Page 57 of Dancing With Demons

“Wait, hold on—”

“So when will I see you again?” he breathed—sounding waterlogged like he was talking through drool. “Tonight? Tomorrow? Or should we not plan it? Let’s be spontaneous. The time of impending consummation will not be known to you or I, but it will be soon, and it will be glorious—”

“Professor—”

“Wait for me, my sweet honey, I’m coming for—”

The phone was plucked out of my hand and dropped on the floor. I didn’t have a chance to cry out before Ronin brought his boot down on the screen—crushing it to bits.

“What are you doing?” I whisper-screamed. I was keenly aware of all the eyes on me. “That was the phone you gave me!”

“And I’ll get you another one.” A firm hand seized my chair leg and dragged me to his side. Goose bumps rippled down my spine as his lips pressed to my ear. “And when I do, don’t even think of giving that leech the number. You’re done with him. If he even comes near you again, I’ll kill him.”

I stiffened, hating myself to the core of my being that his nearness stoked the fading embers of desire in my body. What was wrong with me? How could I crave a monster?

“Okay, seriously,” I said, instinctively leaning away, “enough with the mutts and the leeches stuff. It costs you nothing to call him what he is—a vampire. So do it.”

“Uh-oh,” Ronin crowed, smile dancing on his lips. “Look who’s giving me orders now. All right, pet, since you’re so comfortable giving them out, I’m sure you won’t be hypocritical about taking them.”

“That’s not the same,” I cried, swinging my head away. His eyes were so dark, glittering, and intense, it felt like I was looking into the dark heart of a curse. “You don’t need to insult Radu, but I do need him.”

A faint crack hit my ears as Ronin’s grip tightened on the chair leg.

“I need his protection,” I quickly added, once again hearing the alarm bells ringing. “He’s an Elder. He’s the only reason the other vampires have stopped coming after me.”

“I’m the reason that everyone has stopped coming after you. You think I’ll let a few vampires,” he spat the name like it was an insult, “take you when the princesses of hell couldn’t? If my protection is so flimsy and worthless to you, why do you bear my name?”

My patience snapped. “Are you kidding me right now!?” I hissed. “I bear your name because you tricked me! You blackmailed and threatened me into giving you what you wanted, and now you’re doing it again to make me entirely reliant on you!” My eyes narrowed to slits. “Don’t think that just because I fell for it once, I don’t see through you, Belphe.”

His eyes crossed following the finger I pressed against his nose.

“You are transparent, Ronin the Devourer,” I whispered, “and no matter how many glamours you wear, you always will be.”

Ronin snatched my wrist, yanking my hand away from his nose.

Fear shot through my chest thinking, for one horrible second, he was going to hurt me for touching him—

—and then he snapped my hand down.

My eyes popped out of my head when I found myself with a hand full of erection.

“Damn, that was hot,” he growled, ripping a squeak out of me when he bit my ear. “Are all of you mortal women like this? No simpering, no slobbering, no begging, and pleading with anyone—not even those richer, stronger, more powerful, and more beautiful than you?”

“More b-b-beautiful is... debatable!” I cried, tugging and struggling to free my wrist from his ironclad grip.

“Undoubtedly,” he agreed. A hand caressed my thigh, and slipped under my dress. “See? This is why I can’t take those shivering worms seriously—drooling and tripping over themselves over one peek at my true face. Because you are the most exquisite, beautiful creature in this or any realm, and they can’t see what’s right in front of them.

“Everything from the way blood fills your cheeks, to the way you scrunch your nose when you’re angry was designed by the gods to bring even the strongest men to their knees.”

What the hell is he saying right now?! Cheeks flaming, I snapped my knees tightly together—fighting desperately to turn away and leave, but Ronin held me fast.

“And when you do that thing with your face,” he growled, eyes flashing with hunger. “These fools talk of killing you, breaking you, sacrificing you when the true prize”—his fingers slipped under my thong—“is possessing you.”

“Dude, cut it out,” I forced through clenched teeth, trying hard to get away. “I’m serious. Not here. Not in public. Not next to—!” I cut eyes to Dora, who was merrily eating her breakfast without a care in the world.

It was like talking to a brick. Ronin pinched my fingers around his zipper and tugged it down. Shamelessly, he wrapped my hand around his length.

“And I do possess you, Charlotte Hunter.” His words were warmth on the shell of my ear, sending shudders down my body. “You are mine, and I will not share you with anyone. Especially not Santino Radu, so say it.”