Page 15 of Her Purr-fect Christmas Mate

*Not like me.*Her voice was tiny and not meant for him, but it cut like a knife. So much for attempting to find common ground.

Club Inferno’s entranceway was as obvious as its name. Gilt Greek-style arch and columns, red velvet, and a crowd of would-be revelers wearing inappropriately little clothing for the icy weather. All it needed was flames licking around the bases of the columns and the scene would be perfectly set.

He stalked closer and winced. Not flames: Christmas lights. Cheerful, twinkly stars and miniature candy-canes everywhere he looked.

Christmas in Hell. How appropriate.

He marched past the crowded queue. There were two bouncers at the door; he nodded curtly at the nearest one and kept walking. The second bouncer frowned and moved to intercept him, but his partner raised an arm to stop him. Their whispered conversation followed him as far as the first blast of sound from inside the club.

At least Santa’s devils know to show some respect.It had been years since anyone stopped him from going exactly where he wanted, and he was damned if he’d break the streak for a place like Inferno.

Inside, the air was heavy with heat and the bass-thump of music and a strong, incongruous scent of peppermint and mixed spice. In his pocket, Peony sneezed.

Mordecai did his best to surreptitiously breathe through his mouth and tried not to pay too much attention to the décor. He envied Peony, hidden in his pocket and not forced to absorb the club’s idea of sexy Christmas decorations.

*I can’t believe I’m missing out on all of this,* she complained. *It smells horrible! It sounds worse! What is the DJ doing to Mariah Carey?*

He had been putting some effort into ignoring the music, but let up long enough to hear what sounded like a wounded robot declaring that it was going to re-gift its heart to somebody else. Presumably a heart it had previously stolen from something warm-blooded.

He shuddered.

*It’s awful. I… oh no. I love it.*

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself,” he muttered facetiously.

*Thank you. I am.*Needle-like claws found the skin above his hipbone with unerring accuracy. *Peppermint and nutmeg? Disgusting.*

“We agree on that.”

*I need to try it. What is it? Some sort of horrific bar snack?*

Did she expect him to order whatever it was?

He passed the bar en-route to the VIP section.Oh god.*It’s a drink.*

*It’s a DRINK? That’s perfect. Order one!*She sounded giddy. Was the sensory overload making her drunk? *Seriously, this is where Blanderley is holding the end-of-year drinks? I always thought they went somewhere upmarket for those. Peppermint and nutmeg mixers are not what I had in mind. But I’m willing to sacrifice my tastebuds in the name of research. Well. I’m a cat, which makes things tricky, so instead, I’m willing to sacrifice YOUR tastebuds.*

“I’m flattered,” he said dryly.

*Good.*

“But I will absolutely not be ordering whatever that abomination is.”

*Spoilsport.*Her voice buzzed like a radio slightly out of tune. *I can’t believe I kissed him. Oh god. How could everything go so wrong?*

His spine stiffened. Not drunk, then. Buoying herself up with ridiculousness because the alternative was admitting she was stuck with him.

But…

She came after me. He had left, and she had chased him. Yes, she was overwhelmed, and the discovery that her mate was the man who was about to destroy her livelihood must be difficult for her to come to terms with—good God, she was right, he really was an almighty prick, even inside his own thoughts—butshe had come after him.She had seen that he was her mate, and, despite everything, she’d hunted him down.

She chose me.

It had to mean something.

Hope was an unfamiliar sensation for Mordecai. All his life, he’d aimed himself at his goals and done whatever it took to achieve them. Hope was irrelevant; he’d planned and taken action and won. Now, for the first time, he felt the uncertainty of an emotion he didn’t know how to deal with.

“Leith!” One of the Hypatia owners waved at him from the top of the stairs that led to the VIP area.

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