Page 124 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

“Thanks, Henri.” As his former bodyguard walked away, Alex turned to his brother. “Out with it. You’ve been avoiding me for days.”

“Sorry. This isn’t easy.” Dante blew out a breath. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to tell you.”

“You’re leaving, then?”

“It’s complicated. But if it matters, I agree with what you said. We have a responsibility to try to make right thirty years of oppression carried out by the vampire aristocracy.”

Alex understood, even if he hated it. “We both know you would never be able to stay here, safe within these walls, enjoying life as a prince while the rest of the world burns. Where will you go?”

“I don’t know yet. Probably working with the resistance, maybe to another sector. Wherever I can do the most good.”

He squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Stay safe. And know this will always be your home.”

Dante’s expression sobered. “You have to get Isabella to listen to reason before it’s too late.”

Alex sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. “She’s made her choice. I’ve tried contacting her. Numerous times. She isn’t answering any of my texts.”

Dante swore under his breath. “Sera never should have made that promise.”

“She feels terrible,” Alex said quietly. “She’s barely been eating. She won’t feed. She’s never learned to control her power out of fear that she might kill someone if she unleashes it, even a little. For years, she’s kept herself covered, using gloves and long sleeves to make sure no one accidentally comes in contact with her skin.”

“So what happened?”

“It’s hard to say. I think when Father was twisting her arm behind her back, trying to drain her, her glove must have slipped. Sera wasn’t trying to kill him. I’ll never believe that. He had no idea that her power matched his, and that by expending so much energy trying to harvest her life force, he could destroy himself.”

“And now that the video has leaked, she can’t leave the castle.” Dante glanced over. “What are you going to do?”

Alex sighed. “That is a complicated question, and one for another night. For now, I’m going to dance with my wife.”

He found Dani laughing with a circle of her friends. He softly traced the mating mark at the inside of his wrist as he approached, watching as her cheeks flushed pink. Though the mark he bore was now scarred from the burns Lara had inflicted, his connection to Dani had only grown with every passing day.

Her eyes twinkled as he bent to kiss her hand. “I was under the impression that kings did not bow, sire.”

“Ah, but one must make exceptions for one’s wife.” He twirled her in a slow circle. “Especially if she wields a formidable saucepan.”

“That was once,” she scolded, eyes narrowing as Ava and her friends burst into giggles.

Alexander nodded solemnly as he led her out onto the dance floor. “And yet, I still tremble sometimes at the sight of my morning omelets.”

“You are going to make me step on your toes, Your Highness.” Dani began to laugh, wiping at her eyes. “And then all the press will write about is what a dreadful dancer I am.”

“If you step on my toes, they should fairly write that I am an ineffectual lead.”

“Which we all know will never happen. The public is very enamored with you, as am I.”

Alex slid an arm around her waist and cupped her cheek. “We mustn’t tell them your cat still hasn’t decided if I am friend or foe.”

“I’ve forgotten you’ve never had a cat. This is the way of things. Give her another five to ten years. She might stop stealing your pillow.”

“I can see restoring peace to the kingdom will be the easier of the tasks before me.” He nuzzled her nose. “I love you, Daniela. Forever.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “A thousand times, yes.”

As his lips closed over hers, applause broke out across the dance floor from their family and closest friends. Alex knew they still faced great challenges in the days ahead. But they would stand together against the coming storm, and find a way to remake their world for the better.

Serafina Visconti hated titles.

Former Crown Princess of the sector.