Drop Dead Single (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 1)

He tried to say something. To tell her that he’d never seen anyone look so beautiful. But his vocal chords weren’t working. Instead, he grabbed her hand and kissed it, feeling her warm skin underneath his lips. She blinked up at him, her long black lashes brushing against her cheeks. Their gaze locked and it seemed like the whole room dissolved around them. It wasn’t until someone softly cleared their throat did either of them look away.

“Oh, sorry,” Cate said. She didn’t let go of his hand. “This is my friend I was telling you about, Miranda Nelssen. Miranda, this is Prince Viktor.”

He turned to the woman standing beside her. She wore a lovely purple gown that fell to her knees. Around her neck hung a thick strand of black pearls. Right away, he could tell she was a werewolf. Her scent gave her away. She smiled at him, her dark eyes searching him over. This was the best friend. The person he needed to impress if he had any chance with Cate.

He smiled and held out a hand to her. “Miranda, I’ve heard much about you. It’s great to finally make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise, Prince Viktor.” She tilted her head at him, but he could tell she was still studying him.

“Please, call me Viktor. Any friend of Cate’s is a friend of mine.”

An amused grin tugged at the left side of her mouth. She nodded in agreement and then glanced at Cate. “I need a drink. I think I’ll mosey my way over toward the bar. Hopefully, they’ll be serving something other than the vampire variety tonight. You two have fun.”

And just like that, she was gone. Viktor didn’t waste any more time. He held Cate’s hand tight in his and leaned close to whisper in her ear. “Are you aware that you look gorgeous tonight?”

A blush reddened her cheeks and she smiled at him in a maddeningly sexy way, her eyes sparkling. “Maybe, but I don’t mind being reminded.”

That was it. He wanted to pick her up right there, rush through the crowds, and take her straight up the stairs to his bed chambers. From the way she was looking at him, she probably wouldn’t protest. Still, the cameras had closed in and the sight of them made him twitchy. So he tugged gently on her arm and led her to a quieter spot in the corner of the ballroom so they could be alone.

They managed to discuss everything about the ceremony, including the witches who showed up with crazy hats, the other paranormal guests, the circling cameras, and the look on Jezebel’s face when she saw them together. Viktor couldn’t keep his eyes off of Cate, the fire in his stomach burning just as bright as the first moment they’d kissed. He longed to kiss her again, to pull her into his arms. But that would be improper and the cameras were circling. So he settled for brushing his arm against hers and leaning down to whisper in her ear as often as he could.

“My mother’s necklace suits you,” he told her, glancing at the simple pearl drop jewelry adorning her chest. His gaze lingered on her neck a second longer, admiring the soft curve of her delicate throat.

“Your mother’s necklace?” She swallowed and clasped a hand to the pearl. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize...”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s lovely on you. My mother would’ve been honored to know that out of all the pieces in the vault, you chose her favorite. It was a gift from her father on her wedding day.”

For nearly six hundred years, it’d languished in that vault, a silent reminder of his loss. A shadow of that pain had gone through him when Cate picked it out. He hadn’t expected anyone to give the necklace a second glance. Still, looking at her now, with the piece around her neck, he felt like it was a sign from his mother. Physical proof of her approval. Of course, Cate picked it. She wasn’t here for the fame and fortune. And she wasn’t there to trap a prince. She was good and honest, not to mention incredibly beautiful. He could never remember being this attracted to anyone. She had his heart in her hand. He had to let her know.

“What was it like?” Cate asked suddenly, still clasping the pearl in her hand.

The band struck up a song with a slower tempo. He watched the guests pair up and take their partners into their arms. Instinctively, he placed an arm around her waist.

“What?”

“Becoming a vampire?” She sucked in her cheeks and shifted back and forth in her heels. “Did it hurt?”

He laughed, soft and low, at the innocence of her question. Pain had been the least of worries when he went through the change. Survival of a harsh genocidal war had been the driving factor behind his change.

“There was no p

ain,” he said, stroking his thumb in small circles along the bare skin of her back. “It’s like going to sleep. But when you awake, the world is clearer. Sharper. Emotions are stronger. You feel everything with incredible weight. And suddenly, you’re stronger than ten men and faster than the eye can see.”

Her eyes grew wide. “So, you just bite me and then...?”

“No, it’s more than a bite.” He brushed his fingertips along her neck and she shivered. “Vampire fangs contain a special venom. If I drink from your neck and choose to change you, the venom releases and a piece of my soul breaks off and attaches to yours.”

She drew a sharp intake of breath and clutched the necklace tighter. “That sounds intense.”

“It is. A part of me would reside in you forever. It’s not a deal to make lightly. For either party.”

He wished he could read her thoughts. To know her take on the whole issue. But she’d furrowed her brow in thought and turned her head away to gaze at the dancers. Curiosity got the better of him and he cleared his throat.

“Would you ever...consider it?”

She looked up at him through her lashes. “Consider what?”

He coughed into his hand. No way to dance around it. “Becoming a vampire.”