"I cannot speak with you in this manner," he chastised even as the scent of her filled his senses.
She smelled of fresh flowers. And hot blood.
A startling erotic combination.
He swallowed a groan as his muscles clenched in response.
"If I keep my eyes closed, then I can pretend that this is all some nightmare that will go away," she muttered.
"I may be a nightmare, but I fear I am going nowhere."
He waited a beat. When she still refused to cooperate, Styx shifted to press his lips to hers.
The large green eyes abruptly snapped open, the beautiful depths shimmering with surprise.
"Hey," she breathed. "Stop that."
Styx took a sharp step backward. Not because of her protest. He was the Anasso. His will was all that mattered. He stepped back quite simply because he wanted to linger.
He wanted to feel her heat and scent wrap about him. He wanted to taste her lips and sink his fangs deep into her flesh.
It was not only distracting; it was damn inconvenient.
"I have brought you sustenance." He pointed toward the tray on the nightstand.
The green gaze regarded the large plate of fresh ham, scrambled eggs, and toast with open disdain. "You intend to feed me before raping and mutilating me? Very thoughtful."
"You possess a most vivid imagination," he drawled. "Eat and then we will talk."
"No."
Styx frowned. No was not a word that was used in his presence. Not by anyone.
Certainly not by a tiny waif that he could squash with one hand.
"Being stubborn will harm no one but you. You must be hungry."
She gave a small shudder. "I'm starving, but I won't eat that."
"There is nothing in it that will harm you."
"There's meat."
He regarded her with a hint of confusion. He had never spent a great deal of time with mortals. They provided blood, and occasionally sex. Nothing that would offer him insight into their rather peculiar minds.
"I understood that most humans consume meat."
She blinked, as if words had somehow startled her. "Not this human. I'm a vegetarian."
"Very well." Centuries of training allowed him to keep his temper in check. He had expected the woman to be nothing but trouble, and it seemed he wasn't to be disappointed. Gathering the tray, he crossed the room and opened the door to hand it to a waiting Raven. "Please bring Ms. Smith something . . . vegetarian," he commanded.
Closing the door, he turned to find the woman sitting up in the bed with the blanket wrapped firmly about her. A pity, that. He had discovered over the past hours he liked looking at her body.
"Where am I?" she rasped.
"At a small estate north of the city." He moved back to stand beside the bed.
Her beautiful lips thinned. "Well that tells me precisely nothing. Why am I here?"