Free Soul Seducer by Alicia Dean

posture was relaxed. The beautiful, white-toothed smile was in place. A satisfied glow emanated from him. He appeared ready to break out in song.
    She glanced back to Dimitri, who stood with his fists clenched at his sides, his teeth showing in a feral snarl. “What do you want, Gaylen?”
    The calm tone Dimitri had used with her altered. He growled the words, his body tense, as if holding itself back from pouncing.
    “I think you know.” Gaylen’s eyes moved to Audra. “Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. Properly, that is. I’m Gaylen.” He bent at the waist in a bow.
    Screw this. Did he expect her to curtsy?
    “What do you want?” she repeated Dimitri’s question.
    Gaylen smiled and flicked a glance at Dimitri. “I want to disprove whatever nonsense he’s fed you. I only want to be friends, to get to know you.” His amber eyes darkened to a burnished gold. He lowered his voice, and a shiver worked through her insides. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”
    “Don’t believe him, Audra. He only seeks to destroy.”
    She looked from one being to the other. Dimitri’s angry, ready-to-battle stance. Gaylen’s amused, calm, confident posture. Was she actually being asked to choose between two reapers ?
    She remembered the creepy costume Jaxon had shown her at the mall. The ghostly white mask...the black hooded robe...the deadly scythe. Somehow that image of a reaper now seemed a hell of a lot less scary. That was only a costume...a myth. The creatures here with her now were all too real.
    ~*~
    “What a night, huh?” Gaylen flashed a smile.
    She didn’t answer. Her eyes narrowed, and her brow furrowed. Her hands shook, either from the cold—maybe because of him. Whatever the cause, he liked it.
    Yes. This had been quite a day. He’d feel as though he’d died and gone to Heaven if he weren’t already dead. And, if this weren’t so much better than anything Heaven could offer.
    An evening that had begun with a successful harvest had culminated in being with Audra. Actually conversing with her. Like regular people. She was here, only a foot or so in front of him. He could sense her...smell the energy, the life emanating from her.
    God. This was the moment he’d been waiting for.
    The only thing that would make it better would be to touch her. Move closer...reach out a hand...taste her breath...He nearly groaned aloud. It had been so long since he’d tasted human breath...the nectar he craved with a painful, physical urge.
    Dimitri craved it too. He was just too self-righteous to acknowledge it. To give in to it. Gaylen would have no problem taking it if the opportunity arose...taking it until there was no breath left. But there was only one way to do that, and he wasn’t willing to take the risk. He’d just have to continue to fantasize.
    How would it feel to stroke her skin? To hold her throat between his hands, to feel it pulsing with life, like a butterfly beating delicate wings against its cage? How would her breath taste? So sweet and warm as he drew it in...
    “Get away from her!” Dimitri’s harsh command snapped him back to reality.
    Son of a bitch, the guy was a killjoy.
    Dimitri stormed toward him, his hands clenching and unclenching, no doubt with the urge to throttle him. Gaylen’s smile widened. The only thing better than being close to Audra was knowing Dimitri didn’t want him to be.
    “Chill, man.” Gaylen lifted his hands. “I’m not going to hurt her.”
    “Damn right you’re not.”
    Audra’s beautiful hazel eyes filled with confusion and fear, but she hadn’t tried to flee. Curious little kitten, wasn’t she?
    Gaylen forced his face into a trustful ‘I only want what’s best for you’ mask.
    “Audra,” he said gently. “Please don’t let him convince you I mean you harm. I’d never hurt you. Dimitri’s a little—” He gazed heavenward, searching for the right word. “He’s a little paranoid, a little melodramatic.”
    Audra laughed without