Page 150 of Never Kiss a Fae
“And yet, you’re in the second stage of mating with him.” He faced me fully, his annoyance evident in the lines of his handsome face. “Are you truly so selfish that you would only engage in the bond for your own self-fulfillment?” His blue eyes raked over me in disgust. “Never mind. Of course you are.”
He turned again, as if to walk away, but I grabbed his arm and yanked him back to me. “At least give me a second to process your accusations before giving up on my reply,” I snapped. God, this fae was such a fucking prick! “What is your problem with me?”
His perfect eyebrow arched. “Would you care for a list?” He didn’t give me a chance to reply before he started in on me. “You’re weak. You’re a Halfling, not a full-blooded fae. You’re not of the royal line. You’re unfaithful and parading around like a regular whore. You’re—”
My palm cracked across his face, my anger erupting into a fire along my skin and threatening to singe him to ash.
“You know nothing about me!” I shouted, done with all of this. “You asked me here to find Exos. So why the fuck are we here? What lesson are you trying to instill in me before we search for your brother? Because I’m done with your very wrong analysis of my character. Yes, I’m a Halfling—one with access tofiveelements. Fuck your bloodlines and imperious notions on what is best for your brother. Because he chose me, too, or did you forget that little detail of our bond?”
Fuck, I was furious.
I wanted to smack him again.
Kill him.
Something.
It took serious effort to take a step back from him. For I didn’t trust myself not to burn him alive for his crude evaluation.
“I am not a whore,” I whispered, the words costing me severely in emotion. Never had I felt so belittled in my life, and after everything I’d been through in the last few months, that was saying a lot. “You don’t know me at all,Your Highness.” I mock-bowed and left him on the balcony.
Only, he caught me after a few feet, his arm wrapping around my lower abdomen to yank me backward into his chest. “You’re wrong.” His lips were at my ear. “I’ve done nothing but study you for the last month, Claire. Iknowyou.”
I slammed my foot back into his shin and tried to sweep his legs out from beneath him in the way Titus had taught me. Cyrus released me, but just long enough to whirl me in his arms and capture me again.
My fiery handprint on his cheek pleased me greatly, and I wanted to add another.
So I fought him with all I was worth to hit him again. But he blocked each punch, his skill admirable and infuriatingly good.
“Why are you doing this?” I demanded, enraged and exhausted and confused as hell. “Where’s the lead on Exos?”
“I’m preparing you for it,” he said, catching my fist again with ease and shoving me backward.
I charged him with a growl and almost clocked his face, only to find myself pinned yet again by his arms. Dropping low, I went for his knees and grunted as my back hit the ground. Cyrus landed on top of me with ease, his hands catching my wrists above my head.
My chest heaved beneath him, exerted from the impromptu battle. Yet he wasn’t even sweating. The damn fae barely seemed fazed at all!
“I fucking hate you,” I told him, squirming in earnest and not moving his body a fucking inch.Gah!“I wish they’d taken you instead of Exos!”
“Me, too,” he admitted softly. “I wish it every day, but it’s a waste of time and energy. What we need to do is find him.”
“Then find him,” I snapped. “Stop wastingmytime with all this bullshit and look for him.”
“I’m not wasting your time, Claire.”
“Like hell you’re not,” I seethed, writhing beneath him to drive the point home. “Calling me a whore, telling me I’m not worthy, and criticizing—”
His mouth sealed over mine, silencing me.
I was so shocked at first that I didn’t react, my brain frying beneath the onslaught of power in that single brush of his lips.
What…?
No.
I bit him.Hard. Irate that he thought to take such a liberty with me.
He hissed, his grip tightening on my wrists.
