I picked it up

Holy cow! This was... That was unbelievable.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. No. It was crazy. This guy was a complete stranger, and there I was, making out with him on the street!

What the fuck was I doing?

I pushed him away. Without even thinking, I put my hands on his chest, and he gaped, eyes wide, and staggered back, leaving me just enough room to run.

My chest ached with every breath, and I heard nothing but the blood pounding in my ears as I focused on my feet pounding the sidewalk, running back to the store. Adrenaline fueled my panic. Fear tensed my muscles, but there was also something else. A fascination and an enjoyment I couldn't hide from. The desire still tantalized deep inside me.

The limousine was gone when I finally left the store, but my small shopping bag lay on the curb as if waiting for me to carry it, and after I picked it up, my hands shook all the way home.

ARTURO

Fuck. Yesterday, I held in my arms what would complete my ascent to my father's throne, and watched her flee. However, it wasn't like I could chase her down the sidewalk. Nowadays, people disapproved of that sort of thing.

I sighed. It shouldn't be that hard to find that particular virgin. It wasn't as if the world was full of them anymore. And none had affected me as much as the brunette with the dazzling green eyes. Her scent alone...nothing gave away virginity as much.

In fact, something screamed mine.

I got used to staying away from humans. Damn humans. But the virginity thing... I'd hoped to put it off longer. I hadn't even looked for it. My mother was more anxious than I was, wanting me to make my final ascent to the throne. I was king in name, the rightful heir, but I was open to any challenge before claiming a pure woman... or something like that. It all seemed rather ridiculous to me, though I knew I would one day follow tradition, if only to cement my claim to the throne in the eyes of my people.

But Mother believed in all the old traditions: the pent-up sexual energy of a virgin, the burst of power she would offer me, and the longevity her blood would grant me.

And I resented the temptation, because it brought me a whole host of problems. I didn't spend my time with humans. And I certainly didn't go around kissing them like my soul would burn if I didn't.

I glanced around the La Cas Fresh Blood meeting room and inhaled the mix of greed, lust and loss of control seeping from the casino on the other side of the closed door. The casino was still in my view through the huge one-way mirror that overlooked the main gaming room.

Although it was still early in the day, the tables were busy, my dealers were busy, customers were drinking and most were losing their money.

Yes, the day already smelled like success.

Success and a fucking human virgin that seemed to have invaded my royal blood.

“Arthur . “ I looked at my best friend and the man I trusted with every aspect of my life.” Have you prepared the list yet?”

Something about collecting debts today appealed to my sense of control. After all, the house always won. And it was a good outlet for my frustration. Something else to focus on so I wouldn't have to think about the family battle my discovery of such a tempting virgin might trigger.

Arturo grimaced and slid five folders of suede-colored paperwork across the table separating us. “Each of these individuals owes over a hundred thousand dollars. One of them owes much more.”

Jensen , my bodyguard, whistled and held up his hands when I looked at him. “Seems like a lot to let slip away, that's all.”

I smiled, sure it wasn't a pleasant expression. “That's why I'm not.”

A wave of laughter rippled through the table as my staff members tried to ingratiate themselves to me.

I think you'll definitely find the top one the most fascinating of all. It's the one with the most debt, but it's also the one that offers the most interesting calls. Arturo hit him with the tip of his pen. And he's been calling to try to extend his line of credit.

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow and opened the folder.

It all looked pretty standard and I muttered aloud as I examined the usual terms and conditions.

“He put up his bar as collateral, among other things. Note the most recent sub-clause. “ There was an amused tone in Arturo's voice .

I stiffened. “His bar?” Suddenly, I spoke between fangs that threatened to descend their full length as the details of the file came into sharp focus and the first flashes of anger swept over me.

“Yes.” Arthur wasn't bothered by my sudden fit of anger, but some of my colleagues cringed. And like I said, he's been calling since yesterday. He obviously got himself into more... trouble.

“Damn humans. “ My voice was a low growl.

But Arthur laughed. “I thought you didn't believe that?”

And just like that, suddenly, my mind went back to the woman outside the store, and my penis contracted. But I swallowed the sudden whisper of desire and recovered my anger before setting Dean Harper's file aside as Arturo explained the other collection cases to me.

I did, however, go back to looking at Harper's file for the rest of the morning. Damn drunk. The only reason I gave him a bill was because I had known his family for a long time. Well, his wife's family. Harper had entered into an ideal marriage with the daughter of one of the oldest families in Baton Rouge.