Page 21 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

“Dragos is powerful,” argued Radmila.

“He is, but you need not worry. He cannot harm you,” said Vlad.

Radmila’s gaze narrowed. “I fear no man!”

“I am aware,” said Vlad, knowing how volatile her temper could be. “For many a century you called him master. You exchanged blood with him, you did his bidding, you saw to his twisted needs. It stands to reason he has a hold on you, at least to some degree, yes?”

Radmila flinched as she nodded. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her upper arms as if fighting off a chill or memories of the past.

“That level of psychological and physical abuse does not simply fade away never to return from your mind, from your memories,” he said, keeping his voice even, his tone firm. “And that does not even factor in his supernatural powers. His is a pull you will always sense. Just as you will always sense the pull of the other. Your first master. Your maker.”

Radmila twisted quickly to stare at him. “We do not speak The Ancient One’s name. Speak Drago’s name all you wish, but I beg of you, do not speak of our maker.”

“I am aware of your feelings on your maker,” said Vlad. “He is not a man I fear.”

“Perhaps you should,” warned Radmila. “You are powerful. Said to be the most powerful of our kind, Master. But he… He is something different. Something ancient and… You would do right to have an ounce of fear.”

Perhaps she was right, but Vlad wasn’t going to start fearing the nameless vampire now. He had bigger concerns.

“And the forest witch,” said Radmila, lowering her voice as if the walls had ears and the witch may hear her. “Her power was all over the area we had been in. Did you sense it?”

Vlad inclined his head.

Radmila swallowed hard. “I felt her power pushing at the young slayer to drink your blood. To accept the change. Why is that?”

“I’m sure I have no idea,” confessed Vlad. Whatever the witch’s motives were, they’d helped so he wouldn’t question them. At least not right now.

Radmila stiffened. “Having Teya accompany us to that cave—that deep into those woods?—”

Ponytail Girl began to caress his back.

Vlad calmed even more, liking her soothing touch. “Radmila, if I could have gotten here sooner, I would have. I first tried Lucian. My hope was that he and his pack could protect the women. That I would not have to involve you and your sisters. I, better than most, know what being near Dragos can do to someone. And I can only imagine what the forest witch’s dark magik does to Teya who is so very sensitive to things of that nature.”

“The Dark One was working with Dragos,” Radmila said as she hissed, telling him what he already knew. “How could he do such a thing? You saw what Dragos used to make him do. Saw what horrors he inflicted upon him.”

“Yes.” Vlad’s breath caught as Ponytail Girl’s hand slid to the small of his back. “There are some things I will never be able to unsee. Drago’s treatment of Lucian is one of them.”

“Yet, he aligned himself with Dragos,” said Radmila and it was clear she’d been struggling with this since the night of the cave incident. “Why?”

“Because I am weak.” Lucian appeared in the open cell doorway, taking up much of it. He met Vlad’s gaze. “For over a century I have felt Dragos’s constant pull, heard his endless whispers in my mind, tried and failed to block him from my dreams. His power is great, even though he is sealed away.”

“So you succumb, knowing what he will do if freed?” asked Radmila, her gaze narrowing on Lucian. “Men are pathetic.”

“We are,” agreed Lucian, looking past her at Vlad. “But it was not justhispower affecting me.”

That caught Vlad’s attention. “Explain.”

Lucian sighed. “There was another. It is dark and it whispers to me while I sleep. There are times I hear it humming on the night breeze—its song carrying with it notes of suggestion.”

Radmila gasped. “The forest witch?”

Lucian shrugged. “I am not sure. Possibly. But the voice did not sound female to me. I could be wrong.”

“Why have you not spoken of this before?” demanded Vlad, his temper starting to rise.

Ponytail Girl rubbed his back more.

He tipped his head slightly. “I will not attack him right now. I will remain calm.”

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