Page 23 of Her Demon Mate
“I don’t need your help! And I didn’t ask for your help!” Her voice is a low hiss but right then it is the loudest thing in the world. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself! Leave me alone!”
She spits the last sentence before turning on her heel and walking swiftly down the street. She walks with her head down, and she walks so quickly that I couldn’t catch up with her if I tried.
Vylco is looking after her with widened eyes.
I lift my hand to my throat, where my pulse flutters angrily in the hollow of it.
I can’t believe you let a human, a human woman no less, talk to you like that.
No one has ever spoken to me with such disrespect before. And especially not after I joined the military. No one except my generals.
And they had a right to.
Just then, Vylco starts to laugh.
“You!” I turn to him, and he stumbles away from me.
He’s definitely sober. Because he knows he should be scared of me right now.
The gorgon could certainly take me on. We’re equals in height and size, and I am quite sure his fighting ability could match mine.
“Why did you even bring her to the bar tonight?” My voice is louder than I intended, but at that moment, my rage is uncontrollable.
My chest is heaving, and I am snorting, and I know my green eyes are tinged with red as blood rises to my face.
My skin tingles, my body trembling as if anticipating a fight.
Your rage has primed you to be ready to fight at all times.
I try to calm myself down, but my shoulders are shaking and my heart flutters, jumping around in my chest. The rage swirls around in my body, straining for release.
Vylco has realized that I am probably not going to attack him. A smooth, easy smile crosses his face.
“I just don’t know,” I speak through clenched teeth. “Why you brought her here tonight.”
Vylco shrugs and smooths down the front of his crisp shirt.
“I think she’s interesting. She isn’t like every other average human woman I’ve met. Anyway, I need to make sure someone’s around to take care of you while I’m off on my travels.”
I let out a barking, choking laugh, sounding a lot like the batlaz from Shozuh.
“As if I’d want to be anywhere near her,” I scoff. I tilt my eyes to the sky. Tonight, Neomia looks closer than usual. “She’s insufferable and ungrateful. She’s more likely to kill me than anything else.”
Vylco shrugs again, completely unbothered.
“You never know.”
His nonchalance doesn’t help me cool down. All I can think of is Elia’s angry, violent, beautiful face.
“Besides, she’s an idiot. What human woman thinks they can take of themselves? They’re all just useless and feeble, and she is no different.”
Vylco and I start to walk down the street in the direction of my loft. I find myself talking about Elia – complaining about her – all the way down the street.
“You have so much bad to say about her, but you barely know her.”
When I turn to look at Vylco, there is a sly smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye that I really, really do not like the look of.
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