Page 22 of All Your Bloody Lies

The prospect that my foul mouth excites him fills me with a strange excitement of my own. I can practically smell his arousal every time I let loose with my sharp tongue.

Yet, beneath the thrill, there’s a tinge of frustration. Knowing that he revels in it means I’ll need to work even harder to push him to the point of leaving me alone.

Wait, fuck, I have to kill him.Tiresome.

As he opens his mouth, I interject, cutting him off before he can utter another foolish remark. “Why are you stalking me?”

“You have been causing a lot of trouble.” He aimlessly picks at the bread. “As I said in the alleyway, you fucked up and got caught. Now, you need to answer to Hause Sidence, specifically, Achille.”

I huff and roll my eyes, “Such big talk for someone that hides in the shadows.”

Leaning back, I wrap an arm around my waist, and his gaze trails down my shirt. I decided to wear one with a plunging neckline, leaving nothing to the imagination. The deep cut reveals the slightest hint of my areola. With my arm positioned beneath my breasts, I intentionally bounce them, challenging him, “Like what you see?”

“I do,” he answers honestly, and truthfully, I’m shocked. “But that doesn’t take away from what you are, and what I’ll need to do to you.”

A laugh bubbles out of my lips, and despite my efforts to suppress it, it proves impossible. “Okay,” I say, the sarcasm in my tone prompting his eyebrow to raise. “You and your partner could barely keep yourselves alive—oh wait, sorry, he didn’t survive. I guess I should say, ex-partner. Pray tell… What do you think you’ll be doing to me?”

It’s painfully obvious I’m not going to fluster him.

“First, I’m going to punish that little mouth of yours for talking to me that way.” I roll my eyes so far into the back of my head I nearly get dizzy.So unoriginal.“Then, I’m going to take you to Achille. Whatever he decides to do with you after that, I couldn’t care less.”

After taking another sip, I set down my glass. “You’ve probably played out this scenario in your head a dozen times, haven’t you?” I can see, from the corner of my eye, the waitress coming back toward us. “Thinking I’d say something like ‘I’d like to see you try’ or some cliché shit like that.”

“Were the oysters not to your liking, ma’am? Did… Oh!” My gaze shifts from Kairhyse to the pretty waitress holding tightly onto her round tray. She is staring at the Vampire, enamored by him, her flat cheeks darkening as she addresses him, “I—do you need anything? We have type O, positive and negative. Along with AB, positive only. Sorry for that if it’s an inconvenience.”

“I’ll—”

“Actually, he already ate, sweetheart, and you see.” I place my hand onto her forearm, drawing her attention to me. “When Vampires get too full, they can cause a scene. This restaurant is beautiful, and, being Mundane, I’m merely unable to keep him under control.”

My eyes convey a subtle yet poignant expression of pain, prompting her to shift her gaze with an air of sympathy. “I’ve tried,” my forced tone carrying a weight of feigned struggle.

Observing her swallow before diverting her gaze to Kairhyse, she promptly makes her exit.

“Could’ve used that glass,” he remarks, and I shrug my shoulders. “She will probably call the authorities.” His tone laced with boredom, as if what I did truly didn’t affect him.

As our gazes lock once again, I huff a breath through my nose. I am done with this conversation. I need to get home and figure outhow I am going to get another in with the Ansford Hause, now that Kairhyse has screwed me over once again.

He stands, and I reach down into my purse lazily hanging from the edge of my chair.

His warm breath tickles my ear, “You’ll have to feed at some point.” I lean slightly to turn and meet his gaze. “You haven’t since we met, and I know enough about your kind to understand you’ll be... in need, soon.” One of his hands is tucked into his pocket, the other casually resting on the back of my chair.

I am hungry, and his scent of cinnamon is intoxicating. I’m pretty sure my mouth is watering.

“I’ll manage,” I say, placing my hand onto his chest, pushing him back.

He is undeniably bold, I’ll give him that. Without so much as stepping away, he bravely brings his hand up and rests it under my chin. My gaze travels along his arm, taking in the black-ink tattoos that stretch from his fingers all the way to his elbow, where his scrunched-up black shirt begins.

“I enjoy the chase. It’s why I haven’t told Achille I’ve caught the killer yet.”

“You haven’t caught jack-shit, Vampire. You’re lucky I have business in this city.” I’m tempted to spit on him, but I refuse to offer more than my first name and scent. Giving DNA to a Vampire? That’s pure idiocy. “I’ve killed in public places before.” I bring my hand up to his wrist and pull it away. “Don’t see my restraint as anything other than for my own good.”

With an eager smile, I watch as his fangs elongate.

Oh, what I wouldn’t give for him to bite me. I’d be bringing him down to his knees so quick his head would separate itself.

“Do it, make my fucking night, Kairhyse…”

As though understanding my threat, he closes his lips but retains the smile that lingers there. Leaning in, his breath fans against my cheek as he whispers, “I’ll get the bill, little demon.”

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