Page 63 of Madness Behind the Mask
“They arein this world. That is close enough.”
Her lips pull down, but there is a gleam of respect in her light-gray eyes. It is a respect I understand. For as much as I wish to destroy the Shadow Domain, I admire their power and audacity to keep clawing back from the bottom of the graves that I and Antonio keep shoving them into.
But this time, I will have the luxury of tossing the dirt over their heads before they can reach up a hand...as long as Cara doesn’t screw me over.
Although her coven and theirs are not on good terms, the disease-ridden spell she helped create all those years ago having killed two of Sau’s children when it spread out of control, I am not foolish enough to trust the great Cara just because she is the enemy of my enemy.
“But they won’t be if your magic works,” I say, eyeingher carefully for any signs of betrayal.
There isn’t any glee over playing me alight in her eyes nor any fear about being caught glistening across her brow. No, instead she bares her teeth, insulted.
“It will work. It isyourplans, simple as they are, that I am not convinced by.”
“The best plans are simple.”
“The best planswork.”
I grin as I step towards her, crossing the final space between us. The smell of rosemary and sage tickles my nose, along with the coppery scent of her blood pulsing just beneath her skin. My nostrils flare as I inhale her in, and my fangs elongate at the close proximity of a meal.
Witches have such a delightful flavor – a warm buzz akin to fine wine for humans, and I could use a drink before phasing back home, the teleportation magic so utterly draining, especially given the hundreds of miles between her home and mine.
Adrenaline and hungerrushing through me, I lift a hand to her cheek. Her eyes narrow even as shepushes slightly into my touch, daring me to try something so foolish as to bite her. Were I a sired vampire, she’dfeel warm against my palmdue to the lack of blood heating mine, but I was born into this life, and my blood pulses as strongly as her own.
Leaning in, I murmur, “Ten thousand dollars, sixteen more hours, a hundred dead...then you will see just how well my plan works.”
She looks at mecooly. “Twenty thousand.”
“Ridiculous.”
“Twenty-five.”
She knows damn well I’ll go higher. There’s no one else I know...who won’t just kill me on sight, anyway, who can bypass the Shadow’s home wards. Delun spelled them to keep out all vampires and werewolves, and any humans that enter are automatically tagged. With his fucking soul magic,Delun made the barriers strong as fuck, and not even Cara – the only powerhouse in the middle of the US, having killed Terra Harrison decades ago (though some rumors claim she’s still alive, just waiting for her moment of revenge), can break them.
But what Cara Jervis can do is give me a virus that will momentarily weaken a witch’swards.
“Forty,” I offer as I rub my thumb across her cheek. “As a show of how much I value our future…” I lean in, my breath whispering across her ear. “Relationship.”
She pulls her headawaywith a snort. “Having seen how you leave your women, forty is not enough.”
Staring into her eyes, I lean close, but she smacks me across the cheek, putting her magic behind it to leave a delicious sting. Twisting away from me, she now stands a foot away and raises her hand, power sizzling between her tattooed fingers. “If you eventry to charm me, I’ll kill you.”
“You should know charming is nothing but a modern myth. Even born vampires can’t –”
“I am aware. ButI’m not talking about that ‘look into my eyes’ bullshit that humans think vampires have. I’m talking about –”
“My raw charisma?”
“Your arrogant confidence. Strutting in here with your jacket splayed open like a common whore.”
I laugh, genuine and carefree as annoyance flashes in her eyes. “Worried you’ll succumb?”
“Never.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It’s insulting.” But though her words are harsh and clipped, her cheeks are a bit flushedand her eyesdart downa fraction before she jerks them back up again.
Grinning, I lean one hip against the counter and cross my arms. My abs tighten to hold the pose, and her gaze wavers again before she narrows her eyes.
