Page 80 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

“Come lay with me. I’ll let you do anything you want.” Her voice is sweet like honey, and beguiling.

I see the fire in his eyes, but not from desire. It’s pure hatred.

I don’t understand this memory. I look at the two curse bearers for answers.

“You see… There are those of us who took a liking to the Strigons,”the Boar explains, nudging me to keep looking at her memory.

“Come on, Bas. Let’s make this easy,” the woman in the memory purrs, drawing closer to the Vampire. She trails her finger over the line of his jaw, lifting his chin. He jerks away from the touch, baring his teeth at her.

“Kneel.”

The command is simple and firm.

Bas winces, as if trying to withstand a great pain in his head. He stares at the curse bearer, his eyes glimmering with rage.

The muscles in his neck and temples grow taut the longer he resists her demand.

“I said kneel.”There is a slight uncertainty in the boar’s voice now as she backs a step from him.

Defiance flashes across his face. It takes a while for him to follow her order, but he eventually does. I close my eyes at the sound of his knees slamming hard against the cold floor.

The arrogance returns to the Boar’s face. Her proud smirk is hideous compared to her beautiful face.

I have to take a deep breath to remain calm.

“I gave you months to mourn her,” she laments, drooping her shoulders. “It should be enough.”

He snarls at her words.

“You haven’t learned your lesson. Perhaps I should call Han and—”

“Stay away from them!” His roar reverberates through the walls and floor.

“Make love to me the gentle way you do with your whore lover.” She ensnares his hair, pulling his head back. “What was her name again? Green? Grain?”

A piercing howl rips from the vampire’s throat.

Bas abides to her order with lifeless eyes and lifts her into his arms.

“He will do whatever we please,”the Boar muses beside me.

The vampire pauses as soon as he lays her on the bed, his entire body moving with revolt and disgust, hovering over her. She flips him over and settles on top of him. A smile etches on her lips as she runs her hands over his chest.

“This is amazing, sister. Remind him that we own his body and his soul,”the Vulture cheers with clear menace.“We can just take whatever we want from them.”

“Stop this,” I tell them.

“Would you like to touch him too?”the Boar merrily offers.“Go on. Just a little taste of what it’s like to be one of us.”

I can’t stand by and watch this abuse any longer. I lunge towards her without warning, my body reacting instinctively to protect him.

The tackle must have missed because I end tumbling on the bed.

“I’m right here.”The Boar appears next to me.

I lurch towards her again, but she disappears in a wisp of smoke.

“Silly girl.”The Boar shakes her head over my failure. Her tone turns cold, mocking.“Have you forgotten this is just a memory?”