Fear, she realized, had been a powerful thing. Her greatest fear had been to trust a man. She had been afraid to open her heart again to someone who was willing to hurt her. Sinjin had warned her to fear him. He had all but commanded her to hate him. But she couldn’t. She, who had never wanted to trust any man, could not hate the man who was duty-bound to kill her. Why? Instead of retreating inside, as she had done every time she thought of Allan Ferrars, she pressed her body tight against Sinjin. She wrapped her arms around his strong neck, and responded to his melting kiss as passionately as she could. He thought she should not forgive him for being willing to do his duty as a slayer. But she understood what had driven him to hunt dragons. He had been so deeply and badly hurt; he had felt so helpless, so guilty and angry. When Mr. Ferrars had attacked her, it had forever changed the way her heart worked. Sinjin was the only man who had touched her heart since. Sinjin’s warm palms cupped her breasts.
