Page 73 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness

“Great! My mom will hand you your ass,” she said, hitting him again. “Put me down!”

“No.”

“Get a grip, dude! And put me down!” she yelled.

He ignored her.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Vlad

Hannah touchedVlad’s arm lightly as they made it to the porch. “Um, can you put her down now? I’ll take her home. We snuck out. Our parents don’t know we’re here. I knew this was a really bad idea. Everyone is going to freak out when they realize we’re not where they left us.” She tensed. “And when they realize we stole another car.”

“For crying out loud, Hannah, we didn’t steal it. They leave the keys there on a big key thing. And they have more cars than a car rental lot. They won’t notice one is missing,” said Temperance, still over Vlad’s shoulder.

Vlad eyed Hannah. “You are of the Harker line of shifters?”

She gasped. “You know about…shifters?”

He snorted. “I do. Come. I will see you both home.”

Temperance struck his back with her fists. “I’m going to shove my foot up your…”

“Do not test me, young one. You will not like the results. I will ground you for eternity,” he said, unsure why he cared so muchabout her being here at all let long near young men. “And he had no idea why it was he’d threatened to ground her.”

“Ever heard of Stranger Danger? We don’t know you. We aren’t going anywhere with you, asshole!” she shouted.

His head started to hurt and he strongly suspected it was a teenager induced migraine.

The song changed to one about going “all the way.”

Radmila appeared at his side.

“See to it the DJ never plays this song again,” he said.

She inclined her head and vanished.

A second later there was blissful silence that was quickly filled with the sounds of screams.

He grinned and kept walking with Temperance over his shoulder, kicking her feet and striking his back with her fists. She reminded him greatly of a cat trying to avoid a bath.

Hannah raced along beside him. “Um, sir. She’s right. We don’t know you.”

“I know the head of your line,” he said quickly. “Very well.”

Temperance quit thrashing about. She put her elbows against his back. “Said every kidnapper ever. Come with me, little girls, I know your parents. Want to see my puppy? How about some candy?”

“You are tiring,” Vlad said rubbing his temple with his free hand.

Hannah smiled slightly. “He’s not wrong, Tempi. You are a lot at times.”

“You’re supposed to be on my side, Hannah,” protested Temperance as Vlad walked her down the front walk path toward the boulevard.

“This was a horrible idea,” said Hannah. “Our moms are going to freak and my dad will be so disappointed. Not to mention?—”

Temperance groaned. “Your dad has been a dad for two weeks. He is riddled with guilt for missing so much of you growing up. Bat your lashes. He’ll fold. He’s weak. All men are.”

Vlad huffed.

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