Page 23 of Prince with a Chance of Darkness (Grimm Cove #7)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Vlad

Vlad stood at the edge of the cemetery, in Grimm Cove, staring out into the woods. Little had changed in the eighteen years that he had been coming back to Grimm Cove, to this spot, in hopes of finding her—his mate.

Mina , his demon whispered, longing in its voice.

The cemetery was exactly the same as it was the night he'd been here with Mina. The night she'd first tried to attack him only to end up rolling in the leaves, before spending the night making love with him. It was the single best night of his life. Considering he had over six hundred years under his belt, that was saying something.

Vlad curled his fingers, making a fist in each hand, thinking about her, missing her, trying to remember every detail of her face, her body, her scent, and her sound. She was the light in his darkness—one that had been snuffed out, whisked away to who knew where never to be seen by him again.

At least not yet.

We will find her, his demon said softly in his mind. Soon. I feel it.

He hoped his demon was right but didn't dare share his skepticism. The only thing that had kept them going for nearly two decades was the hope they would reunite with her, their wife, their soul mate.

He had been right when he assumed that if he did not love, he would not be hurt. While he had only known Mina a short period of time—two weeks in all counting their time in Romania—she was branded into his soul, a mark on his heart that could never be erased. She was his reason for being. His reason for waking every evening when the sun set. His reason for not walking out into the sun’s rays, wanting it to claim him fully and end his lonely existence.

He knew The Weird Sisters were close. They always were when he came to Grimm Cove. They acted as if his mental state meant he couldn't be left unsupervised while here.

Perhaps they were right.

Perhaps he couldn't.

Maybe he was on the edge of insanity. Maybe his immortal life had run its course, and soon he'd lose himself to darkness, to evil, to his demon.

Do not flatter yourself, Vlad , his demon said with a groan. I do not want to take you over that bad. Not in this state. Like this, you are too pathetic for me to want to bother.

Dark laughter bubbled from within him.

Something plunked him on the top of his head. Glancing up, he found Teya sitting on the limb of a tree, a good forty or more feet off the ground. Her bare feet swayed as she kicked her legs, her long skirts bellowing out around her. She offered the tiniest of waves with one hand while she dropped something from above. Reaching up, Vlad caught it with ease. Opening his hand, he found a hickory nut, still in its hard-shell.

He eyed Teya.

She covered her mouth with her hand. “Oops.”

He groaned.

“I did not see you there,” she said with a smirk.

He felt, more than heard, someone approaching from behind. Teya was pure chaos and above him, so she was accounted for. Radmila moved like death riding on the wind. Only Katarina moved so silently, so calmly.

“Master, the students have returned to campus. A new school year begins for them,” she said softly, her hand finding his back. “This will be the year we find her. I am sure of it.”

She could not disguise the lie in her voice.

He didn’t call her on it, knowing he needed to hear it. That she needed to say it. She had grown attached to Mina when she’d been with them in Romania. She wanted to find her too.

After the white light had swallowed them all whole, only to spit them out in Romania, with no idea how it was that they’d been transported so far, so fast, they had all come to an understanding.

They would look for Mina.

They knew he’d claimed her. That for the first time since becoming a vampire he’d taken a woman as his own. And that mating was far different from marriage.

There were no takebacks.

No exit clauses.

It was for good.

For life.

For eternity.

They did not question why Vlad did not sleep with other women. Why he had no interest in sex, or why he only fed from males when he had to. When bagged blood no longer served to replenish his strength and when pig’s blood left him too weak to stand against his enemies—who were many.

They did not question the one-man war he’d been waging against The Order of the Dragon for eighteen years now. Since they’d drawn the line in the sand, drawing him from the shadows and making an enemy they could not shake. In fact, The Weird Sisters had made it their mission in life to be part of his army—regardless his thoughts on the matter. They had been working with Vlad to make a dent in The Orders strength and numbers.

They did not question his burning need to return to Grimm Cove hoping to reunite with Mina. Though Radmila often made it seem as if the trip annoyed her. He knew better. He knew she was worried too.

He took a deep breath and stepped away from the edge of the cemetery. “To the Gallows Lane home.”

Katarina nodded.

