Chapter 32

• The very thought churned in her stomach like a heavy weight. The idea of hell was something she had never contemplated, nor could she fathom the horror of going there. And the notion of killing someone was utterly abhorrent to her.
• "No, I'm sorry. As desperate as I am to be rid of this mark, I simply cannot do this." Her voice dropped to a whisper, and her heartbeat slowed as she grappled with the chilling thought of taking another person's life for her own sake. Living with the mark for the rest of her life now seemed preferable to the dreadful idea of murder.
• Dahlia turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Xavier grasped her wrist, halting her in her tracks. "Dahlia," he said, her name hanging in the air like a weighted command, forcing her to pause.