Song -  Maneater - Nelly Furtado

"We should not stand in the middle of the street like this," Noah muttered as he stepped closer to me. "You're a vampire, and as much as hunting doesn't begin for another hour, it doesn't mean they won't question why I am not dealing with you."

"Answer me," I snapped as he pulled my wrist.

"I know I haven't been honest with you in the past, Dani, but this new me, he has no reason to hide anything from you anymore. What you get from me is honesty. It might be a tainted view from my side of the fence but it is what I believe to be the truth."

That still wasn't answering me, but Noah wasn't interested in lingering on the street. Dragging me to the sidewalk, he approached a hunter who was standing by a door. He opened it and as I turned back, I watched the other hunters follow us.

The lights were on in the empty reception area aside from a large desk.

"One of the boys will check you for weapons. Be a good girl, and don't complain."

I raised my middle finger at Noah, who smirked as he leaned against the wall. One of the hunters approached and being the obliging woman I was, I held my arms up and let him pat me down.

Noah's eyebrows raised at the sight of the bowie knife that was placed on the desk. Did I have weapons stored in my drawers at the warehouse? Of course I did. Trying to get out of the place without Roman knowing what I was up to was always tricky, so I did little things like hide weapons so that I always had something available to me.

Noah frowned when a second large knife was thumped onto the counter. Several karambits were added as I tilted my head with a devious smile directed at my ex-husband. The hunter reached into my pockets and pulled out folding knives, grumbling when he kept finding more blades hidden on my body. I said nothing as he continued to find all my hiding places. They were nothing but a distraction. The real weapon was in my mouth.

"Done," he said with a huff.

"I think you missed someone."

The hunter frowned at me, and I shrugged.

"Fair's fair. Pat Noah down, or I get to take a blade with me."

"Would you trust me though?" he grunted.

"It's fine. You may search my body, Dani."

Noah obliged with his smile shining. With his arms out, he enjoyed it as I searched his body.

"I'll bet you never thought you'd be back here again," he whispered.

I looked into his eyes, seeing everything that frightened me. The man that I loved and adored, the one I'd agreed to spend my life with.

"You should be careful with your words when I am so close to pain central,"

Leaning into his ear, I smiled as I began to whisper.

"And with my first blow," I purred softly. "I will tell you that you're shit in bed. Your brother, on the other hand,"

I stepped back, smirking with a screw-you attitude.

"Voracious."

Noah's lip twitched with derision. He grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me into the next room. Pushing me into a room full of boxes, Noah flicked the door, letting it slam shut.

"You should shut your mouth, Dani."

"I don't see the point in it. You've made it clear that I'm not walking out of here, so I might as well go down with a fight."

"I never said you would die tonight."

"You never said I'd live either. You don't want me alive."

He sauntered over, smoothing his hands over my shoulders as he pulled away the jacket. I felt the bite of the cold night burn against my skin.

"My beautiful wife," Noah purred from behind, running his hands over my bare arms. "Let's not fight like this."

"You started this fight. I never asked to be dragged into your sick game."

"You were a challenge to begin with, but I grew bored of you and the game. I thought I could toss you aside and start anew with someone else. Who would have thought my actions could unleash this beautiful monster? I thought I knew you but clearly I didn't. As much as I'd like to return to the way that we were with the new you, we can't. You're a vampire and I'm a hunter. It will be painful to watch such a sultry vixen walk away but I will."

Noah turned me, pressing me to a bench against the wall. I tried to fight him off, but Noah pushed his body against mine. His grip was tight as he lowered to me. The kiss burned against my lips, and hunger grew with my anger.

I bit his lip, tasting his blood. Noah hissed, stepping back. He pressed his fingers to his lip and looked at the blood that tainted them. Anger grew, and in seconds, my cheek was soon ringing from his backhand. The scent of blood lingered and as I touched my face, I realised Noah had hit me at the bottom of my jaw and across my lip. Blood seeped from the cut on my bottom lip.

