Page 80 of Barbi and the Villain

He stands up, looking up at the sky for a few moments before he disappears.

I know he’s not far. I can still sense him—or, this wretched mark over my heart can sense him. But his absence cuts a hole inside my chest.

I lie down, hugging PomPom and BonBon, but sleep proves elusive.

There is only one pervasive thought.

Who is Mo?

14

We don’t speak in the morning.

I brush my dogs’ hair while Nykander is studying some ancient map a distance away. If he won’t make an effort to discuss what happened last night, then why would I try to do it? He’s made it perfectly clear that I am just his portable food source, so what happened last night can be successfully written off as him feeding off me.

My lips curl in a scowl.

Damn you, Nykander! Damn you and your sleepwalking tendencies and damn you for making me lose my mind with one touch.

How is this fair?

I wonder if our accidental mating has anything to do with why I am so drawn to him—why I crave his touch and presence more than anything. If only I knew more about his kind and what mating means for them. So far, I only have what Nykander has told me, and he could very well spin the information to suit his nefarious purposes. As in, he might be aware that there is no way out of this and I am basically tied for all eternity to his grouchy-ass self.

Ugh!

Why am I so unlucky?

I only wanted a taste of adventure and maybe an epic love story along the way. Instead, what do I get? A domineering asshole who can’t stop reminding me that he would have never been with me had it not been for those pesky fates.

And if that wasn’t enough, he also had to feed from me and touch me and kiss my neck while calling me by a different name. If our lives weren’t technically tied together, I would be busy figuring out a way to dispatch him to his next life.

The audacity of this man to not even explain himself.

I get angry the more I think about it, and to make him feel my silent wrath, I glare at him every now and then.

Too bad he has no eyes for me—literally and figuratively.

I mutter a string of curses under my breath, making my own incantation of bad luck aimed straight at his dark hide.

Even then, he ignores me.

PomPom whines as she comes closer, brushing her head against my leg. She can sense my annoyance and wants to make it better, bless her fluffy heart. BonBon is still getting to know me, but he takes his cues from PomPom, so he inundates me with love too. I may not have my epic love, but I have the undying affection of these cute babies.

“You two are the cutest couple I’ve ever seen,” I coo at them as I give them a small treat.

Nykander might be an asshole, but he is an acceptable asshole. Whenever he teleports himself to God knows where, he always comes back with some food and treats for the dogs. That is the only reason why I have not attempted bodily harm yet, or maybe some type of castration (though he would deserve that after the stunt he pulled last night). But I have a policy of being nice to whoever is nice to my dogs. So for as long as he keeps PomPom and BonBon happy, I will not do anything…extreme in his sleep.

If he offends my babies, then all bets are off.

I turn my head and give him another glare that is once more ignored.

“Yo, Dark One,” I call out.

He slowly turns, raising a brow at me.

“I have already told you, human. We will not discuss what happened last night again,” he adds in a stern voice.

My nostrils flare. Why does it seem like he’s chiding a child?

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