Page 29

Horns blew. Guards shouted, “Everyone back to your rooms.”

I sat on the lumpy cot, glaring up at Victor. “What do you mean, you’re heading out?”

“I can’t lie around when there is work to be done. Hidden doors to be located.”

I huffed an irritated sigh. In other words, veins to be tapped. “We need to discuss what just happened. Someone tried to murder you.”

He shrugged. “I’ve made a lot of enemies over the years. Many of those enemies ended up here in Carcerem.”

I studied his form in the soft light. The clothing Milani had brought him stretched tight across his shoulders.

The seams on his thighs strained the threads that held them together.

Either she’d miscalculated his size, or he’d packed on a couple of pounds since our incarceration.

And not in the same way Yaga’s sweet buns did to me.

Something was happening to the vampire, and he refused to talk about it. “There’s something going on with you. The vampires I’ve met, strong emotion turns their eyes silver, not gold. Several times now, I’ve seen yours turn gold. ”

“A trick of the lighting,” he snapped with impatience.

I firmed my chin. “It isn’t my imagination. In the cavern, there was this pulse of energy. I felt it again in the dining hall.”

He held up his hand, saying in that imperious tone I’d come to loath, “I don’t have time for feminine concerns. Remain in this room. Do not leave.” With his command issued, he headed out the door.

Thoroughly dismissed, I stared at the place where he had stood, mouth gaping. He did not just bark orders at me. No one spoke to me that way, not even my brothers.

I punched my fist into the lumpy mattress, hissing, “Better sleep with one eye open, Custodis.”

Whispered voices hummed outside my doorway, and I peeked out. Two women, towels thrown over their arms, strolled in the direction of the bathing room. Were they meeting my vampire?

My hands curled into fists. Pinpricks of pain spiked my palms, and I uncurled them, wincing at the small cuts my nails made. What am I doing? He wasn’t my vampire. He wasn’t my anything. I couldn’t care less what he did with his fangs.

Perhaps I would head to the bathing chamber for a soak and gather my own intel.

Not that I gave a heated fart for Victor’s orders, but did I dare? I definitely didn’t want to get caught alone in this place. Especially after the attempted assault I barely escaped last night.

“Psst,” a voice hissed.

I tensed, peering into the gloom beyond my door.

Crystal-blue eyes peered back at me. “Over here.”

“Thorne?” I tiptoed into the dining area, whispering, “What are you doing outside of Beta cell?”

He offered me a blinding smile that I was certain had wrecked many hearts. “We didn’t have much time to talk earlier. I thought we could get to know each other.”

I pursed my lips. He was in possession of a key that could prove useful in our escape.

That didn’t mean I trusted him. Not even a little.

Since Victor agreed to let him join us—without consulting me—it couldn’t hurt to try to get a better read on the guy.

Reclaim control of the situation. Perhaps I’d work my wiles on him, soften him up, and get him to let down his guard.

Even without my powers, I was still a sorceress with skills.

“Fine,” I said, careful not to sound too eager. “I was headed to the bathing chamber. You’re welcome to join me.”

His smile widened, a delightful dimple blooming in his cheek. “Lead the way.”

After a couple breathless moments of darting through the shadows, we both stripped down to our undergarments and sank into a steaming corner of the chamber’s pool.

I swallowed a groan, letting the warmth of the water melt my tension.

“You’re insane to risk coming here like this,” I murmured.

He leaned back, resting his elbows on the ledge. “Maybe, but at least you know the key works now.”

Said key rested between his nicely defined pectorals. I allowed my curious gaze to wander over his body, not bothering to hide my interest. He was attractive, in that rakish, bad-boy way. Which usually worked for me, but for some reason, tonight, it did little to stir my blood.

“What are you anyway?” Dark blue scales dusted the tops of his very bare, very broad shoulders. The rest of his skin was sun-kissed tan. I couldn’t get a read on him. Not that I was familiar with every species in existence.

He shrugged. “Shifter.”

“What kind? I didn’t see you shift during the trials.”

Dimples speared his cheeks. “My animal is shy.”

I snorted a laugh. Nothing about this male was shy. Remembering my mission, I trailed my finger along his forearm. “That attack today at the banquet. Your reflexes were incredible.”

“I couldn’t allow any harm to come to my new partner.” His deep voice lowered to a purring rumble, indicating he wasn’t talking about Drazen or Victor.

“You were worried about me?” I pointed to my chest.

He followed the gesture, his sparkling eyes lingering on the bit of cleavage that swelled above the water. “Why, yes. You are the queen’s sister, after all.”

“Not many people are aware of that.” With his gaze fixed on my finger, I caressed the fullness of my breast. “Have you been asking the others about me?”

“What can I say?” He shrugged. “The queen’s handmaid likes to gossip.”

“And you like to listen.” I’d have to watch myself with this one.

“It’s not a crime.”

“No. But can I trust you’re not sharing things with her in return?”

“How can I trust you won’t tell someone about my key?”

“Self-preservation.”

“Exactly. I hear the queen isn’t fond of you. No offense, but I’d prefer she not know we are acquainted.”

I gathered my wet hair off my shoulders, holding it against the base of my neck, offering a coy smile. “So, I’m to be your dirty little secret.”

To this, he cocked an eyebrow, eyes warming as he took in the picture I’d presented. “How dirty are we talking?”

I shifted my position, coming to rest before him, propping my palms on his knees while also pressing my breasts together. “That will depend on whether I decide if you are trustworthy.”

“And how would a male go about earning this trust?” He lifted a swirling lock of my lavender hair from the water, letting it slide over his fingers.

“For starters, you could answer a question for me.”

“Go on. ”

“That sigil on the dagger. The way you reacted… I think you’ve seen it before.”

