While Dante quietly slept, I sat by the fire trying to put my new life into perspective. I’m a raven married to vampire with a best friend who is a fox, who my husband thinks is an enemy but she’s not, instead my older brother,(who is also a raven), just told him that because he has some weird perverted crush on me and hates my best friend because she almost incinerated him…in our previous lives….which consequently neither she or I remember…FML.

Dante murmured restlessly in his sleep, his arm swept over the vacant space where I once was and he stirred from his sleep,

“Ebony?” He said sleepily trying to sit up.

I rushed over to his side afraid that he might cause himself an injury if he sat up too fast. Laying my palms flat against his chest I pushed him gently back against the pillows.

“I’m right here, Dante.” I said.

His hand clasped over my hand holding my palm firmly against his chest right over his heart. I could feel the steady rhythm of his heart beat under my fingertips. I stared down at my hand unsure what to do or how to react. The gesture felt so intimate and I could feel myself burning up with shyness. My gaze lifted upwards and I caught Dante’s eyes looking intensely at me. I didn’t like this feeling; I always ended losing control and doing something stupid like trying to make out with Dante on the table. Embarrassed I jerked my hand away I shuffled backwards down the bed trying to put some space between Dante and I for my own comfort. Dante’s green eyes flashed with amusement as he watched my little reverse scramble,

“Are you retreating to the lower realms of the bed to get away from your darling Prince?” He asked.

“I’m not retreating; I’m right next to you.” I said pointing to the lump under the blanket which was Dante’s feet.

Dante smirked, “Come up here.”

“No,” I said firmly.

Dante raised an eye brow, “Has the period of niceness for saving your life now expired?”

Guilt washed over me as I recalled waking up on top of Dante’s battered and bruised body after plummeting from the highest tower. Reluctantly and probably against my better judgment I began to shuffle up the bed. Eyeing Dante up and down suspiciously I said,

“Don’t try any funny business. The doctor says you have to rest and I can’t have you trying to chase me around the bed while your body is mending.”

“Then you better stay still.” Dante said.

“Stop it Dante. I’m being serious.”

Dante heaved an exasperated groan and began tugging at his bandages. I opened my mouth to tell him to stop but I was amazed when the bandage fell away to reveal perfect smooth unblemished skin. I studied the skin in amazement and then was shocked when Dante suddenly pounced on me, literally rolling me on to my back against the mattress and holding my arms above my head. Licking his lips he said,

“I heal very fast and now I want my reward for saving your life.”

I lay completely still like a possum playing dead. Dante laughed, “You’re like a rabbit in the headlights.”

He leaned down to kiss me and felt my heart begin to hammer. Secretly I wanted this. I loved the feeling inside me when Dante touched me even though I know I shouldn’t. I closed my eyes and felt his lips brush roughly against mine, stubble grating against my mouth and hot breathe caressing my skin. I moved restlessly against him and he responded by releasing one of my hands which I tangled and dragged through his hair. I was on the verge of losing myself completely to Dante. At any moment I felt like our very skins were going to melt together because of the intense electricity and heat we were generating in that moment. Dante ran his hand over my neck and suddenly swore loudly throwing the blanket over me. Confused I tried to sit up but Dante pushed me down,

“Lord Manfred is in the chamber Princess, so please hold that position while I get rid of him.” Dante explained.

I peeked over the seam of the blanket and saw Lord Manfred standing by the doorway looking very serious.  In fact he would have actually looked even quite grave if he hadn’t been wearing a ridiculous bright red fez angled on top of his head. Manfred squinted at us and made an incoherent mumbling noises, Dante positioned himself in front of me blocking Manfred’s view of me.

“This better be amazingly good.” Dante said acidly.

“The Princess has a visitor.” Manfred grumbled.

“Tell them to go away.” Dante ordered.

“It’s her brother, sire.”

My blood ran cold. What was he doing here! The memory of him trying to force himself upon me brought back feelings of terror and disgust. There was no way in hell I was ever going to see him.

Dante sighed irritable, “I completely forget,” he snapped, “Prince Edvard is going to be spending some time with us-”

“No, he can’t!” I yelled.

“Why ever not?” Dante asked.

I went to open my mouth and spill everything but a voice inside my head spoke. The voice was not my own nor and I recognised it from somewhere.  ‘Say nothing.’ The voice instructed. Who the hell was talking in my head? The message repeated again this and I recognised it as the dragon’s voice. I hesitated, this was the dragon who told me to jump out the window, logic was telling me not to listen to this insane reptile... but my intuition was telling me something different. The voice echoed in my head again, ‘say nothing’. Shit. Manfred and Dante were both staring at me like some sort of freak. Calmly I said, “He doesn’t like castles.”

Which was true, ravens did not have homes, instead they lived in the forests rejecting man made dwellings to be closer to nature, which sounded very hippy.

“He’s putting aside his own needs for yours.” Dante said.

Oh if you only knew the truth, I thought bitterly.

“Edvard wants to see you now highness.” Manfred said to me.

Well, I ‘m not going near him with a barge pole. Dante rubbed his chin looking almost remorsefully at me laid in the bed. Taking a deep breath he sighed,

“Okay. You better see Edvard.”

Cold dread filled me. This was unthinkable.

“You have to come with me.” I said.

Dante nodded, “Fine.”