Page 48 of Reapers Don’t Ride

“There’s still the angel. You need to dance with him. Show that there’s no hard feelings.” Shane’s smile didn’t match his hard eyes. Was that what all of this had been about?

I hesitated, knowing that’s also what Gavriel wanted, then I turned to the angel and held out my hand.

“You may dance with me.”

He wrinkled his nose as he took my fingertips with a loose grasp. “It’s a pleasure.”

“I’m sure.”

We danced, me stiff the whole time because as much as I disliked Lorien, his blood was so close, beating beneath his skin, and I’d drunk so much of Gavriel that I was probably an angel-blood addict for life. I mean death. He was stiff, probably because of the time I slammed him to the counter. This time, he didn’t smell like the demon’s blood. Had I been mistaken? It was possible, but not likely. He had a strong lead, but I disliked following. He wasn’t Gavriel.

“You really went to find glasses?” he asked, veering close to the wall before turning in a tight circle in the other direction.

“And you really aren’t involved in anything demonic?”

He gave me a funny look. “Being questioned by a vampire is so ironic.”

“Not as ironic as being a vampire. Shane acts like you’ve worked with demons before.”

He thinned his nostrils and looked over my shoulder. “How good are you at killing? Do you really think the dogs aren’t a threat?”

“To me personally? No. They know my reputation.”

“Everyone knows Tralcon’s Blood, and Good’s Ruby, but are you as good as your reputation?”

I smiled slightly. “Better. Only a few of my kills are public knowledge, arranged specifically to enhance my reputation.”

“So you’re saying that if you were to be attacked by a half dozen mercenaries, less skilled than the Dogs, you’d be able to handle the situation?”

“I could kill them, yes. Six? I would take some injuries.”

“But nothing life-threatening.”

“No. Particularly as I’m not alive.” I squinted at him. “Your questions are suspiciously specific.”

He gave me a broad smile. “Just making sure you can take care of Gavriel. He’s stupidly attached to you. It wouldn’t do for you to die before you’ve had the chance to live.”

He spun me under his arm and released me, sending me into Gavriel.

He caught me, and then we were dancing, and the rest of the room disappeared. Tiago’s music was lilting, agonizingly sweet, like Gavriel’s blood, and the way his eyes sought mine made me want more connection, more of him.

We danced too close, his hand splayed on my back as we moved slowly, agonizingly aware of each other. At least that was the story, and it was the one my body and soul were telling me. He was so convincing, and by the time the song ended, my whole body was aware, awake, thrumming with the need to sink my fangs into him. I had to get away from him. I needed to…

He bent his head and kissed me to the cheers and insults of the others.

I froze, struggling against the impulse to sink my fangs into him all over. He ended the kiss and took my hand, pulling me towards the stairs. I went with him, gums aching, having such a hard time not ripping him apart or kissing him back. I had too many messy instincts, and all of them were too strong.

When we got to the room, he led me to the bed and then pulled me down on it, wrapping his arms and wings around me, shutting out the rest of the world.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

“Talking without anyone hearing us. What is this about taking Chira to a spa tomorrow?”

I blinked in the darkness, brushing his jaw with my lashes. “Yes. She was very excited about it. Mentioned that I could use some grooming. I don’t suppose she’s wrong.”

“Grooming?”

“Hair, nails, exfoliating, peeling…I don’t actually know what any of those things are.”