His frown intensified, but then, so did his curiosity. "Yes. I can. Will I? No." I won't. So let's discuss something else. Like why you didn't care to know my name. In case you haven't noticed, I'm gorgeous. Everyone wants to know my name. Everyone."
Great. He was one of those. Conceited, narcissistic. Too bad he'd already used up her patience. There'd be no pandering to his ego.
She reached up and fisted his shirt. It was soft, almost as if it were made from cotton rather than the synthetic blends most people were now forced to wear. He must be wealthy.
"Take me to the women," she said. "I need to see them."
"Are you jealous of them?" he asked hopefully. "Do you want to kill them for having a go at me? Darling, we just met. That's silly. It's the girls after you that you should want to slay." He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, leaving a trail of fire. "Not that I'll be able to find one as lovely as you."
Frustrating man. "Of course you won't find anyone as lovely as me," she said, adding dryly, "No one compares to me. I'm all you'll be able to think about for the rest of your life. You'll be heartbroken that you let me get away, and perhaps you won't ever recover. Now that we've got that established, let's talk about those women you were with. If you won't take me to them, fine. At least tell me where you left them. I'll check them out myself."
One corner of those gorgeous lips twitched, as though he were fighting a grin. Of course, he ignored her demand. "You forgot to mention that all the women I've been with were merely practice for the day I met you."
"That's so obvious I wasn't sure it needed to be stated. Now. Where did you leave the women?"
His head tilted to the side as he studied her, those lips still twitching. "You don't desire me, do you?"
"No." Truth. He was gorgeous, as he'd said, the egotistical bastard, but his attitude grated.
Of its own accord, her gaze dropped once more to his neck. Well, maybe she desired his blood. He wasn't human but he was equipped like one, his vein fluttering faster than before. The hunger she'd battled all day increased exponentially. You can't drink him here. Too public. Besides, you're with him for a reason, remember?
Perhaps she could force him to tell her where the women were. Even if they were gone, their scents would have lingered. For a while, at least. And if Leah had been there, and the scent still remained, Bride could follow her trail.
"I've lost you, darling," Devyn said, his amusement intensified for some reason.
"What? Oh, sorry." When she pulled herself from her musings and focused on him, a gasp escaped her. No longer did the night sky and golden moon frame his erotic face. Somehow he'd moved them both to an empty side street. To her knowledge, they'd never taken a step. Silver stone stretched all around them, lines of gang graffiti warning them away.
"How did you do that?" she asked.
"Do what?" He blinked, acting harmless, those long lashes like feathered fans. "Move us." As if he didn't know.
Rather than try and deny it, he waved his fingers, saying, "Magic. Now, why don't we go somewhere cozy and get to know each other, hmm? We'll have sex and discuss your friend."
Her second offer of the day, though this one was more blatant. She wouldn't run away from this one, however. "How long ago did you leave those women?"
He uttered a long-suffering sigh. "I lied when I told you I liked persistent women. I'm this close," he pinched two of his fingers together, "to spanking you. Would you like that?"
"Enough!" Exasperated, Bride reached up and cupped his jaw, forcing his gaze on hers. "Listen, you. You're going to do everything I tell you to do." There was power in her voice now, soft thrums that wafted between them. "You're going to—"
"Wait." He frowned again. Even stiffened. But his eyes didn't glaze over, and his muscles didn't slacken, as was supposed to happen. "Say that again."
Frustrating. "Stop talking and listen to me. You will—"
"Do everything you tell me to do. Yes, I know. You're a vampire, aren't you?" he asked, and there was disappointment in his tone.
First, why wasn't he obeying her? Second, he knew what she was without seeing her bare her teeth? Disappointment wasn't the usual reaction she received. Terror, yes. Awe, sometimes that, too. Intrigue, even. Third, now would be a good time to beat feet. He knew what she was and could try and stake her.
Bride remained rooted in place, though, fury sprouting, growing, burning through her. She would face him and she would hurt him if necessary, but the bastard was going to tell her what she wanted to know. "Like I told you, I'm human. So just tell me where you left those women, damn it! I mean them no harm. I only want to talk to them."
"I've had a vampire," he said, ignoring her. Again. He wrapped his fingers around her wrists and lowered her arms away from his body. "I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere for dinner."
Wait. He'd had a vampire? That meant there were others out there. That meant she wasn't alone.
Her mouth fell open as excitement returned and blended with her fury, this time billowing through her on a cloud of astonishment. Each emotion was so strong, the thorns in her chest sharpened, joining the fire, but she hardly noticed them. There were others out there! Blood drinkers, just like her. People who could tell her why she now sickened when she drank. People who could teach her how to use her powers without weakening.
"You're not going anywhere," she told Devyn, once again grabbing onto his shirt. Her nails cut past the material and into skin. "I have questions, and you are going to answer them."
"It would have been my pleasure, if you had been what I'd thought. I collect different species of
women, you see, sad like I said, I've had a vampire. A few of them actually. I don't need another." Again, he jerked from her hold. One step, two, he backed away from her, almost upon the crowd. "A pity. I enjoyed your resistance."
"What do you think you're doing? You're staying here." Jaw clenched, Bride moved toward him. Her voice of compulsion obviously didn't work on him, but she'd grown up on the streets and had had to learn how to defend herself. Taking him down wouldn't be a hardship. "Tell me about the vampires of your own free will or I'll force you. Then I'll drain you."
He arched a brow. "I thought you were human?"
"Now I'm just pissed." She kicked out her leg, knocking his ankles together. He stumbled to the side, and she reached out and captured the back of his neck, using his momentum to swing and bash him against the brick wall. Breath whooshed from him, his eyes going wide with shock.