Page 28 of The Immortal’s Mark

He looks almost frustrated with himself. “I am not avoiding you. I⁠—”

He stops. Swallows. His jaw tightens.

My heart pounds so loudly I’m certain he can hear it.

“You, what?” I whisper.

He rises from his chair.

I copy his movement.

Des steps closer, close enough that the air between us hums. His hand lifts like he’s going to touch my face, but he stops midway, fingers flexing instead.

“I am attempting,” he says carefully, “to proceed in a way that does not frighten you.”

Frighten me?

My lips part. “You don’t⁠—”

“I have not felt this pull in centuries,” he admits, the words rougher now. “And when I said I care for you, Darcie, I meant⁠—”

The door behind me creaks open.

The sound slices through the moment like a blade.

Des’s eyes flick past my shoulder.

Alex stands in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest.

“Well,” he says, his tone deceptively calm while his eyes flash with fury. “Am I interrupting something?

8

DARCIE

This is the second time I’ve found Alex in a condemning posture in recent days.

Though this time, I can’t imagine what puts a disapproving look on his face.

I’m not failing at training, and no one is slacking in their duties to protect me.

Des faces the vampire. “Alexander.”

Alex’s jaw works once, twice. His eyes slide to mine. “What are you doing?”

I frown. “Talking with Des.”

I don’t understand the anger in his stare, and I really don’t appreciate the tone.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” His eyes cut back to Des. “What are you doing?”

Des straightens, muscles tightening down his forearms like cables. “Excuse me?”

Are they about to fight? Over this?

I don’t understand. But I don’t need to. I just need to de-escalate the tension.

Maybe I should faint. They wouldn’t brawl over an unconscious girl, right?