Magic Forged (Hall of Blood and Mercy #1)(67)

“I’m just checking,” I sniffed.

“You should know your vampire lore better than to think such an idiotic thing.” He rolled his eyes and squatted down so he could lightly cuff the back of my head, which was exactly what I wanted him to do.

The water was almost chest high for me, so I was able to jump pretty high and latch my arms around Killian’s neck. I then pushed off the pool wall, attempting to drag Killian into the pool.

I was shocked when Killian actually tipped forward and fell in, plunging into the water with me—I kind of figured I’d just hang from his neck like a monkey and get a laugh out of the other vampires. But I realized the miscalculation in my plan when I finally put it together that I’d pulled the tall vampire down on top of me. And there were more than half a dozen over-protective and ultra-loyal vampires hanging around just feet away, and while they would enjoy me making an idiot of myself, there was a possibility they might see this as an attack.





Chapter Eighteen





Hazel





Killian planted his feet before he could smash me into the bottom of the pool and stood, dragging me up through the water since my hands were still clasped behind his neck.

Since he was so much taller than me, the water was just a bit over his waist, which meant most of me was out of the water since I still hung from his neck. Water drizzled off his face as he stared at me—his suit soaked through. I shook my head and twisted, scanning the Drake vampires for signs of aggression. It didn’t look like they’d moved an inch, thankfully.

“Well,” I laughed nervously. “Wasn’t that funny? So…goodbye!” I let go and did my best to run through the water to make my escape.

“Not so fast.” Killian caught me by the wrist and dragged me back.

“It was supposed to be a joke—I didn’t think you’d actually let yourself fall!” I babbled.

Killian ignored me and juggled my wrist so he could take off his black suitcoat, which hit the patio with a wet splat when he tossed it.

“I am really, truly, very sorry. I repent, 100%,” I said.

He ran a hand through his dark hair—looking more like a model in an ad than waterlogged like I did.

“I’ll run laps,” I offered when he finally looked back at me. “To show how sorry I am.”

He reeled me in like a fish and pinned me against his chest, then wordlessly walked toward the opposite end.

Oohh, he was going to throw me in the deep end—which was no joke; it went down at least eight or nine feet.

Immediately I changed tactics and wrapped my arms around his neck, clinging to him in the vain hope I’d be too slippery to pry off as Killian drifted into water that was about shoulder height for him—which meant I wouldn’t be able to touch the ground without dunking my head underwater.

“I’m sorry, it was a miscalculation—a boo-boo,” I said.

“Do I appear to be angry?” Killian mildly asked—his chest vibrating slightly as he spoke.

“No,” I glumly said. “But that’s only because you’re about to get your revenge.”

Since I was leaning into Killian—which meant our heads were side by side—I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel his smirk.

I wasn’t about to be swindled into letting him go, so I squeezed even tighter. “I really didn’t think you’d let yourself fall in,” I grumbled.

“It seemed harmless.” Killian positioned himself so he was under the shade of one of the trellises—which cut the intense sunlight. “And you looked thoroughly pleased with yourself at the moment.”

I didn’t relax my grasp, but the stiffness left my body. “I didn’t realize until you were in the water that my actions could possibly be misinterpreted.”

“As what? An attempt to baptize me?” Killian snorted.

“No, you—or your backup—could have thought I was trying to attack you!”

Killian laughed. Not his scary laugh that was deep and dark, but a lighter sound that made his chest buzz and lasted a couple of seconds.

I didn’t think I’d said anything that funny, but as I adjusted my grasp on his neck—this time grabbing a fistful of the collar of his white shirt, which was almost transparent in the water—I glanced at the other vampires.

Their stance had actually relaxed, and I saw a few of them had the tiniest of smiles tugging at their faces—making them look a lot more…well…alive than I’d recently seen them.

“Hazel Medeis,” Killian said when he finished laughing. “You are, first and foremost, a virtuous idiot. You would never attempt to attack me in my own home, much less at my own pool. Out on the streets if I was already in a fight, perhaps. But you’re far more likely to sell off information about me to the highest bidder.”

“What? I would not!” Outraged, I loosened my hold on Killian so my arms were no longer wedged around his neck and I could lean back and peer up at him.

Killian’s smirk was back. “Not even to secure allies for House Medeis?”

“Especially not then,” I stressed. “If I can’t keep Medeis running without breaking trust I don’t deserve it.”

“You would abandon your friends and family to the dubious care of your cousin?”