Page 86 of The Ballad of the Vampire Prince

I look at the two girls arguing, and every turmoil wrecked by the bond vanishes.

“That’s all right. I’ll pass on this one. I have some work to do, but I’ll definitely join you next time,” I say with an appreciative nod.

“You know we’ll always have your back, right?” Tallula asks with a warm smile. “You can trust us.”

I know.

I give them both another hug.

It’s three elflings against the world.

I’ve always considered Tallula and Lenna as my friends, so this isn’t something new. I part ways with them with a warm feeling in my chest.

As soon as I reach my room, I splay the map of Windhaven over the dining table. Everything is all over the place, but there is a pattern. I begin charting the murderer’s path, carefully marking the latitude and longitude of each attack. I narrow my eyes to the map the moment I finish.

There is a key piece of information I’m missing.

After a while, a splitting headache stabs at my temples. I settle on the bed, drawing up my knees to my chest.

The primitive feeling of the bond strikes again, and I am filled with longing for Svenn. He has been out for a while now.

I only have myself to blame for this pain. The brick walls I built have all crumbled to ashes. But truth be told, no amount of defenses I put up can stand when the god of war himself comes knocking.

I fish under the bed for my treasure trove.

The ornamented box may seem like a normal jewelry box on the outside, but it’s what’s inside that is precious. I stare down at the content with a wicked smile.

A collection of buttons and shoelaces.

I count the stuff I have successfully stolen for the past week. I hate that I’m developing this weird habit. It’s illogical and a little nuts. But it anchors me. And it keeps the bond from acting out and doing something even more irrational.

Just this morning, it was telling me to jump into Svenn’s lap and kiss his throat. Something is terribly wrong with me—craving a man who will never be mine. A man who wants nothing to do with me.

But trying to imagine life without him just hurts my heart. I touch my chest to calm the tugging I felt there.

Gods, I miss the way his arms wrapped around me.

I pick a pretty button in my hand, bringing it to my lips. This will help ease the longing, especially when I imagine it’s Svenn I’m kissing.

I close my eyes slowly and make a silent prayer to the heavens.

I want to be held by him, even if only for an instant.

I want a kiss.

I want everything.

I want him to be mine.

I open my eyes to find a pair of dark russet eyes gazing back at me.

Svenn stands by the window with his arms crossed, his mighty wings blocking out the sunlight.

My heart trips and stumbles in its cavity.

Don’t panic. Don’t panic.

The man is staring at me with a perplexed look on his face.