Chapter 52

"I'm not so bad, little witch,"Blue's voice was a gentle purr.
We were seated at a beautifully decorated table next to a metal railing, on a balcony two stories above the beach. The moonlight created silver stripes across the water and turned ships into mysterious shadow creatures. Candlelight warmed Blue's skin to caramel and was reflected back to me as twin flames in the sunglasses he wore. His hair was slicked neatly into a ponytail, and he was dressed in a black tailored suit with a white shirt, open at the neck. He looked sophisticated in the shades, but they made me a little uncomfortable. I felt bare and torn open, while he hid behind those black lenses. Then, almost as if in response to my unease, he removed the sunglasses and set them aside. The thing was; I still couldn't clearly see his eyes. The shadows deepened them to an indistinguishable color.
"I have dreams and desires. I pursue them as any man would. Can you fault me for making you a part of my dreams, for desiring you?"He took my hand gently in his.
"You don't pursue as a man,"I whispered as a shiver went down my spine. "You pursue as a god, and Gods don't play fair."
"Neither do men."Blue lowered his mouth to the back of my hand so slowly that I had every opportunity to pull away.
But I didn't. I let him caress me with his lips. I let his teeth graze over my flesh, and I shivered again.
I'd gone completely batty. What was wrong with me? What was I even doing there with him? I looked around the restaurant for some clue; something to jar my memory. I couldn't even recall how I'd arrived. People filled the tables around us, but their conversations were soft, muted. I couldn't focus on a single word being said. Then I realized that I knew the place. I'd been there before. Frowning, I tried to concentrate.
"You're like a cool rush of wind,"Blue's voice went breathless. "You soothe my skin while you stoke the fire within me."
"Have you stolen my memories?"I rounded on him suddenly.
I'd finally figured out where we were. Bali by the Sea, one of my favorite posh restaurants. How else could he have known of this place? He must have seen it in my head.
"When I entered your body before, I saw glimpses into your past."His face seemed to soften as he spoke. "I wanted you at first because you fascinated me. You made me feel interest for the first time in centuries. Interest beyond the sweet flesh and blood of a woman."
I felt my face flush, and he smiled at me fondly. Somehow it embarrassed me even more.
"You wanted to seduce me and then kill me when you were done."I looked him over as if he repulsed me. "Let me give you a tip; the next time you want a woman, don't tell her you intend to kill her when you get bored. It tends to ruin the mood."
"We were enemies."He shrugged as if killing women after he had sex with them was a natural, everyday occurrence. "I was honest and if you were honest with yourself, you'd admit that you're attracted to me as well. You resist me only because of our different opinions. It's this struggle between your lust and your ideals that made me want you even more, but I didn't love you until I saw into your mind."
Blue leaned forward and the light finally caught the blood red of his eyes. They shimmered and stared hard into mine as if he could see through me; into every dark place inside me. I swallowed hard and felt my teeth clench. I felt even more violated than I had from the altar dream. Here he was professing his love to me, and all I could think was; he's obsessed with me because he took advantage of me in a dream, and he knows I would never be with him in real life. Blue simply wanted what he couldn't have. How could he possibly think this was romantic?
"When I saw your strength tempered by kindness,"he continued relentlessly, "your passion for your art, your search for beauty in all things, your determination to fight for your race even though you fear it will turn you into a monster, your effort to train yourself to be strong, but retain the femininity you love, all the conflict and glory of you, I was overwhelmed. I didn't stand a chance."
"Oh, my God."Our waitress had returned to pour our champagne, and she caught the tail end of his declaration. I hadn't even noticed her; I was so enthralled with his twisted speech. "I think I'd kill to hear a man say that to me. If you don't snatch him up, you're insane, sweetie."
She smiled brightly, but her hands shook a little as she poured my bubbly. I understood how she felt. I was a little shaky myself. Although, for an entirely different reason.
Blue gave her a gentle smile, and she flushed before she returned it and hurried away. I was still dumbstruck. Say something, Vervain, speak! I opened my mouth but all that came out was a rush of air. I closed it and then opened it again. Still nothing. I must've looked like a fish. A dying fish.
"Did, uh."I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry, did you just say that you love me?"
"Yes."Blue shook his head as if he was a little surprised by it as well. "I believe I did. I haven't spoken those words in a long time. I think I like saying them to you. I love you, little witch."He smiled brightly, like a child who'd just learned to tie his shoes.
