Page 66 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

Tears prick my eyes. Svenn is like the fae with their tricks and clauses.

“Don’t worry, Nel. I’m not going to kill him tonight,” he says quickly.

The terror in my heart eases at his words. “Do you promise?”

He nods.

“My hands are pretty much occupied,” he says.

A smile tugs my lips when he strokes my hair again. Hope rekindles in my chest. “So, you’ll let him go?”

“I didn’t say that.”

And just like that my heart stammers and I’m scared again. “Why—why do you want to kill him?”

“You know that answer, Nel.” My heart hammers madly at his pause. “For you.”

“I don’t want you to kill him for me,” I say firmly.

“For me then,” he says with a careless shrug. He traces my lips with his thumb and my breath catches in my throat. “If it weren’t for his interruption… this would have been mine in the cavern.”

Why is he doing this to me? Maybe he thinks I’m fun to tease. Well, I’m not going to cower from him this time.

“You wanted me to kiss you,” he says, returning his wicked fingers to my scalp again.

“So why didn’t you?” I challenge.

“If I kiss you, I’ll never want to stop.”

My heart does a happy somersault in my chest, but I try not to let it show in my expression.

I’m not even sure I understand what is happening between us. This stupid fluttering in my chest makes it obvious.

Don’t tell me… I’m falling for him again.

Svenn has rejected me enough for several lifetimes. Why am I still pining for him? I’m handing my heart on a silver platter for him to stomp on and stab.

Walls of bricks, not straw…I remind myself.

“Close your eyes,” he whispers in the dark. “I’ll watch over you.”

He touches my ear with such an unexpected affection that tears almost prick my eyes. This is an echo of how he made me feel that night. Safe and protected.

Stop this,I want to tell him.

I don’t want to open myself to that pain again.

Walls of bricks, not of straw.I keep chanting in my head. But if he keeps being nice to me, I won’t be able to keep this up.

“Goodnight, Rhianelle.”

He makes my name sounds so delicious with that dark whisper. It feels like it belongs there on his lips. I hope it stays there forever.

I close my eyes and let the velvety drawl of his voice lull me to sleep. “Night… Svenn…”

Chapter 9 Rhianelle

Iopen my eyes to the soft morning light streaming through the windowpane and Svenn’s beautiful face. His fingers are still tangled in my hair, covering my ears.