Page 35 of The Depraved Prince
“You’re…interesting, to say the least. Every human girl who interacts with Hayden kisses his feet. But you…you fight him.”
“Why are you here, Kallum?”
I cut the small talk.
“I feel bad,” he says nonchalantly. “No one should ever be alone for days with no social interaction. It’s unhealthy. I can sense the stir-crazy happening in that pretty little head of yours.”
He softens his tone.
“Or maybe I’m going a little crazy because everyone I meet has promised me death, and I’ve been kidnapped!”
“Yeah…that’ll do it, I suppose,” he retorts with humor present in his flickering smile.
Then it hits me, and I lower the butter knife to my side.
Kallum may be my way out. I can trick him into letting me leave. He’s different than Hayden. He has remorse, while Hayden only bleeds horror.
I clear my throat, placing the butter knife on the nightstand.
I walk closer to him, and Kallum watches my every move like he’s entranced.
“I should go now,” Kallum says as I slip on the bed beside him.
I grab his forearm desperately. His skin is hard and like touching ice. Either way, I tighten my grip, hoping he can feel how desperate I am for his company and sympathy.
“No, please stay just until I fall back asleep. That’s the least you can do for me? Hayden already told me my days are numbered. I would like just a flicker of compassion fromsomeone.” Not a total lie. Tears accumulate in my narrowed eyes as Kallum stares at me. He contemplates my request, his red eyes changing from bright red to brown as he fights with himself.
“Hayden just might kill me for this. I shouldn’t be here, never mindtalkto you.”
“I won’t tell him,” I promise.
“You won’t have to. He’ll already know.”
Kallum sits back into the bed and holds a book in his hands.
“Try to get some rest, now. I’m going to finish the last chapters of this book. So get to sleep, Ms. Flores.”
We lay silently for a few awkward moments as I watch a horror movie play across the screen. This might be crazy. This isn’t like me to do this, but if I’m going to have a chance at escaping. I have to do it now.
“Is my family okay?” I’ve got to ease into my plan.
He ignores me and continues to read.
“Are they looking for me?”
Again, ignored.
I try a different approach.
“It was a Southern Vampire that did it. That’s what you call them, right?”
Kallum quirks a brow. “Did what?”
I’ve got his attention now.
“The scar on my chest. The one that you were touching.”
“Ahh. That makes sense. The same one who broke your wrist?” He pushes, and a flash of compassion floods him. He turns a page and eyes my chest.
