Ripper (Hunter #1)(59)

He strode toward the door of the club, sweeping me along in my bare feet. The doorman nodded as Marcus hurried through. I jogged to keep up with him.

“Are you upset with me?” He was suddenly in a big hurry to end our evening. I pulled back. Maybe he’d figured out how bad traffic could be and he didn’t want to drive thirty to forty-five minutes to take me home. “Look, Vorenus, I’ll call a cab if it’s too much trouble.”

He continued on, not looking back at me and I’d had enough. I planted both feet and ceased moving. The vampire turned, his eyes flaring with anger. I pulled my hand out of his.

“What did I do?” Where had I gone wrong this time? At least I’d understood how I pissed Gray off. Was Marcus that upset that I’d gotten some words wrong? It didn’t seem like that would make him mad, but I didn’t understand protocol.

“I’m not an idiot, Ms. Atwood.” The vampire’s eyes seemed to rake over me, and there was no admiration in them. “Perhaps I am since I spent the evening mooning over a piccola puttana. Tell Devinshea his plan did not work.”

“What does that mean?” I pulled away from the man I’d been becoming friends with. I should have walked away, but I wanted to know what he’d called me. I had a sneaking suspicion and it made my heart hurt. Stupid that I’d gotten so close to him in the course of a few hours. “If you want to insult me at least do it in a language I understand. Be a man. What did you call me?”

“Little whore.”

I’d wanted to see what he was like when his guard was down and I was getting it in full measure now.

I reached out and slapped him full on across the face, enjoying the satisfying crack of flesh against flesh. I pulled myself up to my full height and really wished I’d worn something other than a stupid dress. I’d have felt less vulnerable if I’d worn jeans and a T-shirt. I would have been myself and I would have remembered to not trust people. I’d stared at myself in the mirror at Gray’s place and thought that looking pretty made me pretty, but it didn’t. I was still my father’s daughter and I still couldn’t find someone to accept me as I was.

“Fuck you, vampire,” I said with all the anger I could manage through the hurt. When the hell was I going to learn? I tried to stalk past him. I would get to the garage with as much dignity as I had left and I would call a cab. I hoped I had enough cash. I doubted they would take my IOU until I could cash the faery’s check.

“Tell me you’re not working for the prince.” Marcus grabbed my arm.

“I’m not telling you anything except good-bye.”

“You seriously expect me to believe that you are innocent? That you aren’t working with him?”

“I don’t give a shit what you believe. Let me go.” I managed to get my arm out of his hold.

“You’re a witch with the power to avoid persuasion,” the vampire accused. “Persuasion is my talent, but you know that. You’re the perfect person to send to me. You can tell your boss that until I hear the words from the king, I won’t leave. If the king wants me gone then I’ll go, but Devinshea can’t trick me into doing something to get me banished. He’ll have to try something else.”

“I’m not a witch, *.” I pulled off the little anklet charm Liv had made for me. I held it up, pointing it Marcus’s way. “I’m a piddling human who has no idea what you mean by avoiding persuasion. If you mean I won’t let some f*cker in my head tell me what to do, then I guess I’m guilty. If you don’t mind, I’ll get the f*ck out of your line of fire.”

I started toward the elevator.

“Merda,” I heard the vampire curse. I might not know what it meant, but I knew a dirty word when I heard it.

I didn’t turn around. I kept walking. I made it to the elevator and pushed the button. The doors opened and I got inside. I stared blankly at the keypad and remembered Liv had pushed a bunch of numbers in like a code. I didn’t remember the damn code. I’d been looking up at Gray, thinking how handsome he was in his suit. I hated men so much in that moment. I was going to have to go through the indignity of getting back off the elevator, walking past the pretended-to-be-a-nice-guy vampire and back into the club. I so wasn’t doing that. I pushed a single number, thinking I’d get out of here and call Liv and maybe she could talk me through it. I pushed the buttons randomly, but the doors wouldn’t close.

“You have to know the code,” Marcus said quietly, standing in the doorway.

“I’ll figure it out.” I let the chill I felt climb into my voice. Cold. Cold was better than hot. Hot brought tears. Cold was much more dignified.

“Tell me you are what you say you are.” There was a slight pleading in his voice. “I…no longer know what to believe. Per favore. Please.”

There was no mask left on Marcus’s face. He looked tired and sad and I couldn’t help but respond. I felt as tired as he looked. “I’m just a girl, Vorenus. I met Devinshea Quinn a couple of hours ago. I kind of thought he was an *, but not nearly as big an * as I think you are. Please let me go home. I want to go home.”

The vampire said nothing as he stepped into the elevator and pressed the series of numbers that started it moving. I held myself as far from him as possible.

“Take the car, Kelsey.” He held his keys out.