Dangerous Diabolical: Book 1 (Iridescent) ✔️

10.2 | Edited

Reciprocating the closeness, I ran a hand up his shirted chest, gripping the tie near his neck. His breath hitched, almost sending my control haywire.

"Oh, Markus," I murmured, looping my hand in the material, "You have no idea what dangerous is." In one swift motion, gripping the knot of his tie with my free hand, I yanked the cotton blade, the noose tightening around his neck with a snick. His eyes grew wide, hesitating as to whether I was teasing or genuinely about to kill him.

Interestingly, he tried to pry my hands off first.

I cocked my head at him unnaturally fast, my fake grin breaking into a real, toothy one as my control finally slipped. It seemed that similar to me, he was unnaturally strong in a humanoid form, packing more of a punch than a regular earthling, but nowhere near his transformed levels where I'd witness him throw a car clear of the car park. To my delight, his attempts to budge me proved useless.

Partially tugging him down to me and leaning into his shoulder, I lined my cheek with his, my lips next to his ear. "It is quite rude to go around talking behind backs," I chided, pulling the noose steadily tighter.

His eyes began to bulge, and his skin took on an ashy colour while slowly thickening as his other self reacted to the threat, instinctively attempting to break out of the situation. My grin turned into a pout as I realised poor Markus might be close to asphyxiating before he'd even transformed.

The magic that had coated him was vacuumed under his skin, pulsating inwardly along his muscles. Markus began pulling magic faster from around us, from whatever realm he originated, prompting me to wonder if I'd look similar during a change and leave the area devoid of energy.

"I'm quite annoyed right now," I murmured, knotting the tie around my knuckles.

He tried to reply, but the answer was lost under the pressure of the noose, and his breath hitched.

I gave a final tug, his chest crashing against mine, and tousled him on the head. "Next time, let's not tell the SPCC anything about your good friend Andy, okay?"

Mutely, he nodded, and I released some of the tension. "You're lucky I owe you for covering the other day. Consider your continued existence the debt paid."

The material was freed with a twirl of the wrist, and he stumbled back, gasping. His thickened, desperate fingers stubbed dramatically at his collar in a panicked attempt to escape from the tie that almost cost his life. He gulped air in greedily, dropping to a knee and throwing the discarded shreds to the floor before clutching at the damaged skin.

Rolling my eyes at his reaction, I tutted, "You'll live." You'd think I'd bit his head off. He lifted his eyes to mine, chest heaving in frenzy, hands cradling the bruised area around his neck. He flinched as my hand outstretched towards him, but I simply trailed my hand down to cup his cheek, and it wasn't until he stilled that I patted it.

Voice a caress, I crouched, "I like you like this," I told him. Once we were on the same level, I added with a smirk, "On your knees."

Panic crossed over his features.

"Now, care to tell me where our nosey little vampire went?" I tilted my head, sharpened my teeth and revealed my true gaze, nails pressing around his face to keep him still.

If he had any colour left, it drained. Markus dragged in a deep breath. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Nothing bad," I promised. What I didn't reveal was what I truly meant: nothing that would end badly for me. At the thought of all the possibilities, I tapped my fingers absently against his skin, finger by finger.

Trembling, he seemed to search for any information I might want to hear. "All I can remember is he asked me something about a girl called Joanne, too."

Now, that made me pause. "Jo?" The girl from work? Joanne, I mentally tried to commit to memory—Joanne, the girl who was meant to be covering my shift. Interest shifting, I released Markus, who stumbled to catch his balance, and inspected his skin for punctures.

"That could be a nickname, yeah." he rubbed the back of his neck as I ignored the comment. I'd figured that much out.

Wide eyes trailed me from head to foot, assessing. "You promise you're not going to hurt the vamp?" Markus asked.

Honestly, I was surprised he cared, so in reply, I winked.

"That's not an answer," He argued.

Starting with my head, I shook all my features back down into the bland disguised human appearance, offering him no reply. I guess we'd both wait and see. "See you soon, handsome!"

Ending further conversation and dismissing his protests with a final casual wave over my shoulder, it was time to depart.

"Oi! Andy!" Markus shouted before I could leave, stiffly getting to his feet.

Throwing a glance, it was just in time for him to bite his bottom lip.

"Next time you're in town, look me up!" His teeth let go slowly, the skin tantalisingly returning to its usual plumpness. Then, he winked. "We'll skip the drinks part." And despite the purpling neck bruise, he tucked his hands into his pockets and looked just as relaxed as when I'd first arrived.

A toothy grin smirked over my face as I realised the air no longer smelt like fear. In fact, Markus seemed pretty upset that I was leaving so soon. Yeah, I confirmed to myself. He could live a little longer.