“What is the purpose of the sunglasses?” he asked, ignoring my question.
“I know the truth about your voodoo eyes,Monty.”
“Monty?” He arched a dark brow.
“Montgomery Stark is the name of the man Iusedto love. Monty is a nobody. Or a talk showhost.” I shrugged. “But hey, if you don’t like it, I have a nice long list of alternatives right here.” I tapped the side of my head. “King Caca Head, the Great Crapsy, Herculeast, Geralt of Revoltia—”
“Monty it is. Oh, and by the way, the sunglasses will not protect you.” He unfolded his arms and began rolling up his sleeve.
I snapped off the glasses. “What are you doing?”
“What I should’ve done when we first met and you pointed Betsy at me.”
Betsy was my shotgun. I took her everywhere.
“You mean watch something other thanThe Antiques Roadshow?” Because that was what he’d done. He had broken into my house, swiped my shotgun, and turned on the TV to watch his favorite show.
Emotionless, he rolled up the other sleeve.
“Fine.” I raised my chin. “Kill me. Doesn’t matter now. I’ve already told the world what you’re up to. It’s over for you and your leechy friends.”
He stopped rolling mid-forearm. “Kill you? Oh, no, woman. There will be no killing. Not tonight, anyway.”
Shoot.He was going to torture me first.
I rolled back an inch in my chair, hitting the edge of my desk. “Nothing you do to me will stop people from fighting,Monty. We will not surrender to your bloodthirsty, vampire rule. We will not becomeyour piggies.”
“Good.”
That wasn’t the answer I’d expected. “Good?”
“Yes. That is exactly what I’m hoping for.”
I blinked. “Why?”
“Because I am in love with a human whom I cherish more than life itself, and the very last thing I wish to do is watch the world crumble around her. Because I will do anything to protect her. Even lying, drugging her, parading her in front of the vampire elites who wish nothing more to tear down everything she holds dear.” He took a breath. “Even if it means losing her forever because I have broken her trust.”
My mind stalled like a bad engine while my heart grew two tiny arms, reaching to caress his words right out of the air. Had I misunderstood him somehow? Because nothing would make me happier than finding out I’d been one hundred percent wrong about him.
Then my brain kicked back on. And snapped those two tiny arms like twigs. “Nice try, vampire. I’m not falling for your horseshit anymore. It’s over. You’re over. We. Are. Over.”
He bobbed his head. “Accepted.”
Accepted?“Is that all you have to say?”
“No,” he said. “Since you already hate me, and you’re determined to undermine your very own survival, my only option now is to ensure you obey me until my plan is in place.” He stepped closer, the veins pulsing in his neck.
He really was going to torture me!
My butthole puckered. “Stark?” I pleaded with my tone.
“I am out of time, Masie.” Another step closer.
“What are you fixin’ to do?” I held out my hands defensively.
He tilted his head to one side, a sinister look in his swirling pale blue eyes.
“Please,” I pleaded, “just break my neck. Don’t drink me.”
