CHAPTERTWENTY
MERRY
I satat the kitchen table with Arien, trying to teach her how to play Go Fish. Originally, we started with Gin Rummy and quickly realized that neither of us had any interest in learning all the rules. So we went with something simple.
After this, maybe we could play War or Slapjack.
"Do you have any fours?" Arien asked.
"Go fish."
As she drew the card, she glanced at me and said, "You don't seem to fear me."
"Should I?"
"No, I don't think so."
Okay, that gave me pause.
"You don'tthinkso?" I asked cautiously.
She blinked several times. "That didn't come out correctly, did it?"
"I'm not sure because I don't know exactly what you meant."
"Only that you have nothing to fear from me unless you mean to harm the people I care about," she explained.
"Then, that's probably why I'm not afraid of you." Or at least, I hadn't been. "Do you have any sixes?" I asked.
Her light blue eyes focused on me, piercing in their intensity. "Are you cheating?"
I shook my head as she handed over a six. I paired it up with the other six I had and laid them next to my growing row.
I took a sip of my soda, waiting for her to ask me for a four. I'd pointed out to her that it wouldn't be right to ask for the same card over and over if I told her to "go fish" since the objective was to pair up all of your cards before the other player, but she ignored me and continued to ask for a four.
"Have you had sexual intercourse with Marcus yet?" she asked as she studied the cards in her hand.
I choked on my Coke and had to run to the sink to spit it out before I spewed it all over the table. I leaned over the sink and coughed for several minutes, trying to get my breath back. Once I was done, I rinsed my chin with cool water and took the paper towel that Arien held out to me.
"I am sorry," she apologized. "The others are used to my questions, even the ones that aren't considered socially appropriate. I didn't think it would distress you so."
I cleared my throat as I dried my dripping face. "It didn't upset me. I just wasn't expecting it."
She took the paper towel from me and tossed it into the trashcan under the sink. "You don't mind that I asked?"
I hesitated. I liked what I knew of Arien so far but she had an indescribable quality about her. Almost as if she wasn't wholly human. The way she walked and moved her head was oddly feline.
"I don't mind that you asked," I finally said. "But I usually don't talk about my sex life with people I don't know very well. Most people don't."
"Ah, I see," she said with a nod. "The vampires and shifters are usually so open. I forget that humans are different."
Yep, definitely not completely human because she obviously didn't lump herself into the same category as me.
"To answer your question, no, Marcus and I are not involved in a...sexual relationship."
"Why not?"
Thank God I wasn't drinking soda this time.
