“Like you pity me.” He’d stopped completely, and I stopped, too, turning to face him.
“I don’t pity you,” I said. “I just…” Okay, maybe Ididpity him. How could I not? “I’m just sad for you, that’s all. Knowing you’ll go your whole life without ever falling in love…”
“My entire existence doesn’t revolve around falling in love,” he said lightly, throwing my own words back at me with a quirk of his lips. “Clearly I have other interests, as you well know.”
“Love isn’t the same as sex,” I pointed out. “Love is…”
“Necessary? I don’t think so. Not romantic love, anyway. If you ask me, it’s more of an inconvenience than anything else. It’s a liability.”
“It’snot,” I insisted, growing more frustrated. “Love is beautiful. It makes you stronger, loving someone in that way, knowing they’ll always have your back—”
“I know my brothers will always have my back,” he said. “That’s enough for me.”
“Love changes you,” I went on, ignoring him. “It makes you a better person. It opens your eyes to the world in a new way.”
“I can get those experiences from many other things.”
“But love is the most powerful thing in the universe. Falling in love fulfills you in a way nothing else will. It’s about finding the other half of your soul.”
“And you know this from personal experience?” The corners of his mouth were tilted up in a grin, but his sharp eyes bored into mine.
“Well…notpersonalexperience.” My face was getting all hot again. “But that doesn’t make it not true. I’ve read about it a hundred times.” And written about it, more times than I could count. Every single fanfic I’d ever written ultimately revolved around the love story.
“And we all know that stories never lie,” he said, amusement plain on his face.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that so many stories revolve around love,” I spit out, desperate to hide my embarrassment. “There’s a reason that people resonate with love stories so deeply.”
“No one is telling you thatyoucan’t have love,” he pointed out. “And I’ve made my peace with my fate.” He looked at me more closely. “Or are you upset because I’ve revealed thatIcan never love you in that way?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I sputtered. “I hardly know you. I’m not even thinking about loving you.”
“So you’re not saving your virginity for the potential love of your life?”
My neck went as hot as my face. “My reasons for my own virginity are none of your business.”
“Well, they might be alittlebit my business.” He smiled down at me, dangerous and beautiful and infuriating. “Considering the deal we just made, of course.”
It was starting to feel like I might spontaneously combust. I’d walked right into this—willingly—and I was beginning to realize I wasn’t as skilled at this game as I’d thought.
“Your truth for mine.” Radven stepped even closer, and he was looking down at me with that ravenous hunger that made my knees go all weak. His hand came up, his finger hooking beneath my chin so he could hold my gaze in his. “But before you fulfill your side of the bargain, I’ll say this—just because I can’t fall in love doesn’t mean I can’t feel other things. Like lust. Or longing. Or even obsession.” His expression grew wolfish. “Believe me, butterfly,obsessionsare satisfying enough for me.”
He dipped his head closer, and I found myself tilting my face up, meeting his mouth with mine.
Maybe he’s right, I thought as my insides flooded with tingly, delectable heat.Maybe love is overrated.I certainly didn’t feel like it was missing right now—right now, everything was warm and delicious, and all my worries and pity were chased away by a desire that started in the pit of my belly and expanded with every touch of his lips.
His arms slid around me, and he gently walked me back until we were beneath the shadows of a big tree. He pressed me up against the trunk, his body leaning into mine, his mouth offering all manner of promises. My hands slid into his hair, twining through the strands, urging him onward.
I wanted him to touch me everywhere, to drag me deeper into his whirlpool of obsession, to pull me beneath those wild, tempting waters. His fingers skimmed the sides of my body, dancing and teasing, and I ached for more.
And then, abruptly, he jerked back, spinning away from me and producing a dagger out of nowhere in one impossibly fast motion.
We weren’t alone. There were two dark figures beside us, dark silhouettes against the shadows beneath the tree.
Still trying to catch my breath, I ran my hands over my clothes and looked around for something—anything—I could use as a weapon.
“Easy, Brother,” came a familiar voice—Alastor’s. He didn’t sound particularly amused by the little scene he’d just stumbled upon. “If you’re done with your little seduction, we have something important to discuss.”
26
