Page 121 of Taken By Touch and Torment

“The average person, succubus or not, does not think and behave the way you do, my dear,” she continued. “You possess a power that transcends magick or blood. It’s the kind of power that makes history books. The same power I saw in Rune all those years ago.”

She reached for the notebook, caressing its spine sensually as her eerie gaze went straight through me—as if she was gazing into some great beyond.

“You live long enough, and you begin to understand it, to look for it—that spark, the flame that burns in a select few. Most people, whether they’re wealthy or poor, rich in magick or dreadfully barren, fade into oblivion without a trace. But then there are those few who burn, who can’t help but make a name for themselves. It’s not luck, that spark. It’s a choice they make every day. Succumb or transcend. Fade away or become reborn.”

I saw it now, as Sadie’s words lit me up from the inside. Over and over, men told me that they owed Rune everything. Rune had done many great things, but behind Rune the Ruthless stood Sadie, the woman who’d started it all and claimed not an ounce of recognition in the eyes of the world.

“How does it feel to let men take all the credit for the world you’ve created?”

Sadie sat back in her chair, only the briefest lapse in those all-seeing eyes that told me I’d surprised her.

“That’s what men do, darling,” she said with a twirl of her hand. “Recognition is fickle. Power is forever. You survive a hell of a lot longer out of the spotlight. Besides, all the true fun is had behind the curtains.”

I considered that for a moment, my lips turning down. “What does that say about Rune?”

Sadie’s eyes burned into mine. She leaned forward. “It says that he is one hell of a fighter who has guarded himself with numbers and dispersed power. Rune may be public facing, but he’s intelligent enough to remain as mysterious and unknowable as possible. He’s not the type to burn out hard and fast. I made sure of it.”

I thought about Rune’s image, the way he’d forged himself as more myth than man, more god than vampire. No one knew his origins, and all they had was a single four-letter name.

The more I uncovered about Rune, his mentor, and his clan, the more I understood how outmatched Durian and the born had always been. I hadn’t been entirely lying when I’d told Brennan that I’d always been drawn to powerful men. As a succubus, it was likely a part of my survival imperative. The power of this castle versus Durian’s pitiful imitation was hardly a fair comparison.

“I’m ready to write to Kole,” I said, lifting my chin. “And I’m grateful for any wisdom you could provide.”

Sadie nodded, approval lightening her intense features. “What are your aims?”

“I have to preserve the story that I was taken against my will by Rune,” I said. “Kole might suspect otherwise. Brennan might too. But that doesn’t matter because both will blame Durian and the way he treated me. Durian’s more of a wildcard, but he’s at least already delusional and unhinged enough to be open to the warping of reality.”

I paused, and Sadie again gave me a nod of praise.

I thought of that strange moment, when I’d been dozing off after Durian had saved me from his cruel visions of Rune. He’d laid next to me in bed, and I could’ve sworn his hand brushed across my face tenderly. Sociopath or not, Durian was under some kind of spell, too. I had to believe it would hold until the end.

I refocused.

“There’s no safe way for me to write to Brennan and keep up my ruse except through Kole, right?”

Sadie considered this, her brow creasing as she tapped her red nails on the wood. “That’s your most secure option,” she affirmed. “We want as few moving pieces as possible now, the less complicated the better.”

“Then my aims are to preserve my innocence, cater to each man’s fantasy that they’re the true object of my affection and the others are merely means to an end or obstacles, and to guide Kole to put me into contact with Brennan.”

“What are your aims with Brennan?” Sadie asked curiously. “Besides encouraging his ambitions to overthrow Durian?”

I realized my brain had already jumped several moves ahead, and I needed to back up. “I need to ensure Brennan follows through with his coup. I’m going to play the part of his prize. Brennan is intelligent. He will have played his cards right in the aftermath of my rescue, taking full responsibility for the outing to Black Sapphire in order to preserve his new, lucrative relationship with Kole. Durian will assume that it was Kole’s idea, given Kole’s fondness of me. But Durian won’t suspect either man of anything more than stupidity and disrespect of his ownership over me. Durian presumably exploded at Brennan, unable to show the same fury toward Kole given his own ambitions that involve the kingdom. Kole has remained safe, but wary. Brennan’s resentment toward Durian is hurtling toward a breaking point, now that both men blame the other for my recapture, and Durian is likely icing Brennan out as a result. Or better yet, actively disparaging him.”

Sadie’s eyes flitted between both of mine, and the room swelled with dark feminine power. As heat crawled down my spine, I thought of Rune.

“I need to assess Brennan’s position and see how close he is to leading a rebellion,” I said. “If my hunches are correct, I have a feeling I might be the perfect peace offering for Brennan to offer Durian to get back into his good graces. He needs Durian as disarmed as possible before he goes in for the kill. He’s likely already amassing supporters in that court of snakes as we speak. And stealing me from Rune will also make him appear powerful and effective, subtly undermining Durian. With me back in the palace, Brennan will have his shiny incentive to carry out what he started, lest he watch Durian ruin me all over again.”

“Interesting,” Sadie said. “You don’t want to go straight through Durian?”

I shook my head. “Kole and Brennan need to each feel like white knights in their own respect, boosting their egos. Kole by connecting me to Brennan, and Brennan by saving me from Rune and then from Durian. Plus, Brennan will be sloppier in his execution, blinded by his infatuation and desperation for me. Durian’s sociopathy makes him harder for me to work with and control. I also have an ulterior motive for wanting Brennan to be the one to save me.”

Sadie grinned. “Do tell.”

“He’s going to sneak me back into the palace by revealing the secret tunnels underneath Hatham.” I paused. “There are tunnels, right? I heard slaves talking about them, and then I thought about how Rune had smuggled me back to his castle from Odessa a secret way. There’s a whole underground labyrinth beneath Aristelle, isn’t there?”

Sadie appeared utterly enthralled as she leaned forward. She slid the notebook back toward me. “Correct.”

“In his single-minded focus to have me back, under Durian’s nose, Brennan is going to reveal a way for our forces to ambush the palace, too. It will be the perfect escape plan that Rune demands I have before he’ll feel comfortable sending me back there.”

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