Page 96 of A Silent Prodigy for the Lycan Princess

Arden smiles slightly.He sounds nice,he links me.

“Okay, back to the topic,” Liam says. “The holes were there also”

“So, we have three bodies with these tiny holes now,” I say. “It’s definitely a pattern.”

“Listen, Aurelia, this might be a stretch because they are all over the body, but you told us it’s all about the blood and the blood group. AB negative is rare, very rare.”

“Yes.” Arden and I exchange a gaze, our curiosity rising.

“You have an idea where the holes are from, Alpha Liam?” Arden asks.

“I reached out to a friend and ally,” he says. “And consulted with him. It’s a possibility…” he pauses. “He is a vampire ally. Rare blood groups can be like drugs for vampires,” he explains. “Silas says that some vampires are drawn to certain blood groups in particular, simply because they are rare. Like you collect rare gems.”

“The rarer, the more valuable,” Arden says breathlessly. “They are drinking from them!”

“Yes, and when more than one vampire feeds from a person, they don’t only drink from their neck,” Liam adds. “It’s forbidden, though. Silas was furious when he heard it. Vampires have strict rules they follow. They sire humans who volunteer, or they get their blood from blood banks.”

“Why didn’t they? Get the blood from there?” I ask.

“Because it’s different to feed from a living person,” Arden mutters. “I bet the blood tastes differently.”

“Yes, Silas verified that,” Liam says. “In addition, it’s werewolf blood. Did the tox screen say anything?”

“Yes, the autopsy report says they were drugged.”

“Just like with the victim I saw,” Liam says. “I showed the autopsy report to Silas. Listen, drugs that work on humans or on us to keep us meek and quiet don’t work the same on vampires.Silas claims that at least one of the drugs can work as an aphrodisiac to vampires, and one works like ecstasy.”

“You are kidding!?” I blurt out.

“No, you have to see it from a vampire’s point of view, now,” Liam says.

“So, they buy humans with fresh AB negative blood,” I mutter. “And drug them to enhance the experience.”

“It’s not just that,” Arden says. “They also enjoy the life leaving their bodies. I bet they keep their humans for a couple of weeks and make sure to keep them alive for a short time span. It’s a thrill for them. Remember, Aurelia, they abduct wolves with AB negative blood, but they don’t care about gender or age. Our kidnappers truly don’t care for what their victims look like, but their customers might. That’s what the auction is for. It’s like they are ordering them!”

“I have a name for you,” Liam continues. “One of Silas’s contacts. You can contact him. Maybe he can tell you more.”

I sit up a bit straighter. “Liam, that’s amazing.”

Arden grabs a pen and a sheet of paper, nodding at me.

“His name is Alexander Baudelaire.” He also tells us his address, my French isn’t really good enough to catch it, but fortunately, my mate grew up in France and scribbles it down. I really need to improve my French. I don’t see myself living here or in the Council at the moment, but here are my mate’s roots, and here is also the root of the lycans.

Liam even has a phone number for us. “Alexander said he would be up to meeting you for brunch tomorrow, in case you have time.”

Arden nods at me. “We have time,” I tell him. “Just send me the place where he wants to meet us.”

Liam does so, and I feel like we are making a huge step forward, finally. “Thank you, Liam,” I say. “You’re truly amazing.”

“Anytime.”

Arden and I decide to head to Paris earlier than our date with Alexander. We are set to meet in Montmartre, and my mate wants to show me around there. I’m more of a small-town girl, and Paris is truly fascinating to me. The architecture, the old city center, the cathedrals, the restaurants and shops. “I really should travel more,” I say to Arden when he shows me the Sacré Coeur. “There is so much I haven’t seen yet.”

“Let’s do it,” he encourages me. “It will take a couple of years for you to take over the alpha position. While we prepare for our new roles, we can take advantage of our independence and travel more.”

“You are right. I don’t think Dad will have anything against it. In fact, I think he might approve. Okay.” I grab my phone and turn it around. “Mom told me if I don’t send her a picture with you, she will come to Paris in person to see you.”

When he blinks at me, I grin. “You haven’t met my mom. This is not an empty threat. She might just pop up right behind us at some point.”