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I shrugged. “That’s life. That’s why it’s going to be difficult to find this Méndez character. That’s why we still don’t all get along even if the war ends.”
“I know healing doesn’t happen overnight, but—”
“But just because one of my shifter ancestors was a crude man to his vampire wife doesn’t mean I should have to pay for it.”
She frowned. “You make it sound so black and white.”
“You make it sound like you empathize too much.”
“Eric, I understand you’re in pain. I recognize that you’re grieving my father right along with me. But I don’t think it’s fair to skip the context.”
I gritted my teeth. “Centuries of war between us could have been handled ages ago. But no, our families wanted blood. They wanted to fight. And I had to be one of those fighting with everyone else. Because we were losing too many good people.”
“I understand.”
“No, I don’t think you do.”
She stood abruptly with her plate in her hands. “I think I’ll eat inside. Try to get some food in your stomach. You’ll need your strength tonight to scope the town for Méndez.”
A brisk second later, the porch door shut quietly—and the fact that it shut so quietly stunned me. Someone with that much passion and anger in their voice shouldn’t have considered closing the door with care, yet there it was, the evidence as bright as the sunny afternoon here in Athens.
I fucked up. I hurt her feelings. And for what? To be right for a split second? To have her stroke my pride and ego on the basis of war?
Was it fair to judge her like that? Many witches had gone into battle right next to their wolf friends. They lost their lives, too. Regina likely knew plenty of people who went out into the night and didn’t come back. On many occasions, the bodies were never recovered, having been decimated during a fight or kidnapped while alive for use as a blood bag.
None of it was fair.
The anger still burned inside me, bright and furious. But something told me to go check on Regina because that woman had enough feelings inside her to turn her into a vengeful goddess. And I didn’t want to be the first on the receiving end of that ire.
I sighed as I flung myself from the chair and rushed inside. I strode toward the kitchen just as she was coming out, our bodies colliding in an instant. Her face smashed into my chest, and my arms instinctively wrapped around her body.
And then we just stood there. Neither of us said a word, our hearts suddenly thunderous in the snug dining-slash-den area. What was going to happen next?
What did we want to happen next?
Regina shuddered. She nuzzled her nose into my neck, burying her face like she was trying to hide. Hot tears stained my shirt, the feeling of them stinging my heart.
Good job, asshole. You made her cry.
I closed my eyes while embracing her, pressing her flush to my torso to squeeze away the harm I had caused. This woman was just trying to give me some perspective, yet I’d allowed grief to turn to anger, and I took it out on her.
That wasn’t fair. Not in the least.
As I cradled her to my chest, I felt her lift her chin. I heard her sigh softly. I felt the subtle tickle of her fingers moving from my pecks to my shoulders. When I opened my eyes, I saw the sweet sorrow in her eyes, the way her tears glistened on her eyelashes and enhanced the gray of her irises to swollen moons.
I didn’t know how to say sorry. I wasn’t sure what I could say. But I had a feeling I knew what I could do to make it up to her.
I kissed her.
Chapter 8 - Regina
His lips were softer than I expected.
Oh boy, oh boy, this was the worst kind of trouble. This was delicious and alarming trouble that crept into my chest and refused to leave until I had worked every fantasy out in reality. This was asking for that bad karma, the slow-burning consequences that came much, much later when I least expected it.
Bless my heart, it tasted like heaven. The way his bottom lip curved underneath mine felt like a warm hug. His tongue danced at the edge of my lips, delicately plunging into my mouth to stroke and explore my tongue. Tiny flashes of goosebumps rushed over my chest and thighs, sending pangs of guilty arousal right to my slit.
Bursts of warmth spread between my thighs and trickled to my feet, inspiring me to stand on my toes to deepen the kiss. He welcomed it. He gruffly groaned right into another wave, and then another, our perpetual duel of tongues consuming my focus. All I had in this moment was him, which was fine with me.
