Page 32 of Blood and Hexes

With everyone on the hill, that baby was going to be so spoiled. It'd learn to kick ass before getting permanent teeth. And it was going to be seriously strong, thanks to the genes of the Eirikrsons mixed with the De Villiers.

Diana found herself suddenly sad, because she wouldn't see it. She wasn't going to stick around for the six months a vampire pregnancy took to reach full term. Right?

"What's going on?"

Chloe looked at Diana for help. She shrugged. "We're going to my room. Chloe wants to try my bathtub."

She leaped at the improvised idea like it was a lifeline. "Yes! A bath. That's exactly what I need. I think the blood I drank was stale or something."

Alexius nodded. "Yeah, that'd make you feel groggy for a while. Make sure you lie down and rest."

Diana led Chloe to her room, and ran her a bath with her favorite bubbles and lotions, before heading back downstairs. Mikar was waiting for her on the landing.

"What, you watch her while she bathes, too?"

He ignored the jab. "Just so you don't think you can fool me, I know you lied. You said something to Chloe. What was it?"

"That would be none of your business," she shot back, shrugging. "Where's my brother?"

"Cooking." He stared at her, intense, threatening, and damn if it wasn't a beautiful sight. "And everything relating to Chloe's safety is my business."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Awesome. Go ask her, then."

She walked toward the kitchen, but the heathen snatched her hand, pulling her back. He didn't let go once she was facing him. In fact, he took a step forward, entering her personal space like he belonged there. "I'm asking you."

She couldn't explain the amount of fury burning inside her right then. It wasn't proportional to his action. Sure, he was a true barbarian, but she hadn't ever been so angry. Not when she'd been cheated, lied to, not when her mother or father had died, not when she'd seen friends murdered. Mikar's concern for Chloe, combined with his mistreatment of Diana herself, was worse than all of that wrapped together, to her.

"And I don't care," she seethed, taking one step of her own, till she was almost touching him. "I don't care what you want. What you say. You just stay out of my way."

She didn't need a mirror to know she was completely out of control; her fangs were out, and her eyes were flashing red, no doubt. Not the best look on her. It didn’t matter.

His eyes softened, and for a beat, it felt like he heard her. He got that she didn't want anything to do with him. He let go of her hand. Her heart stopped thundering in her chest, finally slowing down.

Just as she moved to get away from him, his mouth lowered to hers, and he pressed his lips against hers, softly, in a featherlight kiss that felt like silk. She froze, astounded. Her brain refused to function, registering too much conflicting information all at once. She didn't understand it. She didn't understand anything at all except the fact that she hated, hated, hated this kiss. Diana didn't want silk. She wanted—no, needed—fire. And she took it, leaning into him, strengthening their connection. Her hands lifted to his dark locks and twined behind his neck, keeping him right there, with her. Mikar groaned low in his throat and deepened their kiss, wrapping his strong arms around her in a hold so tight it could have hurt. Instinctively, she jumped to his hips, her legs folded behind his back. She felt every inch of his hard torso, and she wanted more. More, more, more. This was worse than the pain of hunger for blood for a newborn. If she didn't get more of him, she was going to burst out of her own skin.

"Oh my God!"

They both froze, then turned to Avani, standing in a doorway, clearly shocked. She held her hands up in surrender. "Never mind me, I was never here."

But the interruption had broken whatever hex she was under. Regaining her senses, Diana lowered her feet to the floor and cleared her throat. "Right. Well, nice seeing you."

On that note, she fled up the stairs, intending to hide under the covers until the end of time. Or at least until the embarrassment of jumping a guy she didn't even like faded. Whichever came first.

Probably the end of time.

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