Page 42 of Sleepless Beauties

“Don’t tell the others, but I’ve still been slipping out at dawn to go visit him. I really can’t thank you enough for introducing us, Kyra.”

Oh. That makes sense.

It also means Acessa could have a motive outside of the vampire’s Council. Do the wolves hate them? Could Acessa have let Louis in?

What about Vuitton? Is he hiding something by keeping Creature Control out of this business?

No.

I mean… Shit, maybe?

I suppose I hadn’t really considered him as a suspect.

“Of course, I’d love to come!” I stand swiftly and hold tight to the book in my hand. “Meet you downstairs?”

She nods, and her short yellow sundress swooshes around her thighs as she strides out. Just for a different vampire to stride right in.

My jaw grinds when Prey comes up behind me. He continues to shadow me when all I really want is to hide the book away from the many watchful eyes lurking in this place.

It becomes painfully clear he won’t be leaving. As if it’s nothing, I place the book on the lowest shelf, sliding it into a dark little nook that I pray no one ever stoops down low enough to admire.

“We need to talk,” he announces to my back.

“We do, but not today,” I try to walk away, but in the flash of a second he’s in front of me, blocking my way.

His mouth opens, but the moment his gaze drops, his words fall away into something else entirely.

“You covered my mark.” His attention never leaves my neck.

“I don’t have time right now, Prey.” I step around him, but he just flickers all over again in front me.

“Prey!” I huff.

“You’re marked for a fucking reason, Kira.” Sharp points of his teeth extend as he speaks low, with a growl lacing his words.

It’s seething anger, and it grates suddenly against my already shitty feelings for him.

“And what would that reason be?” I ask, folding my arms hard across my chest.

“You know the reason why.” His gaze narrows on mine.

But I won’t let him gloss over this.

“No. No I don’t. Explain it to me.”

Say it. Say it. Say it.

“Because you’remine,” he hisses.

And that’s the fucking show, folks.

My finger stabs hard into his chest. “Listen the fuck here! I belong to no one. I’m not your fucking property, and I’m not your goddamn human pet to despise one minute and toy with the next.”

His cold hand snatches around my wrist.

Prey’s skin against mine does something strange, laying claim to my erratic and confused little heart. The way he looks at me isn’t possessive.

It’s sad.