Page 16 of Halfblood Deceived

Aella tried to stab his back before he recovered—but the vampire turned at the last second, dodging her and facing her again in less than a blink, eyes wide.

And transformed.

His pupils had turned feline and his irises were morphing from jade to bright electric green.

He let out an amused huff, even as he pressed a palm against his bleeding side. “Sometimes I wish I weren’t right. See? You are making your Amazon namesake proud, Aella.”

“Shut up, you condescending idiot,” Aella growled.

Zeydan’s brow furrowed. “I am not being condescending. I am giving you a compliment.” He tilted his head. “Don’t you know the difference?”

She gritted her teeth, refusing to answer, because no, she didn’t.

Zeydan took an ill-advised step forward.

Aella sliced at him with the dagger, keeping her left foot forward and trying a few movements she had seen the males practice in the church she grew up in.

The vampire dodged easily despite the evident pain the wound caused him.

“Impressive,” Zeydan said, eyes transmitting confusion and something like surprise. “However, entertaining as this dance is, we have places to be.” He all but turned into a blur and gripped Aella’s wrist with one hand, putting pressure on her wrist with his thumb, forcing her to drop the dagger.

Aella whimpered and thrust her knee up to his groin, but Zeydan saw it coming and pushed her against the grimy brick wall.

“Would you please knock it off?” he asked, sounding wearily amused.

Aella clocked him in the jaw with her free hand. Sharp pain exploded in her knuckles and the creaky sound indicated she had broken them.

Zeydan’s head jerked to the side, but he recovered in a blink and grabbed her other wrist, pinning her fully to the wall with one leg between hers. His thigh was hot against her through the fabric of his fine trousers, feline eyes conveying reluctant delight.

Aella’s blood froze.

Horror sank claws in her chest, and she couldn’t breathe. The fight drained out of her.

Zeydan’s brow furrowed, his touch burning Aella’s skin. And through her fear, Aella could feel his confusion along with realization, surprise, and regret.

Wait.

Aella could feel what he felt.

And she was sure he was reading her in turn.

Thump, thump, went her heart.

And thump, thump, went Zeydan’s heart.

Which was impossible, because vampires were not alive.

But Aella could feel the powerful beat of his definitely not-dead heart against her own with their chests flushed together.

Confusion dulled the edges of Aella’s fear, despite Zeydan still holding her against the wall.

His eyes met hers and time warped, turning thick as honey.

Zeydan slowly released Aella, and it took her a moment to lower her arms. He reached out a finger and caught a drop of blood that was falling in a thin trickle down her elbow, and then took it to his mouth.

That broke the daze.

Aella pushed him and he let her, seeming as confused as she was by what he’d done.

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