pathetic. absolutely pathetic.

"i'm not used to driving a stick."

"so you drove it into every tree and ditch you could discover?"

her lips thinned at his sharp tone. beautiful or not there were times when he was damn annoying.

"it's not that bad."

"it's a total wreck."

"i'll admit that there are a few scratches and dents, hardly a wreck."

the midnight eyes narrowed. "the drive shaft is beyond repair, the transmission is shot, the-"

"okay, there are some problems," she interrupted, inwardly wincing as she recalled just how many ditches and trees she had managed to locate. "it's just a car."

"just a car?" he blinked as if she had spoken a foreign language. "that is saying that a picasso is just another painting. it is ... was a masterpiece."

"you were the one who ordered me to take a car and leave."

"i did not realize that i needed to specify that it be returned in one piece."

enough. her chin stuck out and she planted her hands on her hips. he had to be the most insensitive, ungrateful, ill-mannered vampire ever to walk the earth.

"what do you want from me? an apology?"

for a moment he continued to glare at her and then without warning his rotten mood seemed to slide away and that dangerous, sinful smile slowly curved his lips.

"mmm... what do i want from you." he moved forward with a sensuous grace. "an intriguing question."

her heart gave an alarming jolt. all the warning she needed to keep this vampire firmly at arm's length.

"don't you dare come another step closer."

his soft chuckle trickled down her spine. "now, pet, you know better than to challenge me."

"don't do it."

of course he took that next step. he was a vampire, wasn't he?

shay allowed instinct to take over. as he reached out to touch her face, she grasped his arm and with a swift motion she was diving to the floor, using his momentary astonishment to pull him down with her. with a hard kick against the floor she had rolled viper onto his back and was perched on his chest.

it had all happened with such a smooth ease that shay knew that viper had done nothing to fight back. a suspicion that was confirmed as she glared into his smoldering eyes.

"now what do you intend to do with me?" he murmured softly, his hands moving to cup her hips in a suggestive grip.

thank god for the thickness of jeans. she wasn't sure what would happen if he touched her bare skin again.

nothing she should want.

"don't tempt me."

"but that is precisely what i want to do." he did something with his chest that rubbed against the juncture between her legs, sending a small shock of pleasure through her. "are you tempted?"

she gritted her teeth. "to put a stake through your heart."

"before or after you scream out your pleasure?"

"we don't have time for this nonsense," she muttered, giving a sudden shriek as he lifted himself to his feet in a fluid motion and she was forced to wrap her legs around his waist or be dropped onto her backside.

his arms lashed about her and he bent his head down to steal a fierce, hungry kiss.

a kiss that made her head spin before he pulled back with a sigh.

"unfortunately you are right." he gently placed her back to her feet. "we must make our plans."

shay wobbled, but she didn't fall down.

it was something.

"we?" she demanded.

"whether you like it or not, pet, you still belong to me."

she stiffened before common sense warned her that his provoking words had been deliberate. he wanted to distract her.

the question was why.

"you can't seriously intend to keep me around?" she demanded. "you were almost killed. why would you want near when it's bound to endanger your life?"

he shrugged. "it's a break from the monotony. i haven't ha anyone try to kill me for a very long time."

it sounded remarkably like levet's lame excuse. her eyes narrowed.

"i don't believe you. why don't you break the amulet and be free of me?"

his features hardened. "because you belong to me and i take care of what is mine."

belonged to him? ugh. "that's not reassuring."

his fingers brushed her cheek. "it should be."

she took a hasty step backward. dammit, he knew she couldn't think when he was touching her.

"you said something about a plan?" she demanded, accepting that he was going to remain like a thorn in her side no matter how stupid or dangerous it was to be around her.

men.

"it is obvious we cannot simply hide," he murmured, leaning against the counter to look cool and perfect. "we must decide how best to keep you safe."

"the lu said that we must look to my curse." shay furrowed her brow. "what did he mean?"

"i haven't the least notion. what do you know of your curse?"

"nothing."

"you must know something."

shay shrugged. "i was very young and i only have vague memories of being in a dark cave and a sharp pain in my shoulder."

"your shoulder?"

shay paused before she heaved a sigh and tugged at the neckline of the comfortable sweatshirt she had discovered in her closet. turning around she revealed the brand that marred the skin of her shoulder blade.

she was prepared for the feel of his finger lightly tracing the perfect circle that enclosed the intricate, strangely drawn symbols. she had studied the brand a thousand times over the years. she knew that in the overhead light it would possess a faint glow, and that it would have an odd translucent quality to it. as if it floated a breath above her skin rather than being a part of her body.

ever so softly his fingers brushed her skin, as if fascinated by the odd mark.

"were you alone when you were in the cave?"

shay shivered. she had no true memory of the cave. only bits and flashes that would enter her dreams and make her wake with a flare of panic.

"no, but it was too dark for me to see who else was there."

"the symbols are familiar," he murmured.

with a jolt of shock, she turned to regard him with wide eyes. "you recognize them?"

he shrugged, his expression brooding. "i can't read them, but they are witch runes."

"i have seen witch runes. edra's coven didn't use anything like this."

"edra was not an elemental witch. she used blood sacrifice for her power, not the earth."

shay gave a shake of her head. his words made no sense. "why would a witch curse me?"

"that's the question, isn't it? i think first we should find someone who can tell us precisely what is involved in this particular curse. that might give us a clue as to who cast it."

"witches." she wrapped her arms about her waist. "damn."

he smiled wryly. "i'm not overly fond of witches either, but i do know they are not all like edra."

shay grimaced. she had spent far too many years in the clutches of the crones not to be a little prejudiced. they had treated her like a feral animal to be leashed and punished upon their whim.

as far as she was concerned the only thing worse than witches was vampires.

"so you think we should seek out a coven?" she grudgingly demanded.

"first i wish to speak with someone i know. she may be able to give me the information i need."

"you will speak with her?" shay narrowed her gaze. "while i'm cowering in some hole? i've told you that i will not be treated like a helpless idiot."

his lips twitched with the amusement he couldn't entirely hide. "yes, yes, you are a warrior."

he was about to discover just how dangerous a warrior.

a poke in the eye, a fist to the nose, a knee to the groin.

not necessarily in that order.

"don't you dare patronize me," she hissed.

as if sensing he was nearing a painful blow, viper reached out to lightly grasp her shoulders, his expression somber.

"shay, for the moment we don't know who is after you, or who they might have called upon to assist them. i'm not about to take you into a coven where they could trap us both with one spell. this is not about running from the battle, but using our assets to our best advantage."

it sounded annoyingly sensible.

shay didn't want sensible. she wanted to charge in and find out the truth. preferably with force. she most certainly didn't want to hide away and wait for someone else to solve her troubles.

yuck.

"and if you are trapped?" she demanded.

"then you can come and rescue me." he promised with a slow smile.

"you're so certain that i would?"

"if i am killed, you will be forced to return to evor and whoever is holding him."

she hid the sudden chill that inched down her spine. "the lu said that evor was alive and well."

"alive and well, but for how long?" he demanded.