Page 59 of Poison's Kiss
"We're not off limits. Don't make me remind you why."
His lips run down my neck to my shoulder, and he slides back up to my jaw before pulling back. A devilish grin plays on his lips as he walks on by, leaving me shivering in his wake.
"By the way," he calls with his back turned, "that dress looks incredible on you."
He disappears into the massive hallway that leads to the dining area, if memory serves me correctly. This is going to be a long, long dinner.
Apart from Cruella looking atme like I'm a Dalmatian who just got my spots, the dinner has been fairly nice, comfortable even. Dray took the seat next to me to keep up appearances. Drackus intentionally sat Gage next to Amari and far away from me.
Those incredible blue eyes have taunted me every second my father looked away. Gage is definitely good at playing with fire, and I wish I didn't love getting burned.
"Should we move on to the dancing?" Amari chirps, her eyes happily feasting on my father.
Ew.
"Of course," he cordially offers, taking her hand in his as he leads her from the room.
Dray offers me his arm, and he waits until the music is loud before he pulls me to him, forcing me into a graceful twirl.
"Your dark user seems a little jealous," he speculates, making my eyes go rogue and find the cosmic blues peeking over the glass of whiskey he's sipping.
Several girls - light and dark - flock to him, and he seems to enjoy the pang of jealousy my aura betrays me with.
"So he knew you this whole time? He lied to me."
Dray laughs, seeming completely amused. "First of all, he's a dark user. Don't forget that. All of us darklings say and do whatever we must to get the girl, while keeping our secrets intact. We're not so different from the light in that sense. We just tend to admit it. Secondly, he really didn't know me. This is the first time I've come to an event where he too was in attendance."
"I didn't know dark angels were actually dark. I thought you were unaligned... like my f... I mean... Drackus."
He smiles at my slip, but he goes on without acknowledging it. "You're quite the little sensation. It's true. I'm the gray area between light and dark just like Drackus, but most light creatures refuse to believe there's anything but black and white when it comes to power. I suppose you're one of the few that isn't so self-righteous to be blind to the truth of the world.
"Being of dark descent or dark power doesn't make you dark. Just as being of light descent or light power doesn't make you light. These labels have only fueled wars. Personally, I'd be happy if we abolished the sides all together. Judging one based on heritage alone is no different than humans judging each other for the color of their skin."
He's right about the gray area, but he's wrong about me. Until recently, I've always been the first to cast judgment.
I stifle a laugh when I see Cruella pulling Gage from the flocks of ogling women who are all unable to tear their eyes away from the sizzling dark user. I can only imagine the words he'd like to expel as he dutifully takes his place with his mother on the dance floor.
"Care if I cut in?" Drackus asks while taking my hand in his and pulling me away from the dark angel.
"Of course, Drackus. My guest is your guest."
They both chuckle at the obvious joke. I hate their shared sense of humor.
Dray steps away, leaving with the man who I barely remember as a father. The light, who have been unaware of my connection to the man they fear, haven't spared their horror stories of his merciless past actions. The daunting reality of where I come from has left me with more scars than night stalkers have.
"You look so much like your mother," he says softly, his eyes looking too much like mine.
"Have you talked to her since her return?" I ask curiously, clearing my throat from the unexpected dose of emotion I feel.
"No, but I'm sure she's been too busy to take my calls. There's no doubt it was traumatic. I'll make someone regret having ever touched her as soon as Thad fills me in on who it is. He claims you're helping him track down leads. Is that something you want to do?"
Is he really trying to get to know me, or is he just prying? I hate this. It's hard to tell when he's playing mind games.
"Is that rhetorical? My mother raised me by herself from the time I was ten. Of course I want to find her captors."
"I'm sorry if I upset you, Air-" He stops in the middle of the wrong name before taking a deep and calming breath. "Alyssa, I didn't intend to bring out any anger. I just didn't want you to feel as though my hired hand was making you try to keep up with him."
"Thad is actually letting me tag along for the most part. He knows this is important. He's not forcing me to do anything. So... when's the wedding?"
