Slowly, I pulled myself up, and I swayed like a reed in the wind. My heart was racing from the effort, but also because of my find.
The door opened as Aric entered. Anticipation and dread clashed like thunder within me. He had food, and I was starving, but eating never came without a price. And he wasn’t alone. The same icy female fae as before was with him. My stomach sank.
Bath time.
I thought—no, Iknew—he glamoured me when this occurred. Sometimes, I remembered it. Sometimes, I didn’t. ButI knew he always fed afterward, and then…then I remembered nothing.
Oh, God, what if I forgot about the dagger? Dread quickly turned to panic. I couldn’t forget the weapon. I couldn’t—
“Did you miss me?” Aric strolled forward, platter in hand. “I missed you.”
I took a step back. The female remained by the door as she usually did, but she carried more than just a tote with her this time. A long, dark bag was draped over her arm.
“You don’t want to admit it, but I know you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing.” He placed the covered dish on the slab. The scent of meat reached me. “I’ve been very busy, my pet.”
My pet.
God, I couldn’t wait to tear his fucking head off. It took everything in me not to grab the dagger and do just that.
Twisting toward me, he picked up the chain, tugging on it until I stumbled toward him. Once I was close enough, he curled his arm around my waist, drawing me to his side as if we were lovers.
I wanted to vomit.
“I cannot wait to tell you all about it. You will be so very interested in what I’ve discovered,” he went on. “But first, I’ve brought you gifts.”
Gifts? My hungry gaze found its way to the silver platter.
“Not that,” he murmured, skimming his fingers over the many tiny abrasions marking my arms. I winced at the contact, and his eyes took on a heavy-lidded quality. “At least not the gift I’m most excited about.” He snapped his fingers at the female. “Show her what I’ve brought her.”
Pulse skittering, I watched her lift the bag. The sound of a zipper being lowered filled the chamber. It was only then thatI realized she was holding a garment bag. The folds of the bag parted as she stepped forward, revealing what lay beneath.
A gown. It was a gown. One made of some kind of silvery material that reached the floor. As the female fae pulled the garment bag away, I saw that the dress was sleeveless and nearly translucent. It was like spun moonlight, even in the dim lighting of the crypt, and utterly beautiful.
My stomach twisted with nausea. “You expect me to wear that?”
“Ah, she has found her voice.” Aric chuckled, squeezing me like it was some kind of inside joke between friends. “I do expect you to wear this, and I expect you to be honored to do so.”
I stared at him, dumbfounded. He couldn’t be serious.
Aric motioned the female forward, and she obeyed without a word, laying the gown over the slab but keeping it on the garment bag so my blood did not reach it.
“You see, this gown is very special.” Aric slipped his arm away from me, and I exhaled raggedly. Reaching for the delicate material, he traced the deep v-neck of the dress. “It is not of this world, but a token of mine. It was to be a wedding gown.Mathing,” he said, speaking fae. I thought the word meant mating. “You would not be the first to wear this, but I believe you will be the last.”
Stepping back, I wrapped my arm over my waist as I followed his fingers down the center of the dress. The material seemed to respond to his touch, darkening into a slate gray.
“Do you know who wore this gown last?” he asked.
My throat dried while my suspicions threatened to sink me.
Aric glanced over his shoulder at me. “Answer me, my pet, or I’ll make you.”
Even though I wanted nothing more than to disobey him, I couldn’t risk being glamoured or fed on. Not when I neededto remember that dagger. Swallowing hard, I lifted my chin. “Who…?” I cleared my throat. “Who wore it last?”
“Thank you for asking.” He refocused on the dress while the female slipped silently back to the doorway. “Siobhan wore it on her wedding day.”
Oh, God.
I closed my eyes.
