Page 33 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

“Don’t forget your lunch.” Evan handed out two bags, one for her and one for Ava.

“Thanks. Do you mind walking Ava to school today? I’ve still got a bit of a headache and I’m running late for my shift.”

“Ava, wait for me downstairs,” Evan called, lowering her voice when Dani reached the door. “I need you to make sure this package goes out. Sector Three.”

Evan passed her a small rectangular parcel no bigger than a phone. Dani slipped it into the front of her bra. Regular mail was searched. The shipping center where she worked was owned by Cavalieri Industries. Communication between sectors was always monitored and only bootleg devices could be used to text without messages being intercepted.

“I’ll try. It depends if I’m being watched.”

Evan nodded. “Be careful coming home tonight, okay?”

This was accompanied by a meaningful look.

“Is something happening?” A chill skated up Dani’s spine.

“Just don’t let them hold you late for any overtime. Get back home before curfew.”

Which was answer enough.

Alexander splashed water onto his face. With a sigh, he hung his head over the marble basin in his bathroom, waiting for his heartbeat to slow. All morning, he’d felt jittery. It had to be a reaction to the previous night’s feeding. Abstaining from directly drinking from a sanguine’s vein for three years, then restarting without advanced time to prepare had been a shock to his system.

Reaching for a towel, he dried his face. As he closed his eyes, an image of Dani appeared, draped across the divan. Blonde hair spilled over her shoulders in soft waves. He shook his head to try to clear his thoughts, and those gray storm cloud eyes stared down at him in the moment just before he’d bitten her, vulnerable, trusting him.

Damn it all.

Her blood was in his veins and now she was all up in his head, driving his imagination wild.

He couldn’t stop picturing what it would have felt like to have her small fingers trace the bones of his face just before he kissed her for the first time, shy and wanting. He longed to feel those hands draw his shirt up over his head, hear her breath catch, see her pupils grow dark with desire as he explored every inch of her skin.

Not with the fear that had been there last night.

Not because they had a contract, or because he was the prince, which he sensed with absolute certainty would be the one thing that would make him less appealing to Daniela Girard rather than more, in contrast to practically every other woman in the sector.

No. Just once, he wanted to know what it would have felt like to have her touch him because she wanted to.

Alex dug his fingers into his temples. He was giving himself the migraine of the century. He needed to stop thinking of Dani this way, desiring her.

He’d gotten used to taking his monthly meals from a bag. With contactless donation, the risk of addiction was much lower on both sides. Sanguines who gave blood remotely didn’t take vampire venom into their bloodstream. Vampires who chose contactless feeding still ingested the sanguine’s blood, so there was still that instinctive draw to take, the craving that every vampire felt pulsing in his blood when he needed to feed. But since venom never entered the bloodstream of the sanguine, the drive to possess was greatly reduced. Addiction rarely formed on either side.

He was having a reaction after taking Dani’s blood. There was no point in denying it. He was feeling things he shouldn’t be feeling. But the temporary arousal, the possessiveness that all vampires experienced just after feeding—these urges were normal and would pass over the next few days.

For now… he needed to work some of this excess energy off. Grabbing his gym bag, he went outside to meet Dante.

His brother and one of his bodyguards were already skating around the small outdoor practice rink behind the palace, battling for control of the puck.

Henri dropped onto the bench beside him and began lacing up his skates. “Everything you asked for was delivered.”

“Good. Thank you for taking care of that, and for your discretion.” Alex yanked on his skates. “I was thinking I could call up the local pharmacies when we’re done here. I know there are shortages, but surely they have drug supplies they’re holding back for clients who pay a premium. Someone has to have insulin.”

Henri was silent for a long moment, staring out at the snow swirling across the lake. “Of course, I’ll do whatever Your Highness commands.”

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. “Let’s skip to the part where you tell me why you think this is all a terrible mistake.”

Henri tapped his stick against the ice, breath fogging up the cold winter air. “It’s obvious you care for the girl. I won’t have been the only one who noticed.”

“It’s not that. Her sister is sick.”

He nodded. “And your father?”