Page 99 of Kiss of a Hellish Prince

The room looked like a hospital room, but nicer, clean, sterile, but still luxurious. This was the same medical room I’d gone to after slicing into Kylie.

Evening sun streamed through the gauzy curtains and helped soften the florescent lights and harsh gleam of the metal medical equipment that otherwise seemed out of place. The chairs looked far more comfortable, and the bed was at least a queen with soft sheets and several fluffy pillows.

A heart monitor next to me gave a steady beat. The IV pole had three empty bags of what I assumed was saline and another full one, but the line was not connected to anything.

I looked down at my arm. There was an IV port, but instead of the clear fluid I expected to see pumping into my arm, the plastic tubing was bright red. I followed the line and saw the other end was connected to another arm—a large masculine one with skin pale enough to match my own.

I tried to sit up to see who I was getting blood from, but the room started spinning again the moment I moved. A large, warm hand landed on my shoulder, guiding me back down.

“Don’t move too fast,” a deep and somewhat familiar voice said. Something about the soft, warm voice made me feel like a child. “Lie back. I’ll adjust the bed for you.”

I sank into the soft pillows a moment later. The head of the bed moved up slowly until I was at a forty-five-degree angle. Just enough that I could see my father clearly for the first time.

He looked more like the man from my fading memories now, instead of the man who I’d found chained to a desk with my sister. His hair was combed back. Several layers of dirt and who knows what had been scrubbed from his face, and he was given clean clothes. One arm had the IV, and the other was chained to the table next to him, which was covered with empty Sonic wrappers and cups.

I took a few moments to really look at him. His red hair was the same as mine, and his green eyes were lighter than mine, but the same shape. We even had the same pale skin, which was nothing like my mother’s or sister’s with their blonde hair and darker skin that held a healthy tan all year.

“Water,” I tried to say. My voice cracked.

Arik looked around. “I don’t have any water, but I have a large cherry limeade with your name on it.”

I nodded, and he held the large Styrofoam cup out to me. I took it and greedily sucked the straw, letting the sweet and tart liquid fill my mouth. It was perfect. Cold and refreshing. I gulped half before settling back in the bed, popping the lid off the cup, and tossing a few of the ice chips into my mouth. I let the ice melt on my tongue and soothe my throat.

Just sating my thirst made me feel more awake, more myself. Even the pounding in my head had faded.

“That’s how you drank it when you were younger too,” Arik said, a pang of sadness in his voice.

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t.

“Why?” I started. My voice came out more of a croak, so I cleared my throat a few times and took another drink before trying again. “Why is my IV hooked up to your arm?”

“You lost a lot of blood,” Arik explained. “We are the same blood type, and my blood is stronger than yours. It should help you heal faster.”

I nodded.

“Vivi?”

“She is fine.” He reached out to put his hand on mine before thinking better of it. “She was awake and talking before we even made it back to the compound. They gave her some silver leaf for the bruises, and they are almost gone already. She really is so much tougher than she looks.” His lips twisted into a sad smile. “Your mother called a while ago, worried because she came home to an empty house with a busted front door. Vivi went to get her and bring her here.”

“How do we explain this to her?”

He raised his eyebrows. “Explain what exactly? Her youngest daughter being kidnapped by a lunatic, her oldest daughter nearly dying playing hero, or her husband reappearing after fifteen years?”

He had a point.

“Let’s start with the demon thing,” I said, figuring that would be the hardest to explain, but the one that would incur the least amount of mom’s wrath.

Arik shrugged. “She knows. She has always known what I am, and what that could mean for any kids we had.”

I let out a breath. My stomach unclenched when I realized I wouldn’t have to keep any of this from her. She and I might not see eye to eye on a lot of things, but she was still my mother and right now, I needed her.

“Okay, how about the rest of it?”

“Fuck if I know.” His eyes darted to the side as he rubbed his jaw. “You need to know I only left to keep you and your mother and sister safe. I thought if Kylie had me, she wouldn’t need to come after you. I don’t even know how she found out about you or your sister.”

I nodded but held up my hand to stop him. My head was clearing, but I still couldn’t deal with all of that yet.

“Are there any tots?” Surely, having my ass handed to me warranted some salty, greasy food.

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