Wicked Vampire Prince by Bella Klaus

Chapter Ten

That night, I rewired the security magic in my cell to lock Prince Draconius out of the wet room, and awoke in the corner of the cramped space with a stiff neck.

Perhaps I should have taken up his offer to sleep in the bed, but I wasn’t about to lose consciousness beside a naked vampire. I pulled myself off the tiled floor, had a shower, and changed into a lightweight habit.

It consisted of the usual protective leggings and long-sleeved top with an ankle-length coat instead of the usual mantle and tunic. To protect my modesty, I secured the outer garment with a thick leather belt with a holster for my wand.

After pulling back my curls and securing them with a bun at the base of my skull, I pulled a coif over my head and smoothed the hem of the white fabric around my face.

I gazed into the small dressing mirror, wondering if the lighting the imps installed made my skin glow. It was a deep bronze with golden undertones that brought out the tawny highlights of my brown eyes. My brows furrowed. Maybe there was enchantment in the mirror because I’d never in my life looked so radiant.

“Nearly there.” I placed a lightweight veil over the coif, tucked it into my coat’s collar and felt like a nun on a mission.

When I flung open the wet room door and stepped out into my luxury cell, Prince Draconius was already awake and lying on my bed with a sheet placed over his lower half.

“Good morning, my fated mate.” He raised himself off the mattress, supporting his upper body on his elbows and resting his head and shoulders against the quilted headboard and the pillows.

The satin sheet slid from his chest, down his defined abs, and stopped at his crotch. As he bent a muscular thigh to the side, the white fabric slipped between his legs, showing a perfect outline of his manhood.

I placed a hand over my chest and sucked in a breath. It was like the earthquake had returned. My insides quivered at the way the silk clung to his flesh.

Every ridge and vein and contour of his shaft was laid out to me in glorious monochrome, and as my breaths became labored, the wretched thing had the audacity to expand.

My mouth dropped open. “What are you doing?”

He raised his brows, one corner of his lips curling into a mocking smile. “The more important question is, what are you wearing?”

I dropped my gaze back to the sheet, which was now fully tented. A pulse of heat shot between my thighs, making the muscles of my core clench. With a muffled cry, I jerked my head away and stared at the wall.

“Don’t act so modest,” he said. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked.”

The pulse between my ears pounded hard enough to burst their drums. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Someone extracted a sample of my semen to put in that doll.”

Prince Draconius let the accusation hang in the air for several heartbeats. Back when he had abducted me the first time, we had been locked in that boudoir together with the doors magically sealed. Rendering the monster unconscious hadn’t worked, so I’d had to take control of his motor functions.

“Let’s not talk about that anymore.” My voice rose several octaves.

Prince Draconius didn’t speak for several moments, and I dared to peek at him from the corner of my eye. He sat up in bed with his legs bent and the sheet over them, obscuring the sight of his erection.

“Disappointed?” he asked.

I bristled. “More like relieved.”

He smirked. “Would you like me to put on my dressing gown?”

“Not if it means exposing yourself.” I turned to look him full in the face, trying to let him know I wasn’t affected by him or his nudity.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” he said.

I tried not to flinch, but the effort was futile. Surely he wouldn’t ask me about how I’d extracted that semen. “Which one?”

“What are you wearing?” he asked.

“Don’t you think this is suitable for the heist?” I stared down at my coat and frowned.

The air shifted, and Prince Draconius stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders. I tensed for a moment before he kneaded my muscles with his thick fingers. “You’re stiff.”

“Can you blame me?” I bit down on my bottom lip.

“You’re not about to commit a crime,” he said, his voice low and coaxing and curling around my skin.

“Then why does it feel like I’m about to do something terrible?”

His large hands massaged slow circles down my back, melting away the tension I’d been holding since the latest abduction. This was probably some advanced-level vampire manipulation I hadn’t yet learned about, but I had no complaints. Since I was about to infiltrate a bank and obtain money under dubious pretenses, I welcomed the opportunity to relax.

“However much you try to resist, you’re still my mate,” he said.

I bowed my head and scowled. “Stop reminding me.”

His fingers stilled.

My brow furrowed. “Why did you stop?”

