Page 18 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

Vlad

A week later…

Vlad moved in a slow circle, his arms out, one hand holding a bag of human blood. Mirroring his movements was Ponytail Girl. This bizarre feeding ritual had been a nightly event for them. It almost always ended with her drinking directly from him. But it always started with her defiance—her fire and grit showing through. She had already attacked him three times since he’d come to check on her.

Vlad had thought they’d made headway the first night she’d sunk her fangs into him. Thought they’d turned a corner in whatever it was that was happening between them. She’d fallen asleep on him, her mouth against his flesh.

He’d held her there, lying on the cold stone floor, unconcerned with comfort. He’d been thrilled with the simple act of being permitted contact with her.

Pathetic, said his demon.Give in.Take her to bed with you. The pleasures we could give and receive.

Ponytail Girl lunged at him and Vlad narrowly missed the strike.

She is getting faster, said his demon, approval in his voice.Let her pin us so we can get to the good stuff. Her biting us.

Even it understood there was a routine. One that left Vlad checking on her, trying to get her to eat, she’d attack him and after several hours of sparring, she’d settle enough to let him hold her. Then she’d feed directly from him, forgoing food and human blood.

As amazing as it felt having her drink directly from him, it wasn’t sustainable. His blood was not like others. He was powerful and there was no telling what the prolonged effects of drinking only from him would do to her. It could mentally break her and she wasn’t exactly showing signs of being stable to start with.

She hissed and swiped a clawed hand out at him.

He sighed. “Either eat the food provided or drink this.” He held up the bagged blood.

In the hall was a small table Lucian had brought down to hold the trays of food Katarina tried again and again to get Ponytail Girl to eat. Tonight’s tray was filled with foods Lucian suggested Ponytail Girl might prefer.

Vlad could tolerate some human foods still and ate some occasionally, but nothing about what was on the tray looked or smelled appealing. He wasn’t sure what a chicken nugget was, but it didn’t smell anything like normal chicken to him. The pizza didn’t look appetizing either.

The youth of today had corrupted taste buds. They wouldn’t know good food if it bit them in the ass. They’d need it first put in to-go packaging and for it to come with a toy to entertain them.

Humans.

Howls and then growling echoed down the hall from the direction the White Wolf was in. From the sounds of it, Lucianwasn’t having anymore luck than Vlad when it came to dealing with the other twin.

Ponytail Girl’s head snapped up at the sound of her sister’s growls. She tried to rush to the cell door.

Vlad caught her and she sucked in a deep breath, but didn’t attack him.

That was progress.

He dipped his head. “Eat and I shall take you to your sister myself.”

She tensed but shocked him by nodding, her hands moving to his—the one with the bagged blood. She pushed it away, shaking her head.

“Lumini?a mea, you cannot continue to feed from me and me alone,” he said, desperation coating his every word. “It could keep you locked in this state forever.”

She pushed at the bagged blood more. “No.”

Vlad nearly shouted for joy at the sound of the single word falling from her lips. “Eat some food.”

She whimpered and pressed herself closer to him. She nodded.

He stepped back from her, half-expecting her to bolt. She remained in place as he retrieved the tray of food from the hallway. He brought it in and held it, waiting for her to make the next move.

She concentrated on it and he could almost feel her internal struggle. Her attempt to sort through the darkness, seeking reason and control. She snatched one of the chicken nuggets from the tray and popped it into her mouth. She ate it and then grabbed another and did the same. Next, she took a piece of pizza and bit into it, chewing it fast.

Vlad was fairly certain his face would crack from all the smiling he was doing. “Lumini?a mea, careful or you will makeyourself sick. There is plenty more where this came from. I have not let Radmila or Teya eat the chef—yet.”

She paused in her chewing and studied him. “Rad-mila?”

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