Free Poison Kissed by Erica Hayes Page B

of oranges drifting from her hair. I slammed my palms into the glass so I wouldn’t rip her limbs off and snatch the vial from her bleeding hand. I was no better than that sorry bloodfae boy. If she wanted money, she could have it. A poignant memory or two? No problem. If she wanted to fuck, I’d do that, too. Just feed me.
    “Whoa, easy on, lady.” Smoke-cracked voice, dark and familiar, the fleeting scent of bourbon and expensive men’s perfume. Strong hands grabbed the fairy’s soft silver hair and yanked her away from me.
    The fairy snarled, golden spit flecking, and Vincent shouldered between us, though her height outstripped his and probably her strength, too. Pretty boy acted tough enough when it suited him. “Whatever you’re selling, she ain’t paying like that.”
    “Want your own, candy child? Ask her yourself.” She ran that long brown tongue over her teeth in a lascivious wet grin and scampered away.
    My body screamed, thwarted. I wanted to scream, too, chase her and make her give me what I wanted. I whirled and shoved Vincent in the chest, wrath sparking from my fingers and welling deep in my lungs. “What the fuck did you do that for?”
    “Thought you needed help.” He turned his wounded hot-chocolate eyes on me, that wishful-yet-sultry you might be out of my league, princess, but I can show you one helluva good time gaze. No doubt that sexy let-me-make-you-moan glance wheedled him into more girls’ beds than he deserved.
    But not this angry blue banshee. My fingers itched for a weapon, to gut the sneaky little fucker. I didn’t for a moment mistake his effort for gallantry. Whatever he’d secretly texted Joey about me, it wasn’t good. He was undermining me, yet he was supposed to be on my side. “Like you give a toss about helping me, Vinny. I don’t need help from a lying little weasel like you. What sick shit did you tell the boss about me, huh?”
    “Calm down, Minwah, okay? I didn’t say nothing.” He sidled back up to me, scraping his elaborate hair even more elaborately messy and endearing. Had to give him points for guts. He stuffed his hands into his faded jeans pockets, and pulled them out again, nervous. “Look, are you, uh . . . are you needing?”
    Like it wasn’t obvious. I resisted niggling sympathy. He was my friend, and he was just a human. It wasn’t his fault he had to lie and connive to get what he wanted. But he still had no right. I averted my face, my skin still running with sweat. “That’s none of your goddamn business.”
    “I can help you.”
    “I told you. I don’t want your help.” I jammed my still-silent phone away and walked off. If Cobalt wasn’t here, I’d have to go home and sweat it off. Terrific.
    But Vincent grabbed my elbow, fingers warm and tight in the joint, and pulled me back against him. His warm whisper shivered my hair. “Ain’t you sick of following him?”
    “What?” I tried to shake him off, but I didn’t try very hard, distracted by his body, hard and fragrant against my back, his pulse feeding my hungry ears. “Are you high or something? Get off me before I hurt you.”
    “The boss. He’s never gonna make you his equal. Don’t that hurt?”
    “Dunno what you’re talking about.” I tried to ignore his fingers, gliding dulcet on my wrist. A moment ago, he forced me still. Now he invited me to stay, and temptation prickled nerves deep inside me that hungered for stimulation, any sensation to make me feel alive.
    “You and me, Mina.” His words slid deftly into my vampire-addled blood, caressing me to warm desire. He slipped his arm around my waist with uncanny seducer’s instinct. “We’re both strong, smart, tough. We’ve both got . . . talents. We’d make a good team. No rule says Joey’s gotta be the boss.” He caressed my bare midriff, lingering on the belt of my low-cut pants, his thumb teasing inside.
    I turned to face him, letting his hand slip over my hip. His thighs felt strong and warm against