Prince Draconius turned me around and placed his fingers beneath my chin. He tilted up my head so I gazed into his blue eyes. “Lerna Bank is the world’s most exclusive financial institution with branches in every major supernatural city.”

“Is that supposed to be reassuring?” I rasped.

“Nobody will take you seriously if you don’t sound convinced of your inheritance.”

“But you’re not dead.”

His nostrils flared. “As much as I would like to walk through their double doors and announce that I’m very much alive, one of those scaly bastards would report my whereabouts to earn Valentine’s thousand gold crown reward.”

“Right.” I tried to inject my voice with a little more confidence. “But what do I tell them?”

“The tellers will perform a soul bond test to verify your claim to my vault. If they wish to inspect your bite, you must allow them.”

I reared back. “And take off my veil?”

“Then demand a female officer.” His voice was clipped with impatience.

Trepidation knitted a series of tight knots through my guts, making me sway on my feet. My insides twisted and turned, the tension spreading to my lungs. I gulped mouthfuls of air, trying to remain calm, but I wasn’t getting enough oxygen. I didn’t need to be a seer to know this trip would be a disaster.

“Yana,” Prince Draconius’ sharp voice snapped me out of my bubble of panic.

“Yes?”

“Why are you nervous about entering a financial institution when you patrol blood salons every night with a single nun as backup?”

My gaze fixed on his turquoise eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“Your vocation requires you to face off against vampires. Vampires who are faster, stronger, and older than you, yet you’re fretting over something as routine as walking into a bank.”

I blinked several times, letting his words percolate through my mind. He was right. Every time I stood outside a salon or stormed inside to administer help to an exsanguinated Neutral, I risked my life. Why should walking into a bank have me twisted up in knots?

The tightness in my chest eased, and all the air left my lungs in an outward breath. “Thank you.”

He brushed a thumb over my cheekbone. “Good. Now, remember to tell them the truth of our first meeting but nothing else.”

I nodded. “They’re going to ask why I’m claiming your vault, even though the newsflash said you escaped from the palace.”

“Tell them you looked me up on the Royal House of Sargon website, where I had been declared dead.”

“Alright.”

His features melted into an affectionate smile, and the golden flecks in his eyes twinkled. My entire mood lifted, and my chest flooded with warmth. Bloody hell, the man was so ridiculously handsome when he wasn’t being a dick.

“Shall I order you a car?” he asked.

My heart deflated, and all the goodwill from his massage and pep talk flew out of the window. Thanks to this identity-stealing vampire, there was a financial sword of Damocles at my throat.

“Überwald said I had insufficient funds,” I said from between clenched teeth.

“May I see your phone?” he asked.

“Why?” I curled my hands into fists.

“So I can apply for more credit.”

“No,” I snapped.

His brows rose. “I want you to make the right impression when you enter Lerna Bank. If you insist on dressing like you’re training for a round of fisticuffs, then at least arrive in an appropriate vehicle.”

“Why would a nun hire a luxury car?” I shook my head, stepped out of reach, and tried not to ogle his naked body. “Besides, it’s daytime. I’ll take a bus into the center. Once I’ve got my hands on your money, I’ll pay off the debt you racked up with the faeries, then you can take your gold and leave.”

Prince Draconius stared at me for a few heartbeats, his brows furrowing. “I don’t want my mate taking public transport.”

I raised a gloved hand. “You don’t have a choice. If one of the nuns saw me stepping into a limousine, or worse, one of the Witch Queen’s enforcers you didn’t manage to mesmerize—”

“Point taken.” He swept his arm toward the door. “Off you go, then.”

“What will you do?” I asked.

“Destroy all evidence of your nefarious black magic, so your precious goddess will never know of your misdeeds.”

My lips thinned. “I’d never done anything worse than overindulge in dessert since a Vampire Prince abducted me and claimed to be my mate.”

His brows rose. “And now, you’re a denizen of duplicity.”

“Once you’ve gotten the money to buy your way out of Logris and leave, then I’ll return to being the same person I was before you ruined my life.” I turned on my heel, not bothering to wait for a sarcastic reply, and stormed out of the room.

Sunlight streamed in through the upstairs hallway’s skylight, bathing the long strip of space with light. At this time of the morning, most of the other novices would be at prayer. I headed toward the stairs, hoping nobody had missed me, when a door further down the corridor creaked open.

