Page 123 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

It was only when the sun made its final stretch across the sky, its golden claws reaching for her, that Brynleigh called on her shadows and allowed them to draw her into their safe embrace. The dark magic enveloped her. She grabbed onto it and allowed it to pull her into the Void.

Keeping her wings out, Brynleigh moved through the shadows until she reached her destination. The safe house wards rippled as she passed through them. She landed in the living room.

As soon as Brynleigh stepped out of the Void, her Maker’s eyes landed on her. Jelisette’s gaze was as cold as ice, sending skitters running down Brynleigh’s spine. “You’re late, daughter of my blood.”

Brynleigh had suspected this would be the reception upon her arrival. “I know.”

There was no point in denying it. Besides, Jelisette disapproved of lying. A fact that Brynleigh was now realizing was rather laughable. But she wouldn’t laugh. She had to tread carefully.

Over the past few hours, Brynleigh arrived at three conclusions. The first was that she absolutely would not kill Captain Ryker Waterborn. She had already been having doubts. This was the nail in the coffin. He was innocent, and Brynleigh did not murder people who didn’t deserve it.

The moment she’d reached that conclusion, a powerful wave of relief had washed over her. Brynleigh’s wings had faltered for a moment before she continued flying.

If her first realization had brought her immense relief, the second had brought worry. The rules had changed. In Brynleigh’s mind, they no longer applied. But there was no way in hell that her Maker would understand or care about her sudden change of heart. The old vampire did not see things like most people did. Telling Jelisette of her change of plans would result in a swift execution for Brynleigh.

Instead, she’d come up with a new plan.

Brynleigh would marry Ryker in a week, and then, she’d strive to become exactly what River had called her: good.

She wasn’t exactly sure how forgiveness worked—it wasn’t something she’d engaged in particularly often—but it seemed like the better course of action. She couldn’t kill River. The water fae had been little more than a child when she lost control of her magic. Brynleigh might be a vampire, but she wasn’t heartless.

Brynleigh would protect Ryker and his family, including his icy bitch of a mother, for as long as she could.

If she survived this.

“I was with Ryker and his family,” Brynleigh said calmly, careful not to let any emotion show in her eyes. “Things ran a little long.”

“So long that you couldn’t send me a message?” Jelisette snapped as shadows slithered from her palms. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“My apologies.” Brynleigh bowed her head in deference, lowering her gaze to the floor. Her wings were snapped tight against her back, and her shadows were within reach, just in case.

Brynleigh may have looked the picture of the perfect, apologetic progeny, but inside, she was anything but.

Thankful that Jelisette hadn’t inherited their bloodline’s gift of reading minds, Brynleigh focused on keeping her face blank despite the barrage of questions swirling through her.

Did Jelisette know it was River, not Ryker, who’d destroyed Chavin? Did she care? What other lies and half-truths had she fed Brynleigh?

Fae couldn’t lie, but vampires had no such trouble. Brynleigh had proven that time and again. Doubt caused her to reconsider everything she’d been told from the moment of her Making.

The clock ticked, echoing the hammering of Brynleigh’s heart, as Jelisette glared at her. Brynleigh studied the striations in the wooden planks beneath her feet, waiting for her Maker’s next words.

Survival was the only thing on her mind.

Eventually, Jelisette exhaled. “Alright. I believe you. Tell me what you learned.”

Brynleigh lifted her head and met her Maker’s gaze. Anything less than perfection would be viewed as an act of weakness. Brynleigh couldn’t afford to be weak, especially if she was going to lie her way through this. She assumed Jelisette would have questions for her when Ryker was still alive the day after her wedding.

She had already thought about that. She would tell her Maker the water fae fought back, and she’d have to try again. Hopefully, after a few variations on the lie, Jelisette would back down. The plan was shaky at best, but it was the only one Brynleigh had.

She needed it to work because she had no other options.

The third and final conclusion Brynleigh had reached was one that she’d never expected.

After the box containing her emotions exploded, she’d had to deal with everything she’d ignored for weeks.

Of all the feelings, only one had slammed into her like a freight train, leaving her breathless.

She liked Ryker more than anyone else she’d ever met. Maybe even more than that if she was being completely honest with herself. She wanted him, not because he was her mark, but because he was hers.

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