“What are odds, Rainer?” he asks.“They could be better but they’re not dire now that we have the shifters with us. We have the strategy with the witches which gives us an advantage.”“Hold the fort.”I nod. “Hold the fort.”I leave Kane to mount my steed. Porthos is calm and steady underneath me, b
Fuck. This is not how I want to die.I hear Kane’s voice through the madness and turn to see him, slightly bloodied. “Hold,” he says. “Hold your line. No one retreats.”A shout from behind us draws my attention. I turn to see King Cyrus on horseback with his bannermen behind him. Sardonia has come
KaneOur troops from both sides surround us with bated breath. The battle is mostly over. This duel between King Peter and I is what will determine the end of the war. It is the culmination of months of posturing and preparation.“Here are my terms, Kane Alexander of Crimson Peak” King Peter says. “
Kane is the conquering ruler. He can do what he wants. Him even putting this council together is his desire to be diplomatic. Kane believes in fairness and I love him for it.We sit at the war room of Crimson Peak at a long table. Kane sits at the head of my table and I’m at his right with Rainer at
When we reach the rose gardens, I let out a deep sigh and run a hand over my face. The heavy pressure of having to make a decision I don’t enjoy closes around me. Embry doesn’t let me go and rests her chin on my shoulder. Her emerald gaze doesn’t judge.“What are you thinking?” she asks.“I’m thinki
KaneDespite Emory’s urging that we get married as soon as possible, I want to do this right. I only plan on getting married once and I’m not going to have a rushed wedding. I’ve been asking her to marry me for months and I want us to have the wedding of her dreams. Besides, planning a wedding is le
“We don’t marry shifters either but here I am.”Lex snorts. “Enough about me. This is your big day.” He picks up the blazer off the chair and helps me into it and declares, “Let’s get you hitched.”We leave my suite and make our way to the ballroom where dozens of guests are waiting. Most of the va
We would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to Michael’s safety.Kane leads me around the dancefloor smoothly for our first dance. I had to endure months of dance lessons for this. Kane has decades of experience and he puts it to show as we glide around the room. Dancing with him is like a drea
FayeI’m sitting against plush pillows feeling like myself again, whoever that is. My memories are still hazy, but I’m starting to remember key things. My name is Faye. I’m twenty. I like to read, draw, and play the piano. I’m actually very good at playing piano. I like the color pink, even though i
MichaelI carefully pluck Matilda’s cold fingers from my shirt. “Where’s your fiance?”“Hell if I know,” she replies smoothly, her full lips curving at the edges. “Not around, obviously. He’s keeping his distance.”I want to say that I don’t blame him. Something about her makes me want to crawl out
I whirl and sink against the door, fuming, holding my face in my hands while I listen to Emelda’s voice drop to something soft and gentle while the nameless girl moans as if she’s in pain. The girl starts sobbing, begging Emelda for help, and it’s my undoing. Emelda is right. Whatever this tugging
MichaelEmelda silently returns to the kitchen with her tray of tonics and potions and sets them on the counter, wordlessly scribbling doses in the black leather notebook she’s been carrying around in her pocket since the night I met the witch-turned-vampire seven years ago. I lean against the coun
FayePrince Michael sits on the side of the bed. I edge closer, holding his gaze like I’m in a trance. I can hear his heart thumping even from this distance. I can hear his blood rushing in his veins. His scent is warm and overwhelmingly comforting, adding to the dizzy feeling cascading over my body
Faye“Wait,” I beg, scooching across wet grass, my palms broken and bruised from the gravel on the road. “Why? Why are you doing this?”Another blow to my chest has me curling into the fetal position. Rain pelts my face–sharp, and cold. The dress my mother spent weeks perfecting is torn from my body
MichaelIt’s the middle of the night when I walk up to my doorstep. Thunder rumbles in the distance, but Ravenfell is foggy, cool, and only slightly damp tonight. I open the door to quiet darkness. A light switches on upstairs, illuminating the second floor landing as I step into the foyer, holding
FayeIt’s raining. I watch a raindrop roll down the window, absorbing its companions. The rest of the world is a dark blur as I press my fingertips to the window, finding the glass cold. Someone touches my thigh in the darkness, murmuring something under their breath. Soon, the world comes into view
“We were held up,” Matilda replies in a low, sensuous drawl that betrays her looks. I would have assumed her voice would be pitched and sharp. She’s very thin and hard–all bone and muscle. Most vampire females are like that, I suppose, with some exceptions. One being the woman curled up in a guest r