Luckily for him, I was feeling much better now. Two weeks had passed since I first came to Eleyta, and tomorrow night, we were attending the ball being thrown in our honor.
Tonight, I had already showered, and now I stood at the doorway waiting for Julieta.
As soon as the door opened, I smiled. “Good evening.”
She grinned. “You’re up! Does this mean you feel better?”
“It does.”
Reaching over, I took Julieta’s tray, carrying it over to the side table. Sebastian shuffled some papers, turning away from the desk and leaning against the stone wall as I sat on the edge of the bed.
I had plans for tonight. I wanted to ask her if she’d heard anything from home, but I didn’t want the prince overhearing. He might have been kind to me, but I still didn’t trust him. After all, he was a vampire.
Twisting my hands in front of me, I met Sebastian’s eyes. His wings were nowhere in sight, but it didn’t stop him from looking imposing as he watched me carefully. He was doing that a lot these days.
I picked my words carefully. “Sebastian, can you… do you think you might give us some privacy?”
The vampire prince’s jaw fell open. “Are you kicking me out of my own bedroom?” he asked incredulously. “Seriously?”
I grimaced. “I mean… maybe? Unless Julieta and I could go somewhere else?”
“Out of the question,” he snapped. “It’s not safe for you to wander the halls of Castle Sanguis alone. Whether either of us likes it, you’re my responsibility now, and I need to keep you safe.”
Putting aside the “responsibility” comment for later, I focused on the most pressing question.
“Is it safe for you?” I asked.
Julieta’s mouth fell open and, out of the corner of my eye, I watched as she slinked further away from the prince.
“Of course it is.” He held up his hand, and shadows curled around his palm. “No one would dare cross me.”
I could see why. Power emanated from him.
Our gazes met, and my heart skipped a beat. There was something about the prince that drew me to him. Our eyes remained glued to each other for what felt like an hour, until a shout came from the hallway.
The moment broke, and I drew in a shaky breath.
“Please, Sebastian. It’s been a long few days. Julieta is my only friend now, and I’d really love a few minutes alone with her.”
“I will go in the hallway—”
“Really alone,” I interjected. “Not with you hovering over us. I just…My home is gone. My country is gone. She’s all I have left.”
Sebastian’s nostrils flared, and for the first time since we met, a hint of frustration made it into his tone.
“This is unbelievable,” he said, breaking the word into syllables. “I’ve been sleeping on the floor for days and I’m starving, because that gods-damned deer blood does nothing for me”—he flashed his fangs at me as his wings burst out of his back, and I squeaked—“and now you’re kicking me out of my own room?”
This was a very good reminder that the prince was not human. I hadn’t forgotten, exactly, but he had been so… unassuming the past week.
That was gone. With his wings fanned behind him and his fangs shining in the purple light, it was safe to say he wasveryassuming. I needed that alone time now more than ever.
Gentling my tone, I looked into his black eyes and whispered, “Please?”
A long moment passed, and the air thickened between us as his stormy eyes searched mine. Then his wings snapped tightly against his back.
“Fine,” he huffed. “Stay here. Eat your breakfast. Do whatever it is you females do. When I come back, we’ll finish our conversation from the night of our wedding. It’s long overdue, and there are things you need to know before the ball tomorrow night.”
I smiled. “Thank you, Sebastian. I appreciate it.”