Page 48 of The Prince of Power

He leans forward and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. The touch is featherlight. “Is it ever exhausting, my little Ava, always trying to be the better person?” He smiles warmly. “You should try manipulating me sometime. Let me carry the weight of your virtue. Just once.”

It takes everything within me not to gasp at his words. Because a secret, shameful part of me grows weary of constantly striving to do the right thing. It would be nice to let someone…carry some of the burden. Even if they don’t always use pure methods to achieve good.

Jesus. Am I becoming corrupt?

15

Damian

She doesn’t fear me enough, and it’s a problem.

That evening spent in the Ashford library a week ago has been haunting me. I’ve been avoiding her—outside of my nights spent in the Thornecroft library waiting for her to show up looking forThe Book of Secrets, or whatever I fucking said. Thankfully, she hasn’t, because I don’t trust myself with her right now.

I’m going to have to scare her again, and I just…

I don’t fucking want to do it.

Not to a girl who lines up pens in a perfect row with such an earnest expression on her face. I should have found it pathetic. Even with everything at stake, school is still her priority. Instead, I’d wanted to protect her little ritual.

Protect her.

And when she’d told me intimidation doesn’t work with her… She’d said it with such confidence. She doesn’t know that fear works with everyone. She doesn’t understand how thin theveneer of civilization is—because she’s never seen someone with the certainty of death in their eyes.

The thought shouldn’t make my chest ache. This is all a game. I could find and seduce a virgin in my sleep. I chose Ava because she’s a trophy—the embodiment of blinding innocence. Everything I do ought to be in the interest of breaking her will and making her fall for me.

I don’t even get to keep her. She’ll be taken away to start a new life in a few months.

Why does the thought make me murderous?

I jump when my office door swings open and Hunter steps inside. After crossing his arms, he leans against the doorframe. “Your virgin sacrifice left the house. I have a tail on her, but I thought you should know.”

My jaw clenches. I don’t like this either. Anytime I don’t know where she is for more than ten minutes, I get that slow, sick burning in my gut.

It’s irrational. She won’t try to escape with Rhett’s life at stake. Even if she did, I could find her in an instant.

I clear my throat. “I’m guessing she didn’t leave for class.”

Not that I have to guess. I know her schedule perfectly, but for some reason, I don’t want Hunter to know that.

“No.” Hunter’s expression is blank. “According to her emails, she left to go meet a guy named Connor. In his dorm.”

Something sharp and searing lodges beneath my ribs. It’s not anger—not yet. This is something quieter, something that spreads like ink through water, staining everything in its path.

Men. I can’t stand men being anywhere near her.

And she’s in his dorm room. Alone?

“You need to pick someone else,” Hunter says. “She doesn’t respect you enough. She must be stupid.”

I clench my jaw, standing up from my desk chair. “She’ll respect me after today.”

Hunter’s face falls. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. She’s just a girl. Pick someone else.”

I walk to the window. The high sun etches silver streaks on the water. Finding a new virgin sacrifice would solve the problem of having to give up Ava after the solstice ceremony. Then I could make her my consort, and?—

No. I don’t want her to be one of my many consorts. I want her kneeling for me because she’d trade her life for mine.

And what would it say about me if I couldn’t go through with the ritual because I like a girl too much?

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