Teya leaped down from the tree branch but she shifted into white mist before she would have hit the ground. She was off and flying in the direction on the old funeral home before Vlad could ask about Radmila.

Katarina cocked her head to the side. “We need to hurry. Radmila is already there.”

“What is the issue?” he asked.

She didn’t wait to explain. She shifted into mist and Vlad did the same, following behind her, unsure what the rush was. He skimmed over the campus and was nearly to the Gallows Lane home when he sensed it bursting with life and activity.

Normally, it was dead silent—empty. Like death itself kept the home wrapped in its dark energy, leaving it a time capsule of sorts—a snapshot into the past.

He and Katarina selected a secluded area off the right of the home, in a grouping of bushes and trees to dart behind. They returned to human form and stepped out of the shadows just in time to see Teya standing between two young men, dancing to the world’s worst music. It was horrible and sounded as if someone ruined multiple records in its creation.

There was a huge banner stretched across the home’s porch announcing a Welcome Back to School 80s Themed Party.

Katarina shook her head. “I do not understand. Why are they all here? Did you not purchase this property?”

“The city council is dragging their feet on my more than generous offer. Though, they have given their word they will not sell it to another, but I await their answer on selling it to me,” Vlad said, unsure why any party was being held here. The council had assured him no one was residing within the home.

He planned to have a long discussion with the council on their rather laxed security of the property because the place was crawling with students.

Teya, dressed in a gown that was anything but casual, seemed to fit right in with the students.

The young men with her looked incredibly pleased to have her sandwiched between them. If they only knew what was dancing close to them.

Vlad wasn’t sure why Katarina had seemed so desperate to get him here, other than the party which Vlad planned to put an end to. As if waiting for his arrival, a body went flying off the side of the porch, followed closely by an ear-piercing battle cry.

Vlad launched into action, recognizing Radmila’s war cry anywhere. He was up and on the porch before any human could see him even move. He caught Radmila’s wrist just as she was about to behead a human male who didn’t look much older than twenty-one. “Radmila!”

She hissed at the boy.

He looked like he might wet himself. He held up his hands. “Listen, lady, I said I was sorry. I didn’t know she was only seventeen or I wouldn’t have offered her a beer.”

“You are lucky that is all you offered her,” snarled Radmila trying to go at him again. “I can read your thoughts. I know you wanted to offer her far more than that.”

The young man gulped.

Vlad put himself in her path and glanced over his shoulder at the young man. Vlad drew upon his vampire powers and locked gazes with the human. “Leave here. Do not return on this night. Forget this happened.”

Radmila hissed. “No! Make him always remember my face for it will be the last he sees should he get near her again.”

The young man turned and walked by the onlookers as if in a trance. He made his way down the front porch steps to the walk path and then the sidewalk where he continued until out of sight.

Vlad drew Radmila’s attention to himself. “What is the meaning of this?”

“That… boy dared to go near her,” said Radmila.

Hope surged in Vlad. “Mina?”

Radmila appeared confused. “What?”

“You found Mina?” he asked, leaving her standing there to hurry into the home. He’d gone into the old funeral home many times over the years, each time the house changed in ways that were unnatural. It was bespelled, that much he was sure of, but he had a feeling there was far more to it than that.

There was a DJ in the center of the living room, complete with strobe lights and massive speakers. The DJ was holding a pair of headphones to one ear while his other hand was in the air, moving along to the beat—if it could be called that. It sounded like loud noise to Vlad. There was nothing musical about it.

The home was packed with students. Most of them had red plastic cups in their hands and were dancing or swaying at the very least. Some were busy kissing, among other things. There was a beer pong table set up in the dining room. Years ago, Vlad would have joined in, amused by the students and their antics. He’d have drunk his fill of intoxicated coeds and gone home. Those days were long gone.

Radmila shot past him and went right for the beer pong set up.

Just beyond the table was a young woman who was standing on a dining chair, her back to Vlad as she shook her backside. She’d amassed an audience of male onlookers all whistling and encouraging her.

