Free Seizing Darkness (Fur, Fangs, and Fairies) by Mariana Thorn Page B

how to bring out the best in me.
    “Sorry, Kitten, you’re stuck with me until we find out who wants to kill you,” he said.
    “Maybe I would prefer Dante to you. At least he treats me with some respect. And I’m going to draw blood from the next person that calls me Kitten.” I stepped back to scowl at him.
    “I’ll see what I can do. Let’s get some food and clothes for you first, okay? Then we can revisit the topic,” he said. At least he was willing to think about it.
    “I can work with that.” I smiled, knowing I would wear him down eventually. “Where’s your car?”
    “Right this way, Princess.” He smirked at me when I scowled at him again.
    I grumbled under my breath. I could see his shoulders shake and it made me want to wipe the smile from his face. The only thing that distracted me was his car. Yes, it was the same one I’d ridden in last night, but at the time all I’d been concerned about was the pain I was in.
    “Can I drive?” I asked.
    He looked at me with a big cat grin. “Like the car, huh?”
    “Oh yeah,” I replied with enthusiasm. I ran my hand along its glossy black hood. Fast and sleek. I was planning on getting one someday.
    “Maybe I’ll wait until I do something that really pisses you off, and then let you drive it,” he said with that sexy smile again.
    I really wanted to hate him for what he could do to me with just a look. “Oh, you think I can be bought?” I bantered.
    “Yes I do.” He had a mischievous look in his eyes. He motioned me to get in the passenger seat.
    I complied after giving him a glare. “I’ll let you have your opinion for now. How old are you and Dante?” I put on my seatbelt and settled back into the nice soft leather.
    “We were born sometime during the late fifteen hundred ’s in eastern Europe,” he said.
    “You don’t sound like you’re that old. Of course you don’t even really have an accent. I knew Val was old, but seriously he must be ancient,” I said. Then I quietly added, “I wish I knew where I was from and when I was born.”
    “You still have no memory of who you were before?” he asked.
    I shook my head.
    “Well I can help you look into it after we finish up this whole mess.”
    “You would do that?” I asked.
    “Sure, if you forgive me for implying you had brain damage.”
    “Maybe,” I replied slyly.
    He laughed.
    After a moment of thought I said, “I don’t think it was a coincidence that they attacked me last night.”
    “Nor do I. Am I right that last night was your night not to shift?” he asked.
    I sighed. There was no way around not telling him. I didn’t think he would use it against me anyway so I answered honestly. “Yes.”
    “I don’t like this.” His face looked grim in the grey light that came through the dark-tinted windows. The clouds let very little light through this time of year.
    “You don’t like it, but I’m the one they tried to kill.”
    “What do you want first? Food, coffee or shoes?” he asked.
    “Coffee, food, then shoes,” I replied. Closing my eyes, I tried to remember why he was off limits. I couldn’t come up with anything other than I had to wo rk with him. This was not good…or maybe it was. My mind kept going back and forth on the issue. I was glad that he was keeping to neutral topics for now.
    “I see your priorities are straight.” He got off the freeway near the mall and went through the drive-through coffee stand, followed by a fast food drive-through.
    He drove toward the mall as we drank our coffee. Soon we arrived at the shoe store. “What kind of shoes do you want?”
    “Well, since you asked. I want a pair of Pumas, black please. I wear size seven and a half.”
     “At least you want shoes you can run around in.”
    “Of course. I can go get the other shoes after you get me the Pumas.”
    “Other shoes?” he said, raising his eyebrows.
    “It’s a girl thing. Now scoot. My feet are cold.” I shooed him from the car.
    He got out laughing.
    I