Page 168 of Blood of the Fairest

Instead, Konrad just muses, "So that's the Wulf I keep hearing about. Then yes. Surely it's normal for your Favored to learn from each other?"

This fairytale prince wouldn't know normal if it bit him on his very sculpted ass.

"I'm only going to say this one more time," I sigh. "I don't have Favored. My vagina is officially closed for new applicants, so you'll just have to be smitten with someone else. In fact, I bet a sweet maiden will show up at this festival any minute and⁠—"

"I'm not interested in a sweet maiden," he cuts in before flashing a dazzling smile. One of his white-gloved fingers gently pokes the beauty mark over my lip. "However, I am interested in escorting you out of this stuffy ballroom. How about we get some fresh air somewhere we can take these pesky masks off? It's unfair to keep hiding such a face, when I've been forced to miss it since yesterday."

Gorgeous and suave? That's not fair.

Because my brain is fucking evil, suddenly all I can think about is the way his blood smelled yesterday.

And the way it tasted—that smooth vanilla honey, the little twist of cinnamon, the way he panted harder when my teeth grazed his neck…

Fuck, this is bad. I'm literally salivating.

I need to get away from this persistent prince long enough to get control of my bloodlust and look for Cinderella.

Just as I'm wondering again where Eris went, since he's still not piping in with his two cents, a velvety man's voice speaks directly behind me.

"Might I claim the next dance?"

Konrad's gaze flicks to whoever is standing behind me. Whatever blunt charm he just exhibited for me turns into a glare.

"She is my dance partner."

Those words hit me like cold water.

In the old fairy tales I grew up on, that's exactly what the prince in Cinderella's fairy tale says to anyone who tries to ask Cinderella to dance.

He would dance with no one else. Whenever anyone else came and asked her to dance, he would say, 'She is my dance partner.'

Oh, balls. Why is he saying that about me, instead of her?

I really need to find Cinderella.

"You were just saying you want some fresh air," I say quickly, stepping back from Prince Konrad. "Maybe you should take a beat and then find one of the many girls here who would love to dance with you, while I dance with this gentleman."

At the last word, I turn to face whoever just asked me to dance.

Whoa.

Whoever this tall, sleek man is, he is dressed with the appropriate drama for a masquerade. His pitch-black suit is fucking amazing, the cut of its sweeping red cape flawless.

While a simple black mask hides much of his face, the dark hair falling slightly over his brow, his dark amber eyes, and his sharp jawline make me think he must be…

"Handsome," I amend with a grin, setting my red-gloved hand into the black-gloved hand he's offering. "This handsome gentleman, is what I meant to say."

"Ruby—" Prince Konrad begins.

"Enjoy the rest of the masquerade and be sure to dance with lots of young ladies, Your Highness," I say pointedly before the dark-clad stranger leads me away.

As he and I move to another spot on the dance floor, I quickly scan the rest of the ballroom. Snow White and Ingrid are chatting animatedly with a few other young women near refreshment tables opposite the musicians.

I don't see Anika anywhere, which I hope means she and Prince Leif found somewhere quiet to talk.

I also don't see anyone walking around with a giant airport pickup sign that says, I am Cinderella. Which is really inconvenient, because I really have no idea how I'll recognize her now.

Maybe I should have asked Eris to help me search for a young woman dressed in silver and gold.