Page 76 of Chain Me

I flinched at his tone, but his fingers drifted through my hair before I could interpret it as an insult.

“Sadly, I’ll be there to witness it, I suppose. When the time eventually comes. In fact, I imagine it to be a rather boring affair, given your track record.” He cocked his head as if picturing the moment and sighed in disappointment. “Oh yes. You shriveled in old age, laid out in your precious little manor, irritating me until your last breath. Predictable until the very end.”

My lips twitched into a painful expression. A smile? “Who said I’d even let you in through the front door?” I croaked. “Idohave standards, you know. I’d prefer my mourners sniffling and tearful if you please. Not smug and irritating.”

“Tearful?” He nudged my jaw with the pad of his thumb, eyeing me with an eyebrow raised. “Hopefully not from boredom. Did you not hear my first request?”

A sound ripped from my chest that I recognized only as he started to play again. A laugh, hollow and broken. But real nonetheless.

And it chilled me to the bone that he had the power to conjure such a reaction from me at all.

A Small Favor

Istartled awake at the exact moment the melody died in a jarring array of clashing notes. Beside me, Dublin lurched to his feet as footsteps raced in our direction.

“What is it?” he demanded.

I turned, following his gaze. An unfamiliar man stood in the doorway. Dressed in nondescript black, he conveyed the readiness of a soldier.

“There’s someone at the…” A thick accent made it impossible for me to discern the rest of what he said, but Dublin hissed through his teeth.

Before my eyes, he transformed—a monster again. “Are you sure?”

The man nodded.

“Eleanor.” Dublin didn’t even look in my direction. “Get upstairs. Now.”

Standing, I drew my robe around me with one hand. Dublin headed through the doorway and I followed in his wake, moving straight for the staircase.

I nearly missed the figure strolling boldly across the foyer to meet us. Blood-red hair would have rendered him striking—even without the vibrant emerald-green suit complementing the color of his eyes.

The vampire from the opera house. Dmitri.

“I suggest you let her stay, Dublin,” he said, his upper lip quirked. “Considering that what I have to say concernshermore than it does you.”

“Move.” Dublin lunged, all but dragging me up the remaining few steps. “Get to your room—”

“I know it was rude to intrude,” Dmitri continued, unaffected by our retreat. “Especially considering how much effort you put into your protection. It might amuse you to know that you weren’tquiteas discreet as you thought. As always, the rumors precede you.”

Icy hands met my shoulders, pushing me down the hall. He didn’t even waste energy on words this time. The command was clear.Go!

“But never in a million years—and I think you’ll appreciate the joke—would I have expected this. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Dmitri wondered, sounding legitimately amused. “That thing growing in her stomach?”

The world shifted underneath me, and I staggered to a stop, clinging to the wall for balance. Behind me, Dublin went rigid, his grip a vise on my forearm.

“I’m surprised you risked bringing her to me directly,” the man below added, raising his voice for our benefit. “Then again, I do remember your rather possessive nature. Regardless, I knew the moment I saw her justwhyyou’d sought me out after all this time. It certainly wasn’t to humor her with trivial stories.”

“Get out.”

I risked looking over my shoulder again as Dublin released me and advanced toward the mouth of the staircase. I only caught a glimpse of his expression from my position, but I recoiled at the sight. His eyes practically glowed, a chilling shade of silver.

Soulless.

“I could hear itsheartbeat, Dublin,” Dmitri crooned, his voice trembling. “A marvelous sound if you know what to look for. Steady. Strong. This is all so very interesting that I couldn’t resist flaunting your rather elaborate security.”

My thoughts swam aimlessly, desperate to process two words.Steady. Strong?

“What do you want?” Dublin demanded, snapping me from the confusing turmoil.