Page 108 of Wedlock

Still, it seems she has exactly the same expression she wore that evening.

She glances up, perhaps sensing my scrutiny, and frowns.

“Is something lacking?” I murmur.

She shakes her head and looks back down at the list of food items.

“What is it?” I prompt.

Sighing, she looks up.

“Morocco, Falcon? The same restaurant?”

I smile.

“Since our date that night was interrupted by an attack, I thought we might complete it. I remember you wanted to walk the medina and peruse the stalls, to be in amongst the throng of humanity. Tonight we can do that.”

I don’t remind her that our date here was also the night she’d first tried to run from me. Or the first night I bit her and tasted her forbidden blood, my head warring with my heart over whether to kill her or keep her. Perhaps if I’d trusted my heart then, we’d be dining in very different circumstances right now.

“You want to walk in the medina?” She cocks her head to the side, looking at me disbelievingly. “I seem to recall you saying all humans were exactly alike and intimating we were nothing but food.”

“You know I don’t think that way any longer,” I mutter. “Honestly, no, I don’t want to walk around down there. But you do. So we shall.”

She stares at me and takes a long sip of her white wine.

“What exactly is your view on humanity now, Lord Dragonspur?”

I shrug. This isn’t a conversation I feel comfortable with. I’d warred with myself daily over this very question and still have no definitive answer.

“I need to drink blood,” I shrug as I pick up my whisky and drain it, indicating with a nod to the hovering waiter that I want another, “but I appreciate humans more for other qualities now.”

“What other qualities?”

I sigh.

“The Games changed my perception of women. I can’t tell you how, I don’t exactly know. I’ve had some time to think about it, and I’ve discussed it with Wolf. I thinkyouchanged me, Angie.”

“Having spent some time with Wolf, I don’t imagine he could have shed any particular light on much at all,” she quips, “he seems to joke about everything.”

“Yes,” I smirk, “he goes through the world finding humour in most things,” I shake my head, “but he’s a good friend, aloyalfriend.”

‘Not like my other comrade. The one you fucked.’

I clench my teeth and try to put aside my intrusive thoughts.

“I heard that Wolf brought forward some human witnesses in your court case that turned the tide in your favour,” she murmurs. “Some unlikely witnesses.”

I narrow my eyes at her.

“Is this examination of the past truly necessary? You know it only ends in pain.”

“I’m just trying to understand you. To get to know you, Falcon,” she puts down her drink and looks at her empty plate and back up at me through her lashes. “Examination of your past is surely a good way to predict your future actions.”

“I fucking hope not,” I snort.

“Why did you save those women?” She breathes, leaning forward to stare at me. “They were bitten by Spider. You planned todestroy them all from what I understand. What stayed your hand?”

“Who told you this?”