Page 143 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

“Have you finished the books I brought in yesterday?” I ask nervously.

“Yes, this is the last one. Help me turn the page, sweetheart,” he mutters.

I do as he pleads, keeping my face from reacting to him calling me his sweetheart. I love all of his endearing terms for me. Wife, darling, and even little fawn.

“I will ask Lord Wesley for more grimoires from his library.” I try to sound casual.

Praise the heavens that the keep has quite a magnanimous collection. I don’t want Svenn to get bored and fly away. I’ll do anything to get him to stay.

He kisses the top of my head. “Thank you, Nel.”

It does feel sneaky luring him into staying with me in this way, but I have no other hands to play. He buries his face in my hair, breathing me in. Is he that happy with the promise of more books?

I look up to find him staring at me with an intense look in his eyes. “Let’s choose them together. I want to know the ones you like.”

My heart flutters at the request.

I blink with disbelief. Is he serious?

The ones I like are the banned books that Blaire hid from the head priestess, or the human and fae smut that Garrett reads. I know I’m taking too long to give him a response. Svenn is finally showing interest in me. I want to seem like a normal, sane person.

“I like classical literature and philosophical books,” I say calmly. My brain quickly conjures the sophisticated ones that Aerin and Aelfric read. “The Pandorium Occult, the Ivory tablets, the Halifax tomes, and the Zephyr codexes.”

Svenn raises one dark brow. “There is a new, small bookstore over the lower district. We should visit after your meetings.”

My heart dances in my chest at the invitation… but wait.

Gods and goddesses above…

Svenn is asking me out. This must be what people would call a date. Before I make a fool out of myself, I better confirm. “Do you want us to go together?”

“Yes,” he replies plainly.

Now I begin to truly panic. Svenn wishes to court me.

A date… Heavens above.

I hate that I don’t have Blaire to ask about it. I want suggestion cards on what to talk about. I need clear indications of the do’s and don’ts. Should we hold hands? Do I kiss him by the end of the date?

The most important question of all:

“What should I wear?” I mutter absently before I can stop myself.

Yikes.

That question was not meant for his ears.

He gazes heavenward out the window, then shifts his eyes to me. “Something warm. It’s looking to be a damn cold night.”

I exhale slowly. “All right. Definitely not this dress then?”

“You can wear whatever you please, Nel,” he muses, running his hand over the fabric on my thigh. “I’ll simply gouge the eyes of any soul who dares to look at you wrongly.”

I forgot I’m going on a date with a Strigon. I don’t want a bloodbath on our precious moment, so I say, “I think I’ll wear something comfortable.”

Svenn grins over my answer, revealing dimples that are almost as lethal as his fangs.

“Come here.” He draws me closer toward him.