Noah pouted, taunting me with his mockery. I flinched when he reached out. Noah brushed the hair from my shoulder. I thought it was it, but he scooped the hair and pulled my head back.

"Not so sure about this colour, my love," he whispered before kissing me again.

I winced as his kiss hurt, the cut on my lip and my bruised jaw ringing with pain.

"Stop it," I begged.

Noah pulled away, looking at me in a way that was all too familiar. In the days of our beginning, it was the fire in his eyes that told me what he craved—me.

"You are my wife," he whispered.

"No, your wife is dead. You had your friend murder her. I am not your wife."

The callous smirk said it all. Noah watched as his fingers trailed over my neck and onto my chest. He was determined, even when I swatted him away.

"You belong to me,"

Noah tried to grab my hands to stop me from pushing him away. I wasn't going to let him get away with it, not when this was shaping up to be a fight for my life and my dignity.

The hook landed, and Noah stumbled, sending boxes to the ground. The door opened and one of the hunters looked in.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes, fine." Noah snapped as he got up. "Leave us."

The hunter rolled his eyes and shut the door. Noah stomped his way to it and turned the lock.

He looked at me, and I knew what he wanted. This wasn't a conversation or to end my life. He wanted to have sex with me. Given the turn in his mood, he'd take it if I didn't give in to him. That was never going to happen. As for him wanting it after ordering my death, it didn't make much sense. Was this a comeuppance for Roman or because I'd changed and was now more interesting to him?

"You can be a good girl, right Dani? Can we have this conversation without the drama?"

"If you think I'm going to have sex with you, then you're delusional."

Noah smiled for a moment, but it turned dark and the scowl appeared. He turned and moved towards me. Fearing the obvious change in his mood, I braced myself for the fight.

Noah lunged, and I moved but not fast enough. He grabbed my arm, dragging me back. I turned with another hook landing in his face. Noah didn't fall back this time, more alert and aware of how much I'd changed. He was learning my moves which wasn't a good thing.

Picking up a box, I threw it at Noah. It broke open, and bundles of cash fell out. I frowned, wondering why someone was storing cash in this building. Noah and his goons had easy access. The door was already unlocked when we approached. It meant that they'd already broken into the place or this belonged to them. I'd go with the latter but what was the money for? How did they have so much of it that they could leave it lying around? Did they fear theft or fire? What was wrong with putting it in a bank?

My mind swirled with questions, but right now, I couldn't think about them. Not when Noah was advancing on me. Stepping back, I threw another box at him. Noah flinched, raising an arm to shield himself from the box. I took the moment and approached, punching him when his arm lowered. It was unexpected and knocked Noah back a few steps.

He smiled as he moved his jaw, looking at me with that burning hunger that told me he wasn't going to give up.

"Baby, you've got a killer right hook. My jaw is killing me."

"And yet, you're still standing."

"How true. Care to end this? You and me, up against the wall over there."

"No thanks. Go and screw one of your guild skanks. Oh, that's right, they're all dead."

I pouted and traced a line from under my eye and over my cheek, pretending it was a tear.

Noah twitched as he struggled with the thoughts.

"Mon Crief was you?"

"Burn, baby burn," I said, picking up a bundle of cash.

Anger curled in his features, and when he turned to pace, I tucked the cash into my pocket. I don't know if it was real or not but it would be a reminder to mention it to Roman and Jasper later. I'm sure Lewis would like to know about this place. It just made me wish I had another jerry can full of fuel. I'd burn all the cash in this place just to take it from Otis.

"Like I said, it was always about taking everything from you. I destroyed your world like you did to me."

Noah ran his hands over his head, sighing heavily. He was desperately trying to remain calm. It was not what I wanted. New Dani craved to goad Noah into fights.

"How many did you lose that night?"

In an instant, his head snapped to look at me, anger flashing brightly. I smooched the air with defiance, and it was enough to light the powder keg again.