“So, what, you guys lived like some idyllic TV show life by day and ran around in the forest by night? Eating questionable berries,” I added.
Riggs’ eyes twinkled with amusement. “Not exactly.”
“Well, it sounds like I wouldn’t be welcome in your world, anyway. No humans for miles, huh?”
I nodded. “If a powerful werewolf wanted you there, you could come. But it’s true that my kind don’t usually associate with humans. At least we don’t use them for food.” He said the last with a dark look toward the looming shape of Blackridge behind us.
“It sounds like they just take a few sips, though. It’s not like they’re killing people.”
“Not that they’ll tell you about, no,” I said.
I was quickly learning it was best not to let Riggs dwell on the topic of vampires. There was some deep-seated hatred there, and I had no idea how I’d even begin breaking him out of it—if that was even possible. “Library time!” I said cheerily.
The library was gorgeous. Two stories, dark wood, ladders on wheels, and the thick smell of dusty old pages. I did a slow spin when we came into the room, smiling. “I love this place.”
“Great,” Riggs said sourly.
I rushed over to the nearest shelf and started running my fingertips along the spines of books. “Do you think these are normal books? Or are they like… you know, vampire authors?” I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.
“Probably a little bit of both.”
I picked a book at random. “Tales of Jovan,” I read. “I’ll take this…” I walked over at random and climbed a few rungs up a ladder.
“Careful,” Riggs warned. He was at my side immediately, ready to catch me if I fell.
Just to mess with him, I pretended to lose my footing.
He swore and stuck his muscular arms up toward me. I was browsing the books for a few seconds when I remembered I was wearing a skirt. I hardly ever wore skirts, and I was hardly ever around men. But the cool air between my legs made me suddenly realize I was probably giving him a complete view of all things my ass.
I clamped my thighs together and pushed the back of my skirt against my thighs. I shot him a look, but he just met my eyes, giving no sign on whether he’d noticed.
I swallowed, then tried to casually come down a little until I wasn’t flashing him and could take my time picking out a few more books. Just past the embarrassment of thinking he’d seen up my skirt, there was a dangerous little flicker of excitement in my stomach. I wondered if he had seen. And I wondered if he’d liked what he saw.
Stupid, I thought.
When I was done, I had so many books that Riggs had to help me carry them.
We were on our way out when we practically bumped into Victor.
He was wearing a glossy black suit with faded gray swirling patterns sewn into the fabric. It was beautiful and oddly hypnotic. He took us in passively, then smiled. “I’m happy to see you’re enjoying the library,” Victor said. “Unfortunately, Blackridge rules are that no books leave the library.”
Riggs moved so his huge frame was between Victor and I. “Daywalker, eh?”
Victor nodded. “I try not to make it a habit.”
“But you’ll make an exception to keep an eye on your guests,” Riggs noted. “Is that right?”
The Prince calmly lifted the stack of books from my hands and walked past us to replace them on the shelves. “I spoke with your sister yesterday,” Victor said offhandedly while he worked. “She’d like to see you. I thought maybe we could arrange for a sit down tomorrow.”
“No,” Riggs said. His voice came grinding out of him like two stones being smashed together.
“I insist,” Victor said.
Riggs walked past me toward Victor. I made a fleeting effort to hold him back because his intent was clear. I got two hands on his arm, but he jerked free with ease, striding forward.
Victor turned just in time for Riggs to grip both lapels of his jacket and lift him off his feet, slamming him against one of the large bookshelves. A few books toppled free from the impact.
“I don’t give a shit what they call you,” Riggs said through clenched teeth. “I’m not one of your vampire groupies. You don’t insist with me.”
I barely felt like I could breathe. My neck felt like it was wrapped in tight fabric, constricting my airways. I tried not to think about what Riggs was doing. Assaulting the leader of the entire rebel resistance of vampires. Doing it in their mansion. Doing it while we were surrounded by them and hemmed in by the Coven vampires who also wanted us dead.
“Riggs,” I whispered. “Please.”
Victor was watching Riggs impassively. It didn’t make sense. You would’ve had to be blind not to see that Riggs was a twitch away from ripping Victor’s throat out, but the vampire didn’t look bothered. He just looked… interested.