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Brighton.
Holy shit.
I’d been heading for her apartment when Dante grabbed me off the sidewalk. I needed to warn her, to tell her what I found in Atlas’s office. She needs to know they’re following her, that something in her family’s company is connected to them.
My eyes go wide as they dart around the unfamiliar, dark bedroom. The haze in my head evaporates, replaced by panic, making my chest tighten as I press my shaking palm against the warmth of my skin over my heart.
Frowning, I peer down at the black silk slip I’m wearing, and my pulse races. My stomach twists into knots, making the possibility of puking on these lavish, no doubt expensive sheets very real.
Everything comes back at once, making my head spin and my eyes prick with hot tears. This overwhelming sense of dread is like nothing I’ve experienced before. Just when I thought I was starting to get a grip on all of this vampire blood oath shit, the rug has been pulled out from under me.
All the secrets, Atlas being involved in Ellis Industries, the creepy surveillance photos of Brighton… Then being ambushed outside of her apartment by Dante.
My heart beats hard against my chest as the memories flood in. The fear that overtook me when I realized Dante had found me. The indescribable pain I felt when he sank his fangs into my neck.
I suck in a shallow breath and lift my fingers to the spot he bit me, and when they graze smooth skin, I press my lips together. It’s… healed. Which means one of two things—someone used vampire blood to heal me, or I’ve been here long enough for it to heal on its own. The former makes my stomach roil, but the latter makes me just as nauseous with panic.
Squeezing my eyes shut at the tingling sensation along my neck, I can’t stop the scene from playing out in my head. The flash of his fangs, the sickening feeling of him drawing the blood out of me, and the woman killing him right in front of me. The memory of the sound of his heart thumping against the floor makes bile rise in my throat, and I swallow hard, unable to open my eyes as I relive the fuzzy moments after Dante was killed. The angelically attractive vampire cleaning the blood from her hand as if it was nothing but a mere inconvenience to her.
I press my fingers against the thrumming of pain in my temples. My shallow breathing quickens as I recall the woman’s words.
“Dante’s ill-mannered, silly little excuse for revenge is not the reason you were brought here.”
What the hell am I doing here? And who is the vampire behind it?
Once I’ve managed to pull myself into a sitting position, I let out a breath and slowly swing my legs over the side of the bed. I take my time trying to stand, worried I’ll fall over the second I’m upright. Sure enough, when I stand, the world tilts around me, and it takes a long moment to regain my balance. My head is light and fuzzy, as if I haven’t eaten or drank any water in days. I’ve never felt this weak. I keep my eyes trained on the massive window in front of me. It’s dark outside, but that could mean anything. It’s possible I’ve been here for hours or days. There’s no way to tell. I’ve been here long enough for someone to dress me. Shuddering at the thought, I take a tentative step toward the window. My legs are a little shaky as if I’d run a long distance without warming up, but they’re sturdy enough for me to make it to the window. I press my hands against the cold glass, peering down to the street below. I have to be at least twenty stories up, possibly higher.Too high to jump.The sidewalk is empty and the street is mostly quiet, save for a couple of cars, their headlights casting a faint glow on the asphalt.
I turn back to the room and lean against the windowsill, watching the flickering flames in the massive black marble fireplace against the wall farthest from me. My head is full of questions, and not knowing if I’ll be alive long enough to get the answers makes my breath catch in my throat.
My thoughts quickly go to the guys. For some reason, they must not know where I am, otherwise they’d be here. They would have come for me by now. Atlas would be lecturing me about leaving the house with Dante on the loose, Lex would be ready to kill whoever’s behind this whole thing, Kade would be making inappropriate and mostly unhelpful commentary, and Gabriel… he would just want to make sure I was okay. As conflicted as part of me still feels about them, I wish they were here.
I shake my head. I can’t think about my confusing emotions toward the vampires who claimed me right now. I need to figure out what the hell is going on here. That woman… Who the hell is she? And what could she possibly want me for? If she was going to kill me, she’s had plenty of opportunities, so there has to be another reason. And honestly, that scares me more than her wanting me dead. Because death is easy. Whatever this is… I’m terrified to find out.
Making my way around the dim room, my eyes adjust to the warm light coming from the lamp next to the four-poster bed I’d been sleeping in. Everything about the space is elegant. Dark wood accents and deep, rich reds and browns. The large crimson afghan rug beneath my bare feet is plush, with an intricate design woven through it.
I find myself standing in front of a closed dark wood door. My hand hovers over the knob, fingers shaking.
Before I can push myself to wrap my fingers around the brass and turn it, the door opens from the other side, and I stumble back, my heart slamming against my ribcage.
I squint hard until the vampire in front of me comes into focus, looking as stunningly elegant as she had in the moments before she—
“You’re awake,” she says in a smooth voice, the corners of her lips curved slightly upward. “Good.”
How long was I asleep?
How long have I been here?
These are the questions I should be asking. Instead, my legs shift back on their own, moving me away from the woman as she watches me with a curious glint in her bright silver eyes. After stepping into the room, leaving the door open, she clasps her hands behind her back. The way she exudes ease and power in equal measure has my heart beating like the wings of a hummingbird. I don’t want to be afraid; I shouldn’t show this vampire the fear that sings in my veins, but the weakness in my body makes it difficult to keep up my bravado. She can likely see right through it.
“Who are you?” I finally ask once I’m sure my voice won’t waver or crack.
She flashes a brilliant, snow-white smile. Her teeth look too perfect, too straight and white to be real. Veneers, I’d guess. “My name is Selene. I apologize, I should have introduced myself the other night.”
The other night?
Selene’s eyes trail over me, and I fight the urge to look away. Her scrutiny is a heavy weight that makes my skin tingle uncomfortably. Probably because I know she can snuff me out with a simple flick of her wrist if she wants. She’s no longer wearing the flowing white dress, which confirms my suspicion that some time has passed since I was brought here. Instead, she’s wearing a tight-fitting plum dress with a sharp V-shaped neckline and a hem that just barely reaches her knees, plus some seriously impressive heels. She towers over me, which really doesn’t help how intimidated I am by her.
She tilts her head to the side ever so slightly. “You and I have much to discuss, Calla.”
