“By the gods!” Vertigo washed over me, and I reeled back. Far below loomed the forest floor. Beneath my feet was a narrow, twelve-inch ledge. The portal had deposited me on the side of a cliff. The rift between realms was now a solid wall of rock with no sign of the gateway.

Dizziness threatened to pitch me over the edge, and I locked my knees in place. My limbs, weakened from the guards’ rods, barely obeyed. I swiped my hand under my nose, eyeing the crimson streak on my fingers. Fucking Tiberius.

He thought to be rid of me so easily? Anger ignited my being, and I glared out at the foreign landscape.

Without my title, my wealth, or my connections, I might as well have been dead.

Power was everything, and at the moment, I was less than worthless.

I hadn’t spent centuries rising through the underworld ranks to have my many achievements stolen.

I clenched my fists, gathering that fiery rage inside me. I would find a way back to the mortal realm, no matter the cost. Once I returned, I would take back everything they had stolen and slaughter those responsible—starting with the magister.

I roared my vow into the abyss. “You hear me, Tiberius? I’m coming for you! This isn’t the last you’ve seen of Victor Custodis!”

Golden sparks exploded behind my eyeballs. Lightning crashed beside my head. I threw my arms up, protecting my face from the explosion of stones that threatened to pulverize my flesh. “What the—”

Thunder rumbled, and I pressed against the rock wall. What was this? A storm when there wasn’t a cloud in sight?

What sounded like the sonic boom of a jet rolled out from the cliffside and down into the valley, raising a circular ring of dust in its wake.

Trees swayed far below, birds launching into the sky, squawking their outrage at the disturbance.

Stone cracked, and a fracture sliced between my feet. “By the fates,” I gasped, straddling the growing chasm. Down it raced, carving a serrated path through solid rock. My heart hammered, lodging behind my tongue as I searched for an escape. I needed a fingerhold. A vine to grasp. Anything!

The ledge crumbled, and I plummeted. Jagged shards tore at my back. Stones battered my frame. I urged my sluggish limbs to grasp some small ridge, some outcropping to slow my descent—to no avail. Flesh scraped off my scrabbling fingertips. My shoulder collided with a boulder. Pain exploded.

Then, finally, I stopped.

Was I dead? Groaning, I eased to a sitting position, cursing at the agony such a simple task caused.

Not dead, then. Nothing seemed broken as far as I could tell.

I rolled my shoulders and cursed. Blazing daggers speared my tendons.

At least it wasn’t dislocated. Anvils hammered my temples, and I clamped my hand to my forehead, wincing when my fingers came back crimson.

Shallow cuts covered most of my body. My costly clothing? Ruined.

“Curse this disease-ridden realm!”

Here but a few minutes, and I was already injured, vulnerable, and bleeding in uncharted territory. Flashbacks of my childhood seared my memory. When I’d lived here as a youngling, it was the same. I’d been filthy. Broken. Scorned.

Weak.

That would not happen again.

My thoughts trailed off when the stench of rotten eggs and decaying vermin invaded my nostrils. I waved my hand before my face, coughing. “What is that smell?”

I’d landed at the edge of the woods, directly in front of a large cave opening. Scattered around me were piles of bones. Would it have killed the fates to drop me in the lobby of a five-star hotel?

“Surely, the gods are shitting on me today. ”

No sooner had the words passed my lips than a low growl rumbled from the depths of the cave. No. Not a cave. A den.

Some creature had taken advantage of the various criminals the Council deposited here. And I was about to be its next meal.

Glowing eyeballs peered down at me from the darkness. Up high, near the ceiling. So, it was big. The creature’s foul stench wafted from the entrance with its movements. Strong enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Weapon. I needed a weapon.

I forced my shaking muscles to obey. “Argh! Blasted Tiberius!” Bit by bit, my limbs responded, and I struggled to stand.

Sparkling lights danced before my eyes, my head swimming.

Bile rushed up my throat, and I willed the putrid liquid to remain in my stomach.

If I survived, there was no telling how long it would be until I found sustenance.

Through the spots dancing before my eyes, I zeroed in on a lengthy femur. It would have to do. I lurched toward the pile of bones and extracted my weapon, holding it aloft with quivering arms. None too soon.

The creature emerged from its dank hole. First, its gruesome maw appeared, lined with three rows of teeth, dripping yellow slime. Followed by its head. In its misshapen skull, a cluster of eyeballs sat like a spider carrying its young. Body resembling that of a walrus, it shambled out of its den.

Relief curled my lips into a smirk. With stubs for its front legs, it wouldn’t be difficult to evade this ugly brute. It seemed I’d been worried about noth—

The beast’s tongue slammed into my ankle, firing from its bottomless gullet. Before I’d processed the speed of the movement, the sticky appendage recoiled, knocking me off my feet.

With my makeshift weapon, I hammered the man-eater’s gooey tongue, my weakened arms moving with the reflexes of a sloth. Despite my feeble attack, the monstrosity reeled me in.

