Page 86 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

“Sera is worried you could have internal bleeding, hemorrhaging inside your head. It isn’t safe to go to the hospital. Not when Lara and her father will do anything to ensure she’s put on the throne.” He drew a breath. “You have to drink my blood.”

She blinked in confusion. “Won’t that turn me?”

He hesitated. The answer, of course, was that it could.

“I won’t give you that much. But if we don’t do something…” He shook his head, refusing to let his mind go there. “I can’t lose you, Dani. You’re everything to me.”

His voice broke.

She touched his face. “And you will not lose me. I am yours.”

Alex used his fangs to open his vein.

“Drink,” he implored her. He ran fingers through her hair, encouraging her as she awkwardly tried to seal her lips around his wrist for the first time. “Pull, Daniela. You have to suck.”

Her cheeks colored adorably. But she began to draw from his vein with more confidence.

Henri slipped back into the room, bearing a stack of clothes and two water bottles. “I’ve asked the kitchen staff to send up a cart with dinner.”

“Thank you, Henri.” He cracked one of the water bottles and drank deeply. “What do we know about the second bombing, the one at the train station?”

“It’s still early, but as they were triggered minutes apart, at this time, the authorities are presuming them to be linked.” He nodded. “I’ll be just outside if you need anything.”

The door clicked shut.

“I can’t let you go, Daniela.” Alex trailed fingers through her hair. “It will take time to convince Dante and Isabella to leave. Once I do that, can you get Ava and Evan to agree to go into hiding?”

She stopped drinking, turning to stare up at him in surprise. A dribble of blood dripped down her bottom lip. His cock thickened at the sight of it, at the sight of her looking so very much like a vampire. Lifting his wrist to his lips, he sealed the puncture wound, then bent to kiss her. Dani shivered, running her fingers through his hair as her tongue traced his fangs.

“How are you feeling?”

“My head is getting clearer.” She bared her teeth at him. “Any sign of fangs?”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m afraid your frying pan is not out of service just yet.” He traced her face. “I must confess that the sight of you with my blood on your lips does things to me.”

“I thought I would be grossed out by it,” she confessed, nestling back into his arms. “The taste was about what I thought it would be, but warmer.”

“How’s the headache?”

“Better.” She stretched, as if testing the answer. “Vampire blood works so quickly. I’m surprised it’s not used more often.”

“It’s most effective for healing physical wounds. On chronic conditions, there’s typically little to no impact. Something like poisoning can still kill us, as you saw. And the practice of giving vampire blood to humans has been outlawed for over a decade.”

“Because no one wants more vampires created. Or is it because the blood source would be gone?”

“Both. We’re sadly no better than any other group in recorded history who has risen to dominance only to immediately hoard power.”

Dani’s stomach growled. “Sorry. I hadn’t gotten a chance to take my break when the explosion happened, so I missed lunch.”

“Henri is having the kitchens send up food. It should be here soon. Would you prefer to have a bath first?”

“That would be wonderful. And then I’m starving.”

While Dani checked in with her sisters, Alex ran her a bath, lighting a few candles and adding bubbles and fragrant oils into the giant marble tub. He was just testing the temperature when her fingers brushed his shoulder.

“This is perfect. I love the candles.”

“Sometimes when I have a headache, I like a good soak without the lights on.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.”