Page 16

“You know, floating malfunctions. Gravity glitches. The usual morning… things.” My face drifted closer to his neck with each word, drawn by the steady pulse beneath his skin.

“Reminds me of this manga I was reading— My Life as a Floating Vampire Omega . Though he had way better control than I do. And probably didn’t assault his brother with surprise hugs. ”

The rich aroma of his coffee caught my attention, mingling temptingly with his scent. “That smells amazing,” I murmured, even as my brain screamed back away from his neck! In response, my body only pressed closer.

“Would you like some?” His voice was gentle, even as his pulse jumped beneath my gaze. “I can make you a blood-infused version.”

“That sounds perfect,” I managed, trying very hard not to focus on how my entire body seemed to mold against his. “I’ll just… unwrap myself… any second now…”

My arms rebelliously tightened around his shoulders.

“Take your time,” he said with that quiet amusement again. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“That’s very patient of you,” I informed his neck, which I was definitely not staring at even as I somehow moved even closer.

“Very noble. Very… brother-like. Which you are. My brother. Who I should not be clinging to like a caffeinated octopus. Or thinking about how good you smell. Which I’m not. Thinking about, I mean. At all.”

Someone please stop me from talking , I silently begged any deity who might be listening. But apparently, the supernatural powers that be had a sense of humor, because I just kept going.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled against his collar. “I’m babbling. I never used to babble. Well, the old Luca didn’t. I mean, I didn’t. Though technically I am him, just more… verbose? Is that the word? See? Still babbling. Someone should install a mute button?—”

Ryker’s laugh was soft, but his smile? That smile could have launched a thousand supernatural ships. My heart did something completely unauthorized—a complicated gymnastics routine involving backflips and possibly a triple axel. I hadn’t even known vampire hearts could dance like that.

“I like this version of you,” he said softly. “More alive. More present. We were worried before, you know. When you’d hide away for weeks.”

My gaze drifted from his gentle eyes to his perfect lips, then inevitably to his throat where that tempting pulse played its siren song. I swallowed hard, my fangs aching with need.

Ryker tilted his head slightly, deliberately exposing more of his neck. “You can take a bite if you need to,” he murmured. “Wolf healing is remarkably efficient. Your tiny fangs wouldn’t hurt at all.”

“I am not going to bite my brother,” I protested, even as my lips drifted closer to his throat. My body was definitely not taking directions from my brain anymore.

“Supernatural desires can be hard to control when you’re young,” his voice was honey-smooth, encouraging. “There’s no sin in giving in to what you need…”

My lips brushed his skin, fangs grazing ever so slightly?—

“Ryker.”

Zane’s voice cut through the kitchen like arctic wind, precise and deadly calm. His scent filled the space with alpha authority, making my head spin with competing desires.

“Step away from Luca.”

Each word was measured, controlled, but held enough power to make the air crackle with tension. This wasn’t just big brother Zane—this was Alpha Whitlock, and he was not pleased.

I jerked back from Ryker’s throat, but my treacherous body refused to unwrap itself from around him. If anything, my legs tightened their hold.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no.

This was not how I’d planned to start my morning.

“I would step away,” Ryker said mildly, “but our little brother seems to be experiencing some… gravitational issues.”

“I’m working on it,” I mumbled into his shoulder. “Any second now. Just as soon as my limbs remember they belong to me and not some touch-starved octopus.”

Zane moved closer, his presence making every vampire sense I possessed light up like Times Square at Christmas. “Luca.” His voice softened just slightly. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, perfectly fine!” My voice hit a pitch previously unknown to vampires. “Just practicing my… koala impression? Very important vampire prince skill. Vital for diplomatic relations. With trees.”

A sound suspiciously like a suppressed laugh came from Ryker. Zane’s eyes narrowed.

“He floated into me,” Ryker explained, his hands still respectfully steady at my waist. “Then gravity decided to make things interesting.”

“I see.” Zane was suddenly right beside us, his scent mixing with Ryker’s in a way that made my fangs ache. “And the near-biting?”

“That was… also gravity’s fault?” I offered weakly. “Very pushy, gravity. No respect for personal space. Unlike me, who is currently winning gold in the Olympic sport of inappropriate brother-clinging.”

“He’s hungry,” Ryker said simply.

“I am not—” My stomach growled traitorously. “Okay, maybe a little hungry. But I was going to get a nice, safe blood bag. With one of those cute straws. Instead, my body staged a coup and decided Ryker was a tree.”

“A tree,” Zane repeated, and was that amusement in his voice?

“A very nice tree,” I assured them both. “Premium quality. Excellent branch structure. Five stars on Vampire Yelp.”

Zane moved closer still, and suddenly his hand was on my back, warm and steady. “Luca, little bat, look at me.”

I turned my head, which was a mistake because now I was caught between two devastating scents and two sets of impossibly attractive features and this was not fair .

“Focus on my voice,” Zane continued softly. “You’re not actually stuck. Your body is responding to hunger and new instincts. Just breathe.”

“Breathing seems overrated when you both smell like that ,” I muttered, then immediately wished I could recall the words. “I mean—not that I’m smelling either of you! That would be weird. And inappropriate. And I’m going to stop talking now.”

“One limb at a time,” Zane guided, his hand moving soothingly along my spine. “Start with your arms.”

My arms reluctantly unwound from Ryker’s shoulders, though they immediately tried to reach for Zane instead. I locked them firmly at my sides.

“Now your legs.”

“My legs are on strike,” I informed him. “They’ve unionized. Formed the League of Extraordinary Limbs. Very militant about their right to cling.”

That definitely was a laugh from Ryker this time. Even Zane’s lips twitched.

“Little bat.” Zane’s voice held that gentle authority that seemed to bypass my brain entirely. “Let go.”

