Page 33 of Blade's Battle
“It’s September 3, Angel.”
“Three months?”
He let the news sink in as he continued to trace a finger over her soft skin. He lightly touched the scar below her ribs. It looked like someone had stabbed her and then twisted the knife on the way out. “Did Drake do this?”
“No, that was courtesy of the WSSO.”
The mention of the WSSO made him growl. That scar was yet another reminder that she’d somehow gotten mixed up with the anti-shifters, that she’d been a part of the team that created the deadly virus.
She jumped away from him, her eyes wide in fear. “You growled.”
“I’m angry.”
“At me?”
“At myself.”For falling for you.
She bit her lip. “May I ask why?”
“No.” Now he was back to being short with her.
“Oh.” And she was back to letting him walk all over her, instead of standing up for herself.
“Wait, did I understand you correctly? Someone from the WSSO stabbed you?”
“A hired gun, so to speak.”
“Why were they trying to kill one of their own?”
Her eyes snapped up to his. “One of their. . . You think I work for those bastards?”
“You said they offered to pay—”
“And you assumed I jumped at the offer and took their money?” She slid off the bed, shoved her bandaged feet into the overly large shoes, and headed for the door.
He slammed his hand against the door before she could open it. “Apparently I’ve misunderstood a lot about you.”
“Damn right.”
“Then set me straight. Now. Afterward, you can be mad at me all you want. Liam’s people will be back any minute and the more I know about why you gave the WSSO the virus, the better it will go for you.”
* * *
ANNA
How could he think she gave the WSSO the virus? He knew she’d been married to a shifter! Did he think she’d been using everyone around her for some grandiose scheme? She was simply a genetic engineer who’d tried to save her husband, nothing more. But Blade only saw the darkness, the monsters in the shadows and according to him, she was one of those monsters.
For the second time in as many days, Anna slapped Blade across the face and bolted out of the cabin. He tried to follow. She could hear him arguing with the guards who were as determined to keep him there as he was to leave. Good, let him get stuck there. She didn’t want to see him again, not for a long time, if ever!
As she raced up the path, as much as the shoes would allow, she ran into Liam. She would have fallen had he not steadied her. It was like walking into a solid brick wall. The alpha was taller, broader, and more heavily muscled than Blade. And the very fact that she even bothered comparing him to Blade annoyed the hell out of her.
“Where are you running to?” Liam asked in his usual calm but suspicious manner.
“Nowhere. Anywhere. Justawayfrom him.” She glanced down the path.
“Lover’s spat?”
“We’re not lovers. We’re not even friends!”
