The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe)

by VJ Dunraven

  Elizabeth drew a long breath and yielded. No amount of denial could dispute the evident mutual affection that she and the Prince displayed in class for all to see. “Okay, I admit it. You guys are right. There's something between me and Prince William, but I'm not exactly sure what.”

  “What do you mean you're not sure?” Ben asked. “It's either a yea or a nay.”

  “Did he tell you he likes you?” Lela asked.

  “Or asked you to be his girlfriend?” Carlos added.

  “No, no.” Elizabeth waved her hand. “But he did kiss me once.”

  “He did?” Ben gasped.

  “On the lips?” Lela's eyes practically popped out.

  Elizabeth felt the blood rush to her cheeks and nodded.

  “Did he stick his tongue in your mouth?” Carlos butted in.

  “Carlos!” Ben elbowed him sharply.

  Elizabeth groaned and covered her face.

  “Yoodeleheehaww!” Carlos clapped triumphantly. “I knew it!”

  “Did you guys go out on a date yet?” Lela asked.

  “No, but he came by my house yesterday,” Elizabeth replied.

  “Really?” Ben exclaimed. “Can you imagine the heir to the throne coming to your house? Did your parents die from Royal shock?”

  “Uh, my mom wasn't home. It was just me.”

  “I bet you guys made out—, aw!” Carlos rubbed the part where Ben had swiped him on the head.

  “Of course not!” Elizabeth replied indignantly. “He just came to apologize and gave me a white rose.”

  “Apologize?” Lela asked. “What for?”

  “Well, we had a few, um—, misunderstandings.”

  “And he gave you a white rose?” Ben laid his palm over his heart. “How romantic!”

  “He's courting you,” Chad said.

  Elizabeth swung around and met his eyes. Chad had a peculiar expression that she couldn't quite read.

  Lela jiggled her arm to catch her attention. “What sort of misunderstandings?”

  Elizabeth hesitated. Honestly, she'd rather not share that part with her friends. “Nothing worth talking about.” She stared at her shoes.

  “Did he try to get in your pants?” Lela asked.

  “Oh, no!” Ben framed his face with both hands. “Did you slap him?”

  “And kicked him in the nuts?” Carlos gasped.

  “No, no, and no!” Elizabeth shook her head in resignation.

  “Okay guys,” Chad interrupted. “I think we should give Elizabeth some space and continue this tomorrow.” He placed an arm around her shoulders and steered her towards his SUV, waving goodbye at Ben, Carlos, and Lela.

  “Thanks for rescuing me,” Elizabeth mumbled as he opened the passenger door for her.

  “Just doing my job,” he said, and then at her questioning gaze added, “as your Knight in shining blue jeans.”

  Chapter 33

  A Hug and an Innocent Kiss

  Elizabeth rode in silence with Chad through the labyrinth of trees in the dark woods. He kept his eyes on the road and didn't bother to use the headlights, in spite of the pitch-black darkness outside. She discreetly peered at his profile, illuminated by the soft glow of the vehicle's navigation screen on the dashboard. He seemed unusually preoccupied and was hardly surprised about the details regarding the Prince and her.

  “Okay, Hamilton. Out with it.” He flicked his eyes in her direction, catching her staring.

  “Out with what?” Elizabeth asked, feigning innocence.

  “You've been watching me for the past few minutes. Did you want to say something or were you just admiring how good-looking I am?”

  “Ha-ha. Very funny, Chad. Actually, I wanted to know if you're okay. You've been kind of distant lately.”

  “Have I?” Chad turned his attention back to the tree-shrouded path.

  “Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?” Elizabeth persisted.

  Chad kept his gaze straight ahead and didn't reply right away. “I'm fine,” he said after a short pause. “Maybe just a little worried.”

  “About what?”

  “You.”

  “Me?” Elizabeth exclaimed. “Why?”

  “Nothing worth mentioning.” He threw her a sideways glance.

  “Alistair!” Elizabeth punched him on the arm, “You're just as bad at sharing as I am!”

