think we’re a threat to Lucca? A low beep comes from the machine, and then the distinct sound of a deadbolt unlocking. Our guide holds the door open for us, waiting until we’re through to step ahead once again.
The surprisingly cozy hallway tricks one into believing they’re still above ground. Light wallpaper covers the walls, which are peppered with oil paintings in dark frames. It seems no one cared to update the décor down here.
It’s eerily quiet, that’s for sure, and I dare to hope we won’t cross paths with any of the current residents. But as soon as Mr. Stuffy opens the wooden double doors to Lucca’s chamber, I discover it was stupid of me to think I’d be able to avoid seeing Saxon. He’s sitting on a lavish red velvet chair, looking sexy as hell in his black sweater and faded jeans. There’s nothing special about his outfit, but he makes everything look good. He’d probably be hot wearing a potato sack. His blond hair is wet and sticks out at odd angles. He must have showered recently and immediately my dirty mind conjures up an image of him in all his naked glory. Crap. My stomach does a backflip, and my mouth becomes as dry as coal. I don’t know why I’m having such a visceral reaction to seeing him.
He turns, burning me with an intense and heated stare. Warmth creeps up my cheeks as a swirling ball of desire concentrates in my core. One look. That’s all it took to get me all hot and bothered. This is insane. Maybe by giving him my vein, I got under his thrall.
I force my eyes from his, taking in the rest of the room. Ronan and Manu are also present, standing at opposite sides. Manu is sitting on the edge of a desk that, by the ornate carvings on the wood and its sturdiness, must be an antique. She has her phone in her hand, forgotten now that we’re present. Her yellow eyes burn into me, smothering, almost as if she feels a deep loathing toward me. A quick search down memory lane shows me nothing out of the ordinary, no interaction between us that would warrant that scathing stare. Whatever, I’m not here to win a popularity contest.
Ronan is leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. But his casual stance doesn’t fool me. He’s wound tight, ready to spring into action if necessary. I’m beginning to suspect my mother’s previous visits left a bad taste in his mouth. The high tension in the air is undeniable.
“Good evening,” she greets everyone without making eye contact to any.
That’s how she is. Cold and aloof when dealing with bloodsuckers—and in her personal life. She wants me to be like her, and I’ve been trying to project the back-the-fuck-off vibe at Bloodstone Institute, even if acting like that is not me. I’ve just perfected the art of pretending. But I don’t want to live like I’m made out of a block of ice twenty-four seven.
“Has there been any change since the last time I was here?” She stops next to Lucca’s bed, keeping her stare focused on his ashen face.
It’s the first time I see the infamous Dark Prince in person, but it looks like I’m staring at a corpse. He’s lying on his back, dressed in fancy silk pajamas with his hands clasped across his abdomen. His hair is long, reaching his shoulders, but his face is free of scruff.
When vampires weaken, they fall asleep and don’t wake up. Witches must cast a spell on them to prevent their bodies from deteriorating. Bloodsuckers can’t die if they don’t drink blood, but they’ll shrivel to the point there’s no coming back to their normal appearance. They mummify. Yuck.
My great-grandmother cast the spell on Lucca, and since then, our family has been monitoring the heir to the throne, trying to bring him back every few years. But King Raphael must be getting desperate for the return of his nephew. He wouldn’t have asked my mother to come here again only after a month otherwise.
“No. Not even a stir,” Manu replies.
“Hmm.” Mom retrieves four river stones from her bag and sets them around Lucca’s body. Each has a Wiccan symbol drawn on it, representing the four elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. She then pulls a white crystal the size of an ostrich egg and sets it on his chest.
Movement in my peripheral catches my attention. Saxon walks over to the bed,