Poison's Kiss (Deadly Beauties 2)

Great.

"I assume you're referring to my-"

"Your inability to keep your hands off me when around me for too long? Yes."

He's almost smug with his matter-of-fact release, and I groan inwardly.

"I don't know, but I do have an idea of how we can avoid you slaughtering me like a lamb. If you want to hear it, that is."

He moves a hand in front of him, motioning for me to 'take the floor'.

"Take my blood while you're still sane. Witch blood is stronger, so it'll fuel you with less."

He grips his head again while shaking it.

"Absolutely not. Witch blood is toxic. It becomes addictive. There's a reason I never knowingly took any before."

He's still trying to act as though he didn't know what I was. Even now. Unbelievable.

"It'll be no more toxic if you take it now than if you take it later. The difference is, you could stop yourself from bleeding me dry right now. When you lose it, I won't stand a chance."

He grumbles under his breath, possibly cursing too softly for me to hear. He knows I'm right, and what scares the hell out of me is the fact I want him to do it for all the wrong reasons. I almost crave his touch in any way... enough to die for it, though I'm doing my best to seem composed.

"You know you'll feel venom."

I stand and move toward him, slipping off Gage's jacket as I do so. He squirms uncomfortably as I kneel before him, my knees touching his leg.

"Just don't leave me looking worse than this," I murmur while pulling down the veil that hides the hideous scar left behind years ago. "I know now it's possible to be bitten without scarring this badly. The first one never scarred at all, and Isolis barely left a mark."

I motion to the second set of bites, though they're nearly faded from existence.

"Who the hell did this to you?" He jerks me closer to study the old wound, and I gasp at the feel of his touch on my skin.

He was very careful not touch me when he was wrapping my knee. Now his hands are burning against my side where the shirt has risen, and my neck, where I want to feel his lips.

I almost heard anger or concern in his tone. I know it's nothing more than my wishful, twisted mind running awry. I can't love a monster, and he can't love his prey.

"It happened a long time ago."

His jaw clenches, and I wave my hand over the hideous scar to shield it from sight. I slide over to be in his lap, and his body stiffens against my touch.

"You should hurry before I do something stupid," I almost whisper, finding it impossible to not slide my hands up his chest, desperate to feel his lips on mine.

A flicker of humanity almost sparks in those eyes that refuse to go green. I'm staring into his hunting eyes, and I'm nothing but enthralled, entranced, and utterly in love.

"Alyssa, I'm too strong. There's only one venom I can use that won't nearly kill you or leave you writhing in pain for days."

"Poison's kiss? Yeah, I know. You've used it before. It'll hurt a little to deny it, but I'm sure you won't have a problem."

My snarky, bitter tone does well to mask my drenched desire for his touch.

"Alyssa, it wouldn't hurt me to deny it, but it'll hurt you... very badly. My venom is stronger than you realize. What I did to you those times... That was low key. If I feed from you-"

"Just do it before I make an idiot out of myself. We'll deal with it. Just push me away. You do damn good with that," I mumble, ready to end this close contact that is already killing

me.

I dread how much more painful it will be once that erotic venom finds my veins.