Page 68 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“I don’t know what this little game is,” I point between the two of us, “but can you just ask whatever questions you so desire and bite me so I can get back to my new room. I quite like it there.”

He laughs at this as he continues to watch me.

This is not what I had in mind when I said seduce him.

Sorry, but he irritates me. I can’t even pretend to like him.

“So desperate to be bitten again?” He takes a step forward, overwhelming my senses with a rush of citrus and leather. “Were you not satisfied the first time?”

My throat bobs, and my stomach coils with a feeling that I fight to push away.

“There is nothing satisfying about having a leech drain your vein,” I spit.

He dips his mouth to my ear. “Do all leeches make you moan?”

His words render me silent. He tilts back to look at me before a gust of wind assaults me, and he appears across the other side of the room. He points to the chair next to his own.

“Sit.”

Anger grips my chest as I stare at him.

Who exactly is seducing whom?

Shut up, Athriel.

I march toward the seat as I keep my eyes firmly fixed on him. I don’t know what game he’s playing, but tonight, I intend towin. I notice the mass of dark shadows that dance around his wrist, slowly spilling to the floor and becoming one of the same figures that keep popping up everywhere. The figure wraps its shadowy fingers around the top of the chair before pulling it out for me.

I move to sit down and find it tucking in as well. My eyes look up at the faceless mass, not even a hole for its eyes or mouth present, just eternal darkness.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“You’re welcome,” the prince answers, leaning back in his chair and watching me with an amused expression.

“I wasn’t thanking you,” I snap. “I was thankingit.”

I gesture toward the figure whose head is cocked to the side as though it is still watching me.

“Same thing, I’m afraid. It is nothing without my command.”

I find myself watching the shadow figure in fascination and hate that anything about this monstrous creature interests me. Then the darkness dissipates as if a gust of wind assaulted it before sinking back beneath the prince’s flesh. I turn to face him and find him waggling his fingers in the air.

“See. Puppet.”

“Then I take mythank youback.” He laughs at this. “Why am I here?”

He seems to think about the question for a minute.

“At this dinner or at the palace?”

“This.” I gesture to the table with my hand. “What exactly is the point of it all?”

“Does there need to be one?”

He leans across the table to fill his plate with an array of meat and bread.

“Eat.” He says dismissively. “Last thing I need is for you to pass out after I have my fill.”

His words seem to have a hidden meaning that I force myself to ignore.