Page 71 of Blood Taken (Blood Mafia 2)
A strange stare-off commences until three minutes pass and the tale-tale crunch of a neck being realigned sounds.
“Oh look, he’s awake.” I turn and glare at Mateo.
His eyes are full black and he watches me like a predator would his prey. The hairs on my arm rise, warning me of impending danger.
“Get out,” he snarls, pulling his eyes from me and looking at our audience. “All of you. Now.”
Three seconds later every vampire has flashed away. Alissa included.
Mateo flashes to me, slipping through the ropes of the ring with ease.
I lift my chin and stare into his furious gaze.
“You snapped my neck.”
“And?”
He narrows his eyes, those black irises growing more intimidating by the second. “That was a bad idea with those vampires present.”
Wait a minute. “You’re not mad?”
“No.”
I open my mouth to argue but he crashes his mouth into mine, taking me entirely by surprise. It only takes me a moment to respond. I work my lips against him.
Then I remember all of my promises to myself. I press my palms against his chest and shove him away. He crashes into the ropes.
“Demi,” he says, flashing back to me.
I hold him off with one hand. He hovers inches away, only my palm keeping him from kissing me again.
“What are you doing?”
“I thought it was obvious,” he says.
Glancing away from his dark gaze, I shake my head. “I don’t understand you.”
He presses against my hold, testing my restraint. I shove him back slightly. Hopefully making it clear to him I’m not messing around.
“I want you, Demetria.”
I laugh. “So what? You’re going to take what you want?”
He nods. “Ideally.”
“Mateo,” I say and sigh, dropping my hand and running to the gym door. “It’s not that simple.”
He flashes to me, yanking the door closed and pinning me in place. I can fight out of his hold, but I don’t. I’m curious.
“Why not?” His words brush over my face.
“Because,” I say.
“Give me a reason.”
“You kidnapped me.”
“You killed me, twice.”