“Is that Sister Yana?” asked a voice from behind.

I hurried to the stairwell, sprinted down the steps, and didn’t stop until I reached the door that led to the exit. Whoever that was would probably tell the others I was acting suspiciously, but I couldn’t afford to dawdle. The sooner I got Prince Draconius his money, the sooner I would be rid of the annoying vampire.

The temple and our living quarters were all part of the same complex, linked by an internal cloister where we could relax away from worshippers who lingered beyond our iron fence. An overhanging roof formed a colonnade that concealed this structure, making it seem like it was the same building.

Outside, a cooler-than-average breeze swirled over the exposed part of my skin. I took the nearest set of steps that led down from the platform and glanced up at the sky.

Light shone down from an unbroken expanse of white, making me wonder how long it would take the wardmasters to fix the barrier around our city.

“Good morning, Sister,” boomed a voice from the other side of the garden.

I stared out across the expanse of lawn that led to the gates. By now, all the evergreens were restored, if not a little sparse, and the deciduous trees were mostly intact. A figure in black waved from the side of a stone statue of Mother Hecate. It was Sister Lindsay, the priestess I’d helped with the cypress tree.

“Leaving for an early picket,” I shouted, hoping she wouldn’t ask any further questions. Most days, I worked nights, and it was far too early for blood salons to open.

She gave me a thumbs up and turned back to the trees.

With a relieved breath, I kept my head down and jogged along a path that led to the gates. The Sisters at the exit were busy chatting with a pair of worshippers, so I continued to the bus stop further down the road and waited for the shuttle to the center.

As I sat beneath the shelter, my mind dredged up the image of a naked Prince Draconius. What on earth was wrong with that vampire and his allergy to clothes? He hadn’t been such an exhibitionist when he was ancient.

My nerves stiffened at the memory of being so powerless, and I clenched my teeth. He had overpowered me with his immense magic back then, and I hadn’t been able to fight back without the darkest of magic.

“Are you getting on or not?” a driver shouted through the open door of a bus.

I scrambled off the bench and boarded. The ride was faster than expected, largely because few people were out on the streets, and because I spent most of the journey reading posts on Supernatural Media.

According to the latest news, King Valentine had increased the reward for the capture of Prince Draconius to two thousand gold crowns.

My teeth worried at my bottom lip. “This is ridiculous.”

What was stopping me from contacting the Vampire King? His uncle’s claim that he was under the control of a phoenix who wanted to sacrifice his soul to Tartarus? And why had Prince Draconius forced me to take off my contact lenses and mesmerized me if his story wasn’t bullshit?

“All change, please,” said the conductor.

I raised my head and stared out at the Supernatural Council’s building, which loomed beyond a paved courtyard. According to Logris Maps, Lerna Bank was located around the back.

I took a shuttle to the back, which stopped outside a two-story building with a pair of arched openings that led into a marketplace. Logris Maps beeped, and I glanced down at the screen, which directed me into the archway on the left.

Instead of a huge bank, I found an arcade of restaurants and boutiques that wouldn’t look out of place in Lamia. I followed the directions on the app, and came to an unmarked set of black doors, guarded by a pair of demon hybrids dressed like chauffeurs.

Gulping hard, I inhaled a deep, fortifying breath. If I got through this interview and retrieved the money, I could return to my normal life and Prince Draconius would leave.

“Can I help you, miss?” The taller of the pair swept his gaze down my outfit.

“I’m…” My words dried up, and I cleared my throat. “I’m here to claim an inheritance.”

He raised his thick brows to the brim of his flat cap. “Do you have an appointment?”

“I understand it isn’t necessary.”

“Do you have a name?” he asked.

My lips tightened. “What difference does it make?”

He scowled. “What?”

“This is a bank, not a private house,” I said, trying to remain calm. “Anytime I’ve donated the offerings to our temple’s vaults, the security staff let us in without an entrance exam.”

The guard pointed a thick finger between my eyes. “We’re in charge of safeguarding the privacy of our customers and you don’t look or dress like our upscale clientele.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “Once I’ve taken control of my fortune and become one of those customers, how do you think I’ll react to being treated like a pleb?”

