Page 118 of Cruel Destinies

Tobias threw a quick glance at me. “Two cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes.”

The waitress smiled and left again.

I grabbed a fry and sank back in my seat, glaring at Tobias. The cheesy, gooey, meaty, chewy bliss of a chili cheese fry filled my mouth, and I let out a soft sigh. “What if I was allergic to cheese?”

“You’re not. You’re eating cheese right now.”

I grabbed a few more fries and pointed them at Tobias, though the rebellious things refused to remain straight. “Fine. I’ll hear you out. You have until the burgers get here to convince me not to take all this to go. Oh, and you’re paying.”

I popped the fries in my mouth, not taking my eyes off Tobias, daring him to challenge me.

“Not a problem.” He grabbed his own handful of fries and threw them in his mouth, grabbing a napkin to clean up his fingers and face.

I smirked. “You should’ve left the cheese on your face. You almost looked human.”

He didn’t even crack a smile.

I grabbed another fry. “Tick, tock.”

Tobias rolled his eyes. “Look, I’ve got this problem.”

“Don’t we all,” I sighed. I knew I should slow down on the fries—I probably looked like a freaking pig scarfing them down like I was—but I’d been ravenous ever since my vampire attack, and they were sooo good.

“I can’t—” Tobias stopped and pursed his lips, his face reddening as he glanced around the room. When he started again, his voice was softer, his gaze firmly planted on the table. “I can’t...fall in love.”

I paused with a fry halfway to my mouth, then lowered it as I looked at Tobias. “Can’t? Or won’t?”

He shook his head. “My family was cursed.” He looked around again, then leaned forward—which for all his lank was at least halfway across the table—and hissed, “By witches.”

“And they turned you into a robot?”

He growled. “Will you take this seriously?”

I shrugged, bringing the fry to my mouth at last.

Tobias scowled. “If I fall in love with Arya, she’ll hate me.”

I swallowed. “That makes sense. I’m sure any woman you’re romantically involved with would grow to hate you eventually.”

He put his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes as he let out a long-suffering sigh. “No. The curse on my family makes it so that if a Dracul falls in love, or anyone falls in with a Dracul, that love will be forever unrequited.”

“Geez, how’d you manage to piss off a witch that badly?” I said, chewing.

“Ididn’t. My ancestor did,” he ground out.

“Wait, so you’re saying the curse has been passed down—?”

“Generation after generation. Yes,” he confirmed.

I took a sip of water, then let out a low whistle. “That’s harsh.”

Tobias ran his hands through his hair. “Tell me about it.”

The waitress came by again, doling out the two burgers. She only set one shake on the table, dropping two straws next to it.

I eyed the shake, then turned a questioning brow to Tobias.

“You two enjoy,” the woman said, giving us another wink.

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