Page 41 of Dusk Macabre

“You’re the one who killed me.” Accusation filled her low voice. “You set a trap.”

The traps had never been specifically for her. “I did and look at what I caught.”

If the woman had been capable of spitting acid from her eyes I would have melted into the carpet. Her expression changed quickly. “Why me? I never did a thing to you.”

She forgot intent. What was her ultimate goal? “As if I would allow you to.”

“Why are you here?” She crossed her arms. “I think it's safe to say you’re not the cavalry.”

She was so close I could smell her, the sweet amber and vanilla fragrance I remembered making my mouth water. My gums ached and I kept my mouth closed as my fangs began pushing through my gums. Her neck beckoned me, her racing pulse causing her skin to vibrate. Her flesh would feel like heaven while her blood would taste like bliss.

“Your eyes are doing something weird.”

I shook my head, tossing the illicit thoughts away. “So are you, trying to escape the Fae. Do you really think you can outwit them?”

She snorted, the noise remained feminine and cute when it should have been anything but. “I’d call Uber, but I don’t have my cellphone.”

“You’re coming with me.” I snared her wrists in one quick move, tugging her against me. “But don’t worry, I’ll bring you back.”

Before she could scream, shout, or make any other useless moves against me, I skipped taking her by car and brought her all the way to my home. It would have been a blur, to her, and disorienting.

Gently, I helped her stand. “What the hell was that?” she asked. She blinked her eyes several times while I waited for her to get her bearings.

She wavered, and I held her tighter. She tossed her head, her satiny strands brushing the base of my neck.

“Eeeww, get it off me. What is that?”

Brittney struggled against me, trying her best to brush something away. Somehow, she felt the invisible strands of magic. It clung to me as well.

“Magic. It's all over me.”

The feeling was uncomfortable, she wasn’t wrong. After I stripped off my jacket, I flicked my fingers toward it, removing every trace. What I really needed was a shower to remove the crawling sensation.

I almost told her, “Stay here,” but she wasn’t going anywhere.

“Why do you have a jail cell in your bedroom?” Her eyes were wide and her hands trembled. “It's pretty, but...”

“Feel free to take a closer look.” She should have headed straight for it the moment she spotted it. “I’ll be right back.”

“Why did your eyes look weird earlier?”

Halfway across the room, I stopped. “You died, you were kidnapped by Fae, and then you were forcibly removed from their custody. You’re worried about my eyes?”

Her soft laugh filled my ears, and I went into the bathroom to clean myself up, my mind whirring with thoughts of the woman outside the door. Why wasn’t she scared? Her physiological responses told me she was, but somehow her mind overrode every signal.

Finished bathing, I wrapped a towel around my waist and ran my fingers through my hair. My eyes did glow slightly, cascading through various shades of brown—some redder than others. Maybe she liked the variety?

“You don’t have makeup on.” The voice was full of wonder and I spun around.

Brittney stood in the entryway, her eyes wide as they traced every line of my face. “Is that a problem?”

“No, I... Your skin. It's not really that pale.” She blushed. “I mean, it's fine.”

She shuffled her feet and lowered her head, focusing on my chest before her gaze traced lower.

Her pale skin flushed even further, and I smirked, slowly pulling the towel away and placing it on the counter.

Whether I’d left the fabric or not, my response to her would have been obvious. It’d been centuries since anyone had caught me not paying attention, and I was stunned, fascinated, and very, very hungry. The short squeak that sounded through her lips did nothing to cool my blood.