Page 14 of Kiss of Seduction

She looked out the window. A winding river, bustling with activity and people walking under the fall morning sun could be seen far below. The sight almost made her sob. She’d been locked away in Varro’s isolated estate for so long she’d forgotten what a city looked like.

“Chicago.” The word was realization and confirmation both. A chill ran down her spine.

There was a sudden knock on the door, and she let out a startled scream. No one ever knocked for her at Varro’s. They just entered the chamber she had for a room, ordering her up and out. She waited in silence for something to happen. Nothing did.

After a few minutes there was another knock. This time Evie just flinched.

“Who is it?”

“Natalya.” The voice nearly made Evie panic, but before it gripped her completely, Natalya continued. “I brought some clothes for you.”

Ofcourse. They wouldn’t want her wearing what Varro had put her in. They probably wanted her in some signature uniform. Something made of leather and chains.

“Can I come in?” Natalya asked.

Evie was quiet for a minute. What was this messed up game she was playing? The door was locked. Evie couldn’t leave. It wasn’t up to her what happened. Asking for permission was a strange type of performance.

Evie moved to the corner, as far from the door as possible. She pulled the flannel around herself, thankful to have it, until she remembered it was Natalya who gave it to her. That soured it.

“Sure. Come in.”

There was a click as the door unlocked, allowing Natalya entry, and seeing her made Evie breathe a little faster. She looked as hauntingly beautiful as when Evie had first seen her, except, somehow, even more so.

She’d switched out the ruined suit for a flowing, black plunge dress decorated with steel chains. Her hair appeared radiant, as did her skin, and there were no traces of scarlet in her eyes. They were pure violet.

“I brought you these.” Natalya placed some folded clothes on the couch. Sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Evie didn’t approach the couch, preferring the feel of a wall to her back. She kept her eyes on Natalya, the obvious threat in the room. After a moment, Natalya gestured at the clothes.

“You’re cold. Put it on. You can leave the shirt if you want to.”

The fear of not obeying an order outweighed her fear of moving near Natalya, though Evie couldn’t help but frown at the directive. It shouldn’t matter that she was cold.

She inched over to the stack of clothes and slowly put on the sweatpants. They were baggy, and the flannel she wore was oversized. It didn’t accentuate her curves like she was used to her clothing doing.

“Are you feeling weak?” Natalya asked. “You didn’t sleep for long. That’s uncommon.”

“I’m fine.” Evie hugged herself. “Where am I?”

“The Court of Chains. As a guest,” Natalya added quickly when Evie tensed up. “It’s only temporary until we figure out what to do next.”

That was obvious, wasn’t it? She’d exchanged Varro’s Court for another, and being a human in a Court of monsters came with certain expectations. Some of the slaves at Varro’s had come from the domains of different vampire Regents. The tattoos on their ribs marked them as property. Being dressed up in unappealing clothes didn’t change that.

“The Court owns some apartments in the city,” Natalya continued. “They’re nothing impressive, but they’re clean and furnished. One is being readied for you now. We’ll have a security detail stay in the building to keep you safe, at least for the first few weeks.”

Evie frowned. An apartment? Why would she need an apartment?

As for safety, she hadn’t thought that far. Would Varro’s men be coming for her? She knew she was rare. That’s why she’d been reserved for Varro and his spawn’s personal use, as well as his most prestigious guests.

Even if she was allowed to walk free, which she doubted, what would she do? The police would laugh in her face if she went to them, saying she’d been held captive by vampires for a year. And she couldn’t go back to her New Orleans apartment, never mind that her landlord would have sold off her belongings months ago.

Maybe there was an investigation open for her. Stefano had left a bloody mess when he took her.

“Evie?” Natalya’s voice pulled her out of the memory, and Evie shook off the feeling it brought. She was in no position to wallow in self-pity, not when she was this deep in the lion’s den.

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” Her answer to everything. Evie opened the flannel to show the tattoo on her ribs. “All the information you need is here. That’s what you want, right?”

Natalya maintained eye contact.