Page 123 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

His eyes darken to night. “We seal it with a kiss.”

I knew it.

Instead of anger, I find my heart beating madly at the request. He’s waiting for me to make a move.

Well, here goes…

I rise and plant my knees on his lap. Flame roars in his eyes over my new position. The thin sheet of covering falls from my body, pooling around my waist. His intense gaze strays from my face to my breasts. He’s gripping the curved armrest of the chair like he wants to rip it off.

I watch the gentle movement in his throat as he swallows. “Kiss me, Nel.”

Not an order. A plea.

His breath hitches as I lower my head and draw closer. Wait…

Big, scary vampire who wants to chain me to the bed is on edge because of me?

But it’s a relief to know I affected him as much as he affected me. I stroke the underside of his jaw and feel him shudder beneath the touch. His muscles remain rigid, tense with anticipation as he waits for me to kiss him.

What am I doing, teasing him like this? I am already sitting on his lap half naked. I don’t want to give him any weird ideas to fulfill his wicked fantasies. I quickly plant a chaste kiss to his cheek and retreat into my soft blanket shell.

I wait several heartbeats until I feel safe again and peer my head slowly like a turtle.

Svenn is gazing absently forward as if I’m still there in front of him. His dark eyes then lower to me. I flinch under the vehemence of that stare. His face is playing an emotion I can’t quite parse. Not anger.

Hunger.

I can’t stop the goosebumps spreading down my skin beneath the blanket. He keeps watching me silently, like a serpent biding his time before it strikes.

Just as my heart is about to explode, he clears his throat. “My next wish is—”

“There’s another one?” My cries of confounding surprise echo on the wall.

“Of course. Flying costs energy.”

“I’m not fulfilling another wish just for one of mine,” I bite back.

“Then we can stay here.”

I consider my chances with the sharks for a moment.

“Fine.” I bite my inner cheeks. “What’s the second thing you want?”

“Promise me you’ll never risk yourself like that ever again.”

I blink at the strange request.

“First with the pig and the gnome—”

“Emyr and Ymir—” I correct him.

“Then with the sea snakes.”

“Ksatka and Kiiska.”

“You jumped into the dark water without thinking twice.” He sounds enraged and my heart starts pounding wildly again.

I was trying to do the right thing…

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