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It was enough to give me some type of hope. Assurance that it wasn’t all ruined.

“This is one of my favorite night—ugh,can you stop?!”

My attempt to stab at her stomach was thwarted by her sidestepping, then lunging at me. My back hit the carpeted floor with a hard enough impact that it forced all the air out of my lungs. My vision blurred. The ceiling multiplied. A ringing sounded through my head.

She made quick work of forcing the sword out of my hand and throwing it across the room while I was trying to regain my composure. The hard thud of it embedding into the wall echoed throughout the room.

Her hand was around my throat, her red eyes shining through the night. This time, she meant business. Whatever fun and games she had been playing were over.

It wasn’t the pleasure-fueled stare that she had given me that night. There was no teasing in her eyes. It was anger. It was hurt. It was feral. It was…so much better than any of it.

There was something so breathtaking about her anger. It was so unrestrained, and for the first time, it felt like I was finally seeing something real from her.

The need was back in full force. I couldn’t deny it. I couldn’t blame it on the venom.

It was all me, feeling something I wasn’t supposed to for a person who was supposed to be my sworn enemy.

Her nostrils flared and her eyes searched my face. She was caught off guard by my body’s reaction.

But I wasn’t. I had denied it, but I wasn’t surprised. Her reaction was the in I needed.

I grabbed the knife at my thigh, and with one thrust, I?—

Her hand caught my wrist just as the blade was about to pierce her ribs. The sword wasn’t long enough with her arm extended.

Fuck.

“Never have I ever seen someone act with the utter careless confidence you have,” she whispered, her face coming closer to mine. Her breath wafted across my lips, daring me to close the space. She was smiling again. “Was this your plan all along, little mouse? If so, you should have at least fucked me when you had the chance. Howboring.”

Anger burst through me, and I couldn’t help but bare my teeth at her. I had just tried to kill her, and she was saying I was…boring?

She’s crazy. Completely and utterly insane.

She forced my wrist to the floor, squeezing hard enough to force me to let go of my grip.

I had never been overtaken so easily before. Not by a human, witch, or vampire. And yet she had me pinned down in minutes.Maybe it was me who had underestimated her.

She shifted against me. Her legs had been on either side of me, but for the first time, she pushed her body against mine. Melding us together, just like at the party. I had the foolish thought that she was going to kiss me…until she leaned to the side, her tongue licking the pulse in my neck. My heart skipped a beat and heat traveled through my body, starting right where her wet tongue met my skin.

“I have also never been so turned on by an assassination attempt,” she whispered against my skin. “I guess the same could probably be said for you.”

She let me flip us. Let me put my hand around her throat. This time, she didn’t flinch. All she did was wrap her legs aroundmy waist so I couldn’t separate us. I had all the power. Was in the perfect position.

Yet her legs around me felt like wrought iron bars, rendering me incapable of moving.

“Regardless, I’ll be the one to end your life tonight,” I growled.

She let out a breathy laugh, her hands coming up to run down my chest. My heartbeat skittered under her touch.

“Then why don’t you?” she asked. “In fact, if you were so serious about it, why didn’t you just let me die that first time?”

I hadn’t realized how close I had gotten until our lips were centimeters away. Hadn’t realized how my heart pounded in my chest. Butfuckdid I realize the heat that settled in my belly and the need. The need that I thought only existed when her fangs were deep in my neck.

“I wanted to be the one to do it,” I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away from her lips. “Who knew you’d be stupid enough to poison yourself?”

“Lies,” she whispered.

I couldn’t stop what happened even if I wanted to. I should have sensed it from the start. We were two unstoppable, chaotic forces bonded by opposing goals that were on a predestined path to collide.