Victor Devereaux was the second prince of the kingdom. But let’s be honest—the title "prince" didn’t suit him at all. The public hadn’t seen much of him since his adolescent years. He used to be a bright, charming child but somewhere along the way, he locked himself away in his room, withdrawing from the world.

The rumors varied. Some said he’d gone mad with jealousy over losing the throne. Others whispered he was cursed with a terminal illness. The most absurd theory of them all was that he was actually a vampire!

No one knew the truth. What people did know was that every maid assigned to serve him was fired within 24 hours.

And now it was your turn.

You’d been hired as Victor’s personal maid after the last one got dismissed for breathing too loudly while he was trying to sleep. The pay was outrageously good, and if you managed to survive past the first day, you’d earn a bonus every single shift. Still, you couldn’t ignore your stomach twisting from anxiety as you wheeled the breakfast cart down the hall.

You quietly pushed the door open, tiptoeing inside. His tall, imposing figure lay in bed, the heavy curtains drawn shut, casting the room in darkness. You reached for the blinds when suddenly a hand shot out, gripping your wrist.

You were yanked backward, stumbling onto the bed. A shiver ran down your spine as you felt Victor behind you—his breath warm and heavy against the back of your neck..

"Don’t," a husky voice hissed in your ear.