Page 51 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

“Hold on.”

Holding the phone to her ear, Brynleigh hopped off the desk. The nearest window was behind her. The phone cord stretched as Brynleigh reached for the thick, black curtain. She inched back the fabric. If it was daytime, the tiniest touch of sunlight on her skin would be like burning alive.

Luckily, the moon glowed in the night sky.

Brynleigh exhaled and peeked out the window. Snow-covered pines were all around, and fresh snow fell from the starry sky.

“Yes, it seems we’re in the north,” she confirmed.

The Northern Region, previously known as the Kingdom of Eleyta, was the ancestral home of the vampires in the Republic of Balance. It struck Brynleigh as odd. How could a stunningly beautiful land be home to beings as deadly and cold as vampires?

The faint outlines of more buildings through the trees were cast in silver moonlight. Brynleigh described them as best she could until her Maker was satisfied.

“How is your relationship?” the older vampire asked next.

Brynleigh’s stomach twisted, and despite her earlier vow, a pulse of pure want ran through her. She couldn’t help it. The memory of Ryker’s skilled fingers was so fresh.

“It’s progressing well.” She forced the words out of a dry mouth.

“Good girl,” her Maker said. “You remember the rules?”

The ones that Brynleigh had obliterated? Yes. She remembered them far too well. If anything, she wished she could forget them. Anything so she could feel better about the dream she’d had.

How could something that felt so good be so bad?

“Brynleigh, answer me!” Cold steel edged Jelisette’s voice. “Do you remember the rules, daughter of my blood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Brynleigh replied automatically. “I won’t get attached, and I’ll kill him on our wedding night the moment we’re alone.”

It didn’t matter that the captain seemed like a good fae, or that he was kind to Brynleigh, or that he made her feel safe.

None of that mattered because he’d murdered her entire family in cold blood.

Brynleigh would do well to remember that. The captain had a nice exterior, but inside, he was still a bad man. She just… hadn’t met that side of him yet. She was certain it was there, though. It had to be there. What other explanation could there be?

A branch snapped outside, and Brynleigh jolted.

“I have to go,” she hissed.

Brynleigh hung up without waiting for a response. Drawing on her shadows, she sped across the room and climbed in bed. Ripping open the first bag of blood, she downed the crimson liquid. She was almost at the bottom of the bag when the door opened.

This time, the door remained ajar long enough to give Brynleigh a good look around.

A pair of guards dressed in black stood in front of the cabin. Their stances were wide, and guns hung off their belts. They meant business as they stared straight ahead into the wintery forest. Wherever they were, it must have been far in the north. Snow wouldn’t hit Golden City until right before Winter Solstice, which was still several months away.

Doctor Carin strode inside, kicking the snow off her boots before shutting the door. She spoke quietly into a cell phone, barely glancing at Brynleigh as she grabbed a sheet of paper off the desk. The doctor dropped into the office chair with an audible sigh and spun it around so her back was to Brynleigh.

The doctor’s murmurs filled the cabin as exhaustion slammed into Brynleigh. It was sudden and all-consuming. Keeping her eyes open was a struggle. She fought to remain alert long enough to finish the bag of blood before letting her head fall back on the lumpy pillow.

Sleep. That’s what she needed. Quiet, peaceful, rule-following sleep. There would be no dreams of troublesome, dangerous captains this time. Brynleigh wouldn’t allow it.

One day, she would be old enough for sleep to be part of her past. Some vampires were so ancient that they felt no aches and pains and no longer required rest like mortals. A few vampires who had lived several thousand years no longer needed blood.

Right now, Brynleigh felt so mortal that she couldn’t imagine living for that long. She would take this one day at a time.

This time, nightmares of deadly storms and watery screams plagued her all night long.

CHAPTER 14

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