Page 21 of A Court of Fire and Frost

Nausea continues to build.

“Dating, being in a relationship,” I say quickly. I am not lying. I want to date. Just... not her.

"You want to date me?"

A direct question. "No," I breathe. My gut is telling me to get out of here. I suddenly can’t remember why I thought this date was a good idea.

Marie's face hardens, and she stops fingering the wine glass. A long moment passes, and I shift in my seat. The air between us is thick and tense as she leans forward.

"Good."

My eyes widen. That was not what I expected her to say. "Good?"

The Vampire's expression is very serious, and her eyes have a dangerous glint. “I am not a great girlfriend, but I am an excellent one-night stand.”

Suddenly, her hand drops to my knee. I swallow, and she starts sliding it up to my thigh.

I reach down and grab her hand. “Marie. Seriously? I don’t want to get kicked out of this place.”

“Awh, come on, Nate. You will like it, I promise. Marcus told me all about thoseother females.” Her expression clouds. “They were all pretty, but I know they didn’t satisfy you.”

Suddenly, goosebumps coat my arms. How does she know what they looked like?

“Marie, what are you talking about?” I am still clutching her hand, and I tighten my grip. “Have you been following me?”

Those canines come back out, and I want to throw up. For a moment, I think of the bounty hunter. She walks with power, with dominance. She is self-assured and captivating. The Winter Fae is nothing like Marie.

For one thing, she would never touch me without my permission. Certainly not in a crowded restaurant. And to admit to stalking me?

This has gone too far.

This woman in front of me is no longer my date. Now, the Vampire is someone to be dealt with. I straighten. “Marie, enough. I’ve changed my mind. Whatever you think is happening here is over.”

She is absolutely, certifiably insane. Marie twists her hand, bringing my wrist to her lips. Her cold lips kiss right over my pulse, and she inhales deeply. “Oh, come on, there’s a bathroom over there—“

"Not interested," I say, trying to pull my hand out of her grasp.

She is strong, and instead of letting me go, she runs her tongue up my skin.

I shiver in disgust. Gods. This is what men want when they go for Vampires, right? Danger, mystery, lust, obsession. If so, Marie is doing a great job.

But I don't want this. I can’t be this guy, having an emotionless one-night stand. Even as the thoughts enter my mind, I feel like a sack of shit.

Marie’s eyes are almost completely black. “Nate, no one refuses me. I am offering you gold, and you are acting like you don’t need it. I have been watching you and know you need this.”

Unbidden, a memory of the Winter Fae laughing at me tripping over myself comes to mind.

Marie inhales and freezes as if she can taste my emotions. Vampires are powerful empaths. Her eyes shift from black to glowing red instead.

“Who. Is. She?” she demands, her voice low.

Part of me wonders how far she is going to take this. “Someone I can’t have. It doesn’t matter, Marie." I yank my hand back, and this time, she lets go. "I’m going to head out, this was a mistake.”

She sneers, but her eyes return to normal, and she looks like the Marie I’ve come to know. Almost as if the spell she was trying to weave broke before she finished. The Vampire sneers.“You’ve been claimed.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay, Marie.”

I wait for a second, but her expression has gone from fire-hot to unreadable. She has frozen me out. A long, awkward moment passes.

---