I hated that word.
Elf.
It defined me.
And he always seemed to use it as a way to put a division between us.
“They won’t ever approve of us,” Alex said mostly to himself, even though I was standing right there.
“Give me time,” I whispered. “Let me talk to my mother at least.”
“And your father?” He chuckled, finally meeting my gaze again. He was so pretty, my chest ached. “What about him?”
“Have whiskey ready,” I suggested. “Then maybe he’ll keep his claws in, Werewolves aren’t known for their restraint.”
“You sure you don’t have any claws, too, princess?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t call me that.”
“It’s the truth.”
The truth of why my parents wouldn’t approve of me wanting to marry one of the immortal councilmen.
A siren.
He was impossible to control. Everyone thought so. They were afraid of him, and a part of me always wondered — if he was a little afraid of himself.
“I’ll start with my mother. You worry about Father later, alright?”
Alex let out a heavy sigh and then reached for me, his shaking fingers grazed the front of my gown, his knuckles brushing across the top of my breasts.
“Go.” I swallowed a sob. “The last thing I need is you weak in front of my parents.”
“I hate this.” His eyes were sad.
“Me too.”
Licking his lips, he placed a kiss on my forehead touching my skin there with the tip of his tongue, and sending warmth radiating outward from the wet caress, he rarely did more than kiss me, lick me. He squeezed my shoulder before stepping back, grabbing his beaver hat, and walking away.
My heart ceased to beat, at least it felt like it.
He said he didn’t love them.
He said he didn’t care about them.
But I knew, every single time he walked away from me, it was because he was walking into someone else’s arms.
Someone else’s bed.
And at times, my hate matched the love I had for him.
“MOTHER?” WHY WE were meeting at a hotel, I had no idea. We were immortal women, already people looked at us differently because they sensed something was unique about us. It only drew more attention that we were by ourselves, without a male escort, at a hotel. “Is this wise?”
“It is safe.” She nodded. “Even right now, Sariel sends us protection.”
I shivered. Something felt wrong.
The other four women had kept oddly silent during the carriage ride and the entire way up to our rented meeting place.