As far as deaths went, it was a bloody, embarrassing way to die. Me, Victor Custodis—Clan Leader of the Eastern Territories, leader of armies, defender of the underworld, the most powerful vampire lord in centuries—devoured by an oversized slug.

When last I’d been in this kingdom, my mother had warned that I’d die here if I didn’t leave. I was back mere minutes, and already, her warning was about to become a reality.

At least I could rest knowing there would be nobody to witness this travesty.

The behemoth’s putrid breath crawled up my nostrils, and I gagged, wrenching back on my leg. When inches separated my foot from the bastard’s slimy mouth, I used all my strength to lurch upright. Spying two openings in the thing’s face, I shoved my weapon into what I suspected was a nostril.

With zero effect.

Hundreds of deadly teeth stood poised to grind me into sausage. My pride took the beating. It really was a terrible way to die.

Sparks exploded inside the creature’s salivating mouth. Howling a mournful noise, it reared back.

The sticky tether dropped from my ankle.

I scrambled back, struggling to regain my feet.

The ground trembled beneath me, and I threw out my arms. What now?

From behind me, a male built like a tank raced past. Each fall of his pounding legs rumbled through the earth.

He drew back his arm, punching the cave-dwelling colossus with his anvil-like fist.

The creature belted out an ear-piercing squeal, then launched its tongue.

The disgusting appendage rocketed directly at me.

I ducked, and it shot past my cheek. Slimy drool splattered my face.

Missed! After missing its mark, the fiend’s tongue zipped back once more, preparing for another strike.

Apparently, the thing had a taste for vampire.

I hit the dirt. Again. This time with a curvaceous body planted on top of me.

Oxygen burst from my lungs, and I peered into a pair of striking violet eyes.

I sucked a ragged breath while my savior scowled.

Her exotic features were unexpected and—dare I admit—entrancing.

High cheekbones, heart-shaped chin, full lips.

It was as if the gods ripped my most secret desires from my psyche and made them real. The stranger’s face was perfection.

My heart heaved beneath her—not unwelcome—weight.

Bum bump.

Generous curves rest atop my injured frame. And for some reason, I didn’t mind the pain. The female’s sweet breath fanned my face, her fragrance spicy and warm with a hint of cloves.

Delicious .

Another deep breath and my eyelids went heavy, my fangs stirring.

Again, my heart slammed against my sternum, only this time, accompanied by an echo.

Bum-bum bump. Bum bump.

Surprise glittered in the woman’s eyes, and for a moment, she softened against me. Something foreign stirred beneath my breastbone at the act. Once more, my heart thumped. Once. Twice.

Realization dawned. The truth struck harder than the fall I’d taken from the cliff.

The second heartbeat was hers. Our hearts beat in sync. Something that only happened when a vampire found their fated mate. The one person meant for them above all others. An experience I hadn’t had in a thousand years. So why would it happen here? Now?

There was only one explanation that made sense. It was a mistake. A strange side effect of my journey through the portal.

Too fast, the woman’s scowl returned. Before I could decide if I wanted to clutch her closer or toss her away, she rolled off me and sprang to her feet.

“Stay down,” she ordered, planting her booted foot atop my chest, claiming me like I was some mountain she’d conquered, daring to stab her flag into my wind-blown peak. I ground my teeth at the insult. Any thoughts of the female possibly being my mate vanished in a surge of outrage.

I would not tolerate this kind of treatment from anyone . Though I doubted I had the energy to change my circumstances.

The miscreant’s ear-piecing squeals distracted me from my outrage.

“Got him,” said the male whose bulging muscles were carved from granite. “Slimy gallspawn bastard retreated into his den.”

“For now,” another voice said, and I craned my neck to identify the source. This one had dark horns protruding from his forehead. “Better get a move on before it rallies.”

The weight of the female’s foot lifted, and I lurched upright. Though it pained me, I forced myself to my feet. Reveal no weakness. With a sweeping glance, I analyzed the three strangers standing before me.

If I was to find a portal home, I’d need a crew.

Though most of Carcerem’s inhabitants were filthy, illiterate deviants, this bunch seemed to work well together.

It was unlikely I’d find better in this miserable place.

With no way to pay them, I’d have to rely on my wit and charm to win them to my side.

I held out my hand to the horned male. “Seems I owe you my thanks.”

The demon smirked, taking my hand in an overly tight hold. “That’s right. Except we’ll be taking more than your gratitude.”

With a twist of his wrist, he jerked my weakened form off balance and shoved me at his muscular friend.

“What the—”

Arms like reinforced concrete clamped around my upper body. Fury ignited my weary form. “What’s the meaning of this?” I fought to gasp while the bands grew tighter. Tighter. Tighter !

“Release me,” I wheezed, my aching bones creaking. Why save me only to kill me? Perhaps these locals were even dumber than I remembered.

As my vision tunneled, my grinning savior sauntered up, curvy hips rolling, manacles in her hands. “Welcome to Carcerem, Victor Custodis.”