His gaze raked over me, his head tilting slightly as if he was assessing, and I felt the bond with Vivian pulse faintly in the back of my mind. I clenched my fists to keep from reacting, forcing myself to remain still as his eyes narrowed.
“And who,” he asked slowly, his voice dropping into a mockingly conspiratorial tone, “was the lucky lady of the evening? I cansmellher on you. Mind to share? Send her over to my quarters. I haven’t had a good fuck in ages.”
I froze, his words twisting like a dagger in my chest. He was playing with me, testing me, his cruelty as sharp as ever. I couldn’t let him find out about Vivian—not even a whisper. If he caught the tiniest hint of herreal, disillusioned presence, he’d tear her apart just to spite me. I needed to find the artifact that would end his life, and soon.
“I don’t mix business with pleasure,” I said coldly, meeting his gaze without flinching. “You taught me better than that.”
His hollow laughter echoed off the chamber walls. “Ah, you’re learning,” he said, stepping even closer. His fingernails dragged down my arm, slow and deliberate, and I felt the sting as they broke skin. Blood welled to the surface, the sharp, metallic scent filling the air. He brought his fingers to his lips, licking the blood away with obscene deliberateness.
“Fresh blood,” he murmured dreamily. “I do so enjoy our little chats, Raffaele. But tell me…” His tone sharpened, the mockery melting into menace. “How are things progressing with Lord Altair? What’s the latest with your foolish attempt to forge an alliance? You should be conquering, enslaving, taking what is rightly yours, not groveling like some pathetic courtier.”
I clenched my jaw, forcing my voice to remain steady. “I’m much closer to absorbing Altair’s territory. It’s only a matter of time.”
My father knew of my ambitions to absorb Altair’s territory, but he was unaware of the reasoning behind them and unaware that I had formed a blood bond to ensure my success. I gave him just enough information to keep him believing he was in the loop.
Thorne’s crimson eyes narrowed, and his smile twisted darkly. “You know,” he said conversationally, “if you fail in your stupid endeavors, I’ll be there. Front row seat. And I’ll make you pay for ruining my legacy. Mark my words, boy.”
Then, as suddenly as he’d appeared, he was gone, his form dissipating into shadows that slithered out of the room. The oppressive energy lifted slightly, but the tension in my chest remained. Exhaling slowly, I ran a hand through my hair and forced myself to shake off the encounter.
He was gone, but the threat lingered.
I left the chamber, my steps heavier than before. The hallways of the estate were dim and quiet, the soft flicker of enchanted lanterns casting long shadows against the stone walls. My mind raced with thoughts of Vivian, of the bond that connected us, and of the danger my father posed if he ever discovered her existence.
As I approached the main hall, a soft voice caught my attention, pulling me from my thoughts. I paused, stepping into the shadows as I looked toward the sound.
Vivian.
She was standing with one of the housekeeping staff, her face warm and earnest as she held up a set of heavy curtains so the woman could sweep beneath them. Vivian’s hair was pulled back in a messy knot, and she wore a simple blouse and jeans thatsomehow made her look even more out of place here—and yet entirely at home.
There was an ease to her movements, a quiet grace that seemed almost pure. She was so unlike anyone I’d ever been around, her kindness so at odds with the harsh, ruthless world I inhabited.
I felt her emotions: her contentment, her determination to help, and a glimmer of curiosity as she glanced around the room. She was adapting to her surroundings, finding ways to connect with the people around her. It was maddening. Infuriating. Awe-inspiring. And I couldn’t look away.
I leaned against the wall, my gaze fixed on her. She didn’t belong here. Not in my world, not in my life. And yet, she was here. Every moment she spent in this place, she risked losing the parts of herself that made her who she was.
And me? I was the one corrupting her. The one pulling her deeper into the darkness.
I should’ve walked away, should’ve left her to her task, and focused on the matters at hand. But I stayed rooted to the spot, my mind a tangle of emotions I couldn’t fully make sense of.
Vivian looked over her shoulder, her gaze sweeping the hallway. Her eyes lingered on the shadows where I stood, and I held my breath. She didn’t see me, but the bond pulsed with awareness.
I left before she could sense more. Vivian was a problem I couldn’t solve, a thread I couldn’t untangle. And yet, I couldn’t seem to let her go.
Gods help me, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to.
19
VIVIAN
The diamond choker had been an unrelenting reminder of my captivity from the moment Raffaele clasped it around my neck. I loathed it, loathed that it amplified the bond. But today, I wanted to test its limits.
Standing at the estate’s grand entrance, I glanced back at the sprawling mansion, its dark stone walls rising like a fortress against the sky. The bond hummed, like a low-level static in the back of my mind. It hadn’t grown insistent yet, so I stepped forward.
The estate’s grounds stretched endlessly in every direction. Rolling hills of green dotted with bursts of wildflowers gave way to dense forests. The wind carried the scent of salt and brine, teasing the possibility of the sea. I’d only seen it once, at the ceremony.
My steps quickened. The farther I went, the more the bond inside me began to twist. At first, it was just a faint pull, like a cord tethering me to something unseen, then it grew more insistent, the tug in my chest constricting my lungs. It wasn’t physical, not entirely. It was an ache in my very being, a gnawing sense of dissatisfaction that grew stronger with every step away from Raffaele.
I clenched my fists. “No,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m not going back. I’ll go as far as I want.”