She turned, her long dark hair piled high on her head. She wore a T-shirt that said, “Vampire’s Suck” and had on very, very short shorts. Vlad’s demon shot to attention, disliking what it was seeing as much as Vlad. Normally, he cared not what a woman chose to do, or how much skin they wanted to show. In fact, before Mina he’d have been all for as much skin showing as possible but not now—not this young woman. This young woman he and his demon wanted to wrap in a blanket and kill any of any males caught looking at her.

Evidently, it bothered Radmila too because she grabbed one of the men by the throat and lifted him off his feet. “I will rip out your eyes if you do not avert them.”

Vlad liked her style and agreed with the punishment. Fit the crime nicely in his opinion.

Katarina hurried to Radmila, trying to calm her.

Vlad hoped Radmila carried out with her threat.

If she didn’t, he would.

“Tempi,” said another young woman, this one with long brown hair. She was in a black T-shirt and a pair of white shorts. She reached up and took the other girl’s hand, trying to coax her off the chair. “We should go. Something isn’t right. I can’t feel the pack connection. It’s like someone or something cut the cord to it.”

Pack?

She was a shifter?

When he saw her eyes, one green, one brown, he instantly thought of Jonathan and his line of shifters. Vlad was unaware any Harkers had been born female. Then again, he had not spoken to Harker in years.

Vlad made his way to the dining room, pushing students out of his path as if they were midges.

The girl on the chair laughed and tried pulling the other up with her. “Come on, Hannah, live a little! Get up here and… shake…your… rump !” she shouted, her words matching the song.

Hannah pulled her hand away from the other. “Temperance! Get down. We need to go. Now.”

“I agree,” said Vlad, planting his feet firmly and crossing his arms over his chest. He stared up at the young woman on the chair. “It is time for you to go, Temperance.”

She kept dancing and had the nerve to give him the finger. “Get lost, old man.”

Old man? echoed the demon with a huff. She did not dare call us such a thing, did she? We do not look our age.

Vlad exhaled loudly, his nostrils flaring. “Get. Down. This. Instant.”

“Get. Lost. Old. Man,” she shot back, her green gaze narrowing on him.

His jaw set and he noticed another of the young men watching her. The man’s desire was written all over his face. Vlad saw red. He snarled. “I feel for your parents. Soon, they will learn of your unfortunate and very painful passing.”

Katarina hurried to the human male. “It would be best if you leave. Now. He is not a man to be trifled with.”

The young man wisely heeded her warning. He left. Three others took his place. One reached out to touch Temperance’s leg.

Radmila caught his hand and squeezed to the point Vlad heard bones breaking.

He grinned as the man screamed, his voice partially drowned out the loud music.

“Where is Teya?” asked Vlad. “Tell her she may play tic-tac-dead-guy with this one’s hand as soon as I rip it off him.”

The human in question continued to cry out.

Weak little prick.

“Tempi!” said Teya, moving past Vlad and Ramila. She grabbed another chair and climbed onto it, right next to Temperance. She began to dance too, drawing even more of a crowd.

Temperance smiled and bumped hips with Teya. They looked to be old friends.

Vlad and his demon felt as if they were going to explode with rage. “Young lady, get off that chair! Now!”

Temperance kept shaking her backside, her attention on Teya. “Your dad is a total drag.”

Teya smiled. “He’s not speaking to me. And he is not my father.”

Temperance looked down at Vlad. “What is with you, buddy? You’re not my father. Go away. It’s creepy that you’re here. You’re like thirty or something. Eww. Old.”

Unable to help himself, Vlad went at her, lifted her off the chair, tossed her over his shoulder and turned with her. He looked down at Hannah who was staring at him with wide eyes. “We are leaving. Come. You will not remain. I am very aware that neither of you are old enough to be here.” And he was. His demon could sense their ages. They were not old enough to drink.

Hannah’s eyes widened. “Um, yes, uh, sir?”

He nodded. At least one of them had some sense.

Temperance struck Vlad’s back repeatedly.

He ignored it, though he had to admit, she hit harder than a human.

“Put me down, asshole!” she shouted.

“Such a mouth,” he said with a grunt. “I am going to have a long talk with your parents. Letting their child be here in a den of debauchery.”

“Great! My mom will hand you your ass,” she said, hitting him again. “Put me down!”

“No.”

“Get a grip, dude! And put me down!” she yelled.

He ignored her.