Frozen Desires (Asylums for Magical Threats 2)

Marco blinked. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights, confused and not quite sure what to do. “Usually, yes.”

She shook her head and dislodged his grip on her chin. “Pick-up lines don’t work on me, so don’t even try.” Aware that she’d let her guard down temporarily, she leaned away from him to help her focus. For some reason, his nearness always seemed to unsettle her.

After a quick sweep with her eyes to ensure no one was listening to their conversation, she asked, “Where did you learn the old language?”

The band struck up a new song. Marco regained his composure and gave her a lazy smile. “Dance with me and I’ll tell you.”

“I don’t dance in public.”

He released his grip on her waist and put out a hand. “I was watching you before, and I know you want to. I can lead you through the steps.”

Trying not to think about how he’d snuck up on her a second time—she was going to have to figure out how he did that—Cam tilted her head. “Weren’t you saying I’m too memorable and that I needed to blend in more?”

“Then do this.” He grabbed her braid, tore off the hair-tie, and tossed it over his shoulder.

She narrowed her eyes. “What is it with you and invading personal boundaries? What if someone comes along and I need to protect myself? I can’t have my hair flying into my face. You know that, it’s Battle Tactics 101.”

He gave a half-shrug. “We’re in the middle of a crowded square, full of witnesses. If someone were going to attack, they’d wait until we left.”

He had a poin

t, but she still didn’t like how he’d just assumed he knew what was best. It’d probably worked for him in the past with other women who’d wanted a dominant male, but not this time. Cam was a high-ranking DEFEND soldier for a reason.

Just as she moved to turn away, Marco grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the square. Cam just barely kept from tripping. “I never said yes.”

“But you never said no.” He swung around, taking both of her hands in his. “Count to four if it helps, but watch my feet at first until you get a feel for the steps. It’s a little fast, so try to keep up.”

He started moving, and it took all of her concentration to mimic his steps. There were too many eyes on them, and she needed to avoid drawing any extra attention to her or Marco.

She wouldn’t let him make a fool out of her. The next time they were alone, however, she would take him to task.

Once she found the beat and had the hang of it, she looked back up at Marco. He had forced her to dance, but he was trapped with her as much as she was with him. She was determined to get some information out of him. “Now, tell me where you learned the old language.”

Chapter Nine

Despite her protests, Cam was a quick learner. As she moved to the basic steps of the cumbia, her hair slipped out of her braid and fell into soft waves down to her waist. Between her casual clothes and free-flowing hair, she looked like just another young woman on vacation in Mexico. No one watching them would suspect her of having claws and a way with weapons most soldiers would envy.

Marco could almost like the non-overkill side of Camilla Melini.

She soon looked up with triumph in her eyes at mastering the steps, and he nearly sucked in a breath. Her whole face changed with a smile.

But when she asked about where he’d learned the old language, he remembered that he wasn’t here to notice Cam as a woman. His secrets were too dangerous to share with anyone, no matter how much he yearned to be free of the burden.

No, he’d do what he was best at—deflecting.

He tightened his grip on Cam’s hands and stuck as close to the truth as he could. “I learned the language, and many other things, from my maternal grandfather. Back in his day, in rural Colombia, it was easier to learn the language and not get caught.” Marco added a bit more flair to their dancing. “But what I want to know is why you’re out here alone despite my warnings about the shifter.”

Cam dug her claws into the back of his hand. “I don’t need you to protect me. Unless the shifter is mentally unstable, no one would dare show their abilities in a crowded place like this.” She was silent a second, but he knew to hold his tongue. He was rewarded when she added, “I’d thought that since you’d seen me in action in the jungle, you wouldn’t second-guess my abilities or skills like every other man I’ve met, apart from Jacek. But I guess I was wrong.”

He tightened his grip on Cam’s waist. “How do you know he’s not mentally unstable? More and more people have been committing violent acts these days, especially toward our people or the first-borns in general. First, a shifter followed you back in the States, and then another one shows up here. I have a feeling someone wants either you or something you know, and they must want it desperately.”

Marco continued the dance steps as he and Cam stared at each other. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking, and it pissed him off. The stubborn woman and her pride.

Cam eventually tried to pull away, but he tightened his arm about her waist and never broke eye contact. She had a habit of not wanting to talk, and he wasn’t having it.

He wanted some answers.

She tugged again, to try to get away, but Marco didn’t let go. Her tone was steel when she said, “I need to get back to my team.”