The Vampire Prince and His Brat | On Hold

Chapter Eighteen: Saving the Brat Part III

Her pillow was warm.

The realisation made her start, her body stiffening as she realised exactly where she was – and what'd happened to her sleep deprived self. She kept her eyes clamped shut, her face turning a bright crimson as she realised whose lap she'd taken a nap on.

Not that he'd let her take a nap on anyone else.

That just wouldn't be proper of him.

It wasn't like he'd be jealous if she did that, Kaliana mused, and she ignored the way her heart seemed to stutter at that thought. Mentally she shook her head, her ears burning. Sleeping on his lap didn't mean anything. She did not like him one bit.

And there was no way the opposite was true.

Fingers brushed against her silky locks, the rustle of pages above her head finally making her eyes snap open.

"I'm not a cat," she muttered, far too embarrassed and weak to start shouting.

It felt good – the stroking that was – and Kaliana briefly wondered whether she'd been a cat in another life. Her good mood was soon ruined though, the minute Leviathan opened his mouth, as per usual.

"Cats have claws that can actually injure someone, so I'd say you'd be a kitten, brat," he said, not even pausing in his attack on her hair.

Kaliana wouldn't deny it was an attack she liked.

"Fuck off," she grumbled, wincing as she tried to sit up. "And loosen my corset while you're at it, wench."

"So..." Leviathan paused in his stroking, earning a mewl of protest.

Not that Kaliana would ever admit that.

"You want me to undress you?" he asked, confusion smeared across his face before a devilish smirk replaced it. "Aww, brat, if you wanted me why didn't you just say so?"

"It's tight and uncomfortable... and I'm fairly sure it's slowly crushing my ribs so just shut your fucking mouth and loosen the ribbon tying it a bit," she ordered, glaring up at him. There was no messing with her. Not when she was half-asleep, in pain and annoyed out of her mind. "Now!" she snapped, baring her teeth at him, fangs gleaming in the light of the lamp beside the sofa.

Leviathan sighed, his fingers skilfully loosening her dress, before deftly unlacing the corset slowly squeezing the life out of her. "Happy?"

"Hardly," she said, resting her head back in his lap. "I still have to put up with an annoying bastard."

"Well, I have to deal with an annoying brat for most of the day so I think we're even."

"You're a right git, you know that don't you?"

"And you don't like it when I stroke your hair."

Kaliana bristled. "That's a lie!"

"Want to test out that theory?" he purred, his fingers knotting back through her hair, running down to trace her face in a slow sensual caress.

She stiffened, her eyelids heavy as she settled back down, all the while fighting the urge to roll over and start purring like the kitten he'd called her earlier. "Still not enjoying it," she said, pushing down the quiver in her voice. Silently, she cursed her body. How dare it actually enjoy the touch of that bastard? But the traitorous part of her brain told her to shut up and enjoy the affection while it lasted.

"I can make it more... pleasurable... if you wish," he whispered, his tongue snaking out to brush against her ear as he murmured into her ear.

Her body shuddered in answer, and she couldn't hide it.

The worst part was it wasn't because she wasn't enjoying his touch. No. It was the exact opposite. Clearly the effects of the Blood Bond between them were starting to play up... even though she'd never heard of any of these effects. That was the only explanation it could be.

So she answered him the only way she knew how.

"Fuck you."

"You will... in time," he said, mouth still perilously close to her ear, "and you'll enjoy every single second of it."

"Somehow I doubt that."

Leviathan pulled her into his lap, smirking as both her dress and corset slipped dangerously, his chest vibrating under her cheek as she stopped trying to hide the fact she was still completely and utterly exhausted. "You just keep on getting sassier and snappier... are you on your period or something? I can't smell any blood... and if you aren't, then what the hell is up with you?"

"Why does everyone assume a girl is on her period when she's pissed?" Kaliana snarled. "You're being an annoying imbecile. That's why I'm pissed!"

"Well, I was going to make sure you had all the right sanitary equipment..." He shrugged.

"But you're an ignorant bastard," she mumbled, closing her eyes as she rested against his chest. Annoyingly, she felt safe – though she supposed she couldn't blame herself for that. He'd proven to her he was strong when he killed her assailant.

And vampires, especially female ones, liked strong males.

It was instinct of sorts, which could kind of explain her body's attraction to him.

Didn't mean she liked him.

Especially not with all his snarky comebacks.

"You know... you didn't answer my question... am I actually going to have to check?"

She scowled into her chest. "Fuck off."