Page 11 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

“Yes, Master,” she said.

Teya giggled softly once more. “No need. You will only be in the way. Let her have this, please. She helped on this night as best she could—bringing the storm to hinder the other hunters. She tried to scare the girls away, but they ran toward danger rather than from it.” Teya’s blue gaze fell upon Lucian. “And she tried to warn you—with the lightning and the thunder. Had you not had a change of heart, she would have killed you.”

“Pity she changed her mind then,” said Radmila. “Is it too late to get her to rethink killing him?”

Lucian ignored her. “Vlad?”

“Leave the dead. Let us see how this plays out. Radmila, join us,” said Vlad before tapping into what was left his energy reserves to move quickly over the forest floor.

Chapter Five

Vlad

Vlad stoodnear the cell door, blocking the exit. The lowest level of his Romanian estate was reinforced to hold supernaturals, most of the time against their will. The estate had been built centuries ago and was not the castle he once called home. This was bigger and more secluded, yet very castle like.

Tourists flocked to the castle that had once been his. They listened to the lies that were spun about his life and his death, hanging on tour guides’ every words. It brought much needed revenue to the area and regardless how he felt about the way history painted him, he loved his country. He wanted what was best for it.

Vlad had commissioned the building of his current estate long ago, wanting to be further from the general public. He’d overseen the construction himself. The lowest level was a place normally reserved for his enemies. The cell’s current occupant was here to keep her safe—even from herself.

It had been five days since Ponytail Girl had come into his life. Five days since she’d managed to turn his entire worldupside down. From the moment he’d brought her and her sister to his home, wanting to help them with their transition and keep them safe.

While her wounds had healed, her mind had not. At least not yet, and Vlad was starting to fear it never would. She was like a feral animal. She didn’t speak, only growled, hissed and snarled. She ate very little, if anything, despite Vlad bringing in a world-renowned chef specifically to cook for her and her sister—who had yet to leave wolf form.

Of course, he’d had to put the chef under his direct protection because Radmila wanted to rip his head off simply because he was male and breathing and Teya suggested she be allowed to keep the severed head to brush its hair later. So far, the chef still had his head. If the twins didn’t start eating, he wasn’t sure how long that statement would be true. Vlad might be his undoing if his food did not work.

Vlad had first put the young women in private bedrooms on the upper levels. He tried to lavish them with whatever they could want—whatever might help them through their transitional states. That had ended in an epic failure. They had torn the rooms to bits trying to get to one another. When he’d put them in the same room, they’d stuck together like glue, snarling and attacking anyone who dared approach.

Lucian had assisted in getting the white wolf to the lowest level of the estate and into a cell, while Vlad had taken on the task of transporting Ponytail Girl. The task had been easier said than done. He’d had the bite marks and claw marks to prove just how capable the young woman was of defending herself. They’d healed over almost instantly. He’d done his best to avoid causing her harm but had been forced to overpower her to get her to a secure location. Saying she was less than thrilled with him was an understatement.

The only person she would permit in her vicinity, apart from her sister who was in a cell down the hall, was Katarina. At first, that had even been iffy. Now, a week into it all, and Katarina was able to get close enough to assist Ponytail Girl with showering and putting on the clothing Katarina had seen to having on hand for the women.

Katarina had given a list of items along with sizes to one of the many human staff members Vlad employed and sent them out to shop for everything the twins might need. Vlad wasn’t sure why women required so many items, but he’d long ago stopped questioning the process, all too happy with the outcome.

Katarina’s choice of scents for shampoos and body washes mirrored what Vlad continued to pick up from Ponytail Girl—night jasmine and honeysuckle. Thankfully, the smell of death had faded from the young woman. It would return if she did not eat.

“Youmusteat,” stressed Katarina, who held a tray full of food choices.

There was an assortment of meats, cheeses and fruits as well as a bag of human blood. No one was sure what Ponytail Girl might crave or need to live. Ponytail Girl was an anomaly. She wasn’t a full vampire—Vlad would know if she was. And she wasn’t fully human either. She was something in-between.

She wasn’t undead, but she wasn’t mortal either. That much he could sense on her as well as her sister who had only just started allowing Lucian to approach without incident.

White Wolf was the only reason Vlad had permitted Lucian to continue to draw in air. He’d had every intention of killing Lucian for daring to side with Dragos and for playing a part in what had happened to the twins. Every intention of making the man he’d considered his best friend suffer before snuffing out his life. The white wolf was important to Ponytail Girl and rightnow, the white wolf needed Lucian’s assistance; therefore, he lived—for now.

Katarina raised the tray of food choices toward Ponytail Girl.

It went as well as Vlad expected it to.

Ponytail Girl hissed and tried to slap the tray away.

He darted across the room and caught her wrist gently yet in a way that let her know he was in charge.

Ponytail Girl hissed and flashed her mini fangs at him.

The act nearly made him smile. For a second he couldn’t tear his gaze from her lips. Her long hair was free from the ponytail, framing her face, drawing attention to her mouth. He found himself studying her face more, mentally counting the tiny freckles that dotted her pale skin. Her pulse raced under the weight of his touch. He began to caress her inner wrist with his thumb as thoughts he shouldn’t have filled his head.

Thoughts of having her mouth on his, of her fangs sinking into his flesh filled his head. That spiraled quickly into having her mouth on other areas.

He stifled a groan.

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