Page 68 of A Kiss From Death
“You’ve been avoiding me,” I say calmly, knowing he can’t run away from my question for once.
“Hardly,” he responds, never missing a beat or moving his eyes from mine.
Slowly inching my way closer to him, I continue to berate him with questions, attempting to distract him but also falling into my own selfish urges of needing to know why he’s been so distant. “What, are you afraid you might break me?” I question, raising a brow at him.
He grunts, looking slightly pained, but he remains composed when he responds, “Quite the opposite, actually.”
“Are youfragile, Hade?” I purr, dragging the words out.
He looks back and forth between my eyes, thinking of a response, and I take the opportunity to pounce. I aim for his left side, where his reaction is a fraction slower, and jab out my elbow, but he side-steps me at the last minute. I was planning on that, though, and I instantly spin from behind him, kicking my leg out to knock him off balance. My foot catches the back of his knees and, to my surprise, he doesn’t block it, but it also barely makes a dent in his steely composure, like he’s physically rooted to the ground.
I wince, and Hade turns to face me again with a smirk. “Do you think I’m fragile? If anything, I might break you without even trying,” he says in a low, raspy voice.
We start to circle each other again as I feel a small blush creep up my chest. “I have yet to break, and I doubt you of all people will be the cause of my ruining.” I try to sound sure of myself, but I’m starting to crumble right in front of him, and the little prick knows it.
“Oh,Nightmare, after I’m through with you, you would be reduced to nothing.” I bite my lip at his vivid words. “The havoc I would wreak on your body would level entire cities.” He stops circling me to take a step forward. “You wouldneverstand a chance at surviving me, Nyxi. Body and soul included.” His eyes turn molten, darkening before me, zoning in on his prey.
Fuck me.
A chill runs up my spine, making the hairs on the back of my neck spring up, lighting my body on fire. I’m overheating, my body and mind warring. My brain tells me this man is a danger zone, but my body wants to dive head first into that black abyss, hoping I catch fire in the process.
I go to respond but choke on my words, worked up from his admission. He chuckles under his breath and flashes me a feral grin, which makes my blood boil. He may be my demise, but that doesn’t mean I won’t drag him with me to the pits of hell so we may burn in ruin together.
“All talk,” I taunt as I round his body again, slowly watching his every move. “That’s a pretty big declaration to live up to,sir. I only feelpityfor the poor girl who will have her head filled with pretty promises, only toundoubtedlybe disappointed in the end.”
A tickle of dark magic runs up my body until it settles on the edge of my ear like a snake slithering across my skin. “I don’t break my promises,Nyxi. Would you like to find out firsthand?” he whisper growls into my ear through his shadow, setting my body ablaze.
I am well and trulyfucked. I slap his magic away with the back of my hand and lunge at him, yelling as I throw my body at him. I punch out with my right arm, aiming for the side of his face, but he catches my fist midair and throws my arm to the side as he yawns.
“You can do better than that,” he taunts as I strike out my left elbow, aiming for his side. He deflects it easilywithout even looking down, and I let out a growl of frustration at the smirk on his face. “You’re out of practice. Pity.” He finds this amusing, but it only stokes the fire of rage building inside me.
It’s not lost on me that he’s only playing defense, never taking any opportunities to lash out at me when I’m distracted by my rage. He’s letting me take my anger out on him, but he won’t hit me back, and it’s only making me more pissed off. He’s treating me like I’m fragile instead of something worth his time, someone beneath him instead of his equal.
“Why aren’t you fighting me?” I demand in a snarl.
Shrugging, he responds, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I huff, frustrated. “You weren’t scared of hitting a girl when you punched me in the nose the first time we met,” I taunt, trying to get under his skin, attempting to push him to lash out at me and play this game.
“That was an accident,” he replies softly as we start to circle each other again.
“One you still haven’t apologized for,” I seethe in response. Apparently, I’m still not over it.
“Nevertheless, I wouldn’t want to ruin your pretty face again.” He smirks, looking like the devil incarnate.
“That’s rather unfortunate, because I would love nothing more than to turn your face black and blue for the rest of eternity. At least then, it would match your soul,” I sneer.
He shrugs indifferently, and I fist my hands with anger. I’m starting to believe this man lied about his magic and instead has the ability to slide directly under my skin with just a look. Words are proving to be a faulty method, so I change my approach and try to rile him up by violence. Surely, he won’t let me draw blood without drawing some of mine in return.
Screaming, I run at his right side, but at the last second, I draw my right shoulder back, spinning so my backis to him, and jab my right elbow down into his side. I land the blow, but he wraps his arm around my neck, my exposed back to him.
He harshly drags my body back until my back is flush to his chest. I let out a loud breath, the force almost knocking me out cold. “Never leave yourself vulnerable to an opponent,” he whispers into my ear.
“Prick,” I say under my breath, making that infuriating but toe curling chuckle leave his damning lips. I take the opportunity to stomp my foot on his boot, making him grunt in return. He tightens his arm around my neck, restricting my movements but not cutting my air supply off.
“How will you ever get out of this mess?” he taunts from behind me, making me dig my nails into the palms of my hand out of frustration.
I swing my elbow towards his side again, but he catches it with his free hand and pins it down by my side, rendering it immobile. I huff in frustration, my temper a living, breathing thing at the moment.