“Let her in,” growled his colleague.

The guard bent down to look me straight in the eyes, his slitted pupils narrowing. “At the first sign of trouble, we reserve the right to eat your soul.”

“Can’t you tell the difference between a nun and a robber?” I snapped.

He snorted a laugh and opened the door.

Every instinct in my body thrummed with the desire to show him that I wasn’t a weakling, but that would only prove I was here to make trouble, waste time, and distract me from my mission.

Pressing my lips together, I forced myself to walk past them, and into a white marble chamber lined by a dozen identical men each wearing black pinstriped suits with iridescent white ties. All their attention turned to me in a snap, and before I could back out, I was caught in their cerulean-blue gazes.

My breath hitched. There was no one else in the bank except them and me.

The one in the middle rose from his desk. “Good morning, madam, and welcome to Lerna Bank. How may we be of service?”

“I’ve come about an inheritance?” I said. “My name is Iyana Torchbearer.”

He gestured at the space in front of his desk, and the marble floor shifted to produce a chair. “Would you like to take a seat?”

Sweat broke out across my brow, and I was glad I’d worn a coif to soak up the moisture. I crossed the room, lowered myself onto the seat, and forced myself to remember that I wasn’t technically doing anything wrong.

“My name is Sunaca Hyde, please accept the bank’s condolences for your loss.”

“Thank you,” I rasped.

The men sitting to Mr. Hyde’s left and right turned to listen to our conversation. They had the same razor-thin brows as Mr. Hyde, the same cleft chin, and the same long nose with a groove at its tip.

My collar tightened, and I resisted the urge to rub the base of my throat.

“Is this a family business?” I asked. “Everyone working here looks alike.”

The entire line of employees chuckled. “Goodness, no,” said Mr. Hyde. “We’re all offshoots of the same hydra demon.”

Mother Hecate had told us tales of a monstrous snake called the hydra who would grow two new heads each time it was decapitated. Maybe it hadn’t been a children’s story, and she was describing them.

I shoved those thoughts aside and focused on the task. “About my inheritance—”

“Ah, yes.” Mr. Hyde extracted a scroll from thin air and unrolled it across the counter. “Please name the deceased.”

“Prince Draconius Sargon de Akkadian,” I said.

His gaze snapped up to mine. “The wanted criminal?”

“His family declared him dead,” I blurted.

He stared at me for several seconds, as did his clones. I held my breath and kept my features even. This wasn’t fraud. Prince Draconius got burned alive, and his family tree registered his death. We were taking advantage of a loophole so he could withdraw a bit of his own money.

I raised my brows and glanced across the row of faces. “Is there a problem?”

“You don’t appear to be a vampire,” said Mr. Hyde.

“So, what?”

His lips tightened into a sarcastic smile. “His Highness’s offspring were all vampires.”

“Oh.” I blinked. Well, of course he would have had wives over his thousands of years of life. And children.

“What was the nature of your relationship?” he asked.

“Fated mates,” I murmured.

The two men on either side of Mr. Hyde rose to their feet, walked to the far end of the room, and disappeared through a black door.

I stiffened in my seat. “What’s happening?”

“My colleagues will research your claim with the Fates.”

“Alright,” I rasped. “Are they in the other room?”

“They’re in Hell.”

“Oh.” I wrapped my arms around my middle and held back the feeling of queasiness. “How long will it take to consult with the Fates?”

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes rolling toward the ceiling in silent contemplation. “Depending on spectral traffic, it shouldn’t take more than ten or fifteen minutes.” He tilted his head to the side and stared at my neck. “May I inspect your mating bite?”

“I’d like a female employee.”

“As you wish.” Mr. Hyde rose from his seat and swept his arm to the side.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“A private room, where my female colleague, Serena, will check the mark for authenticity.” He strode across the hall with long strides.

I followed him on wooden legs, the lining of my stomach trembling. Maybe I hadn’t understood, but Prince Draconius hadn’t mentioned that the bank would check my claim with the Fates. But did it matter? If he could speak into my mind and communicate with me through a bite on the neck, then it had to mean we were mates or at least something close.

