Page 101 of Plug and Claim

He said always like he was professing love, his tone dark and sultry.

Yikes.

“What about desserts?”

“I can make crème brûlée.”

“Impressive,” Kira said, keeping her tone even. “I’ll be sure to let your future wife know.”

She glanced up to see how her jab had landed, and was shocked to see Nathaniel’s face fall, as if her remark had crushed him.

He’s just feeling guilty that he’s here with me when he should be out wooing Gloria.

When Nathaniel continued to appear dejected, she had a strong urge to cheer him up. But she was enjoying his discomfort too much, so instead, she asked him about Gloria. “Tell me about her.”

Nathaniel hesitated; his fork suspended halfway to his mouth. He set it down on his plate. “Gloria is a vampire and heiress. She graduated when I did.”

“So, she’s the same age as you?”.

“Yes.”

“And your soon-to-be wife,” she added, mostly to rub it in.

“Yes.” He seemed to deliberate what to say, and it was the first time she’d seen him at a loss for words. “Gloria owns a club here in the Capital. You and I will visit there soon.”

“We will?” Kira asked, swallowing the mouthful of buttered pastry.

“Yes. It will be the last time I propose to her.”

“And what if she says ‘no’?”

“She won’t.”

“How do you know? Will you woo her with chocolates and flowers?”

He smiled and lowered his eyes. “No. Those didn’t work. Vampires like Gloria only respond to power. She is now the most powerful vampiress in the world. My father will not step down until I marry her and align her family with ours.”

“I see,” Kira said, mimicking Nathaniel’s intrigued mannerisms. “What makes you so confident she’ll agree to marry you? You’ve proposed before.”

“Because I won’t ask her. I will tell her and make her my wife.”

A shiver ran down Kira’s spine at his words. “How, exactly?”

A second later, she wished she hadn’t asked. Nathaniel’s face turned dark. It was like a storm had swept in, swallowing the brief interlude of light conversation they’d shared.

“My dear pet…over the coming days, I will show you exactly how a vampire prince claims his wife. In the meantime, your body will make for good practice.”

He rose, retrieved the dog bowl that had rolled away earlier, and refilled it. “I highly recommend you drink while you can. I will have use of your body soon.”

Kira stared glumly at the water bowl down at her feet. This time, she did not knock it away. Instead, she lowered her face to the water surface, and as Nathaniel seated himself at his desk, she began to lap at the water with her tongue.

Chapter 36

Naked

Nathaniel

The soft rhythmic sound of Kira lapping up water soothed the tension in Nathaniel’s shoulders as he sat at his desk. He was irritated—not at Kira—but simply at the circumstances. They were both caught up in a grand scheme larger than the both of them, and it saddened him that it left no room for anything else. Neither of them had a choice in what was to come, or the parts they had to play. It was a shame, because he was fond of her, more than he’d expected to be.