Page 14 of Blade's Battle
“That doesn’t make it any easier, despite what they say. You know, time and all.” Anna tugged at her shirt, trying to find that balance where it wasn’t riding too low against her breasts or too high on her thighs.
“You’ve lost someone. Who?” he asked, peering at her as if he could see into her soul.
If he looked too deeply, he’d see the ugly truth of her life. “Is that your first question then?” she asked, praying he’d drop the subject.
“Not quite. I thought you’d give me a freebie.”
Anna chuckled at his attempt to bend the rules, though she was relieved she didn’t have to answer him. She wasn’t sure she could talk about Kurt, not to Blade. If he didn’t like humans, then he certainly wouldn’t understand a shifter marrying one, and she wouldn’t tolerate anyone disparaging Kurt.
“I’m not the type of girl that gives things away for free.”
“Oh, really,” he said, his voice deep and sultry.
He had her wondering if they were playing an entirely different game now. “Just ask your question, shifter, or forfeit your turn.”
“Shifter, huh? Things are getting serious here. I’m not sure I can handle the pressure.”
She burst out laughing. “Ask the damn question already!”
“Fine, Angel, but no avoiding it. I want an honest answer. Why did Drake take you?”
Damn.That was worse than asking her who she’d lost. But if he could answer with only a few words, she could do likewise. “To get information on the WSSO.”
“What type of information would you have?”
“That’s a separate question, and it’s my turn again. If your name is really Blade, then why did your mom name you that?”
“That’s a two-part question. But since it’s an easy one, I’ll answer it without a penalty.”
“There are no penalties in Truth or Dare.”
“There is in my version.”
That expression, the way his mouth quirked up as his eyes darkened, sent a troubling heat through her. “Wh- what type of punishment?”
He eased a lock of her hair back, pushing her fears away in the process. There was more than heat in his touch, there was a fierce loyalty there.
A loyalty she didn’t deserve.
“I’d never raise my hand to you, Anna. I meant it when I said I’d protect you.”
“You said p-punishment.”
His grin returned. “It’s a punishment you’d enjoy,” he said, waggling his brows. “And if you want specifics, then you can ask that as one of your questions. I’ll be happy to give you every exquisite detail. When it’s your turn.”
She relaxed. Blade was simply flirting, but there was nothing behind it. “You can’t change the rules partway through,” she said, trying to add a lightness to her words as she one-upped him. She knew in her head that she was safe with Blade, but the rest of her hadn’t caught up. She was overreacting to innocent flirting. “If there is any. . . punishing. . .” Anna cleared her throat and began again. “If there is any punishing, then said punishing should have been stipulated before we began.”
“Ah, you’re a lawyer then. I like lawyers less than I like humans.”
“If my profession is your next question, you’ll have to wait until it’s your turn.”
“You’re no fun,” he said, giving her a pronounced pouty face that looked ridiculous on such as large, muscular shifter.
Anna laughed, without trying, without worrying about how it might look. There was a straightforwardness about Blade that made it easy to laugh, to be herself.
“You’re stalling, Blade. Give me your answer.”
“My given name isn’t Blade, but I’m not telling you what it is. You’ll have to work for it.”
