Page 24 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

“I’m not fully myself yet,” I say with shame, lowering my head. “If you run from me… I will chase. Do you understand?”

She nods.

“Do you know what will happen once I catch you?” My voice comes out thick and hoarse.

“I know.” She nods understandingly. Her sweet breath dusting my face. Now I wish she didn’t open her mouth.

She keeps her face carefully controlled but I can feel her racing heartbeat. “I told you to use the Rhunhraefn if I am ever a danger to you.”

Her lips press into a stubborn line at the warning.

“Do not hesitate,” I insist, grinding my teeth. “Your survival depends on it.”

“You have this under control,” she says softly.

This blind trust for someone she barely knows, this piss poor self-preservation skill… it makes me angry. A growl escapes my throat as I bare my lethal canines at her.

“I have this under control,” she clarifies, undaunted. I feel a sharp nudge in my groin.

I bark a laughter at the feeble threat.

“It takes ninety seconds to bleed out from a severed artery. Enough time for me to rip you apart,” I whisper, licking the column of her throat for emphasis.

Her breath catches but she recovers quickly. The girl grins despite death hovering inches from her.

“Who says I’m aiming for the artery?” She presses the dagger harder against me.

A smile curves my lips at the cool feel of the blade higher up my thigh. Her threat to my balls and cock has the opposite effect she intended. She’s drawing the beast in me to play.

“I can simply… regenerate.” My body goes entirely still above her, the predatory focus refusing to fade. “You’re playing a very dangerous game, Rhianelle.”

“So are you.” She glares boldly, leaning her head to whisper in my ear, “They might grow back small.”

The beasts inside me snarl at the challenge.

She thinks this is amusing. I want to lash out to tell her this is no joke. I could have killed her.

I curl my lips, baring my sharp canines at her.

But my attempt to scare her fails miserably for several reasons. First off, her body is pressed up against me. Second… I can’t hardly think of a second reason because her body is pressed up against me.

“No more prey-like behavior,” I say through clenched teeth. It’s more of a plea, a request.

Her eyes snap up to meet my gaze. She stares at me unfazed. It’s almost as if she’s trying to find something in the depths of my eyes.

There is nothing but pitch-black darkness in there, sweetheart.

“All right,” she murmur quietly.

The girl is threatening to slice my balls and yet all I feel is adoration and desire curling in veins. I smile the moment I notice the way her body gravitates towards mine.

Rhianelle has been lying.

She can hide her blush as much as she wants, but I see it in her eyes. The strange bond is still affecting her. I better get a hold of mine soon before I succumb to it. It takes me a considerable amount of strength to pull myself away from her.

Nel shoves to her feet before I can offer her my hand. But she sees the gesture and gives me a near blinding smile. “Thank you.”

I didn’t do shit to deserve that gratitude.