Running from His Claim (Beauty and the Beast #2)

Chapter 37

Her head tilted and she blinked those cat eyes at me. "And what makes you say that?"

"Are you kidding me? Look at you. You had to corner one frail human girl in a huge forest just to be able to kill her, and yet you're actually enjoying it?" I scoffed. "And you expect your prince to be impressed by that? He's the ultimate predator, he'd have snapped my neck without a thought if I was his prey, and yet you want to honor me by making it seem like a big thing to kill me. You call me weak and worthless but my death is a memorable event to you. Pathetic."

"Why, you -!" she began in outrage.

"You've noticed it, haven't you?" I went on calmly. "How bored he is with you? He hasn't smiled once since you got back in his life." - lie, he smiled in my room - "He doesn't show you the affection he used to show me." When her thoughts seethed, I let myself smile cuttingly and tilted my head. "Just how often does he tell you he loves you? Tell me, has he said it even once?"

She was silent.

My brows rose as I laughed, "Don't tell me you - oh, my! He's never even touched you, has he?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She fumed.

"Can you really blame him?" I asked softly. "Look at you, using your panther form to try to kill a little human. I took on a vampire for him, and yet you want to impress him with what? My head?" I shook my head and waved my hand dismissively. "You disgust me. Get this over with."

She went silent again. Deathly silent. I fought the urge to gulp. Had I gone too far?

Slowly, she shrunk until she was in her human form. Her eyes were fixed on me, her jaw clenched as she stalked closer to me. I worked hard to keep my glee off my face. If she was in this form I could complete my plan. I had a higher chance than I had a minute ago, anyway.

"You think too highly of yourself," she said slowly, coming to a stop right in front of me.

"No, you think highly of me," I corrected, smirking. "I have to say though, I was flattered when you were trying to use your utmost strength to kill me. Will you still use it now? Use all your strength and speed to end me? Will you make it quick and painless?"

She growled and glared in annoyance. "Why're you so happy to talk about your death?"

I laughed heartily. "Were you expecting fear? Sorry to disappoint you, doll, but I was dating Warren Strandton, and right now I'm with Victor Thorne. Do you think anyone who fears death can live like that? No, I live for this thrill. Dangling over the precipice of death is my favorite drug." I winked at her and smiled. "And it will still be an honor to go out this way, killed by shifter strength."

"I don't need it," she muttered sulkily. "I can kill you at human strength and speed, if I want to."

"Are you sure? 'Cause I can prove to be too much for you," I quipped flippantly. "Better be safe. How will you explain to your prince that you were beaten by a human girl in a fight?"

She growled again and stepped closer. "Prepare yourself. I will kill you as a human, nothing else."

Wow.

I really hadn't expected her to make it this easy.

I sighed. "Okay, but I will put up a fight. I have a reputation to protect too, you know."