Page 32 of Forever Touched

Everett swore again, louder this time. Hands jostled my body, as if he was picking me up, and then something pressed against my mouth. Something warm and wet. I immediately tried to pull away.

“You have todrink,” I heard him say, the distant words laced with what sounded like panic. “Drink, Star.”

Something leaked past my lips. Something that tasted a lot like . . .

I jerked away again, whimpering, “No.”

“You’lldie,” he growled, pressing more firmly on my mouth. My lips parted, and I couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t stop the blood from filling my mouth.Hisblood. “Come on, Star. I’m not letting you die.”

I weakly thrashed against his grip, trying to spit out the blood. But he was relentless, sealing a hand over my nose and mouth until I had no choice but to allow the blood inside. Exhausted, I stopped fighting, my energy depleted.

The last thing I felt before the world disappeared was his blood trickling down my throat.

10

ADALYN

The first thing I did when I woke up was stretch languidly like a cat, throwing my arms over my head with a yawn.

I felt good.Reallygood. Like I’d slept for several hours straight, which I hadn’t done in years.

My fingers grazed the pillow beneath me, and I froze. This wasn’t my pillow. My pillow was old and lumpy.Thispillow was plump and soft. So was the bed I was lying on.

My eyes sprang open.

“Pepper?”

The usual comforting voice of my familiar didn’t respond back.

Panic flooded me. Had that mangy tabby gotten inside last night? Why hadn’t I seen him?

“Pep!” I cried, sitting up and throwing the covers back. Covers that were far too luxurious to belong on my bed.

“Who’s Pepper?”

Startled by the unexpected voice, I whipped my gaze to the far corner of the room. It was so dark that all I could make out was a shadowed figure sitting in a chair.

“Who are you? What do you want? Where am—?”

An image of being drained flashed in my mind. I jerked a hand to my throat, gasping when all I felt was smooth skin.

A lamp switched on, and I recoiled at the brightness, shielding my eyes. I froze again, horror flitting through me.

Mymask. It was gone.

I glanced in the far corner again and dread filled my stomach.

“You,” I whispered.

When all he did was silently watch me, a feeling of vulnerability settled over me. Never in my life had I felt this naked. Thisexposed.

He could see me. The crown vampire prince could seeme. Adalyn. The real me.

Forcing my hands to my sides, I willed my voice to remain even as I said, “Where am I?”

Everett watched me a moment more, then replied, “In my bedroom.”

My spine went ramrod straight. “Excuse me? Your bedroom? As in, your bedroom in the royal family castle onSanctum Isle?”

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