The Vampire's Throne (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER TEN

The following morning, I was running on a few hours sleep with a coffee mug in my hand the size of Texas. Alexander's schedule was finished thirty minutes after he left. So I sent a copy to Catriona via the Palace's private email before going to bed that night. When she didn't respond when I awoke, I took it as a good thing and got ready to start my day. But when I arrived at the Palace, the was no sign of Catriona anywhere. Even Carson had trouble trying to locate the Queen's personal assistant.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked Carson as we stood in my office.

"Not at the moment, no. I've already put a trace on her phone. If she's out there, we'll find her. Don't worry, Avery. In the meantime, attend to the Prince. He'll be in the Red room not far from here. I'm sure you know where to find it."

"Yeah. Of course."

After a few minor adjustments to the Prince's schedule, I decided it was time to leave the safety of my office and follow the forty-nine steps it took to get to the Red Room. But when I arrived, Alexander was nowhere to be found. An antique polished desk with an antique chair sat near the center of the room while a small sitting area stood out in front of a large fireplace. With the schedule still in my hand, I set it down on the desk when I felt a presence standing directly behind me, leaning in close.

Soft puffs of breath tickled along the side of my neck as a hand reached around me and glanced at the schedule. A simple grunt followed by a delicate kiss made the hairs on my arms stand up on end like goosebumps. His lips lingered longer than necessary but I wasn't about to tell him that. Then his hand snaked up and around, popping the button on my jacket, exposing my dress shirt. More kissing along the neckline, his teeth nibbling along my bottom earlobe. Forcing me to jump at the sensation.

"What are you doing?" I muttered.

"Initiating phase two."

"And that includes undressing me right here in the middle of the Palace."

"I can close and lock the doors if you prefer it that way. But I kind of like the idea of getting caught by someone, particularly by a member of the staff."

"That's definitely not happening here."

"Oh. Come on, it'll be hot. I can fuck really quietly."

I laughed. "I don't believe you on that one for a second. Nice try."

As he spun me around, my ass catching the lip of the desk, I noticed just how close to me he actually was, and how close he was to kiss me. For I could see it in his eyes the way he was looking at me. Like I was the prey and he was the monster in preparation for the kill. Or in this case, his main squeeze. I turned away at the last possible second only to have his thumb and forefinger grasp my chin and slowly turn my head back to look at him. He shook his head, his tongue making that tsk, tsk, tsk sound in his mouth.

"Don't you ever look away from me again," he growled. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes. Your Royal Highness."

"That's better."

But the kiss never happened, for there was a knock at the door. Alexander sighed, stepping away from me as I saw Carson entered the room, holding a tablet in his hands. His eyes looked up for a moment, staring at us both, ensuring what just happened and for that I was grateful.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, Your Highness. But we have a situation."

"What is it?"

Carson looked at me, his eyes filled with concern. "I'm afraid Catriona is dead."

I gasped in shock. How was such a thing possible? I spoke to her just yesterday. "What happened?"