Page 35 of Heart of the Hunted
"I'm not big headed. I'm honest," he said.
"Yeah, right," she said, and again he could picture her rolling her eyes.
"I'm telling the truth," he told her. "I am a better hunter than he is. So, it's not being big headed, it's stating a fact."
"If it's a fact, then why do you have a bet going with him in the first place?" she asked.
"For entertainment, why else?"
She was silent for a moment before finally saying: "So, because you and your buddy are bored, you thought it would be a good idea to hunt down my kind?"
"Something like that, yes," he admitted.
"Great, just great."
"What else would you have us do?" he asked.
"Well, not kill my kind would be a great start."
"I already told you, I'm not going to kill you."
"Yet, anyway," she countered.
After another moments silence, he asked: "Are you going to try running away as soon as I get up?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation.
"Why?" he asked. "You know I'll just catch you again."
"Because..."
"Because what?" he asked when she didn't finish this time.
"Why do you think?" she asked him, but before he could answer her, she added "Because I don't want to die."
"What if I promised that you wouldn't die?"
Taredd didn't know why he said that, it wasn't something he has ever said to a Human before. But then, he's never spoken to a Human this much before either. So, it appeared it was going to be a day of firsts all around for him.
"You would promise that?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
"But... why?" she asked, confused.
"Because I can." Taredd didn't know why, so he couldn't give her any other answer.
She thought about it for a moment before she replied: "Okay, I won't run."
"Do you promise?"
Huffing out a breath, she said: "Yes, I promise I won't run away from the monster, just like a good little girl."
"I'm not a monster," he told her. "I'm a Demon."
"And that's supposed to make it better?" she asked.
"Yes."
