Page 100 of The Reveal
If I tell myself that enough, maybe it will make that soft part inside me that feels the gold of his mark and wants toknow himsettle down.
“I’m calling a meeting,” I tell him. “Tonight, sundown. My house.”
“Are you asking me on a date?” he asks sardonically.
Or I think he’s being sardonic. I don’t want to think what else he could be, sounding intense like that.
I belt out a laugh. It’s too loud, too telling. “You wish.”
I don’t know what makes me say that, but the moment I do, I can feel electricity crackle between us. I think that he probably does wish we were going on a date.
If I’m honest, though, so do I.
I expected to feel better once I put on my clothes and strapped all my weapons into place.Me again,I want to think. That’s what I want—desperately—to feel.
I really don’t.
“I want all three big powers in this valley at this meeting,” I tell him. “I’m going to talk about your adorable and not-at-all-apocalyptic ex, and I’m only going to do it once.”
His eyes take on a darker sort of gleam then, and the silver only emphasizes it. “Will you order us all around now? Do you imagine this will get you what you want?”
“Nothing has yet.” I say that with entirely too much bitterness for someone who wants to avoid feeling anything. “I have to assume nothing ever will. So I guess that means I might as well do what I know I need to do instead and stop worrying about it.”
I don’t know what I expect from him. Speeches. Impassioned monologues. Another rush of movement, then him suddenly holding me when, moments ago, he was across the room—
Nothing happens.
Whatever I expect, all he does is study me as if he can see every single star I encountered out there—every last galaxy, comet, and constellation. And while I can see a complicated kaleidoscope of what I’m pretty sure is emotion in his gaze, all he does is nod.
“Sundown,” he agrees.
It’s not until I make it down from his apartment and out to the parking lot behind the MMA school that I remember. I didn’t actually come here last night.
I didn’t drive here, I mean.
I blow out a breath, and then Ariel is there at my shoulder.
Annoying vampire tricks,I think crossly, when the real truth is that I’m relieved to see him. Again. I’m something a little too close to pleased that he followed me out here.
That he remembered I didn’t drive here when I didn’t.
That he cares—
I stop myself right there.
“Would you like me to take you home?” he asks in such a calm way that it makes me want to scream.
I have to clear my throat so that I don’t.
“Yes, thank you.” I say this so politely it hurts.
The rain is coming down all around us, all over us. I must be soaking wet, though I hardly notice. Or maybe what I mean is that I don’t care.
Ariel’s gaze is too silver to bear, and I can feel his power all around me while what I remember is his bite and his cock and all the ways he made me come apart—I remember every single touch, every single shift of his body and mine—and I go to lift my hand.
Like maybe I want to reach over and put my hand on him, all that marble and power.
His lips nearly curve. Not quite. The rain is relentless. And all he does is reach over and brush his cool, hard thumb over my lips.
