Page 176 of Cruelly Bitten
“Prove it,” Ryder dared him.
“By shooting you right here, right now?” Damien asked, a gun seeming to magically appear in his hand. It wasn’t that he possessed a supernatural gift; he was just quick. “Okay.”
Ryder chuckled. “You’re right. You are packed and ready to go.” He gestured to the door. “Well, we shouldn’t keep Cedric waiting any longer.”
Damien shook his head, a low growl escaping him. “I’m going to end up leaving you inBlood City.”
Ryder lifted a shoulder. “That’s fine. You can take over Ryder Region in my absence. I know how much you love politics.” With a chuckle, he moved toward Ismerelda and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Give him hell, Iz,” he murmured, his eyes meeting mine as he said it. “We’ll be back in a few days to kill him for you.”
Ismerelda sighed again. “Just be safe.”
“Never,” Ryder replied with a wink, then he focused on Willow, his dark orbs glittering. “Ready for an adventure, pet?”
“Am I allowed to have a hammer?”
“No. But you can have Damien’s gun.” He took the weapon from Damien’s grasp, checked the safety, and handed it to her without so much as blinking. “Consider it a treat for good behavior.”
The female’s blue eyes iced over. “Brave words for a man who just handed me a gun.”
“Foreplay, mate,” he purred back at her. “It’s all foreplay.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her alongside him as he whispered, “You’re perfect, pet. So fucking perfect.”
Willow shivered in response, her body seeming to melt into Ryder’s as he guided her out the door.
Damien ignored them, his focus on his twin again. “You’re sure you’re all right?”
“If you ask me that one more time, I’m going to go get that gun from Willow and shoot you myself,” Ismerelda returned.
Her brother heaved a long breath. “I’m allowed to worry about you, Izzy.”
“And I’m allowed to tell you I’m fine,” she replied. “Besides, I’m the one who should be worried about you.” Her expression softened a bit as she said that last part. “Do you really think it’s a trap of some kind?”
Damien considered her for a moment, his gaze flicking across the room to where Khalid stood with his slayer. They seemed to be engaged in some sort of conversation, yet neither of them was moving their lips.
Definitely mated,I thought.Or something else entirely.
Khalid glanced up at me, his eyes telegraphing a story that piqued my interest. I couldn’t say what that story was, but I could tell it would be interesting to hear.
We’d known each other for a very long time. He’d always been a quietly intimidating royal, his origin murkier than others. Primarily because his mother was rumored to have had a unique blood type. She’d died a mortal death, just like all of ours had, but she’d lived slightly longer than the rest.
Or so I’d been told.
In truth, Khalid’s history was vastly unknown. His father, Erinas, was a Blessed One. But beyond that, he’d kept his background to himself.
And it seemed he still harbored a great many secrets.
As well as a city full of intrigue.
Perhaps he truly had found a way for humans and vampires to live in peace.
The concept of it had sparked interest in my mate. She wasn’t sure she believed Khalid’s presentation, but it had kindled a hint of hope in her thoughts, one that had warmed our bond.
Ismerelda wanted to believe change was possible, that all of this pain had been worth something.
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that yet.
It seemed she needed all of this to result in some sort of positive conclusion; otherwise, everything she’d sacrificed would have been for naught.
What does that mean for us?I wondered.What does she need from me to aid in these desires?
