Page 9 of Grim’s Delight (The New Protectorate Syndicate #1)

It was almost impossible not to when the man called her just to request her help with puzzling out a word game or texted her pictures of his perfectly organized closet to impress her.

If that’d been all he was — a strange, intense sort of guy who needed to be taught boundaries at the business end of a spray bottle — she probably would’ve given in a long time ago.

His cyberstalking wasn’t great, certainly, but it wasn’t the worst thing she’d heard a vampire do when they liked someone.

She’d had to help clean the grout in the women’s bathroom, after all.

The real problem was that Felix was also a monster.

He didn’t wear a mask. He didn’t pretend. If she asked him, she was almost certain he’d tell her the number of people he’d killed and how he’d done it. He’d probably laugh, too.

And that’s why she didn’t ask. She didn’t ask about anything. Not about what he did for work, where he lived, or what his last name was. Knowing details like that would only entangle her further — which was exactly what he wanted.

Dahlia knew she played a dangerous game with someone like Felix. Just like with Devon, she could read the signs all around her. Time was running out.

He’d never showed up on her doorstep. He didn’t bother her loved ones, as few as those were. He didn’t threaten her or endanger her job. But he could.

Objectively, Felix leaving her alone was the best option. No good could come out of his interest in her. She had no desire to be his blood bag, and she was fairly certain that becoming anything more would end with her dead in a ditch somewhere.

Men like Felix didn’t have healthy, lasting relationships. They were fast cars headed for cliffs.

The problem was that she didn’t really want him to go away. When she imagined what it would be like to open her door and find him standing on the other side, she wasn’t afraid. She wanted to see him.

All of those conflicting feelings crashed through her as her shaking fingers typed out a message.

Just got my phone back. I’m fine.

The message had barely finished sending before a call came through. Knowing it was best to get it over with — and definitely not because she wanted to hear his voice — Dahlia answered.

“Tell me what happened.”

There was a lot of noise. It sounded like a party was going on in the background, but you wouldn’t know it by Felix’s tone. There was none of the usual boyish playfulness that made his bloodthirsty nature so terrifying. It was cold and hard, each word a sharp little blade of ice.

Bewildered, she asked, “Are you mad at me?”

“Dahlia, I’m not fucking around. I don’t have time. Tell me why you disappeared for twenty-four hours.”

He sounded like a pissed off boss. She was under no delusions that the man was in love with her — or even capable of more than basic lizard-like emotions — but that stung. Did that mean he didn’t really know what had happened at The Lush?

Or did he simply not care that she’d been one wrong move from death?

Suddenly not as keen to talk as she’d been a second ago, Dahlia hedged, “Not that I have to tell you anything, but some shit went down at work and my phone was locked inside. I only just got it back like five minutes ago.”

There was a slight pause. Someone in the background hollered but she couldn’t hear what they said.

Felix’s voice, an always slightly rough, sexy rasp, was tight with annoyance when he said, “You weren’t supposed to work this weekend.”

Goosebumps rose on her arms. Her pulse quickened as she registered what he wasn’t saying. “Alexa had a family emergency. We swapped shifts.” She sucked in a shaky breath. Her voice was barely a whisper when she asked, “You knew, didn’t you?”

A cheer came through the line. “Dahlia— Hold on.”

She got the impression that he’d put his hand over the speaker, but she could still hear another man’s voice nearby. Felix replied quickly before growling into the phone, “I have to go. We’ll finish this later.”

It was damn stupid for her eyes to sting so much. What did she expect? That he’d care? That he’d ask her if she’d been scared or upset?

She didn’t want to know how he’d known about the attack. She didn’t want to know if he’d planned or only heard about it beforehand. It didn’t matter. She’d been worried about him for nothing, all while he hadn’t even thought to warn her that there might be danger.

All of it was so fucked, but the worst part was that she wasn’t even that upset that he’d let her walk into that. She was hurt that he didn’t ask if she was okay.

Some mad part of her had actually picked up the phone expecting comfort.

Feeling raw, Dahlia wrapped an arm around her middle and pressed her forehead into her knees. Oh, now I feel something, she thought. That’s so great.

“Enjoy your party.” She was glad her voice came out as a flat monotone. Him hearing her cry would’ve been a fatal blow to what was left of her self-respect. “Goodbye, Felix.”

She wasn’t sure what he heard in her voice, but she supposed even lizards could pick up threats. Instead of hanging up right away, he paused.

In a more cautious voice, he said, “Dahlia, if you’re?—”

Hanging up on him wasn’t nearly as satisfying as it used to be. There was no joy in it. No thrill of knowing he’d come back, demanding her attention again. She’d come to enjoy the way he chased her.

Not anymore.

She’d always known that he was just like every other vampire who looked at her a little too long. They didn’t see her as a person. At best, they saw her as a buffet they could fuck. At worst, she was prey to be batted around until they got bored and killed her.

Dahlia refused to be either of those things to anyone, but most especially to Felix.