My smile bared teeth in an expression an animal would have recognized as a threat.“Only in your dreams, pretty boy.”
He leaned forward.“Only every day and every time I shut my eyes. Over and over again.”
I folded my arms. Okay, that hadn’t gone the wayI’d thought. Time for a new approach.
“What was the purpose of telling everyone what we’d done?” I asked, point-blank.
I didn’t enjoy having my personal business bandied around the water cooler. It wasn’t the end of the world that others knew, but I wanted to understand the tricky vampire. He never did anything without a reason. Understanding was the best way to tilt the odds in my favor.
“Don’t tell me you’re ashamed of me,” he said with a teasing glint. His confidence was such that I knew the question was more to pull at my tail than anything else. He exuded sexuality. There weren’t many women dead or alive who wouldn’t have taken him up on what he was offering.
“If you needed compliments to stroke your male ego, you only needed to ask,” I said in a saccharine voice.
His laugh was short as he gave me a glance from under his eyelids. It was packed with all the seduction in his repertoire.I’d be lying if I said the look was ineffective; it stroked across my senses as I flashed to what we’d been doing earlier.
I leveled a look on him that meant business. I wanted answers.
He sobered slightly, some of the teasing playfulness falling from his expression.“Vampires are territorial by nature. By making it clear that you and I are involved,I’ve simply made it so no one will see you as a viable bed buddy. It keeps them safe since they know the state of things.”
I went still, processing that statement. I didn’t know which part of it to address first.
“You assume that we’re going to be doing that again.”
His gaze turned provocative.“Oh, I can promise you we will.”
I folded my arms across my chest and snorted.“I think you’re going to need my full cooperation for that sort of thing. Somehow, I just don’t see that being possible after this little conversation.”
He moved closer, looming over me so I had to tilt my head to look at him. His personal scent reached out, wrapping around me and making me slightly light-headed. The man was heady and dangerous. No doubt about that.
“I like my chances of convincing you to change your mind,” he rumbled, looking me over in a way that told me he was remembering whatI’d looked like rising over him in bed.
The sound he made then was half-purr, half-growl. I fought to keep it from getting to me, knowing that way lay danger.
Liam was too used to getting his way. If I let him, he’d grind me up and spit me out, leaving behind nothing but a heartbroken mess.
“I think it’s best if I work next to someone else for the remainder of this job,” I said, my eyes never leaving his.“To cut down on distractions and all that.”
He lifted an eyebrow.“I didn’t know your willpower was so weak.I’ll be sure to limit my allure when you’re around, if that makes you feel better.”
My smile turned brittle.“It’s not my willpowerI’m worried about. After all,I’m not the one going around metaphorically pissing all over me.”
Having said my piece, I headed for the door.
He stopped me with a hand on my hip.“I’m looking forward to this dance,a chuisle. Run all you want. In the end, you’ll still end up back in my bed. Mine, asI’m yours.”
I stepped free.“I think you’re confused.I’m not part of the hunt.”
The door was closing behind me when his words floated out.“No, you’re the prize.”
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
The clearing fairly thrummed with energy, beings of all types throwing themselves into the madness. Music, amplified by magic and science, filled the air. A band played their hearts out on a small stage on the far side of the clearing, their movements almost frantic as they poured their entire beings into the music.
“Humans,” Thomas said grimly. Liam and he exchanged a significant glance before he shook his head.
I glanced at him, not quite understanding.
Liam touched my waist and murmured in my ear.“The Fae can be rather hard on their human companions. They both rejoice in a human’s ability to create, and hate it, jealousy turning their love to darker things.”
