Page 29 of Dearest Alpha Brothers 1: Vampire Prince

But that was definitely not something I was ready to voice out loud. Ever.

“Morning!” Archer’s voice rang through the kitchen as he bounded in with his usual energy. “I smell the Blackthorn Clan’s new blood blend and—” He stopped, taking in the scene before him. “Well, well. Our little sugar fang joins us for coffee?”

I sank lower in my seat, but Archer was already there, sliding onto the stool next to me. He propped his elbow on the counter, resting his chin in his hand as he studied me with undisguised interest. His citrus and summer forest scent wrapped around me, mixing dangerously with Zane’s crisp winter pine.

“Brother dearest,” Archer called to Zane without taking his eyes off me, “any chance of sharing that heavenly brew?”

I focused intently on my coffee, trying to ignore how Archer’s gaze seemed to caress my skin. His fingers suddenly reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The casual touch sent sparks dancing across my skin.

Zane’s low growl was barely audible as he set a mug in front of Archer with perhaps more force than necessary.

“Thanks!” Archer’s grin was positively wicked as his eyes drifted over me. Then he paused, his smile turning mischievous. “Nice to see you out and about, sugar fang, though maybe next time dress properly first?”

My brain screeched to a halt. I looked down.

I was still in my sleep clothes. My very thin, very revealing sleep shirt and shorts that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The delicate fabric clung to every line of my body, and the morning light made it almost translucent.

And I’d wrapped myself around Ryker like a desperate koala. Inthis.

Heat flooded my face as I caught Zane’s sharp glare at Archer. I gulped down the rest of my coffee.

“I just remembered I have a very important… thing. Somewhere else. Far away. Where I’m wearing actual clothes.” I practically leaped off the stool, my new vampire speed finally cooperating as I fled the kitchen.

Behind me, I heard the distinct sound of someone being smacked with what was probably a dish towel, followed by Archer’s laughing “What? I was being helpful!”

I didn’t stop running until I reached my room, mortification burning through me. I’d just sexually harassed a tree while basically wearing underwear.

This was definitely not in any vampire prince handbook.

Chapter 8

Islammed my bedroom door and immediately face-planted into the mountain of stuffed animals on my bed. Maybe if I stayed here long enough, I’d evolve into a plushie myself. It had to be better than being a vampire prince who’d just sexually assaulted his adopted brother while wearing what was basically transparent fabric.

“This is fine,” I told the lavender bunny plushie beside my head. “Everything’s fine. I just wrapped myself around Ryker like an attention-starved octopus, got carried by Zane, and had Archer point out that I was basically wearing underwear. At six in the morning. Totally normal Friday.”

A knock at my bedroom door made me burrow deeper into the stuffed animals.

“Prince?” Benedict’s voice called from the hallway. “May I come in?”

I made some sort of muffled sound that Benedict apparently interpreted as permission, because the door opened a moment later.

“Good morning, Prince. Would you like your morning bath?”

“Yes, please,” I mumbled into a dragon’s sparkly mane as I heard him cross the room. The sound of running water soon drifted from the en suite bathroom.

Maybe it hadn’t been that bad. Maybe the sleep clothes were perfectly decent and I was just being dramatic. I mean, how revealing could they really be?

I hopped off the bed and crept toward the full-length mirror like I was approaching my own execution.

The sleep clothes were so much worse than I’d imagined. The pale fabric clung to every line of my body like an overly amorous second skin, the morning light had made it nearly see-through, and the delicate trim did absolutely nothing to preserve my dignity. I looked like I’d walked straight out of one of those “forbidden romance with the alpha lord” manga covers.

“I hugged Ryker inthis?” I whispered in horror to my reflection. “Zanecarriedme in this?”

My face burned hot enough to probably set the fabric on fire. Which might have been an improvement, honestly.

I paced the room, my new vampire grace apparently taking a coffee break as I stumbled over my own feet. “Okay, think. What would the protagonist inMy Alpha Romance is Accidentally Too Spicydo?” I paused. “Wait, no, he’d probably march right back down there and seduce all three brothers. Bad example. Very bad example.”

“Your bath is ready, Prince,” Benedict called from the bathroom.

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