Page 93 of Fighting for Her Heart

Cupping my face, she glances down toward the amulet resting on my chest. “Those vampires have already stolen so much from you. Don’t let them steal your power too.”

“What have they stolen?” Shaking my head, I back away from her hold. “They’vegivenme so much.”

“Darling.” She shoots me a patronizing look. “Theystolefrom you. They claimed your maidenhood, turned you into a vampire, stole your magic. Like males have done for all time, they have taken your power—all in exchange for a stiff cock.”

I suck in a sharp breath. I don’t know which part of what she’s said has shocked me more—the ugliness of her claim, or the grain of truth inside it. By all rights, Ishouldbe able to wield magic, but I can’t. Is my transformation into a vampire the reason why? Or my love for the men?

I shake my head. I don’t care. Not really. I’d rather have the love of these men than magic, but if I had some magic right now, I might be able to free them.

“I’ve listened to you,” I say as calmly as I can. “And I do understand what you’ve told me. Now it’s time for you to keep up your part of the bargain and let me see them.” I turn back toward the section of the room where I last saw the men.

Nora frowns. “I sense you donotyet fully understand. I sense resistance inside you.”

Sighing, I pretend to be more torn than I am. “Drop all the magic. Let me see the men as they truly are and then we can continue to talk.”

Nora nods, and I turn, but see nothing ahead of me. Nothing but this cozy basement room.

“Come,” she says. “Let me show you how to penetrate simple illusions. They are easily overcome once you know they are there.”

She takes my hand. “Hold the amulet tightly,” she says. “Close your eyes. Concentrate.”

I do as she says, and she leads me forward a few steps.

“Don’t open your eyes,” she says. “Not yet. It’s important that youfeelthe illusion, only then can you be sure to recognize when it drops.”

I nod. Holding the amulet, I concentrate, and the sound of the men’s heartbeats fills me with hope.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Nora says near my ear.

“Can youfeelthe illusion?” she asks. “Did you sense when it dropped?”

I nod. I sensed the presence of the men returning, if that’s what she means.

“Good. Now, open your eyes.”

I do.

Ryker’s directly in front of me, no longer bound. Dropping the amulet, I reach for him. He takes my wrists in his hands and holds them tightly as he bends to kiss me, somewhat stiffly, but I’ll take what I can get, especially when I sense the other men moving in behind me, Axe caressing my throat and Zuben my back.

“Now,reallyopen your eyes,” Nora says.

Ryker pulls away from our strangely stiff kiss.

I turn toward Mom. “My eyesareopen.” The men’s hands on me feel so good, but why aren’t they saying anything? Why hasn’t one of them taken me into his arms?

Nora chuckles.

She’s got an almost evil look in her eyes, a look I don’t recognize.

“Are your eyes open?” she asks. “Are you really using them to see?”

My throat, wrists and ankles start to burn as if the men’s hands are flames. And then the entire space around me changes.

Like the men, I am chained against the wall, bound in silver.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ember