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My chest pumped up and down with ragged bursts. “Who’s there?”

The shadowed bedroom seemed to pulsate, like the darkness was alive.

“The time has come.”

The weak,frail human trembled, her wide eyes searching my shadows. Her efforts were useless. She would not see me unless I allowed it.

I did not usually begin watching my sacrifices until just before their soul was ready, as they reached their 30th year. But she proved an addiction. When she reached adulthood, I sent my shadows to view her briefly from afar, as I did with every sacrifice. The mortal intrigued me.

So, I watched her—often.

The binding energy repelled me once the bargain for her soul was struck, but had I been able to touch her before now, I would have dragged her to my realm long ago. She did not understand her fortune.

Her soul shone around her, the brilliant pale color close to blinding.

Pure of heart.

She would taste delightful on Novareth, but until the day of sacrifice, I would punish the human for what she had done.

The window rattledand sprang open with frightening force. Wind shook the pane, and my hair lashed against my cheeks. I hurried to swing it closed and grabbed at the latch. With a bit of maneuvering, I was able to hook it in place, cutting off the whoosh of the wind.

My harsh, ragged panting made my chest ache.

Turning around, I froze.

This was it, I’d officially lost it. I was so terrified that every limb stiffened to the point of pain. I blinked quickly, like it would change what stood before me.

The looming creature wasn’t human. His eyes were pitch black; a deep, dark void. As frightened as I was, I couldn’t stop staring as I searched for a pupil, forsomething, in their inky, terrifying depths.

He was an amalgamation of different creatures. Features of a cat, complete with slanted nostrils and the slightest cleft tipping up the middle of his upper lip, giving them a pouty aspect. Ram horns curved upward from silky-looking . . . hair? Moonlight fell across the strands, enhancing the feather-like texture.

My heart pumped in my chest with violent thuds. Thisthingwas terrifying.

Something moved behind him, and two huge, arching wings twitched, bending close to his body. He was so large that the top of his head was just shy of touching the eleven-foot ceiling.This is going to get me committed again.

I closed my eyes.

“You’re not real,” I chanted over and over. I gripped my cross so hard that the sharp edges dug into my palm.

Oh father, who art in heaven?—

The evilest sound I’d ever heard left the creature before me. Grating and mocking. I’d officially lost my mind. The softest graze caressed my chin. My eyes popped open, and his mouth spread in a grin, wider than any human could manage, displaying sharp, elongated teeth. In the upper left and right quadrants of his mouth, his slightly hooked incisors jutted out. The rest of his teeth were just as sharp and pointy, but they weren’t as curved.

He leaned closer, and all I could manage to do was suck in a harsh breath. He cocked his head, and his pure black eyes remained on me.

Moisture slicked my hand grabbing the cross, and I released it. The copper tang of blood reached my nose, and I lifted my trembling hand in front of my face to see the small bleeding cut. He gripped my wrist so suddenly I wouldn’t have been able to avoid the monstrous claws even if I had wanted to.

I stiffened, watching him with wide eyes. His touch was harsh and cold.

“Don’t, please,” I choked out.

That terrifying mouth spread, and he ran his inhumanly long tongue across my palm without letting go of my gaze. The graze was rough like that of a feline. Nausea clenched my stomach.

“Don’tplease,” he mocked. His voice was deep and gravelly; low-pitched and as powerful as he looked. I wasn’t short, but he made me feel like a speck in comparison. A pitiful, weak, speck.

“You should have obeyed me.” He clicked his tongue in a faux disapproving manner.

What was he talking about?