I ignored it and returned to the problematic conversation at hand.“How long do we have?Before you need to feed again, I mean.”
“I should be good for another day or two.I fed right before I found you at the restaurant.”
The words hit me like a sharp jab to the ribs.My hands paused mid-motion, hovering over the coffee grinder.“On a human?”I asked, the question sharper than I’d intended.
Rathiel’s eyes flicked up to meet mine, his gaze steady and unflinching.“Yes.”
That same image from earlier flashed in my mind—Rathiel leaning into a woman’s neck, his fangs piercing their skin.My stomach twisted uncomfortably, and I silently told myself to knock it off.First, what did it matter if he fed off a man or woman?And second, it wasn’t like he had a buffet of options.He was a vampire—feeding was non-negotiable.Earthbound vamps did it all the time.Still, the thought left a sour taste in my mouth.Maybe it was the idea of him endangering a human.Yeah, that had to be it.
Still, the uncomfortable sensation lingered, gnawing at the edges of my thoughts.“Fine.But you’re not doing that again while you’re here.I’ll figure something out.Like I said, the bar stocks blood.”I gestured vaguely toward the fridge.“We’ll make it work.The most important thing is keeping your presence here a secret.We don’t want anyone catching wind of your visit.Which leads me to another question: where are your wings?”
He paused, his piercing gaze darting to mine.“My…wings?”
“Yeah, where are they?Did Lucifer rip yours off too?”
Understanding smoothed his expression.“No.I’ve always been able to retract my wings.I just never felt the need to before now.”
Ah.So, he wasn’t wingless like me.I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about that.Sad, definitely.I’d believed we had one thing in common—the loss of our precious wings.But turns out I was wrong.He still had his, he just had the ability to tuck them away.Lucky bastard.
“Okay, just keep them out of sight.Don’t let the humans see them.Wings would be a dead giveaway that the paranormal exist, and we don’t want that.”
“Noted,” he said.“Now, if I may ask a question?”
I took another sip of coffee.“What do you wanna know?”
“That man last night,” Rathiel started, his voice dropping to a lower, more dangerous tone as he leaned in just a fraction.“Who is he?Is he someone…important to you?”
Heat flushed my cheeks, and I tried to hide it from Rathiel by ducking into the fridge and searching for some breakfast.
I pulled out a carton of eggs, using it as an excuse to avoid Rathiel’s gaze.His question hung in the air, heavy with tension I didn’t fully understand.I knew Rathiel well enough to sense there was more behind his inquiry than just casual curiosity.
“Jack?”I finally said, placing the eggs on the counter as I gathered my thoughts.“He’s…nice.A good guy.We were on a date, if that’s what you’re asking.”
I glanced at Rathiel, gauging his reaction.His expression remained unreadable, though something flickered in his eyes—something I couldn’t quite place.
“A date?”he repeated, his voice betraying nothing, though the way he stood, the way his body tensed, told me he was anything but indifferent.
“Yeah, a date,” I confirmed, grabbing a pan and setting it on the stove.“Again, it’s something humans do.They go out for dinner, drinks, share a laugh or two, and then?—”
“They fuck,” Vol suddenly said, finishing my sentence for me in a manner far cruder than I would have put it.
Rathiel’s entire demeanor shifted, his jaw clenching so hard I could practically hear his teeth grinding.The air around him seemed to thicken, charged with something dark and dangerous.He shot a sharp glare at Vol, who merely grinned, unrepentant, as he perched on the counter like a smug little gargoyle.
“That’s one way to put it,” I muttered, feeling the need to diffuse the sudden tension.I cracked an egg into the pan, focusing on the sizzle instead of the oppressive silence that had settled over the kitchen.
“And have you?”Rathiel asked, his voice deceptively calm, though there was an edge to it that sent a shiver down my spine.
I turned to him, my eyes narrowing.“What exactly are you implying, Rathiel?”
“I’m not implying anything,” he said, his tone carefully measured, but his gaze locked with mine, intense and unyielding.“I’m asking if you two have shared more than a laugh or two.”
My heart skipped a beat at the possessiveness in his words, even if he’d masked it behind a façade of indifference.It was the same tone he’d used when training me, that hard, commanding edge that left no room for argument.
I crossed my arms, leaning against the counter as I stared him down.“Not that it’s any of your damn business, but no.We haven’t.Last night was our first date.”
“Yeah, it usually takes until the third date for the woman to put out,” Vol said, snickering.
I glared at my imp.“No more television for you, you menace.”
