Bloodrage - Helen Harper Page 0,36
purred Corrigan.
I shoved a hand into his chest as if to push him away, but he remained immobile, smiling down at me with the predatory gleam of his were. His green eyes danced with amusement.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I snarled.
He painted on a look of melodramatic hurt. “Why are you being so aggressive? I thought we were friends now.”
“We were never friends,” I enunciated carefully. “Now tell me just what exactly you’re doing here.”
Corrigan took a step towards and, before I could twist away, grabbed hold of my wrist. The pen clattered to the floor. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to ink me to death?”
“Get your hands off me!” I shrieked with a wail akin to a banshee.
His grip, in answer, merely tightened. I sucked in the scent of him, aware of how close we were. He’d clearly completely recovered from the effects of the red fever, and was looking far too good in a crisp white shirt that dazzled against the tan of his skin and his inky black hair. I swallowed and yanked my hand away harder, this time succeeding in pulling loose.
He gazed at me, a faint line of puzzlement etching its away onto his brow. “What’s going on? I thought we parted on good terms.”
I looked away, unable to deal with those emerald eyes searing their way into me. “You told the mages all about me! About what happened in Cornwall and the fact that I wasn’t strong enough to beat Iabartu.”
He reeled back momentarily, then recovered. “No,” he said slowly, “I told the mages that you were stronger than virtually any shifter I’d ever come across, and that you did well by almost besting a demi-goddess. I wanted them to appreciate your strength. By knowing more about you, I figured they could help train you to be even stronger than you already are.”
“Do you have any idea how patronising that sounds?” I spat, raging at the idea that he thought I needed his protection. “And besides, I know it’s bullshit. You’re just pissed off that I decided to go with them instead of stay with you. Well, guess what, buster? I’m having a great time! It turns out I am pretty good at all this mage stuff. I don’t need you sticking your nose in.”
“Is that right? Because the way I hear things, you’re not doing so hot. In fact there was something about you almost getting kicked out for losing your temper. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
I turned back to look him in the eye. “You’re getting reports on me? You have no right, Corrigan. I’m not part of the pack so you can fuck right off.”
“You saved my life,” he said softly. In fact so softly that I barely heard him. “In some cultures that means that you’re now responsible for me for life.”
“Well then it’s just fortunate that’s not my culture then, isn’t it?”
A muscle throbbed in his jaw. “This is not going quite how I’d planned it.”
“My heart bleeds for you.” I spun around and went over to the sofa, plonking myself, and crossing both my arms and legs. “Now please leave. I have a very important appointment to keep.”
He ignored me and moved over to the opposite couch, carefully sitting down himself. “Your new haircut, it, um, suits you. It’s quite dramatic.”
I eyeballed him angrily. ‘Oh, you’re going to have to do so much better than that, Corrigan.”
He leaned over, forcing me to uncross my arms so he could take both my hands in his. An involuntary shiver ran up my spine. “So give me the chance then.”
“Fuck off.”
Corrigan sighed irritably and then frowned and looked down. His body tensed in anger. “What the hell happened to your hand?”
I was rather taken aback by the vehemence in his voice. “Nothing. I just needed some air so I punched a hole in a window, alright?”
“Did someone hurt you?”
“No.” I pulled my hands back and crossed them against my chest again.
“Mack, I mean it.” The look in his eye was frightening. “Did one of the mages do this to you?”
“No, Corrigan,” I said tiredly. “I did this to myself.”
He stared at me for a moment, as if trying to ascertain the truth. “Fine, then. But, know this, I’m on your side, whether you believe it or not.”
I snorted, then wished I hadn’t as the noise that came out of was quite ridiculously unladylike.
“And anyway, Mack,” he continued, “if you really want to avoid my attentions quite this