Stacey swallowed, his throat thick. "I… don't understand."
"You shouldn't ever look away from me."
The words shouldn't have had weight. But they did. They lodged themselves in Stacey's chest like a curse.
Hunter reached out. The snake's head dipped as if in agreement. She slithered forward slightly, close enough that Stacey could see the faint glimmer of something in her pupils—an unnatural, glinting light like gold trapped in glass.
Hunter smirked auspiciously and then reached out for Stacey. Stacey told himself to flinch. To pull back away from the predator that had its jaws wide open, ready to devour him. Maybe he had no hope because seemingly he walked forward into the dark, cavernous opening that was his doom. Instead of running, I was putting up drapes and settling in for the long haul.
"Why not?" Stacey managed to stammer.
Hunter leaned closer, the snake's cool body brushing Stacey's arm. It felt like satin wrapped around bone. He didn't recoil. He should have. She slithered up it, her tongue flicking out and tasting him again before going around his neck to the other shoulder and up Hunter's opposite arm.
"Because I'm a strong believer in paying close attention to your future."
"My future?" Stacey asked. "Sorry, I'm not asking this to be offensive. But are you on drugs?"
Hunter straightened, brushing his suit jacket smooth. The snake tucked herself calmly back across his collarbone, content, as though she'd just marked him and was satisfied enough to tuck herself back against Hunter's warmth.
He felt a little jealous of her that he also couldn't tuck himself against Hunter's warmth.
He paused.
Stupid brain.
Hunter's eyes twinkled, but his smile didn't change.
Hunter chuckled low as the snake curled behind his neck and rested her head on his collar.
"She says she likes the taste of you."
"She's always had excellent taste. You're delicious after all."
"I'm sorry?"
"You're forgiven." He said strongly.
"What does that mean?"
"It means I'll allow it only this one time, Stacey. Pay attention from now on.,
Stacey's skin tingled just below his collarbone. A weird spot, sharp and sudden—like something small had stung him from the inside.
"… no more featherbrained antics, I am still just a man, and this is cute, for now. But do not play this way for long, I don't like my patience tested."
"Again—what does that mean?"
"It means I'm a firm believer in the truth. The whole truth. And nothing but the truth."
"So help you, God?"
Hunter's laugh was warm and textured, slow like pouring syrup.
"I can help you," he said, voice low, "if you call me God."
Stacey shivered. The sensation spread like a blush wrapped in goosebumps.
He licked his lips.
Hunter tilted his head, one brow rising. Then he reached up, tapped the snake's pale, gleaming scales with the gentlest touch.
"This is Naestra."
"Okay? That's a very nice name, hi Naestra."
"She's saved my life more times than I can count."
Stacey laughed nervously. "With what, like psychic powers?"
Hunter's smile didn't change.
"With venom."
Stacey froze.
Hunter stepped closer. The music seemed to blur out, the lights dimming around the edges of Stacey's vision.
"Until I find the one who's meant to share my power… her venom sustains me. Naestra is special. She's part of me. Until the bond is complete, she's the only one keeping me alive."
His eyes dropped to Stacey's lips, and something unreadable flickered in his gaze. "You wouldn't believe what it means when a familiar likes someone; they can be so picky in this day and age, after all, there are more of us than them."
Stacey swallowed again, but it felt like trying to breathe through quicksand.
"You are interesting," Hunter said.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"I'm talking to you. That's compliment enough."
Naestra flicked her tongue again, and Hunter reached up to stroke her, absentminded and loving. Like she was a heartbeat he wore outside his body.
Stacey stared at him, unimpressed. "That is a poor attempt at flattery."
"I don't have to flatter people, I get what I want. Always." Hunter said.
"Sure, tell yourself that, then what were you doing over there when you were schmoozing up a bunch of drunk people?" Stacey asked.
Hunter turned. "Hunting."
Stacey scoffed at Hunter, echoing his and Kaylen's previous conversation. "Hunting in a club? For what?"
"For you."
"Remember, don't look away." He said before turning his head back to look at him. His eyes running up Stacey's body. He raised his hands and placed his thumb on his own lip, playing with it as he moved his head back and forth, almost as if he were highly amused, but pandering like Stacey was too dumb to understand what was going on. He turned on his heel and walked away
Stacey sat, paralyzed. His chest was buzzing, his thoughts unspooling.
He's insane.
He's gorgeous.
He's dangerous.
"Hunter, you're such an asshole!" he yelled, but the music swallowed the words.
Hunter was already too far away, and the loud music and dancing lights all but made him disappear from Stacey's sight before he should have, but Naestra's pale head turned for just a second, like she'd heard.
A twinge fluttered beneath his collarbone, like the ghost of a touch. He rubbed at it absently, already forgetting it, his face flushing for some reason, as his thoughts went wild.
'Honestly, where does he get off? Saying crap like that.' Stacey thought, annoyed.
'He is so abrasive. That's why he goes through girls and guys like a new shirt. How would anyone in their right mind kiss someone else and expect someone to watch? Expect them to think about it after? Why did he come over? To gloat?'
"Gross…"
But he didn't feel gross.
No, that unsettling warmth had almost transferred over to him from Naestra and crawled across his body, and the response it inflamed all over him.
You would think he had been poisoned.