I took a deep breath and paused at the bar door. “I’m sure my dad is a really swell guy, but he rules the land of evil. Of monsters. I don’t want to be reminded of that part of my genetic makeup.”
“Many demons actually do good. Spread love. Pleasure.”
Oh yeah. I’d forgotten about that new knowledge.
I shrugged. “Mainly, though, I only knew my mom. She raised me. Made me what I am. I want to identify with her, and she was human.”
“Human, but with the bloodline of the gods. In essence, she was more than human, more than a mage, like you. On either side, you are extraordinary. There is not one piece of you that is mundane. You should celebrate that.”
“I like mundane. Mundane keeps me safe.”
“You would not have been able to hide from what you are for much longer. You should be thankful you found me.”
“I didn’t find you, you arrogant ass. You stalked me. And why should I be thankful? Because the shifters will think I’m the enemy, or because I’ll get to be a feeding trough soon?”
“Because I can protect you in a way few others can.”
“Let me guess, this is going to lead into a conversation on bonding.”
“Well, since you brought it up…” Humor danced in his eyes.
I held up my hand, unable to stop myself from smiling. “No.”
“You say no now, but just wait. Your mind will change.”
“Nope.”
“I will rock your world. You will never be satisfied with that human cop.”
Those damn tingles washed over me again. “You’ll get blood, and that’s it. I’ll stand very still and rigid while I fulfill my promise. Then I’ll make your life hell. Somehow.”
He pulled the door open, his honeyed eyes delving into mine. “You already make my life hell,” he whispered. “In the best of ways.”
The man had a way with words—I’d give him that. “You probably banged your way through the nobles of France when you were a human,” I muttered, entering the dimly lit interior of the half-filled bar. “Even though women weren’t supposed to sleep around back then.”
“Women have always had the same desires when it comes to pleasure and passion. It is society that changes,” Darius said, stopping beside me. “Simply because it was declared wrong in the time, does not mean it didn’t happen. I deflowered a great many behind the veil of secrecy, and they loved me for it.”
“Oh, ew. Tone it down, Casanova. And I doubt they loved you for tarnishing their reputations.”
“Behind the veil of secrecy, I said. I have always been discreet, and I have never lacked for partners, single or otherwise, experienced or not—”
“Please stop.”
“I celebrate a woman who knows her desires, and who demands to have them fulfilled.”
“Seriously, stop.”
“Do you demand to have your desires fulfilled, Reagan?”
Not the tingles!“I demand that you shut it down, and to achieve that end, I’ll shoot you in the leg again like I did in the paddock. Is that what you’re after?”
“So violent.” He gave a dark chuckle. “You have passion in spades,ma puce. I can’t wait to experienceit.”
“I don’t know whatpucemeans, but it sounds dirty,” I muttered. I pulled up my leg, snatched a knife from the holster around my ankle, and stabbed him in the side. Just as quickly, I pulled it out of his body, wiped the blade on his expensive shirt, and shoved it back where it belonged. His side would heal, but his shirt was ruined. I knew he’d care more about the latter.
He barely flinched. His reaction was another dark chuckle.
That hadn’t worked out how I’d hoped.