I sipped my drink and let its warmth slip through me; doing a little to calm my racing pulse. Breathe; in and out, in and out. I could handle this situation. I am a professional when it comes to Gods. I could distance myself and analyze this thoroughly. He was the Aztec Satan, the Father of Vampires, the CEO of Bad Gods Incorporated. I hated him. I had to hate him; it was kind of in my job description . . . and he loved me. Well, at least he might not try to kill me now.
Unless it was a trick. Blue was clearly insane. He actually thought this little speech had a shot at winning me over. Maybe he thought he could steal me away from the God Squad by spouting some romantic bullshit. Then he'd either use me for some nefarious purpose or kill me outright. Those options made much more sense to me, but I was pretty sure we had completely different ideas of sense. What if he really did believe himself to be in love with me? What a twisted son of a bitch.
I took another sip of champagne since I couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't prompt a physical altercation. The silence stretched on, and he finally took my hand from my glass and held it, just held it. I looked up at him with both annoyance and trepidation.
"I wanted you to understand why I'm pursuing you,"he explained. "I wanted you to know that you're safe with me; will always be safe with me. I didn't say those things to make you uncomfortable or make you think I expected you to return my feelings immediately. I've had the honor of sharing your mind. You know nothing of mine so you can't possibly feel the same. I would share that with you as well, but I fear that some of my memories would haunt you."
I sighed. "Okay, I officially feel safe."Not. "I'll try and relax, but it's a little hard after a declaration of love from a god."From a psycho god.
I had a fleeting thought that there was another god who loved me, but I couldn't remember his name. Why was everything so fuzzy? I looked down at my drink suspiciously.
Blue laughed his sweet laugh and that sound was something I did remember. I breathed it in and let it slide over me. He was passionate heat and silk velvet, and he was going to make my life hell; I just knew it. Even knowing how evil he was, how he'd probably kill me if given a chance, I couldn't deny his appeal. Must be that bad boy thing. Damn, we women could sure be dumb when it came to men. Blue got up and held a hand out to me.
"Dance with me?"I took his hand, and suddenly the restaurant was gone. What the hell?
We were alone on an expanse of ruby floor. The room seemed to go on forever; fading into darkness at the edges. I stared around me in confusion, but then Blue pulled me in close and started moving me expertly around the floor. There was music playing, but I had no idea where it was coming from; it was simply there. Hidden speakers I guess.
I leaned my cheek on Blue's chest and it struck me how perfectly I fit against him. There was that quick sensation of another man again; that the man who should have been holding me was much bigger than Blue. That my face belonged somewhere around mid-chest instead of right beneath his chin. But then Blue's scent hit me—sweet and dark, like spiced chocolate—and I lost the trace of thought again. Didn't I hate this guy? What was wrong with my head?
"I want you to trust me, little witch,"Blue whispered into my hair. "So, I'm going to be honest with you now."
"What is it?"I pulled away from him and looked up into his face warily.
"This is a dream."He bit his lip self-consciously, and I noticed the point of a fang. "I've come to you in your sleep because it's the only way I know of to reach you; to speak with you, without any interference."
"Interference from who?"It all clicked back into place as soon as I questioned it aloud. It was as if my mind had just been waiting for me to say the secret word for it to blow away the cobwebs. "Thor,"I breathed as I backed up; pushing out of his embrace. Blue looked stricken, but I knew it was all a trick now. He'd been messing with my mind again. "Thor!"I screamed and sat up in bed as the dream fell away.
"What?"Thor sat up beside me; sparks dancing along his skin to broadcast his anxiety. "What is it?"He scanned the room and then came back to my face when he noticed nothing out of the ordinary. "Are you all right, darling?"
"It was Blue."I held my hands out before me and snarled in anger when I saw how they shook. "Damn that bastard! Why won't he just leave me alone?"
Blue's declaration of love felt more like a declaration of war; echoing in my head ominously. Talk about your fatal attractions.
"I thought you were able to keep him out now?"Thor's arm went around me and pulled me in close.
"I can, but it's harder when I'm sleeping."I let out a shaky breath and let him lay us back down.
"Tomorrow you train with Teharon again,"he said decisively as he pulled the covers back over us.
"Okay,"I whispered and snuggled against him as I formed steel boxes around Blue's link inside me.
Box after box after box. No more dream dancing with diabolical Aztecs for me.