"THERE'S SOMETHING I need to teach you," Grayson said suddenly, his voice carrying a new note of resolve that made her look up sharply. The devastation from moments before had been replaced by something harder, more determined.
Mailah felt a flutter of unease at the change in his demeanor. "What kind of something?"
"Mental defenses," he replied, stepping back from her with visible reluctance. The loss of his warmth left her feeling suddenly cold. "But not just against Mason. Against any demon who would try to manipulate you." His eyes met hers with stark honesty. "Including me."
The admission hung between them like a challenge. She searched his face, looking for some hint of what had prompted this brutal honesty.
"What I'm going to teach you," he continued, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper, "is something most of my kind would kill me for revealing. It's our greatest weakness, the one vulnerability that all demons share, regardless of their power or nature."
