Page 100 of The Prince's Curse

“Because we will be at a severe disadvantage,” Paris said, furrowing his brow.

“Well, you will. Not me,” she said.

“We’re not letting you go alone.”

“Because you don’t trust me?”

“Because I don’t trust the witch,” Paris said flatly. “And Julian would never allow it.”

Her chest tightened. “I’m not a possession, you know.”

The vampire scowled at her. “Unlike Armina Voss, he doesn’t see you as a convenient tool to carry out his narcissistic desires. He wants to keep you safe from the woman who is trying to kill you and has successfully done so multiple times. And he loves you enough to keep you from dying before you have the dubious honor of turning thirty.”

Her breath hitched, and her cheeks flushed. The truth didn’t quite hurt, but it certainly carried a sting.

Olivia cleared her throat to break the silence and said, “Can we move on?”

“We’ll prepare to leave approximately ninety minutes before sunset. Three of the locations are within a four-hour drive of Atlanta, which will be sufficient time for us to feed and be back at full strength by the time we arrive,” Paris said. He glanced at Kova. “If you had to guess, where would she most likely go?”

“If we’d gone two days ago, I would say one of the locations in Charlotte. If her apprentices were panicking, they’d probably have gone to the closest safe place. But if I was with them, I would have told them to keep moving in case we were being watched,” Kova said. “I’ll go with the team traveling to Charlotte just in case.”

“I can go with you. With your protection,” Scarlett said pointedly.

Paris shook his head. “I don’t want to risk her getting her hands on you. Besides, Shoshanna needs to figure out your curse.”

Right. There it was again, the reminder that the sand was pouring through the hourglass. She swallowed hard and nodded. “Okay. What will you do if you find her?”

Paris met her eyes. “We won’t kill her right away, though not for any sense of mercy. We need to be sure she’s not going to unleash another curse on us for taking her out. Heavy drugs until we can figure out what to do. Do you object?”

“Does it matter if I do?” she asked.

A faint smile tugged at his lips, a smile that said he knew he’d been caught out. “It really doesn’t. If it matters to you, I’ll let you talk to her. But I’m not letting her walk free any longer. Even if she wasn’t coming for you, she’s coming for Shoshanna, and she happens to be my favorite human. And I cannot allow that.” He caught Olivia’s eye. “You’re a very close second.”

“I’m not offended,” the dark-haired woman said with a chuckle.

“And this has nothing to do with vengeance?” Scarlett asked.

Another coy smile. “Vengeance is a nice bonus, but I’m not hellbent on making her pay. I only want to stop her from destroying anything else that I cherish.”

She nodded, and found herself drifting in thought as they planned their incursions. At Kova’s prompting, she perked up to tell them about how Armina typically used several simple protective wards when she traveled, all of which reacted to vampires. The safehouses likely had permanent protection, but none of it would be nearly as powerful as the spells at the old house. That kind of magic took time and repetition, like wearing ruts in a dirt road.

Shortly after eleven, the vampires disbanded, and Olivia bustled off to her office, then returned with a paper shopping bag filled with more clothes. The dark-haired woman smiled and said, “I know you didn’t have much. When things get a little calmer, my sister would probably love to take you shopping.”

Her heart thumped as she peered into the bag. “I don’t want to inconvenience you.”

Olivia laughed. “It’s not an inconvenience at all. I have plenty. Safira and Phoebe brought you some things as well. All hunting appropriate, according to them,” she said with a laugh.

Scarlett clutched the bag tightly. She didn’t know what to make of this strange vampire court; a place that she’d been told was rife with evil, but instead was packed with a messy, but kind family. “Thank you,” she managed.

Olivia smiled brightly and said, “Any time. We also have a proper kitchen since some of us don’t drink the red stuff. If you’re going to stay here a while, we can stock up on anything you like. And since Shoshanna’s staying here, maybe we can justify ordering some takeout since I’m not the only one here eating real food.”

Like real friends, Scarlett thought.

Before they left the office, Scarlett gently caught Olivia’s arm. The pale skin of her throat was marked with faint scars, some of them jagged as if teeth had been torn away. “Did one of them do this to you?”

Olivia’s hand drifted to her neck. The sound of her accelerating heart thrummed against Scarlett’s hearing, and there was a shift in her scent. “You have to be more specific. You say them, and I don’t know if you mean this court or vampires in general. I hope you understand that the distinction matters,” she said. Despite her racing heart, the woman’s voice was calm. “You understand that Julian and Paris and the others aren’t like Carrigan Shea, don’t you?”

“I want to believe that,” Scarlett said quietly.

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