under your bed when you were a child? Be very afraid, because every boogie man you’ve ever imagined is real. Welcome to the world of monsters and myths.”
Scarlet heard what Poe said and felt real fear again, but it was muted by her fascination with Archer.
He kept his back to Scarlet, and she suspected he was trying to hide his face from her.
She wondered how his face had changed. A vampire had just held and pinned her down, and Archer was sporting an impressive set of claws. After everything she had experienced in the past few days, was there any way she could afford not to believe them?
Poe sauntered over to offer her, a hand up. She refused it, getting to her feet on her own. He just shrugged as if it didn’t bother him and stepped away from her.
“What’s all the noise about?”
A new voice caught Scarlet’s attention and she turned to see who it was. She felt her jaw unhinge as she looked up at the biggest man she had ever seen. His light blond hair was cut short and ice-colored eyes stared out of a tanned face.
Poe shrugged. “Just a demonstration, Dimi. There is no reason for you to leave your office, or your brooding.”
“Thin ice, vampire, very thin ice.” Dimitri scowled at Poe. Then his eyes glanced over Scarlet. “You were successful, Archer. Now what? Are you going to hand her over to that psychotic bitch?”
Scarlet’s head whipped to face Archer who still had his back turned. “What? Wait. Hand me over to whom?”
“No.” He rolled his shoulders as if he was shaking something off, and turned. “I had no intention of giving her to Jasmine.”
“Liar.” Dimitri’s voice was a deep rumble.
“What? Do you mean Jasmine, the woman from Haven Shelter? I’m not going near there again.” Scarlet started backing towards the elevator.
Poe’s hand shot out and caught her arm. “Relax. You don’t have to. I agree with Dimi’s assessment of Jasmine. That one is evil.”
“No she isn’t,” Archer shot back defending the fallen angel. When all three turned and scowled at him, he amended with, “Well, not completely, but I’m not going to give you to her, Scarlet. I promise you, I’ll help you and we need to get the Kalick off your head before we decide anything else.”
Dimi shook his head. “I want to go on record. I think it’s a bad idea to try and help the pyro.”
“I have a name. It’s Scarlet.” She was amazed when the words came out her mouth, and impressed with her new- found courage when the huge man pinned her with a stare that made her blood run cold. She refused to break the stare first. He did, when he turned his gaze to Archer. “But, if you are determined to try and tame your new pet, we have to get the Enforcers off your trail, and that means Poe will have to go to court.”
Scarlet started to splutter.
Pet.
This place was not going to be good for her volatile temper. She had wanted to hit someone twice in less than fifteen minutes.
Poe released Scarlet’s arm and sighed. “You owe me for this, Archer. I hate going into that nest of vipers.”
“I know” Archer replied. “It will make up for the stunt you just pulled.”
He walked over to Scarlet. “How about I take you to your room, then you can have that shower and bed you wanted earlier?”
Before she took up Archer’s offer, Scarlet considered telling Dimitri where to get off for referring to her as Archer’s pet, but decided she was just too tired to deal with an arrogant ass. “That would be nice, thank you.” She smiled at Archer, and was surprised when all three men stared at her.
“What? Do I have something stuck in my teeth or something?” She then lifted her hand to cover her mouth.
“No.” Archer shook his head. “It’s nothing like that.”
“What he should have said is, you are quite beautiful when you smile, even when you look like a homeless waif .”
Scarlet gritted her teeth and did a mental ten count. That was such a back hand compliment it was more of an
Scarlet heard what Poe said and felt real fear again, but it was muted by her fascination with Archer.
He kept his back to Scarlet, and she suspected he was trying to hide his face from her.
She wondered how his face had changed. A vampire had just held and pinned her down, and Archer was sporting an impressive set of claws. After everything she had experienced in the past few days, was there any way she could afford not to believe them?
Poe sauntered over to offer her, a hand up. She refused it, getting to her feet on her own. He just shrugged as if it didn’t bother him and stepped away from her.
“What’s all the noise about?”
A new voice caught Scarlet’s attention and she turned to see who it was. She felt her jaw unhinge as she looked up at the biggest man she had ever seen. His light blond hair was cut short and ice-colored eyes stared out of a tanned face.
Poe shrugged. “Just a demonstration, Dimi. There is no reason for you to leave your office, or your brooding.”
“Thin ice, vampire, very thin ice.” Dimitri scowled at Poe. Then his eyes glanced over Scarlet. “You were successful, Archer. Now what? Are you going to hand her over to that psychotic bitch?”
Scarlet’s head whipped to face Archer who still had his back turned. “What? Wait. Hand me over to whom?”
“No.” He rolled his shoulders as if he was shaking something off, and turned. “I had no intention of giving her to Jasmine.”
“Liar.” Dimitri’s voice was a deep rumble.
“What? Do you mean Jasmine, the woman from Haven Shelter? I’m not going near there again.” Scarlet started backing towards the elevator.
Poe’s hand shot out and caught her arm. “Relax. You don’t have to. I agree with Dimi’s assessment of Jasmine. That one is evil.”
“No she isn’t,” Archer shot back defending the fallen angel. When all three turned and scowled at him, he amended with, “Well, not completely, but I’m not going to give you to her, Scarlet. I promise you, I’ll help you and we need to get the Kalick off your head before we decide anything else.”
Dimi shook his head. “I want to go on record. I think it’s a bad idea to try and help the pyro.”
“I have a name. It’s Scarlet.” She was amazed when the words came out her mouth, and impressed with her new- found courage when the huge man pinned her with a stare that made her blood run cold. She refused to break the stare first. He did, when he turned his gaze to Archer. “But, if you are determined to try and tame your new pet, we have to get the Enforcers off your trail, and that means Poe will have to go to court.”
Scarlet started to splutter.
Pet.
This place was not going to be good for her volatile temper. She had wanted to hit someone twice in less than fifteen minutes.
Poe released Scarlet’s arm and sighed. “You owe me for this, Archer. I hate going into that nest of vipers.”
“I know” Archer replied. “It will make up for the stunt you just pulled.”
He walked over to Scarlet. “How about I take you to your room, then you can have that shower and bed you wanted earlier?”
Before she took up Archer’s offer, Scarlet considered telling Dimitri where to get off for referring to her as Archer’s pet, but decided she was just too tired to deal with an arrogant ass. “That would be nice, thank you.” She smiled at Archer, and was surprised when all three men stared at her.
“What? Do I have something stuck in my teeth or something?” She then lifted her hand to cover her mouth.
“No.” Archer shook his head. “It’s nothing like that.”
“What he should have said is, you are quite beautiful when you smile, even when you look like a homeless waif .”
Scarlet gritted her teeth and did a mental ten count. That was such a back hand compliment it was more of an
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