up.”
“Why would you do that?”
“For—fun.” To get your hopes up and then have them dashed. Like mine continue to be.
She reminded herself that any “hopes” she might have had about him were firmly in the tense that was past. “And for the record, I wasn’t seeking to wed you, vampire”— I might have been right after we came together —”and I wasn’t even looking for an exclusive relationship.” Unless he’d been interested in one. With that, she stormed off.
He was right behind her. “Where are you going? Why won’t you give me two seconds of your time?”
I don’t think my battered ego can take it. Like her body, it hadn’t quite recovered.
“You’ve easily forgotten that I saved your life last night!”
She rounded on him. “Which wouldn’t have needed saving if you would’ve just shut up and moved on!”
He didn’t even seem to be listening—instead his gaze raked over her, from her chest to her uncovered navel. “What are you wearing?” he grated. “For someone whose skin is in danger of being burnt, you show enough of it.”
Too late, he was acting like a domineering vampire with a Bride he considered worth having. “Because otherwise I’d burn up!”
She wished she could criticize his clothing, but he looked irritatingly GQ in his tailored slacks and expensive shirt. His black cashmere jacket fit his broad shoulders to perfection.
Normally, she’d have been ecstatic to be seen with such a man.
“Then why do you live in this warm city?” he asked.
“Because this is where my coven is. For now.”
“For now? Is it moving?”
She narrowed her eyes up at him. “Don’t you have someone to be searching for? I’m sure you need to catch up with all the other little Forbearers.”
He cocked a brow at that. “We’ve split up. You could help me.”
“Oh, that’s rich. The last time I ‘helped’ you, I got nothing but a burned hand and a death threat.”
He closed in on her, forcing her to back up until she met a shop window. Looming over her, his voice a husky rasp, he said, “Is that all you got out of it, kallim ?”
Kallim meant “darling.” Woo-hoo, a step up from “chit.” “Does this usually work on women?” Somehow she managed to be cold and unaffected. Or to look it. She hoped. “The threatening and then the full-court press?”
He exhaled. “I regret how today ended.”
“Just as you predicted, it all went downhill from that one good hour.” Where she’d made contact with the window, ice crystals fanned out on the glass, outlining her bare shoulder and upper arm with frost.
He noticed and said, “I’m glad you’re, uh, cooling.” Then he bit his lip, looking like he was inwardly kicking himself.
“I see why you were so popular with the ladies, Murdoch Suavé. With lines like that, how could you not be?”
“Murdoch Suavé?” With a shake of his head, he said, “We’re looking for Ivo because he might be a danger to Myst.”
Ivo could be. If the creep was in town, he’d probably be looking for his former captive.
“I’ve been ordered to protect her,” Murdoch added.
“Protect Myst? This is a considerable change from”—she imitated his low, accented voice—”Myst is Nikolai’s enemy! We hate Myst! She’s mean .”
His lips quirked, which seemed to surprise him, then he resumed his scowl. “They have come to an . . . understanding.”
“Told you. So what do you need my help for?”
“My men and I can’t get any leads. I’ve tried to question beings from the Lore—”
“But no one will speak to any of you. The rookies keep striking out?”
His glower deepened at her comment. “Finding Ivo is critical to me, Daniela. My brother would be destroyed if anything happened to Myst. The blooding is making him fall for her.”
“That’s not what the blooding does, you oaf!”
His expression indicated that he’d never in his life been called an oaf.
“The blooding doesn’t make you fall for your Bride.
“Why would you do that?”
“For—fun.” To get your hopes up and then have them dashed. Like mine continue to be.
She reminded herself that any “hopes” she might have had about him were firmly in the tense that was past. “And for the record, I wasn’t seeking to wed you, vampire”— I might have been right after we came together —”and I wasn’t even looking for an exclusive relationship.” Unless he’d been interested in one. With that, she stormed off.
He was right behind her. “Where are you going? Why won’t you give me two seconds of your time?”
I don’t think my battered ego can take it. Like her body, it hadn’t quite recovered.
“You’ve easily forgotten that I saved your life last night!”
She rounded on him. “Which wouldn’t have needed saving if you would’ve just shut up and moved on!”
He didn’t even seem to be listening—instead his gaze raked over her, from her chest to her uncovered navel. “What are you wearing?” he grated. “For someone whose skin is in danger of being burnt, you show enough of it.”
Too late, he was acting like a domineering vampire with a Bride he considered worth having. “Because otherwise I’d burn up!”
She wished she could criticize his clothing, but he looked irritatingly GQ in his tailored slacks and expensive shirt. His black cashmere jacket fit his broad shoulders to perfection.
Normally, she’d have been ecstatic to be seen with such a man.
“Then why do you live in this warm city?” he asked.
“Because this is where my coven is. For now.”
“For now? Is it moving?”
She narrowed her eyes up at him. “Don’t you have someone to be searching for? I’m sure you need to catch up with all the other little Forbearers.”
He cocked a brow at that. “We’ve split up. You could help me.”
“Oh, that’s rich. The last time I ‘helped’ you, I got nothing but a burned hand and a death threat.”
He closed in on her, forcing her to back up until she met a shop window. Looming over her, his voice a husky rasp, he said, “Is that all you got out of it, kallim ?”
Kallim meant “darling.” Woo-hoo, a step up from “chit.” “Does this usually work on women?” Somehow she managed to be cold and unaffected. Or to look it. She hoped. “The threatening and then the full-court press?”
He exhaled. “I regret how today ended.”
“Just as you predicted, it all went downhill from that one good hour.” Where she’d made contact with the window, ice crystals fanned out on the glass, outlining her bare shoulder and upper arm with frost.
He noticed and said, “I’m glad you’re, uh, cooling.” Then he bit his lip, looking like he was inwardly kicking himself.
“I see why you were so popular with the ladies, Murdoch Suavé. With lines like that, how could you not be?”
“Murdoch Suavé?” With a shake of his head, he said, “We’re looking for Ivo because he might be a danger to Myst.”
Ivo could be. If the creep was in town, he’d probably be looking for his former captive.
“I’ve been ordered to protect her,” Murdoch added.
“Protect Myst? This is a considerable change from”—she imitated his low, accented voice—”Myst is Nikolai’s enemy! We hate Myst! She’s mean .”
His lips quirked, which seemed to surprise him, then he resumed his scowl. “They have come to an . . . understanding.”
“Told you. So what do you need my help for?”
“My men and I can’t get any leads. I’ve tried to question beings from the Lore—”
“But no one will speak to any of you. The rookies keep striking out?”
His glower deepened at her comment. “Finding Ivo is critical to me, Daniela. My brother would be destroyed if anything happened to Myst. The blooding is making him fall for her.”
“That’s not what the blooding does, you oaf!”
His expression indicated that he’d never in his life been called an oaf.
“The blooding doesn’t make you fall for your Bride.
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