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Maddie held her knife tight in her hand. She had hoped that she would never have to use it again, she preferred her other weapons now, but the person who was stalking her warranted the blade. Because it was the only thing that Maddie knew would kill her permanently.
"Oh what a warm welcome you are giving me," Talia said, stepping into view.
"Why would I give you anything else?" Maddie asked. "There are only two reasons I can think of for why you would be here."
There was a small smile on Talia's lips and Maddie's heart fluttered. It seemed that Talia still had that grip over her even after the many years since she had run from the league to start a new life. Since she had not only stolen her own daughter from the same terrible training she had grown up with, but also their leader's own grandson. At the behest of his mother.
Who Maddie had loved enough to listen to.
Who was now standing in front of her with that small smile on her lips that Maddie couldn't stop looking at.
"And what exactly would those reasons be that you feel the need to pull out an enchanted weapon?"
Her tone was soft, not the angry one that Maddie would have expected. She had kept tabs on what had been happening for Talia when she could, and most of the recent news had not been good news. So of course Maddie was expecting the worst.
"To kill me or to take my son back," she said.
The smallest hint of anger crossed Talia's face when Maddie called Danny her son. But it disappeared as fast as it came.
"I will forgive you for calling him that since it is what I asked of you," Talia said. "But surely you must realize there is another reason I would be here. The real one."
"Nothing that I can think of."
The smile turned sour but that did not stop Talia from taking a step closer to Maddie. Who raised her knife in warning.
"I don't have a weapon, Dear Heart," Talia whispered. "And I am not here to cause you or yours harm."
The endearment turned the flutter in Maddie's heart to longing. Longing for the love that she had once felt in Talia's embrace.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I missed you," Talia said. "I sent away more of my heart than just my son when I let you go. Now it is safe enough to come just like I promised I would."
She had but Maddie had always believed that it was an empty promise. Just like the one that Maddie was her only love, betrayed by the fact she had her twin boys. Like the one that she made telling her that Jasmine would have a gentler fate than Maddie. Like the one that would let Maddie stop killing. None of which she had kept, only the last when Maddie told Talia she was leaving.
"Why should I believe you?" Maddie asked.
Talia took another step closer and closed her hand on Maddie's wrist. The one that held the knife. And Maddie let her push the arm down and move in close. Close enough that their breaths mingled.
"You shouldn't, not yet. But give me a chance and I will prove how true my words are."
The knife clattered to the ground as Maddie lost herself in the kiss Talia placed on her lips.