Page 72 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

When he saw her eyes, one green, one brown, he instantly thought of Jonathan and his line of shifters. Vlad was unaware any Harkers had been born female. Then again, he had not spoken to Harker in years.

Vlad made his way to the dining room, pushing students out of his path as if they were midges.

The girl on the chair laughed and tried pulling the other up with her. “Come on, Hannah, live a little! Get up here and… shake…your…rump!” she shouted, her words matching the song.

Hannah pulled her hand away from the other. “Temperance! Get down. We need to go. Now.”

“I agree,” said Vlad, planting his feet firmly and crossing his arms over his chest. He stared up at the young woman on the chair. “It is time for you to go, Temperance.”

She kept dancing and had the nerve to give him the finger. “Get lost, old man.”

Old man?echoed the demon with a huff.She did not dare call us such a thing, did she? We do not look our age.

Vlad exhaled loudly, his nostrils flaring. “Get. Down. This. Instant.”

“Get. Lost. Old. Man,” she shot back, her green gaze narrowing on him.

His jaw set and he noticed another of the young men watching her. The man’s desire was written all over his face. Vlad saw red. He snarled. “I feel for your parents. Soon, they will learn of your unfortunate and very painful passing.”

Katarina hurried to the human male. “It would be best if you leave. Now. He is not a man to be trifled with.”

The young man wisely heeded her warning. He left. Three others took his place. One reached out to touch Temperance’s leg.

Radmila caught his hand and squeezed to the point Vlad heard bones breaking.

He grinned as the man screamed, his voice partially drowned out the loud music.

“Where is Teya?” asked Vlad. “Tell her she may play tic-tac-dead-guy with this one’s hand as soon as I rip it off him.”

The human in question continued to cry out.

Weak little prick.

“Tempi!” said Teya, moving past Vlad and Ramila. She grabbed another chair and climbed onto it, right next to Temperance. She began to dance too, drawing even more of a crowd.

Temperance smiled and bumped hips with Teya. They looked to be old friends.

Vlad and his demon felt as if they were going to explode with rage. “Young lady, get off that chair! Now!”

Temperance kept shaking her backside, her attention on Teya. “Your dad is a total drag.”

Teya smiled. “He’s not speaking to me. And he is notmyfather.”

Temperance looked down at Vlad. “What is with you, buddy? You’re not my father. Go away. It’s creepy that you’re here. You’re like thirty or something. Eww. Old.”

Unable to help himself, Vlad went at her, lifted her off the chair, tossed her over his shoulder and turned with her. He looked down at Hannah who was staring at him with wide eyes. “We are leaving. Come. You will not remain. I am very aware that neither of you are old enough to be here.” And he was. His demon could sense their ages. They were not old enough to drink.

Hannah’s eyes widened. “Um, yes, uh, sir?”

He nodded. At least one of them had some sense.

Temperance struck Vlad’s back repeatedly.

He ignored it, though he had to admit, she hit harder than a human.

“Put me down, asshole!” she shouted.

“Such a mouth,” he said with a grunt. “I am going to have a long talk with your parents. Letting their child be here in a den of debauchery.”

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