Carefully, I flipped the top open.
I stared.Damn.
It was a delicate necklace, stunning. The vampire royal crest in silver, two swords crossed and protected by the almighty crown sat atop a red gem the size of a pecan. I studied the jewel. I’d seen many in my years, and owned almost all of them, but I’d never beheld one like this before. It was the color of a blood red sunset and gleamed like one too.
The Overlord was a complex man.
I smiled at the gift and lifted my free hand, caressing the gem with a soft finger. I whispered, “Hello there.”
Magnificent as a crack of thunder, a surge of power slammed into my skull, my eyes, my thoughts. It pulled, and itpulled. I shuddered under the potent weight and closed my eyes, dragged under...
Sparkly blue waves crashed against a shore of pure, white sand, the tiny granules glimmering like diamonds. A piercing and glorious sun spun high above in yellows, reds, greens, and blues. And a small boy crouched down on the beach, wearing loose white pants that whipped in the wind. The twirling hues of the sun cast its rays down on the shore and its lone occupant with the dark red skin and two bitty black horns poking out from the top of his forehead. The child swatted his black, flyaway hair out of his face and dug into the iridescent sand with little red fingers. He bit his bottom lip in concentration, his small fangs peeking out.
A smile of delight flashed across his face before he glanced left and right, scanning the beach around him. His chest heaved with his heavy breaths before he returned his attention to the sand. The red-skinned boy pulled his fingers back, a red jewel held in the palm of his hand.
With one last glance around, he stood and stuffed the jewel into the pocket of his white pants. An impish grin curved his tiny lips before he raced down the beach, glittering sand kicking up under his feet.
The sun swirled above, watchful and amused.
My vision slowly returned, as if in a fog, battling to bring me back to reality. I yanked my finger away from the gem and choked on air, my mouth agape. I blinked again and again until the bedchamber was all I saw and not an enchanted beach. I peered down at my naked body. Nothing had changed. I was still whole. The lord’s room around me still appeared the same.
My blue gaze returned to the necklace.
What the ever-lovin’ fuck?
I lifted my hand again. My finger hovered over the gem. I held my breath. To touch it again or not?
The jewel hadn’t hurt me.
It merely had a story to tell. I think.
This was my first experience with anything of this sort. And living as long as I had, new experiences were a dream come true. Most of the time, anyway. There were a few new experiences in my life I could do away with—like, killing a friend.
I licked my lips, squeezed my eyes shut, and pressed my finger down on the jewel. My muscles were tight in preparation for the power to slam into me again, and I continued to hold my breath, waiting.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
I peeked open one eye.
Yes, my finger was on the gem.
A snort of laughter erupted behind me. “What are you doing, Gwen?”
My head snapped around.
Bel stood outside his bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. His long black hair dripped water down onto the floor. All-consuming eyes stared back at me, amusement flittering in their depths.
I supposed I did look a little odd. “Nothing.”
I cleared my throat. My gaze went to his forehead.
Thinking…
Those ice blue eyes…
Distracted, I mumbled, “Will you help me put this on? It’s beautiful.”
Bel’s head cocked, his eyes running over my features. “So you do like it?”
