Page 29 of Vipers and Vendettas

‘How?’

He doesn’t answer. Instead, he goes and sits on my couch and quirks a brow, daring me to try to run.

‘We've been searching for you for three months, naughty little on-call girl,’ he says.

I snort. ‘Figured you’d have given up by now.’Hoped.

He leans back and regards me, and I find myself more than a little glad that he’s sitting down. He’s not nearly as imposing now that he’s not casting a shadow over me.

I cross the room and take my cup off the coffee table, taking a sip to wet my suddenly dry mouth.

‘Why did you pay off the vamps?’

I choke on the mouthful. How did he find out it was me? I was so careful.

I recover quickly. ‘Why do you think?’ I deflect.

His eyes move over me, and I’m acutely aware that I’m still in my tiny uniform. ‘Insurance. So, I'd owe you, not them.’

I shrug, ignoring the fact that he’s come to the worst possible conclusion. This was what I wanted. I needed them to despise me, and Daemon already did, so he probably hates me even more now.

So, I plaster on a smile and shrug. ‘Worked, didn't it? By rights, you owe me, Daemon. So, this is what you’re going to do. You’re going to get off my couch and get the fuck out of my apartment. You’re not going to come back, and you’re not going to tell the others you found me.’

‘Is that right?’ He gets to his feet slowly.

‘Yeah,’ I growl. ‘That’s right.’

He flashes me a smile that makes me step back, and he’s suddenly right in front of me again.

I stumble back, and he catches my arms, drawing me closer. ‘No can do, Julia, you don't have any rights, remember? You’re an on-call girl, now.’

He’s too close. Even though he’s not touching my bare skin, the smell of him makes me relax when I don’t want to.

‘The contract is void,’ I whisper.

I take down the conjure that keeps my scars hidden. He’s already seen the worse of them, so I don’t think it’s going to bother me, but as I pull down my shirt so he can see the brand on my chest that marks me as Tamadrielle’s property, I have to look away from him, fearing the disgust in his eyes that I saw before.

‘Remember?’ I whisper.

He’s silent, and I risk a glance, but instead of abhorrence, I see something that scares me more.

Desire.

I look away again. He can’t want me like this. Not with the scars peppering my skin like a jigsaw puzzle that’s been glued together all wrong. Another unwelcome thought crosses my mind.

‘When was the last time you fed?’ I ask.

‘It’s been a while,’ he growls.

I cringe. He’s hungry, and all he has to do to make me want it is touch me with the tip of his finger on my bare skin. I’ll be lost like I was in the stable. Even the thought makes me shudder with fear … and sudden need.

I don’t want him to, do I?

‘I can’t belong to the clan,’ I say, pushing the thoughts away and putting my conjure back in place. ‘I already belong tohim.’

‘Tamadrielle won’t find you where you’re going, baby.’

My eyes fly to his. How does he know that name? His words sink in, making me feel better and worse at the same time.