My legs finally uncrossed, and I slid down from Ryker’s waist—only to immediately stumble as my knees apparently forgot their primary function. Both brothers caught me, and suddenly I was sandwiched between rich musk and amber and warm spice and bergamot.

“Sorry!” I squeaked. “New vampire legs. Very unreliable. Probably need a warranty check.”

“I was about to make him blood-infused coffee,” Ryker said over my head, his tone carrying something I couldn’t quite read.

“I’ll take care of it,” Zane replied, and there was definitely something passing between them in that look. “You have training with the security team.”

“Of course.” Ryker’s hand brushed my hair gently as he stepped back. “Try not to float into any more trees, sugar fang.”

I made the mistake of watching him leave, which meant I missed the moment Zane’s arm slid around my waist to steady me.

“Now then,” his voice rumbled close to my ear. “Let’s get you properly fed before you start accosting the rest of the family foliage.”

Out of the frying pan and into the really, really attractive fire , I thought hysterically. This was going to be an interesting morning.

“Let’s get you to the counter before you find another tree to climb,” Zane said, watching me wobble like a newborn fawn.

I made it exactly two steps before my legs decided to go on another unauthorized break. Zane sighed—that perfect mixture of exasperation and fondness—before simply scooping me up into his arms.

“This has to be a vampire thing,” he mused, settling me onto a barstool while I tried very hard not to notice how easily he’d lifted me. “These new abilities manifesting… I should ask Sebastian about it.”

I watched him move around the kitchen, preparing what looked like a seriously expensive coffee setup. The Whitlocks didn’t do anything halfway—even their coffee maker looked like it belonged in a science lab.

“Perhaps we should bring in a proper vampire tutor,” he continued, measuring out deep-red coffee beans that smelled divine. “At twenty-one, you’re still young by vampire standards. We should have done this years ago, but you were so…” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “Reluctant to engage.”

Through Luca Valentine’s memories, I understood what he meant.

Vampires aged differently based on their power levels.

At twenty-one, I was at the perfect age for power manifestation in vampires.

Like supernatural coming-of-age, when young vampires first come into their full abilities.

Which… actually explained a lot about the floating and the inability to control my impulses.

“That’s probably a good idea,” I managed, trying not to get distracted by how his muscles moved as he worked. “The tutor thing. Though I’m pretty sure ‘floating into your brothers and clinging like a desperate koala’ isn’t covered in Vampire Prince 101.”

Zane’s hands stilled for just a moment. “No,” he said quietly. “I suppose it wouldn’t be.”

He turned back to me, sliding a lavender-tinted mug across the counter. The coffee was a deep crimson, steam rising in elegant spirals, and the scent made both my fangs and taste buds tingle with anticipation.

“The Blackthorn Clan’s latest blend,” he explained. “Blood-infused Arabica with notes of cherry and dark chocolate. They say it’s perfect for young vampires still adjusting to their nutritional needs.”

I wrapped my hands around the warm mug, trying not to think about how his scent seemed to envelope me even from across the counter.

“Thank you. For the coffee. And the carrying. And not mentioning how I just sexually harassed a tree.”

“Ryker’s hardly a tree,” Zane said, something unreadable flickering in his eyes as he watched me over the counter. There was a softness in his expression, like he was afraid any sudden movement might break this moment.

I buried my face in my coffee to avoid his intense gaze. The liquid was perfect—rich and complex, with just enough blood to satisfy my cravings without being overwhelming.

“We’ll figure this out,” he said quietly, his hand reaching across to brush a strand of hair from my face. The casual touch sent electricity dancing across my skin. “Whatever’s happening with your powers, we’ll help you through it.”

I’m pretty sure this isn’t about powers , I thought, watching him over the rim of my mug. Unless ‘wanting to bite your ridiculously attractive not really brothers’ is a standard vampire ability.

But that was definitely not something I was ready to voice out loud. Ever.

“Morning!” Archer’s voice rang through the kitchen as he bounded in with his usual energy. “I smell the Blackthorn Clan’s new blood blend and—” He stopped, taking in the scene before him. “Well, well. Our little sugar fang joins us for coffee?”

I sank lower in my seat, but Archer was already there, sliding onto the stool next to me.

He propped his elbow on the counter, resting his chin in his hand as he studied me with undisguised interest. His citrus and summer forest scent wrapped around me, mixing dangerously with Zane’s crisp winter pine.

“Brother dearest,” Archer called to Zane without taking his eyes off me, “any chance of sharing that heavenly brew?”

I focused intently on my coffee, trying to ignore how Archer’s gaze seemed to caress my skin. His fingers suddenly reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The casual touch sent sparks dancing across my skin.

Zane’s low growl was barely audible as he set a mug in front of Archer with perhaps more force than necessary.

“Thanks!” Archer’s grin was positively wicked as his eyes drifted over me. Then he paused, his smile turning mischievous. “Nice to see you out and about, sugar fang, though maybe next time dress properly first?”

My brain screeched to a halt. I looked down.

I was still in my sleep clothes. My very thin, very revealing sleep shirt and shorts that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The delicate fabric clung to every line of my body, and the morning light made it almost translucent.

And I’d wrapped myself around Ryker like a desperate koala. In this .

Heat flooded my face as I caught Zane’s sharp glare at Archer. I gulped down the rest of my coffee.

“I just remembered I have a very important… thing. Somewhere else. Far away. Where I’m wearing actual clothes.” I practically leaped off the stool, my new vampire speed finally cooperating as I fled the kitchen.

Behind me, I heard the distinct sound of someone being smacked with what was probably a dish towel, followed by Archer’s laughing “What? I was being helpful!”

I didn’t stop running until I reached my room, mortification burning through me. I’d just sexually harassed a tree while basically wearing underwear.

This was definitely not in any vampire prince handbook.