  “Glad we have something in common.”

  “Stop dodging the subject,” Elizabeth admonished. “Come on, spit it out.”

  Chad sighed and shook his head. “I just don't want to see you get hurt, that's all.”

  Elizabeth stared at him. “Is this about Prince William?”

  Chad skipped a response and pursed his lips, his eyes glued on the road.

  “Oh, Chad . . .” Elizabeth reached out to place a hand on top of his hand resting on the stick shift. “We're just getting to know each other, that's all. There's nothing to worry about.”

  He darted his gaze to where she'd touched him. “Just be careful,” he mumbled.

  “I will.” Elizabeth smiled and squeezed his hand before releasing it. “I promise.” She unbuckled and picked up her bag as Chad parked in front of her house. “Well, thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow!”

  He stepped out and went around to open her door. She alighted from the SUV and turned to him. “I really appreciate your concern.” She gave him a hug and stood on her tiptoes, dropping a chaste kiss on his cheek. “You're so sweet. I'm so glad you're my friend,” she added with genuine gratitude, before sauntering towards the cottage.

  Chad watched her go into the porch and unlock the front door, turning to wave at him before entering the house. He waved back, but didn't leave. He stood transfixed, still holding the passenger door with one hand. Her kiss had caught him completely off guard.

  What kind of screwed up muddle had he gotten himself into? How could he keep his distance—, or more specifically his hands off her, if she was showering him with physical affection? It was hard enough to concentrate and ignore his attraction to her, but hugs and kisses?

  He'd almost returned the favor with a hotter version, if she hadn't mentioned how glad she was that they were friends. Damn it! Didn't she know how sexually charged Alpha Deimons were?

  He slammed the passenger door just as a black Lamborghini with heavily tinted windows pulled up in front of his SUV. The door opened and Prince William stepped out.

  “As you were, Colonel Gunter.” The Prince acknowledged his prompt salute with a single nod. “I trust you had an uneventful drive?” His silver eyes bored into him.

  “Yes, sir,” he replied evenly, blanking his mind just the way he'd been trained to do, to keep a highly perceptive interrogator from delving into his thoughts.

  “Excellent. You may resume surveillance,” the Prince said in dismissal.

  Chad made another salutation and started towards his vehicle.

  “Colonel Gunter?” the Prince called after him.

  “Sir?”

  “Thank you for keeping my Elizabeth safe.”

  “My pleasure, Sir.”

  “Very well. That's all.” The Prince strode towards the cottage.

  My Elizabeth? Chad muttered as he drove to park a block down the street. Since when did she become his Elizabeth? Chad cursed under his breath, suddenly unsure if the Prince intended Elizabeth to be just another conquest. He turned off the engine, frowning at the sleek Lamborghini in front of Elizabeth's house. Why was the Prince breaking the rules and earnestly pursuing her? And why did the school administrators request protection for her? Was it because of Lady Catherine, the Danish Marchioness' daughter, who was staring at Elizabeth with murder in her eyes?Something very odd was going on. He flicked his gaze to his side mirror to observe an unmarked vehicle he'd noticed trailing the Prince, days ago. His gut instincts were rarely mistaken.

  Inside the cottage, Elizabeth had just undressed and was reading her mom's note saying she went to pick up some toiletries at the twenty-four-hour drugstore,
when the doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock. Four-thirty in the morning. Did she forget something in Chad’s SUV? She threw a robe on and ran down the stairs at the second doorbell. “Coming!” she hollered as she reached for the doorknob, yanking the door wide open.

  “Do you always answer the door undressed?” Prince William combed his eyes from her face to her toes.

  “Your Highness! You're early!” she blurted, and then reddened when she realized her rude remark. “I-I'm sorry—, I didn't mean to say that, but I just got in and haven't had time to change.”

  “Don't apologize,” he replied with a rakish smile. “I really don't mind. Your attire, that is.”

