Leo sat on the shoreline in his tattered clothing, looking altogether the part of the pouting prince. He gave her a despondent look and then trudged toward her, glancing down at the plate.
“What is this?” He poked at the sea cucumber and lifted up a strand of seaweed. Disgust rolled across his face. “Do you really expect me to eat this?”
“What are you talking about?” She shook her head. He really was a pampered prince. “This is what we eat every day.”
He leaned his hip on the boulder and gave her a simmering look that sent shivers down her spine. Despite the fact that he’d been essentially shipwrecked on a deserted island, he somehow still managed to look like a million dollars. The salt water had tousled his hair and the missing bottom half of his pants showed off well-defined calves. He’d rolled up the sleeves on his shirt, revealing muscular forearms that flexed as he crossed them.
“If I’m going to survive on this barren island, I’m going to need something a little fresher,” he said, dark humor flashing in his eyes. Striding toward her, he reached out to brush the hair off her shoulder and ran his fingers lightly along her neck. “Something a little more...alive.”
Eina felt as if her limbs had been replaced with cement. His touch left a trail of goosebumps that spread across her neck and down her back.
He leaned in slightly, never breaking eye contact, and revealed his sharp white fangs. “Wonder what mermaid tastes like.”
She tore from his grasp and stumbled backwards, hitting the boulder. Leo turned his head away, barely concealing the teasing grin on his face. She rounded the stone until it was between them-a safety zone-and pointed a shaking finger in his direction.
“All right, let’s establish some ground rules,” she said, wishing she didn’t sound so nervous. Loriella would’ve stood her ground. Set the law. “There will be no drinking the blood of any mermaids. Especially mine.”
Unconsciously, she shifted her wet hair to either side of her face, covering her bare neck the best she could.
“How am I supposed to survive out here without sustenance?” he asked with a surprisingly manly pout, taking a step closer.
She retreated another step around the boulder and shook her head. “Are you sure you need it just this moment? Can’t vampires go days between feedings? Like snakes?”
Guarding the vampire was one thing. Feeding him, was another. The thought of bringing him blood made her want to vomit.
“Well then, are you sure you need your hostage?” He glanced up at the warm sun and pulled his lips into a miserable frown. “It’s getting awfully hot out here. Won’t take me long to wither away to ashes, I’m afraid. And then you’ll really have zero chances to further your little kingdom.”
Eina bared her teeth in a grimace. This was becoming more work than she’d ever imagined. How was she supposed to feed a vampire in the middle of the Bering Sea?
“Fine.” She threw her hands up. “I’ll find a way to bring you some. But in the meantime, no feeding on the locals, no trying to escape, and no causing trouble. If we work together here, maybe we can both be of use to each other.”
He grinned as if she’d made a joke and bit his bottom lip. Despite the fact that she had no idea what was so funny, her face flushed.
“And stop doing that,” she snapped.
“Doing what?” He took a few steps closer, until he was within arm’s reach.
“Looking at me like that.” Her heart felt like it was trying to escape from her ribcage. She splayed a hand on his solid chest and attempted to push him back, without success. “Stop laughing. Stop doing anything charming. This is a hostage situation, not a royal wedding. You can’t flirt your way out of here.”
Leo threw his head back in laughter and shook his head. He took her palm from his chest and held it tight between both of his hands. “Yes, let’s talk about the royal wedding. How you acted all alluring and innocent, but really, deep inside, you harbored nefarious designs of kidnapping a royal prince. Tell me, how do you live with yourself?”
Eina pressed her lips together and scowled at him. Inside, a tiny part of her thrilled at being called alluring. She’d never had anyone say that to her before, least of all, a man who resembled a marble Greek god. It was altogether very confusing. She needed to get a grip.
“I wasn’t planning on kidnapping you,” she said, tearing her hand away and crossing her arms over her dress. “May I remind you, you’re the one who approached me and kept your identity a secret?”
“It’s not that hard to tell I’m a vampire, sweetheart.” He flashed the ring on his right hand. “We all have these. They keep us safe from sunlight.”
Eina huffed and pursed her lips. Reasoning with him was like walking in circles. “Well, you’re also the one who got thrown into the sea by a trio of ugly ogres. If it weren’t for me, you’d be rotting a thousand feet below the surface. Think about that.”
That seemed to get to him. He took a sudden, ragged breath and a flicker of fear shone in his eyes, erasing the cocky smile. It was as if he were reliving the memory of falling to the ocean floor. Eina’s heart softened and she found herself standing beside him, placing her han
d on his arm.
“It’s okay.” She traced her thumb in a small circle over his wet shirt. “You’re not there anymore. And no one is going to do that to you again.”
“Are you sure about that?” He worked his jaw and stared down at the ground. “What about your mermaid sisters? If my brother doesn’t comply, how do you know they won’t tie an anchor to my feet and throw me back in?”
“We’re mermaids.” She hissed in a frustration. His utter lack of understanding was insulting. “We’re not like your kind.”