With my computer in her lap, I thought, eyeing the device again. “Do you typically touch my property without permission?” I wondered aloud.
She stared at me for a beat, her green eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
I could read her mind if I desired it, but there was a strong mental block between us that I’d clearly erected for a reason. So I wasn’t going to risk taking it down just to listen to whatever words were flowing through her pretty head.
“You don’t typically require permission for anything,” she said slowly, her lips curling down. “It’s password protected.” She showed me the login screen. “And you know I’ve never been really good with computers anyway.”
She stared at me for a long second, seeming to wait for my reply. Or perhaps she anticipated a reprimand. I really had no concept of our dynamic, only my inherent reactions to her words.
I’d initially been furious to find her sitting in my bed, especially after the last few hours of irritation I’d just endured due to my bizarre reaction to her behavior. But my mood had shifted almost immediately after her question regarding my preferences.
Now I felt almost relaxed in her presence. Content, even.
Which made no sense, given how freely she’d made herself at home in my space. But maybe that was typical for us?
And if it was typical, then perhaps I could finally satisfy the immense hunger lingering inside me.
Unless this is all a ruse of some kind,I thought.
Hadn’t she accused me of not being her Cam? Or had that all been related to her death?
She’d said she hadn’t ever died before. If that was true, her broken mental state would make sense.
“I’m sorry, my liege,” she said when I didn’t say anything.
Another pause followed.
“I… I was trying to pass the time until you returned.” She gently closed the laptop lid, her expression thoughtful. “I would have cooked for us, like I did in the past, but there wasn’t any food in the kitchen area.”
Cooked for us?I repeated to myself.Why would she cook for us? I live on blood. Specifically,herblood.
But now I wondered what it was I would typically eat with her. Or what meals she’d usually prepared.
Maybe I could use this to my advantage, as it could help me determine if this was some elaborate lie or not.
I’d wanted to understand why I’d chosen her. Perhaps this would shed light on that as well.
“We don’t have supplies for food,” I told her, thinking through a plan quickly. “But I can order something to be delivered.” Michael had provided me with a list of options shortly after I’d awakened and regained my senses. I hadn’t paid it much attention, as my only craving had been for blood. Specifically, Ismerelda’s blood. Which was part of the reason she’d been brought here—to satiate my hunger.
Obviously, that hadn’t gone according to plan. Drinking her dry had only taken the edge off. Now I craved somethingmore, something darker.
But first, we would play this game. Test her knowledge. See how well she actually knew me.
“Tell me what food I would like and I’ll order it.”
She studied me, her lips curling down into another frown. “You want me to guess what food you’re in the mood for?”
I slid my hands into my pockets and arched a brow at her. “Isn’t that what you would have done had there been food available in the kitchen to prepare?”
She shook her head, her confusion palpable. “Uh, no. You… you would have left the food you wanted in there for me. You know, like you did before…” She trailed off, her green gaze holding mine. “I don’t normallyguess.”
Her pulse thudded unevenly, adding to the slight quiver in her voice. Something wasn’t quite right.Is she lying? Is it nerves? Is it something else entirely?
“Um…” She cleared her throat. “We’re in Rome, right? Well, Vatican City, but Rome?”
I stared at her. She already knew the answer to that, but I responded in the affirmative with a slight nod, curious as to where she was heading with this.