He opened the door to a room the size of my cell, where a black-haired woman sat alone behind a desk. She wore the same suit as the other employees, the same white tie of iridescent scales, but her features rounded where theirs were sharp.

She rose, her eyes widening. “Good morning, and welcome to Lerna Bank.”

I turned to Mr. Hyde. “Why are all men working the front desk?”

“Some of our more traditional clients find her presence unsettling.” With a grimace, he turned to Serena. “Please verify that Miss Iyana Torchbearer is mated to His Highness Prince Draconius Sargon de Akkadian.

Before I could ask what he meant, he backed out into the main room and shut the door.

Pressure built up around my ears, and I stepped backward, hoping Mr. Hyde was being sexist and hadn’t just locked me into a room with a creature who would morph into a giant snake. “What did he mean?”

Her shoulders sagged. “We’re all scions of our founder, but I split off from him wrong.”

“Because you’re female?” I stepped forward.

Serena lowered her lashes and nodded. “It’s not the customers who find me unsettling, it’s my colleagues.”

“Have you thought of getting another job?” I asked.

She reared back, her eyes widening. “And leave my family?”

My insides cringed, and I glanced around the featureless room that didn’t even seem to have an air vent. What was the point of hanging around somewhere she wasn’t wanted?

I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed. The same could be said for myself, as my continued encounters with Prince Draconius were pulling me further from the principles of the Temple of Light.

“Mr. Hyde wanted to inspect my mating bite, but I asked for a female employee.”

Her brows rose. “I can do that. Would you like to disrobe?”

“Hold on a second.” After loosening my coat, I pulled my outer veil out from beneath its collar and raised it over my head. “Here it is.”

Serena pulled out a drawer, extracted a monocle, and walked around her desk.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“A lorgnetoscope to check the identity of your mate.” She placed it on her eye. “Once I capture a four-dimensional copy of the fang bite, I can reference it against the samples and imprint we have for His Highness the Prince.”

“You keep that much information on your customers?” I asked.

“Of course.” She snapped on a pair of latex gloves. “In a world where beings can change species, age, and their appearance in the blink of an eye, we need as much information on our clients as we can gather.”

Serena placed one hand on my shoulder and bent my head to the side with the other. White light shot out of her monocle and warmed the skin around the bite.

“Is this some sort of scan?” I asked.

“The lorgnetoscope will check that the bite was put there with the intention to mate and not feed.”

“Is there a difference?” I asked.

“Of course,” she replied. The stream of magic intensified, making the outer layer of my skin tingle. “It will also analyze the scar for similarities to the imprint His Majesty left on your flesh as well as compare the genetic makeup of the blood, saliva, and thrall samples he left in your bloodstream.”

Shudders raced down my spine. “But I went through a whole-body detox.”

“No one can ever completely cleanse themselves of a vampire’s bite,” she said. “Back before the lesser races organized themselves into militia groups, vampires used their bites to mark their cattle.”

I gulped. By lesser races, she meant witches, mages, and shifters. Those who became physically weaker when they grew older and died. “That was thousands of years ago.”

“If only evolution was as swift as societal change.” The warmth faded, and Serena drew back. “I will mark your mating bite as verified.”

“So, I can claim the inheritance?” I pulled down my veil.

She strode back to her desk, stared into her parchment, and frowned. “The magic verified that His Highness Prince Draconius intended to mate with you, but your claim to his estate won’t be complete until it has been verified by one or more of the Fates.”

“Why would you need to go that far?” I asked.

She steepled her fingers. “Did you marry him?”

I shook my head.

“At the moment, any one of His Highness’s children has a stronger claim than yours to his estate,” she replied. “However, the bond of a fated mate places you at the very top of the line of succession to his fortune.”

“That makes sense.” I smoothed the fabric of my veil and tucked it into my collar. “When will we hear from the Fates?”

She rose from her seat again and escorted me to the door. “Hopefully, the wait won’t take too long.”

The door opened, and I stepped out to find Mr. Hyde chatting with a pair of male enforcers, who both turned to stare at me from across the room.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“Your inquiry must have triggered the bank’s fraud filters.” Serena placed a hand on the small of my back and gave me a gentle shove. “Good luck, Sister Torchbearer.”

The door behind me clicked shut, and the enforcers rose from their seats.

Shit.