“He will need rest, and I will go to get your food for a few days. What do you like?”
Raising my eyebrows, I didn’t expect that. “I like a lot of Mediterranean food and pasta. I know Arlo likes anything with meat in it.”
I also love pancakes, but they remind me of Hector...and the Mad Prince.
“Understood. I will cook for us tonight,” he replies, moving around me. I watch the prince go, a little confused by his nature, and walk to the door, shutting it behind him. There is no lock, but even a shut door can make me feel that little bit safer.
“Ri-Ri?” Arlo groggily calls for me. Spinning around, I run to his side and sit on the bed, seeing him look around the room in confusion before his gaze rests on mine. I pick up his hand and hold it tightly.
“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe now,” I gently tell him. He doesn’t reply, his eyes falling shut and his breathing steadying out almost instantly. Running my eyes over his chest, I see most of the bite marks are already healing, turning into closed wounds before my eyes, and he’s turning less pale, more of the golden complexion he usually has. Gently letting his hand drop, I search the cupboards in the room and find bedsheets and pillows. It takes me a while to get Arlo comfy in the middle of the bed and then place a sheet on him and a pillow under his head. When I’m done, I pull off the coverings on two wardrobes and a chest of drawers. All of the furniture is new and from IKEA, if I’m not mistaken.
I wonder why Prince Reign makes the effort to have all this new stuff when his half of the island and his people live in the dark ages pretty much. Another set of questions I need to ask the elusive prince over dinner.
Grabbing my own pillow, I place it next to Arlo and lie on the bed, curling up into a ball at his side.
One of my friends saved, for now, and I have to hope Arlo has good answers about Austin when he wakes up.
“Ri-Ri?” Arlo’s groggy voice wakes me up, and I open my eyes to see him sitting up on the bed, staring down at me. “Am I dead? Are we dead?”
“No,” I say around a yawn, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. “I promise you we aren’t dead. It’s a long story.”
“Tell me everything,” he firmly states, his eyes narrowed. The playful Arlo I’ve always known is not here right now. I didn’t know he had a serious side until now. I gulp before blurting out everything from when I was taken by the stealers to rescuing him. “And then Prince Reign healed you and left us here. I don’t know if he is back, but he said he was cooking dinner.”
Arlo doesn’t say a word, just staring at me. “Why would you make that deal for me? You should have asked him to get you away from this island.”
I frown. “Because we’ve known each other since we were kids and you’re Austin’s best friend. I was never leaving this island without you.”
He seems to accept this and rubs his face. “I got to the party early with Austin to sort shit out and start the bonfire. Everything was fine until Austin noticed you were half an hour late, so he left me to go and find you. The last time I saw him was then, and I don’t think he came back.”
My heart pounds in my chest. “So he and Sophie might have met up and realised where I was. Given it’s half an hour back, they might have missed the attack.”
“Possibly. I never saw him on the ship or in the cells. But I never saw you until the auction,” he replies, and he reaches over, picking up my hand. We stare at each other, all our jokes and defensiveness we usually mess about with seems to wash away. “Thank you for saving me. I owe you big time, Ri-Ri.”
“Save my life if you can,” I reply, pulling my hand from his. “How are you feeling?”
He clears his throat before climbing off the bed, looking over his body. “Like nothing happened on the outside. The inside is a little different.”
“What happened with her? The vampire who bought you?” I ask, climbing off the bed myself and picking up the green cloak I found on the bed and handing it to Arlo. “Here, you should put this on. It’s cold in here.”
Arlo takes it and wraps it over his shoulders, then he pauses. He walks up to me, and I almost flinch as he touches the mark on my neck.
“I have one as well, not on my neck though,” he tells me and pulls up his trouser leg to reveal a mark just like mine on his calf, but it’s Prince Reign’s symbol. A dragon wrapped around a dagger within a circle of fire.
“Our marks to who we belong to. But Reign hasn’t marked me,” I reply. “But I suspect he will do.”
“Be careful about making any more deals with him. Vampires are evil, through and through,” he warns me.
Footsteps make us both go still, and the door flings open. “I should be insulted, but you’re both lucky I understand your hate for my kind. I am not a fan of yours.”
“Reign, I presume?” Arlo asks, crossing his arms tightly and stepping in front of me to protect me. But we both know nothing Arlo can do will stop Reign if he wanted to hurt me. I just think he doesn’t.
“Prince Reign in public, but behind closed doors and in my home, Reign is fine,” he replies, his eyes drifting from Arlo as I step around him. I notice the bags in his hands, and he places them on the floor. “These are for you both. Dinner is ready in half an hour.”
“Thank you, Reign,” I call out, even though Arlo gives me a sharp look. I’m thanking one of my kidnappers. I’m sure I look crazy. Reign doesn’t give away that he heard me as he leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.
“They aren’t human, Riona,” Arlo tells me.
“You never call me my full name unless I’m in trouble. I know you’re angry and hurt by them, I get it. I don’t want to be here any more than you do, and if they gave me half a chance, I would be on the first ship home, but we have to be smart,” I explain to him. “Smart enough to survive until we find a way to escape.”
He looks away. “Part of me just wants to kill them all.”
I place my hand on his upper arm, and he looks down at me, at my hand on his arm particularly. “I want the same. I’ve seen things... They have hurt me. I get it.”
“Good.” He covers my hand with his. “Because they are going to pay for everything.”
Arlo lets my hand go and walks to the bathroom, going inside and shutting the door, the lock clicking seconds later. What the hell did that vampire bitch do to Arlo?
Knowing that staring at the bathroom door, even as I hear the shower go on, isn’t going to help, I head to the bags. Two pairs of jeans, one for me and one for Arlo in the perfect size, are in one of the bags. In the other are a few plain T-shirts and underwear. Again all the right size. Well, I hope Arlo’s is, but if Reign got my size eight right, I’m sure he got Arlo’s. I pull out an outfit and place Arlo’s clothes on the bed for him before slipping into the walk-in wardrobe. I shut the door and get changed out of that dress, which I wish I could burn, and back into clothes that I actually like. The skinny jeans fit me like a glove, and the T-shirt is a little baggy, which works for me. I slide my boots back on and find a hairbrush to comb out my hair. When I go back into the bedroom, Arlo is dressed in the blue T-shirt and grey washed denim jeans, looking so normal and familiar that it hurts. He doesn’t stop staring my way, his green eyes running over my body.