He pursed his lips as though fighting a smile. “Think so, huh?”

I inched closer, settling my frame between his knees, whispering, “I do.”

“I may have seen it around.” Thorne relaxed deeper against the pulsing jets, a male content to watch the show—curious to see how far I was prepared to take this.

“What is it?”

“It’s the mark of a religious sect that believes the prophecy is true. They just disagree on the interpretation.”

“You mean the prophecy about the lost king returning to Carcerem to set us free?”

“Yes. Except they don’t think the lost king is our savior. They believe he is the beginning of the end. One destined to destroy, not save.”

I tilted my head. “Isn’t Idris already destroying us?”

“Sure, but his style is more death by a thousand cuts. According to this sect, if the lost king defeats Idris and claims the throne, what’s left of Carcerem will be destroyed.”

“If that’s their concern, then why did they attack Victor? He’s a simple vampire, not some lost demigod returned to smite us all.”

His sparkling blue eyes darkened, his expression shuttering. “Case of mistaken identity, perhaps?”

“Perhaps.” Or maybe the shifter knew more than he was willing to say despite my gentle seduction.

“How long have you known him?”

I hitched a shoulder. “Not long.”

“Come now. You have to give me more than that. Do you think I don’t know when a beautiful woman is playing me to get information?”

Touché .

I smiled. “Don’t act like you’re not enjoying the game.”

“How did you meet Victor?”

“My partners and I captured the vampire after his realm banished him.”

“He’s from the mortal world?”

I failed to see the harm in answering. “More or less. He was born in Carcerem and sent to the mortal realm in his youth.”

“Why?”

“I haven’t a clue. Maybe because even as a child, he was annoying as hell.”

“Runa?”

Speak of the devil.

Victor hastened to the side of the pool. Behind him, a blonde with a dazed cast to her eyes stumbled past us, heading toward her room.

Custodis snarled, glowering at us. “What is the meaning of this?”

I stiffened at his tone. “Just a little meeting of the minds.”

The vampire’s deep growl sent a shiver down my spine. That damn golden gaze of his was back. The one he denied existed.

He sliced the shifter a daggered glare. “You don’t belong here.”

Energy jolted through the water in a crackling wave, and I flinched at the sudden shock of power that rippled over me. Thorne flinched as well, and his muscular thighs flexed beneath my palms.

Rather than respond to Victor’s aggressive tone, he gazed up at Custodis, his expression scrutinizing.

Yeah. Good luck, buddy. I’d spent days with the vampire and had yet to figure him out.

Before I could formulate a rebuttal about bossy males who needed to know their place, firm hands grasped my forearms, yanking me out of the water and free of the shifter’s lap.

“Hey! What are you— ”

“Time for bed,” Custodis snarled. Then, his icy gaze traveled down my body and my now transparent undergarments. Air gusted over my damp flesh, and suddenly, a towel whipped around my frame.

Holy bula-crap, the vampire was fast.

“You, return to your cell,” he barked at my bathing partner while I wobbled, tucking the length of material under my arms.

The orders, as well as the manhandling, set my teeth on edge. “I will go to bed when I—”

In yet another whoosh of dizzying speed, Custodis swept me into his arms and had us back in our room in seconds.

The minute my feet hit the ground, I came up swinging.

My fist rocketed through the air, and I spun in a circle, losing my grip on my towel. Regaining my balance, I turned to confront the vampire, fists raised. “Touch me again, and you’ll pull back a bloody stump.”

Instead of protecting himself from my wrath, he directed a long searing look at my exposed skin and snarled, whipping his tunic over his head.

“Put this on. Now,” he snapped, tossing the garment at my face.

“Bula-hole!” I stomped my foot, jerking the offending fabric off my head. Seriously, what the hell? The vampire was as bad as my brothers. Maybe worse.

When he continued to glare at me, I pursed my lips, stabbing him with my eyeballs. “You going to watch?”

He snapped a smart turn, giving me his back while I removed my wet undergarments and tugged his tunic over my head.

Taking advantage of his turned back, I smacked my palms against his bare flesh, hard enough to leave handprints. “What the hell was that all about?”

Rather than answer, he used that damned vampire speed again, snapping an arm around my waist and dragging me with him when he laid on his cot .

Resting against his naked chest, I struggled in his hold. “Release me.”

Instead, his grip tightened. “You’ve already proven that I can’t trust you not to sneak off.”

I sputtered a hacking cough. “Trust me? I’m not the one slinking around with harlots, sucking soiled blood. And for your information, I didn’t sneak off. I was working Thorne for intel. Much as you were working your latest conquest.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Me? Tell him?”

“He’s a skilled manipulator. The male has obviously targeted us for a reason. The assassin with the tray was likely a set up to allow him into our ranks.”

“What? You’re crazy.”

“Nobody is faster than I am. Especially not some unidentified shifter, and yet he grabbed the assassin’s knife before me. He expected the strike.”

“Then why the hell did you agree to work with him?”

He squeezed me tighter. “Keep your enemies close.”

I grunted, my lungs straining. “Ha. Ha,” I wheezed, pinching his chest until his grip eased. “Point made. Now, let me go.”

“You’re sleeping with me tonight.”

Goosebumps pebbled my chilly flesh, and I settled deeper in his embrace, absorbing his warmth. “Give me one good reason why.” Besides the fact that my frigid bed no longer appealed to me.

“I promised your brothers I’d protect you.”

Yeah, right. I doubted he held a sliver of respect for my family, nor did he strike me as someone who kept his promises.

Fatigue had my head dropping to his chest. “Seems to me it’s you who needs protecting.”

“Sleep, little thief,” he commanded.

I was too tired to resist, drifting off in the arms of a vampire.