Page 44 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

“I can… it’ll knock…”

“Do it.” The order came from the guard, forcing Brynleigh to remain down.

Valentina shouted, “Let her…”

Something sharp pierced Brynleigh’s skin.

An agony-filled scream burst from the vampire’s lips.

Flames ran through her from the point of injury, burning her from the inside out.

Someone shouted. A softer, friendly voice cried out. Brynleigh’s mind swam as she fought for control.

Then she tumbled headfirst into blessed darkness.

Something soft and pillowy was beneath Brynleigh. Yawning, she stretched her arms and arched her back. The softness surrounded her, and she decided she was on a mattress. A very cloud-like mattress, one covered in silken sheets and pillows. That was strange. She wondered where she was, but the moment she tried to think, a low throb started at the back of her mind.

That was not a good sign.

Even though she was in an unknown location, Brynleigh didn’t feel tense. If anything, she felt… at peace. That was strange. She hadn’t known a moment of peace since her family’s passing.

Leaving aside the problem of where she was for another moment, Brynleigh cracked open her eyes and looked around. As suspected, she was on a bed. It was large and could hold several people comfortably. Massive windows stretched across two of the four walls, a black tint blocking the sun’s dangerous rays.

Fuck, she missed the sun and its warming embrace. The way its yellowed fingers touched her face. The light it cast on the world around her. She’d only been a vampire for six years, yet she already longingly remembered the natural light she would never see again.

Because creatures of the moon had no business being in the sun.

Turning from the windows, she took in the rest of the space. High ceilings, elaborate crown molding, and golden picture frames spoke to a level of grandeur to which she was unaccustomed.

Maybe she should worry about where she was because this was not her home or anywhere she’d ever been.

Something urgent pressed at the back of Brynleigh’s mind, begging her to remember. She tried to unearth the memory, but it remained out of her reach.

Then the doorknob twisted.

Instantly, Brynleigh was on high alert. Her heart thundered in her chest. Shadows were a sheet of darkness as they poured out of her. She kneeled on the mattress, and her wings formed effortlessly on her back. Peeling back her lips, she exposed her fangs.

Who dared sneak up on her?

Something slid across her thigh, and she glanced down, her eyes widening. Why was she wearing a thin black slip? This was far from her usual nightwear of choice: a tank top and shorts.

The door creaked open.

Her attention snapped back up.

“Brynleigh, are you awake?” a deep smokey voice asked.

That voice. It spoke to the deepest parts of Brynleigh and echoed in her soul. Her core twisted, and she stared at the shadowy figure entering the room. He was cast in darkness, and though she tried, she couldn’t make out his features.

For some reason, that didn’t bother her.

When she didn’t respond, he said, “Sweetheart?”

Safe.

That was the first thing she felt when he spoke. This man, whoever he was, was a haven. He wouldn’t hurt her. She wasn’t sure how she came to this conclusion, but she knew it in the marrow of her bones.

“I’m right here,” she breathed. She retracted her wings and called her shadows back. They were always present, always ready, but she didn’t need them here.

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