Michael It’s early morning when I finally leave the castle for home, shifting into my wolf form and splitting the fog as I race across the castle grounds. I made sure my cousin was tucked into bed before making the rounds a final time, talking to my uncle Lex and Aunt Ivy, who were remarkably upset
Emelda raises her perfectly shaped dark brows. “How come?”“The bride never showed up. My parents had to dismiss all the guests. Dad believes this was King Mattias’s plan all along–string us along, force our hand when it came to holding the wedding in Crescent Peak instead of Cole’s own territory in
FayeHe’s tall and handsome, with eyes the color of polished jade. His eyes sparkle as he steps into the overhead light, but his expression is dire–serious with a hint of concern, maybe even skepticism, as he keeps his gaze honed to my face. I’m trembling from pain and also the feeling like this ma
MichaelI carry her upstairs, my manor passing by in a blur of stone and dark finishes. Emelda hurries behind me, followed by a handful of maids who peek their heads out of the various rooms off the main second floor hallway. It’s such a large house for one person, but right now, it feels crowded an
MichaelThere’s a hum of excitement in the castle as I pass through the main entrance, rain sliding off my black leather jacket and onto the dark stone floor. The bridge behind me is socked-in by fog as the doors close, and a couple of guards step back in place, standing stoically at attention while
“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
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
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
Michael“The second born son of this union will be handed over at birth to King Mattias and his court to be raised in Red River as the rightful heir to the throne,” Dad reads aloud as he paces in front of the windows in his office that overlook the bleak, snow drenched landscape beyond, “to ensure t
MichaelThe emissary to Red River–the real one–isn’t anyone I recognize. He’s tall and pale blond, his red eyes gleaming in the brightly lit ballroom where he and his posse of royal Red River guards have gathered. He scans the group before him–myself, my father, and my uncle, and smiles faintly, hi
I listen intently, watching a myriad of emotion play over her face as she knits her fingers together. “We spent an entire summer sneaking around,” she says softly, closing her eyes. “He’d find me in the garden, in the library, sometimes going as far as to sneak into my room at night. We couldn’t st
FayeStill in the library, I listen intently as Emelda discloses far more than I expected her to.There was a point in Emelda’s life as a vampire that she’d accepted she’d always be alone. Her bed would always be cold, her skin unblemished by a loving touch. She’d never know love again, and for deca
Faye“It really is gorgeous,” Emelda says the next morning while walking with me to the library. She runs her thumb over the massive sapphire ring and smiles faintly, raising her brows. “I think it’s a family heirloom, too. You should expect a load of fine jewelry to follow.”“You know I don’t care
FayeKing Kane is a slightly terrifying man. His presence is all consuming–like he sucks the light out of the room. He doesn’t look his age, like all vampires. The only indication that he’s a senior vampire compared to his son is the faint gray glow around his temples where his dark hair is starting
MichaelI watch Faye run a comb through her hair, over and over. The golden strands shine like golden silk in the pockets of sunlight shimmering through the curtains. Beyond the glass, knee-deep snow covers the castle grounds in a blanket of pure, untouched white. Deep inside, I feel a flicker of m
I shake my head, sniffling, trying to pull my tears back into my eyes but fail miserably. They trickle down my cheeks, freezing to my face. “We would have been caught.”“I wouldn’t have cared. I still don’t!”“You were getting married–”“I’ve been betrothed since I was a child,” he says hotly, gritt
Emelda“Why are you out here?” Cole asks, his hand moving up my back as he presses me closer. “You’re freezing.”“I wanted to check on Ravenfell–”“I was on my way–”“It’s not your responsibility–”“I was on my way to find you,” he cuts in, taking a breath. I open my eyes, breaking out of the haze