. Such strong power could not be taken without a great cost.”
    “I’m not interested.”
    “You will be. For if you do not do it, your sister will be destroyed.”
    He lunged for her, but Jade lifted her hand and he found he could not move. She was extremely powerful for a vampiress. “Remember, dear boy, if you kill me, you die. And I have acquired insurance. Other vampires are instructed to kill your precious sister if you do anything to me.”
    Hades, he hated Jade. When he retreated, she gave peals of high-pitched laughter.
    “If you are an obedient boy and bring me her power, nothing will happen to your sister.” Jade wagged an ivory white finger at him. “You will be tempted to drink Lady Ophelia’s blood,” she went on. “Insanely tempted. It will lure you. In truth, if you were to drink her blood, it would be the most pleasurable experience you’ve ever had.”
    “I’ve had many pleasurable experiences,” he said coldly. “But I know I can’t drink her blood. That would kill her, and I can’t do that if I have to take her power to protect my sister.”
    “No, you cannot drink from her,” Jade warned, her gaze haughty, “because it would not only kill her, it would also destroy you. I will give you a week to acquire her power. You must do it by making love to her.”
    “How can I do that when I can’t touch her?”
    “As I said—her power will kill you slowly. As you grow closer to the point where you can take her power, you will have developed immunity. But first, you must start giving her orgasms—without touching her. Unless you give her pleasure, unless you can make her climax, you cannot take her power. I will come to you again to tell you more.”
    “Damn you, Queen, I need to know more now. How do I take her power? Is it by a spell? What in Hades am I supposed to do?”
    “You begin by making her come. That is all you need to know for now.” She lifted her arms and rose into the dark sky.
    Over the roof over his former home, he saw enormous bats circling.
    If you hurt Frederica, Queen Jade, I will destroy you.
He sent the threat through thought to Jade.
    I will not touch her if you do as I