Chapter 4

Catching me glance at Alistair for help, Cassian’s brow twitched into a barely visible frown.

But a second later, he was back to that suffocating calm.

"Your report was flawless," he said smoothly. "Gifted. It makes sense why you're one of the few humans chosen by the clan."

Alistair jumped at the chance to kiss ass. "His Highness rarely tolerates the presence of humans. To praise Isabella like this is truly—"

Cassian snapped his head toward him.

A death glare sliced through the air like a blade. Alistair shut up instantly, his face going pale.

I was even more confused.

If Cassian hated humans, why did he get so close to me?

Why comment on my mole with such... intimate familiarity?

"Isabella," Cassian looked back at me, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You will be my date for tonight's Blood Moon Gala."

"What?" I gasped.

Going there meant walking straight into a banquet hall full of starving predators!

"Your Highness, I'm just human. It's not appropriate—"

"Don't worry." Cassian took a step closer, his massive frame blocking out the light. "You are under my protection. No one touches you without my permission."

I opened my mouth to argue, but ended up nodding.

What else could I do? Reject a thousand-year-old vampire prince?

Two hours later, a styling team showed up at my apartment.

"Prince Valerius's orders," the lead stylist smiled. "We're here to prep you for tonight."

They brought a dark red silk gown.

The moment I saw it, my heart nearly stopped.

Dark red. My absolute favorite.

It fit me like a glove. The silk clung to my skin, and the neckline dipped perfectly to showcase my collarbone—and that glaring mole.

"And this," the stylist pulled out a diamond choker. "By the Prince's special request."

Simple but aggressively lavish. It drew all the attention to my neck.

"How did His Highness know my size?" I couldn't help but ask.

"The Prince has a keen eye," she answered vaguely. "He said you’d love the color."

I stared at my reflection. A weird sense of dissonance settled in my gut.

How did Cassian know exactly what I liked?

At 8:00 PM, I was escorted to the Valerius clan's underground ballroom.

Towering ceilings, massive black marble pillars. The air smelled of expensive perfume and the faint, metallic tang of blood.

Wearing a half-mask, I stood nervously at the entrance.

Cassian was standing in the center of the hall.

When his eyes cut through the crowd and landed on me, I saw a flash of raw, predatory hunger in that silver gaze.

He brushed past a vampire elder and walked straight toward me.

"Breathtaking," he murmured in my ear.

A rich cello melody began to play. The masquerade had started.

Cassian took my hand and led me to the center of the dance floor.

His large hand rested on the small of my back, pulling me flush against him.

I was practically glued to his solid, ice-cold chest. I could feel the explosive power radiating beneath his suit.

"You're tense," he looked down at me. "Relax."

His lips brushed against my earlobe. His breath sent a shiver down my spine.

This aggressively intimate contact brought Morpheus's dirty texts flooding back into my brain.

"I want to hold you tight and make you feel my heat..."

"I want to kiss every inch of your skin and make you tremble in my arms..."

What the hell was I thinking?!

Morpheus was Alistair. The bastard who used me as a backup!

I forced myself back to reality and tried to push Cassian away.

Just then, a handsome young vampire baron slid next to us.

"Your Highness, your date is the most captivating prey here tonight." The baron stared at me with naked hunger. "I wonder if I might have the honor of a dance with this lovely lady..."

Before he could even finish, Cassian’s hand on my lower back tightened like a vise.

With violent possessiveness, he yanked me so hard against him that not a sliver of air remained between us.

The baron took the hint and quickly left.

"Thirsty?" As the song ended, Cassian led me to the bar.

He poured me a glass of red wine. I took a cautious sip.

It was rich, but carried a strange, intoxicating scent I couldn't place.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

I nodded, accidentally letting a drop of wine linger on my lip.

Cassian suddenly reached up. With his thumb, he gently wiped the drop from my mouth.

Then, right in front of my eyes, he brought that same thumb to his own lips.

He narrowed his eyes, licking the drop clean with agonizingly slow pleasure, tasting me.

My face burst into flames. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs.

The gesture was so dangerously intimate it sent my pulse into overdrive.

Heat pooled heavy in my belly. I was completely trapped.

Why was a lethal, ancient vampire prince looking at me like I was his favorite meal?