"I bet."
His expression was curious as he studied her tight features. "You sound disapproving. Does it bother you that I hire humans?"
It did bother her, but not in the manner that he thought. "In my experience humans and demons don't mix."
He moved until he was standing directly before her. He gently tucked a stray curl behind her ear.
"That's not entirely true, pet," he said softly. "You've experienced the most intimate mixing of human and demon. A mixing that created you."
She resisted the shocking urge to rub her cheek against his lingering fingers. "That was... different."
He tilted her chin up to meet his searching gaze. "How was it different?"
"Neither of my parents intended to fall in love."
A slow smile curved his lips. "Does anyone?"
A tingle raced over her skin and Shay inched away. Space seemed a good choice when dealing with this unnerving vampire.
Lots of space.
"My father was preparing to leave and join the other Shalotts when he discovered my mother being attacked by a pack of werewolves," she tried to explain. She had heard the story told by her mother a hundred times. Always with that sad, yearning expression that revealed her mother still mourned the loss of her husband. "He saved her life and then took her back to his home and helped to heal her."
"And fate did the rest?"
She gave a jerky nod. "Something like that."
"Were they happy together?"
His probing was beginning to touch those raw nerves that she didn't want touched.
"Yes. They loved each other very much."
He ignored the edge of warning in her voice. Of course. Instead he allowed his gaze to slowly roam over her barely covered body.
"And they created you. I would say that the union of human and demon was clearly a match made in heaven."
She licked her dry lips. Either someone had just set a fire in the kitchen or the heat of his gaze was actually tangible.
"It was hardly heaven for my father to be shunned by his people, or for me and my mother to be forced into hiding."
"If they were happy what did it matter?"
She bit back her sharp words. Why bother? He was a vampire. He had never known a day of fear or uncertainty in his immortal life.
"I don't want to talk about it."
He paused before giving a slow nod of his head. "Very well. If you are finished with your meal, I'll show you to your room."
The egg rolls suddenly felt as if they weighed a hundred pounds in her stomach.
She was well acquainted with the rooms offered to a slave. Dark dank holes with iron bars. It was one thing that never changed no matter who was her current master.
"Now?"
He regarded her with a hint of curiosity. "Is there something else you wish to do?"
Eat broken glass. Stab a knife in her eye. Throw herself off the roof.