An Unacceptable Mate

Chapter Fifteen

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I sat in a cold silence, picking at the cheese, pepper and ham omelette Acera had fried up while I'd changed. My head no longer pounded. It was like an empty tunnel, every thought echoing rapidly.

You've fallen in love with him, you idiot! I roared at myself, eyes flickering to the tall, dark haired, most attractive thing in existence sipping a mug of deer blood. His amber eyes were entranced in the vast forest outside, the little specs of gold in them only making my heart clench tighter.

I had to look away.

Remember just last week you tried to kill him? Do you recall staking thousands of vampires at least over the past three years? He is no different. He has killed people. Innocent people, I reminded myself. My eyes closed, fingers rising to pinch the bridge of my nose. I didn't want to think anymore. The headache was waltzing right back.

    "Are you not hungry?" he asked in his gentle, smooth voice that I could barely resist now.

I blew out a shaky breath, not looking at him. "No, not really," I lied. "Where is everyone else?"

The chair opposite me scraped along the floor. I couldn't hear him sit, but I was certain he had. A pale hand appeared in front of me; tempting. I tried to hate the idea of reaching out, intertwining our fingers, pulling him across the table and kissing him with all my might – but my heart would not let my mind take over. It was like a constant battle, but where I couldn't determine which organ was correct.

    "In town, picking out outfits. We have the house to ourselves for now," he told me, subtly hinting at something I didn't want to picture or consider.

  "So..." I sighed, leaning back in my chair and giving a shrug. "What do you want to do for however long they are away?"

    "Well, it's nearly two in the afternoon and the ball starts at six. Everyone will return shortly, I'm sure."

  "So?" I prompted.

He lifted a dark brow into a question mark, folding his arms across his chest as well and falling back in his seat to speculate my uptight mood. "So?"

  "Well? Any suggestions?" I snapped.

He seemed to be fighting a smile and without a thought, he answered, "Nope. How about you, human?"

My eyes narrowed. "What about a wrestling match? I get a stake, you get to bite me. We're not allowed to kill one another, obviously, because it's probably impossible."

    "And immoral considering we slept together," he added, enjoying the way that made my face ignite.

Scowling, I continued. "We did not sleep together in the way that you are implying." I gave him a long, hard look. His lips twitched. "The aim is to get the opponent on their knees."

    "On their back."

  "Fine, on their back –"

    "Winner on top of loser who must be on their back."

My breath hitched. I certainly wouldn't mind him on top of me...in a room...in a bed...in...I quickly snapped out of my wishful thinking. "No. Winner stands to the side, away from loser who is lying on their back in surrender or fatigue or pain."

He chewed on his lower lip, gaze cunning; challenging. "I'm not going to play along if the winner doesn't get to go on top of the loser."

I gritted my teeth, trying not to realise just how badly he wanted to pin me between the floor and his glorious body. "Fine then, your highness."