The Dark Prince's Captive • Complete

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 - 𝑹𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓

Sitting on a sink never looked so hip, istg 😩

“What the hell were you thinking?” Alex dragged me to the side alley away from where Mihai and Savannah were chatting about travel and all the places they’d both been.

The streets were dirtier and there was more debris on the roads than I was used to, but otherwise, it could have been anywhere at home. There was even a McDonald's sign flashing in the distance.

Ah, global capitalism.

“I was thinking, I could save us all a helluva lot of time by effectively hiring us a guide. Except I think he’ll do it for free.”

Alex huffed out in exasperation. “And why exactly do you think he’ll do it for free? That’s not something people do. Help out of the goodness of their hearts.”

I glared at him, annoyed. “I know that. But we’re helping each other. It’s been his family’s quest for three generations to find Dracula. This is in his interest, too.”

“Except that if we do manage to find Dracula, he can’t exactly write a paper about it, now can he? Considering we need the bones to create a supernatural weapon to kill actual, real, living vampires? How are you going to explain that one?”

Okay, so I hadn’t exactly thought that far ahead. But surely anyone would be understanding of our mission once they got even a small glimpse of what Alex’s family was truly capable of. And Mihai, I don’t know, my gut told me he was a good guy.

“Your gut?” Alex mocked when I told him that out loud. “Oh, and is this the same gut that told you to go straight into a nest of vampires and offer yourself in your sister’s place?”

I didn’t talk to Alex for the rest of the night after that.

But I did get Mihai’s number and tell him that we’d all meet up at a nearby cafe the next morning.

Then the three of us got a bed in a hostel, figuring a real hotel might be too visible and easily traced if Uncle Vlad was tracking us, which Alex assured us he likely was.

The hostel room didn’t smell the most pleasant, but then again, at this point, I probably didn’t smell the most pleasant either.

Savannah bunked with me and her wriggling little form provided some heat as the night cooled off. There was a fourth person in our small room besides Alex, a guy who snored like a hound dog with asthma.

Wheezing snorted breath in—

—squealing wheeze out—

Then repeat ad nauseam.

Alex was in the bunk underneath me, completely quiet.

“Hey River, you awake?” he whispered about an hour after we’d all settled in and turned off the light.

Savannah was completely out of it. She had a robust snore, too, but at least it was more of a soothing cadence.

Since I was the one not against the wall, I could swing my head down over the edge of the bed and see Alex, one arm propped on his elbow.

Some light through the window provided a little bit of light to see each other’s faces by.

He looked younger, even though he had a couple days’ worth of stubble growing on his face. Maybe it was just because we were in bunk beds, and I hadn’t been in a bunk since my days at summer camp.

Or maybe it was the way he was looking at me, like I was…new. Fresh. Unmarred by life.

The years of hardship fell away under his gaze.

“I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time today,” he whispered. “I just don’t trust easily.”

“You trusted me,” I pointed out. “When we were still strangers.”

“You really don’t see it, do you?” He shook his head slowly. “You don’t see how different you are. You don’t see how…”

“How, what?” I asked, my breath barely a whisper.

His eyes came back to me, luminescent in the dim light. “You don’t see how rare you are. You care about other people more than yourself. You see the best in people. You’re lovely and kind and—” He broke off abruptly. “Anyway, I don’t think we should trust that Mihai guy. He rubs me the wrong way.”

I slumped back into my pillow, feeling strained by where this conversation was going. Had he said all those nice things just to try to make me change my mind about Mihai?

“I’m too tired to argue,” I whispered. “Let’s just go to sleep.”

I turned my back from him, facing the wall where Savannah was curled up.

“Shit,” I heard him swear from below. “I’m sorry. I’m doing this all wrong.” A light hand on my shoulder had me flipping back over. And Alex was right there, a breath away from my face.

God, he was so handsome. It almost took my breath away, having his gorgeous face just inches away from mine.

“Please, River. I’m just worried about you being safe. That’s all. No other agenda. It just kills me that we might invite someone else in who’s dangerous to you or Savannah.”

I dipped my head. Me or Savannah. I should be glad he esteemed me as much as he did his longtime friend.

Pushing myself, I forced myself to look back up at him. “I swear I’ll be careful. We’ll watch each other’s backs, you, Savannah, and me. We’ll get everything we need from Mihai and then never see him again.”

Alex breathed out in relief and nodded. “Thank you."

For one brief, glorious moment, he pressed his forehead against mine. The place where our skin made contact sang.
But then he was gone, leaving me so, so cold, even though he was still just feet away the whole night.

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