Page 45 of Bite of Sin

“We need to talk,” I informed her before leading her away from the table. Warner wasn’t being quiet now when he yelled Kali’s name. The asshole was going to get himself killed if he kept attracting attention when the bar was full. Although Gia wouldn’t let that happen when I told her that I wanted him kept alive.

“Kali will be back later,” I muttered to Gia as we passed the bar.

When she realized I was taking her out of Impulse, she began struggling, but I kept my arm banded around her waist as I brought her outside. Once we were on the street, I let her go only to grasp her hand, interlocking my fingers with hers.

“What are you doing?” she hissed, failing to pull away from me.

“Giving you a chance to do what you’ve been wanting ever since I met you.”

“What does that mean?”

I didn’t answer, not slowing down as we walked through the streets. I glanced at her when we turned a corner, and panic was in her eyes as I took her farther away from the city center. After cutting through a building and passing two more streets, we made it to the park. The grass was dead and brown, and there was debris scattered on the ground, but it was the largest spot in the city with no buildings. There were picnic tables with rotting wood and trees surrounding the grassy area. A few vampires were messing around, and they all froze when they spotted me.

“Leave.” My command was followed instantly, and they raced out of the park.

I pulled Kali into the center of the park before finally releasing her hand. She scrambled back, putting at least ten feet between us. She stared at me warily, her body staying rigid.

“You admitted you want to kill me,” I murmured. “Here’s your chance to try.”

Her eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“Go ahead,” I pressed, taking a step toward her. “Try it.”

Her eyes darted around, as if checking that we were actually alone. She didn’t make a move to come at me, but she wasn’t backing away either. Her heart was beating faster than normal, proving I had her on edge, which was exactly what I wanted. She refused to answer my questions any other time, so I was going about this a different way. I was also curious to see what she’d do when we were alone.

“I’m no match for you,” she spat out. “We both know it.”

“Scared?” I taunted, slowly retaking the space between us.

“No. I’m just not stupid.”

I tsked. “Lying to me is stupid. You should have told me you knew that human the second he came into the club.”

Her eyes flared with anger, her hands curling into fists. “It was none of your business.”

“I’m making you my business,” I stated, closing in on her. She was watching every step I took, but she still didn’t try to run. “And I’m tired of you not answering my questions.”

She raised her chin to keep her glare on me as I stopped right in front of her. “Well, we can’t always get what we want. I’m tired of a certain asshole vampire trying to control me, but here we are.”

I arched an eyebrow, a spark of excitement jolting through my veins at the fiery glare she was giving me. “I’m giving you a chance to stop me. Why are you stalling?”

“Because you’re fucking with me,” she snapped.

“You’re going to fight me—”

“I don’t know how to fight,” she cut me off irritably. “You want to hurt me, then just do it.”

“If I wanted to hurt you, I would have kept you at Impulse and made you watch while I tortured that human you’re soft for.”

Her jaw clenched. “Then why are we out here?”

“I’m giving you free rein to try to kill me.” I grinned. “But when you fail, and I pin you, then you owe me a truth. Then we’ll go again.”

She frowned, staring at me with open suspicion. “Why’d you bring me all the way out here to do that?”

“Because I didn’t want an audience.”

“How do you know I won’t lie to you?”