Page 90 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

They carried her, fighting and kicking, to the first car, threw her in the back seat, and slammed the door.

“Well, that was quite a spectacle,” said a bored voice from beside her. Lara Cavalieri wore a pale cream wool coat that had to cost more than she made at the factory in two months. She finished typing something, then pocketed her phone. “I assume that unlike my security detail, you’re not hurt?”

“Let me go.” Dani slid her gaze towards the door, wondering how far she would get if she tried to run. Not far, if the rest of Lara’s team was as well trained as the first wave had been. “You have no right to hold me.”

“And I had no idea you were an aberrant,” Lara mused. “How very interesting. Does Alexander know?”

Dani’s blood ran cold. “Why am I here?”

“Because we need to talk. You purposefully sabotaged my press conference with your little bid to call attention to yourself yesterday at the bombing site. And now that immature attempt to capture Alexander’s attention is proving to be a distraction we don’t need.”

Dani nearly choked.

Was Lara actually serious? She’d fled the scene to rush into hair and makeup while people had been trapped inside the shipping center, a building her father owned. Although Cavalieri-controlled media had tried to suppress them, there were videos everywhere taken by bystanders of Alex and the volunteers from Lara’s press team (who she’d probably fired on the spot) rescuing survivors from the rubble. Then there were the videos of Dani helping care for survivors until she fainted and Alexander had to carry her out.

“Your situation is very precarious,” Lara continued. “A younger sister who is very sick. Another sister whose actions could easily get her thrown in jail. Are their safety and security really worth a few nights warming the bed of someone else’s husband?”

“He’s not your husband.” The words left her lips before she could stop them.

“But he will be.” Lara’s expression turned glacial. “Surely you don’t actually think Alex is going to marry you? That the heir to the throne would give everything up for some sanguine he’s been fucking, not just someone of no status, but a human besides?”

Dani felt her face burn. She pressed her lips together, saying nothing.

“So maybe he’s made promises to you as you lay in his arms after he’s done using you, just as he’s made them to me. You think this is the first time he’s taken a blood slave, used her as a whore, and tossed her aside when he’s tired of her?”

“You’re lying.”

She shrugged. “Believe what you like. Our engagement will be announced in a matter of days. I will be his wife. And I will not stand for either of us to be humiliated by some cheap whore he’s been screwing from my father’s factory.”

“I need to pick my sister up from school.” Her voice shook. “She has a doctor’s appointment. If I don’t show up, they’re going to know something is wrong.”

“Think about what I said. This doesn’t have to be difficult. You could have a monthly stipend, money that would help your sisters.” Lara shrugged. “But make no mistake, I have a security detail. I will be the one living in his castle. If you refuse, you will be the one living in your run-down apartment with no heat in the dead of winter while the press hounds your little sister every time she tries to leave the house. You’ll be a prisoner in your own home.” She let the words sink in. “Or you could take the money and move to a comfortable flat, take your sister to better doctors and get her the food that would help her condition improve with a better diet.”

Dani glanced again towards the door.

“If you’re worried I’m going to make you disappear, don’t.” Lara laughed. “We both know Alex would drive himself crazy if that happened. He would never stop searching for you.” Her eyes narrowed. “But you have two sisters you need to consider. One of whom is involved in risky rebel activity every night, and the other who could easily experience an insulin overdose. A tragic accident.”

Dani felt her chest constrict until she could barely breathe. “Stay away from my sisters.”

“Then we understand each other. You are going to end things with Alexander. You’ll walk away and make sure he understands that this was all your idea.” Lara tapped something into her phone. “Last warning. I trust we won’t need to repeat this conversation.”

With that, the door opened and she was yanked from the car.

“I don’t think anything’s broken, but you’re going to have an ugly bruise for a few days.” Evan packed snow into a clean cloth, passing the cool compress over to Dani so she could put it on her cheek. “You promise me nothing else happened, right? Those men didn’t touch you?”

“I’m okay.” Gingerly, Dani applied the snow compress to her cheek. She wasn’t okay. Not really. She hadn’t been able to stop shaking since she’d gotten home. “Lara knows I’m an aberrant. They could be on their way here right now to pick me up.” She rose from the kitchen table. “We need to go to Ava’s school.”

“Sit down.” Evan shoved the mug of herbal tea she’d made across the table. “Take some deep breaths.”

“We have to get her.” She swiped at her eyes. “Fine, if you won’t go, then I will.”

“Get her and go where?” Evan intercepted her halfway to the door.

“I don’t know. A safe house. You know places to hide people.”

“And we don’t have nearly enough places for all the ones who need it.” Evan hugged her fiercely. “You were just attacked by armed vampires on the street. You have every right to be freaking out right now. But we have to think this through. I don’t know where we hide if we have to go on the run with a ten-year-old. Not long term. What did Alex say when you texted him?”

“He was furious. We’re also in agreement that Lara isn’t going to stop.” She shook her head. “It isn’t going to matter if I step aside or not. Lara is never going to be satisfied until I’m dead. She will have nothing but absolute victory and that will only come with her destroying me and everything I hold dear.” She took a shaky sip of tea. “Did Sera ever tell you about her ex, the bodyguard?”