  Elizabeth bit a retort to his risqué comment. He definitely was not some young, wholesome, fairy- tale Prince. His language and actions, even his teasing, were too grown up for her. Of course, it didn't help that he emitted sex appeal from every pore and she wasn't so ignorant that she didn't know about a man's needs. She may be a virgin, but she didn't survive four different high schools unscathed without knowing a thing or two about—Oh, stop! Who was she kidding anyways?

  The truth was she was clueless. She didn't have an iota of experience to boot and couldn't care less about the birds and the bees until now. The Prince was her first real kiss; the first guy she'd embraced in more than a friendly way, and the only one who touched her the way a guy touches a girl. And she was seventeen—, almost an old maid, for goodness sake! How on Earth could she handle this blue-blooded male, who at this very moment was gazing at her with bedroom eyes?

  “Well? Are you going to let me in?” he drawled in that accent that made her insides curl.

  “Oh—, right.” She gestured for him to come in.

  “Is your mom here?” He looked around the small foyer.

  “No, she went to the drugstore.” She stole a glance at the way his jeans clung to his long legs before ending in a slight flare over his boots. He had a blue high-necked sweater and a black leather riding jacket that gave him a rugged look.

  “Call her. I'd like to take you home and introduce you to my cousins.”

  How odd, Elizabeth thought. Why didn't he ask if her dad was here instead? ”She left her cell phone.” She pointed at her mom’s phone on the kitchen table.

  “Then leave a note for her. Now, Elizabeth.” He raised her chin with his forefinger. “I despise driving during the daytime and I‘d like to make it there before sunrise. Write to her that you'll stay with me until it's time to go to school. We shall ride together to Darian from there.”

  “What?” she exclaimed. “I can't do that! She'll ground me until I'm sixty!”

  Prince William concealed his disbelief. Did she just turn him down? What girl would refuse an invitation from the Prince of the Highest Royal Coven of Europe?

  He gazed at Elizabeth, who looked so distressed, as if he’d just ordered her to get naked. She was obviously uneasy about spending time alone with him, but he had to expedite their courtship away from prying eyes. The longer they stayed exposed in America without the security of their headquarters in England, the riskier it was for them to be discovered. Elizabeth was a prime target for their enemies.

  “Trust me, she wouldn’t,” he replied with nonchalance, but when her mortified expression didn’t change, he sighed. “I'll write the note, then.” He pulled out a gold pen from the inside pocket of his jacket. “Be a love and get me some stationary.”

  “Stationary?” She raised her eyebrows. “Can’t you just use Post-its?”

  “Yes. That will do,” he concurred quickly before she caught his clever distraction that had led her to agree without realizing it.

  An hour later, they were driving in terrifying speed down the freeway. Elizabeth fidgeted in her seat.

  “Am I making you nervous?” Prince William cast a sideways look at her.

  “N-no.” She frantically shook her head. “Watch the road, please.”

  He chuckled, releasing the shift that he had been working like a joystick and took her hand. “Don’t worry, I can drive even with my eyes closed.” He shut his eyes.

  “Oh, my God!” Elizabeth immediately lunged for the steering wheel with her other hand, but he had it in a tight grip. “William, watch the road! This isn’t funny!”

  “Car, ten meters ahead and approaching.” He moved to the right lane and passed it. “Truck, fifteen meters ahead on this lane. Another car, twelve meters ahead on the right.” He eased the car back to the left lane and opened his eyes.

  “How did you do that?” Elizabeth gaped.

  “Instinct. By using your keen senses to listen to your surroundings, you will learn how to identify everything around you without the use of eyesight. Of course—, it’s still safer to drive with your eyes open.” He grinned and exited the freeway.

  “Show off,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Scaredy-cat,” he coughed.

  Chapter 34

  Getting to Know You

  Elizabeth watched the daybreak loom in the horizon as they drove through the hills to an affluent area with huge homes. The Prince pulled up into a driveway bordered by a massive gate. He lowered his window shield, spoke, and scanned his eyes on a device mounted on a steel frame.

  The intricate wrought iron structure opened to reveal a pathway sheltered by a canopy of mature trees.

