Part 9 (1/2)
”I didn't say that. Do you want to sit and watch me beat the floor with my feet? Or would you rather play security outside the back door?”
”Now you're taking advantage of me. Did you consider I might have something to do after your little meeting?”
”Like watching me?”
She had him there.
He didn't like being a third wheel. Just who was this Seth, and how had the mortal attracted attention from the likes of the insufferable Elvira? She normally didn't do mortals. Not for long.
”He's already inside. I can see him.” Bella waved and then touched Severo's chest.
Severo knew what was coming. ”I can stay outside if you prefer to keep your dog tied up on the leash.”
”Now look who's getting snarky.” She toyed with the collar of his leather jacket. The dark shadowing around her eyes made the green irises so bold, like sweets to be devoured. ”I was going to invite you in.”
”I'd like that. But?”
”But let me do the talking, okay? This is weird enough introducing you to Seth.”
”Weirder than him confessing to you that he's dating the mistress of the night?”
”I suppose not. Are we dating?”
”I consider you the only woman in my life. But if we must do some sort of ritual involving movies and dinner and roses, I confess I've fallen short.”
Her shy smile made him want to kiss her, to show the world how she had captured him. But they were in the parking lot of a family restaurant. He had a sense of decorum. Unlike vampires, he could control his animal instincts. Most of the time.
The hostess directed Bella and Severo to a table at the back of the restaurant that was lit by a flickering plastic Tiffany reject hanging overhead.Already standing in wait, Seth hugged Bella and kissed her on the mouth. A quick kiss, but a kiss all the same. Some friend.
Severo's hackles p.r.i.c.kled, but he played the cool one, waiting until the jerk noticed him.
”This is Severo,” said Bella, introducing them.
Severo offered his hand, but the twerp stumbled backward and landed in the booth.
”You didn't tell me you were bringing him along. Bella, what the h.e.l.l? Three days ago you learn about paranormals, and now you're dating one?”
”We're not dating,” Severo said as he slid onto the vinyl booth behind Bella. He made a point of leaning over to kiss her cheek, then tilted her jaw so he could kiss her fully on the mouth. He glanced to Seth. ”We're just exploring mating possibilities.”
The man's stunned gape served Severo a satisfying victory. ”Christ, Bella, you said this guy almost raped you.”
”I would never. Did you say that to him?” asked Severo.
”He's cool, Seth. And no, I didn't say you raped me. But I wasn't sure what you were capable of that night.” She patted his hand. Severo didn't like the condescending move, so he pulled back his hand and slipped it, fisted, inside his jacket pocket.
”Seth, Severo has been keeping an eye on me in case the vampires come back.”
”What? Why would they? Like, come back for you?” Seth quizzed.
Severo did not like the tone in the man's voice. h.e.l.l, he was hardly a man. Lanky and pale, he looked like a teenager. Why did young men think that wearing their hair in their eyes was attractive?
”Has he been filling your mind with stupid fairy tales to get you to forgive his callous treatment?” Seth asked. ”What's your deal, man?”
”You're a testy one, aren't you? Elvira's lovers are usually more subdued. Drained, actually,” Severo replied.
Seth blinked. ”Elvira?”
”He calls your girlfriend that,” Bella offered.
”Her name is Evie,” Seth snapped. ”And how do you know her?”
”Oh, we go back a long way, me and the mistress of the night,” said Severo.
”The mistress...”
Seth's sputtering affront did not impress Severo. The idiot mortal was caught up in the vampire's allure. Actually, he was probably heavily under vampire persuasion and unable to resist the longtooth b.i.t.c.h.
”Just listen, will you?” Bella pleaded with her friend. ”Tell him what you suspect, Severo. Why the vampires are after me.”
He did not owe this mortal a thing, but Bella asked so nicely that he wanted to please her. ”I believe Evie is jealous of you and Bella. That's why she sicced her sycophants on her the other night.”
”Jealous? Of what?” asked Seth.
”Of your relations.h.i.+p with Bella,” Severo said calmly. He scented the man's growing rage. It wasn't a normal reaction. The vampire b.i.t.c.h had been drinking from him; he could smell the vile longtooth oozing from his pores. ”She's seen the two of you together, I'm sure.” ”We're just friends,” Seth hissed.
Severo nodded. ”But you love Bella, yes?”
”Of course I do.”
”Vampires are pernicious creatures. While they toy with love as if it were meant to be batted about like a volleyball, they will also smash it to oblivion if it serves their pleasure,” Severo explained.
”Yeah? What about werewolves? I thought you guys were the ones who were so protective of your mates?” Seth challenged.
”We are.” Severo slid a hand around Bella's shoulder and pulled her against him. ”You want to try me?”
”Jeez, Bella.” Seth shoved his gla.s.s of ice water to the center of the table and slammed his arms across his chest. ”I don't want to talk to this creep.” He sneered at Severo. ”What made you think you could invite yourself along?”
”Because you don't have Bella's best interests in mind,” Severo stated calmly.
”That's it, man. I'm out of here,” Seth thundered.
”Back to your vampire mistress?” Severo asked as the guy slid out from the booth. He was but a kid. Couldn't be a day over twenty. Which made him wonder how Bella had ever hooked up with him in the first place. ”She's seen you interact with Bella.
My guess is she doesn't want the compet.i.tion.”
”Bella means nothing to me,” Seth spat. He shrugged his fingers through his hair. ”Well, you know, Bella. We're not like that. We don't 'explore mating possibilities.' Christ, now I'll never get the image out of my head of you and wolf boy here-”
In less than a breath Severo held the man by the s.h.i.+rt lapels. He didn't lift him so high that his feet left the ground. Didn't want to cause a scene. ”You tell your mistress to back off.”