Page 20 of Dancing with Daggers

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Zia tried not to be afraid as Ares refused to let go of her arm. With her free hand, she reached out and ran her hand through his hair.

"Ares? Listen to my voice. It's Zia," she said, stroking him like she would an upset dog. "You're okay. You were poisoned, but I fixed it."

Color flushed through his cheeks, and his eyes cleared back to their mossy green. They widened, and he let her arm go with a loud suck. "Zia?"

"Hey," she said and pulled back from him. She filled a glass with water and gave it to him as he sat up.

He was looking around the apartment, disorientated, but he stilltook the water and drained it. He looked down at the fresh pink scar on his chest.

"You healed me?" he asked, looking sharper.

Zia grinned. "Yeah. It seemed unladylike to leave you bleeding outside my door, especially when you gave me such a…unique present." She pulled the fangs out of her pocket, and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I planned on that going differently," he said. He was still covered in blood, but at least he wasn't so pale.

"I bet you did. You want to tell me whom these belong to?" she asked, leaning back against the counter.

Ares opened his mouth, closed it, and then finished his water. He looked almost bashful, and with his messy appearance, it was the most human she had ever seen him.

"They belonged to Paulo Anastides," Ares said, and Zia dropped the fangs on the counter like they had burned her.

"H-How?" she demanded, her heart squeezing too tight.

"I have a very good private investigator. You told me his name and signed his death warrant," Ares replied.

Truth. Zia pushed her hands through her hair, trying to process what he had just admitted. "You killed him?"

Hell, he was still covered in the asshole's blood.

"Yes."

Zia's hand rested against her throat. Ares shouldn't be admitting to any of this. She wasn't really a Volso, and he shouldn’t expect family loyalty from her.

"Why?"

Ares's dark green eyes softened. "He hurt you. He haunted you. He needed to die, Zia. I told you, that's how family works."

"No, it's how you work. If I had told Erik about Paulo, do you really think he would have hunted him down and killed him?" she demanded.

Ares looked confused for a moment and then shook his head. "No, he wouldn't have. He would never risk himself for the benefit of anyone else."

Zia gipped her hair with her hands. "Please, tell me you didn't leave anything behind that could lead anyone back to you?"

Ares shook his head. "Nothing. I'm not an amateur. Are you… Are you mad at me about it?"

Zia looked at the fangs that she had feared more than anything else. She could still feel them tearing into her back. Ares had killed her monster for her and then given her his fangs as a trophy.

"Am I mad?" Zia demanded and launched herself at him. She straddled him and gripped his face in her hands. "I'm furious that you didn't invite me along when you found the bastard." She kissed him, and his arms came around her.

This fucking man. This fucked up,beautiful fucking man. Zia broke the embrace long enough to get rid of the sleep shirt she was wearing and was kissing him again. His hands skimmed over her bare skin, his knuckles still busted and his fingers with blood under his nails. Zia fumbled for his belt and freed his dick from his pants. She needed him inside of her, needed to feel so alive that all her nightmares left her forever.

"I should probably clean up," he said breathlessly.

"No. I want you exactly like this." Zia bit his bottom lip and groaned when she tasted blood.

Ares let out a husky laugh that undid her completely. "Whatever you want, baby." He yanked her underwear to one side and lifted her up onto his dick. Zia wriggled to get into proper position and lowered herself down on him, inch by agonizing inch.

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