  “Where are we?” she asked as they cruised through the beautiful shaded grounds.

  “Home.”

  A mansion came into view at the end of the long driveway. The imposing building painted in white boasted enormous columns framing the entryway. Large windows and a balcony adorn the façade, looking out into the garden below.

  The Prince drove into the wide circular limestone driveway leading to the entrance. He parked by the steps, got out, and went around, opening the door for her.

  “You live here by yourself?” She gaped as she stepped out, stunned at the grandeur of the place.

  “In the mansion, yes. My cousins occupy the townhouses at the back. Come.” He laced his fingers with hers and led her up the steps.

  They crossed the expansive slate landing leading to the large double doors. He spoke and scanned his eyes on another device mounted on the doorframe.

  “Cool door locks,” Elizabeth said, as the solid doors swished open.

  “We must be fastidious with security.” He looked over her head.

  Elizabeth followed his gaze and noticed armed guards posted in different areas of the property, watching them.

  “What are those things they're wearing?” She pointed at the sleek black goggle-like contraptions.

  “Eye shields with wireless transceivers to protect their eyes from the sun's glare and enable them to communicate with each other at a great distance.” He pulled her hand gently. “Let's go inside. It's getting too bright.”

  The spacious foyer was aglow with gentle streams of sunlight, filtering through sheer draperies hanging from the floor to ceiling windows. They walked hand in hand into the living room and she was surprised to see that the interior was modern, even though the mansion was traditional. A grand staircase spiraled to the second floor on the left side.

  “Do you like it?” the Prince asked.

  “It’s beautiful!” She pointed at the homes built behind the residence, visible from the windows in the living room overlooking the courtyard. Limestone pathways connected the buildings to the main house. “What’s over there?”

  “That's Philippe and David’s townhouse.” He pointed to the structure on the left. “The one on the right is where the twins stay. Come, let me show you my room.”

  The second floor was just as spacious, with its own living room opening into the wide balcony that overlooked the front garden. They turned to the right wing and entered the double doors at the end of the hallway.

  Elizabeth paused under the doorframe. “This is your room?” She craned her neck, peering to the left and to the right. His “room” was actually a suite of adjoining rooms, with its own foyer, wher
e they stood at the moment, flanked by tall wide archways leading to more rooms on both sides.

  “Yes. Come.” He led her towards the left archway and entered a room with a large desk and a sleek computer on top. Several flat screen monitors were mounted on one wall. “This is my private study. I do a lot of work and correspondence here.”

  “You work?” Elizabeth couldn't believe her ears.

  “Of course. I have many responsibilities.”

  “But you're a Prince. Don't you have people who do that for you?”

  “You mean I simply order my way around?” He laughed. “I admit, I'm guilty, but there are some things that can't be handled by my staff. Did you think being Royalty is all fun and glamour?”

  “Isn't it?”

  “Well, to be fair, when I was younger it was all that, but after I reached maturity, my father began to groom me for succession to the throne. Life became very hectic with endless projects to attend to, officials to meet, and business to conduct. I had to shoulder a good deal of duties to help my father run the hierarchy. But, don't get me wrong. I have a remarkably privileged life except for the lack of time. The moments I wanted to spend with my family have become very limited. Luckily, my cousins have taken it upon themselves to follow me around. Otherwise, we’d never see each other. In fact, before we came here, they went with me to Switzerland to study the possibility of using a new power cell to replace fuel for our sea vessels and aircrafts.”

  Elizabeth absorbed all this and asked, “And then you came here—, why?”

  Prince William never thought she would probe the reason for their presence at Darian. On instinct, he decided to tell her the truth and see her reaction. “To find you.”

  “Me?” Her hand flew to her chest. “Yeah, right!” She laughed nervously. “You're joking.”

  “No, I'm not.”

  Color rose in her cheeks and her amusement faded. “Why me? There are lots of Royal girls around. Gorgeous ones too like the tall girl with black hair.”

  “You mean Catherine?”

  She shrugged.

  He cleared his throat noisily and grinned. “Is somebody jealous?”