The Dark Prince's Captive • Complete

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 - 𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙

They say people who have Kim Namjoon as their bias have daddy issues...

I say Daddy issues aren't illegal.

Alex grabbed River’s hand and they ran. Vladislav had been calm and benevolent, but Alex knew better than anyone how the old man’s moods could shift on a dime.

So they ran.

And ran.

After a while, Alex could tell River was starting to get tired but he was surprised his cousins weren’t already on them, no matter what Uncle said. There were plenty of the cousins that were tired of Uncle’s ancient rule.

The cousins might not have the ability to kill him, it was true, but Alex’s family had always found plenty of other creative punishments throughout the centuries.

Cousin Michael had been imprisoned for most of the 18th century in a living tomb and the first thing he did when he got out was blab half the family secrets to that idiot Bram Stoker. Back into the tomb he went.

He learned his lesson, but others found themselves in the kind of grave even they couldn’t return from.

Nobody in the family knew how Uncle Vlad did it. Țepeș’s were immortal, invincible—even bulletproof. Nothing could kill them and when Alex said nothing, he meant nothing. Not fire or ice or beheading or a stake to the heart or a garlic tonic or holy water or silver bullets.

But Vladislav knew how to do it, though no one knew his secret.

He was only one who did, and it gave him enormous power.

In fact, it was only thing keeping River and Alex alive at the moment. He’d seen it in Lonuţ’s eyes. He’d wanted them dead, but he couldn’t make a move for fear of Uncle Vlad.

Lonuţ’d had his eye on Alex all evening, watching him suspiciously as Uncle Vlad poured him glass after glass of their most expensive wine in celebration of his coming fatherhood. Ștefan rudely joked about popping his cherry and becoming a man. Alex had hoped they’d all be off guard if they were tipping their cups back so liberally.

The other cousins had gotten tired of the house being locked up in the standoff between Vlad and Alex. So Vlad allowed them to throw a party, with all the trimmings. Aka, the so-called “evening beverages.”

Alex had slipped out as soon as they started grabbing women and pulling them into their laps. But Lonuţ, the big bastard, had looked up from the redhead he was busy draining dry to eye Alex suspiciously as he closed the door behind him.

But Uncle Vlad had let them leave. Alex couldn’t believe there would ever be a situation in which he’d be glad for Uncle Vlad. Then again, Uncle had only let them go because Alex and River had successfully pulled off deceiving him…

Alex swallowed hard and glanced over his shoulder, but just then, River stumbled and almost took the both of them down.

Shit. He caught her and righted them right before they face-planted after both tripping over a tree root.

“I— Don’t know how much longer—” she gasped. Her face was flushed, she was sweaty and wild-eyed—and even now, she was the most beautiful woman Alex had ever seen.

“It’s okay,” Alex said, trying to be encouraging. He wasn’t sure if he was doing a good job or not. It wasn’t a role he’d had often, if ever before in his life. But he knew he had to protect this woman. He never felt anything so deeply in his bonds before. “We’re almost there. Just a little further.”