Taking a steadying breath, I struggled in vain to reach past the mist clouding my magic. But it remained behind the veil; the darkness I yearned for just out of reach. Had it been minutes or hours?

I felt the familiar quiver of a message on my palm. It calmed me slightly, even though I knew I couldn’t see what Bash wrote under the iron bulbs of my manacles.

Help me,I thought, all too aware he couldn’t hear me and wouldn’t know to come to my rescue. If I could just write him a message…

I needed to get out of these chains.

A hand touched my cheek. I forced my eyes open. It took longer than it should, my eyelids still heavy from the drug. Then the breath stole from my lungs as I saw Aviel lying beside me, his hand still on my cheek, his eyes roving over the sheer fabric of my dress. My throat was too dry to scream.

Fear settled in my gut like quicksand, and I knew the more I struggled against it, the further I would sink. I willed myself to focus on the cold fire of my wrath. To let my fear fall to the wayside; burned away in its wake.

“Get away from me,” I hissed, the chains clanking above my head as I moved away from him as far as I could. “And keep your fucking hands off me.”

I swung my iron-covered hand toward his face, but before it reached him, he tugged my hips downward. My shoulders screamed as the chains went taut. My hands pulled above my head, trapping them there.

Aviel laughed—a soft lover’s laugh—as I thrashed against him unsuccessfully.

I can’t believe I thought I could fall for this prick.

Moving unnaturally fast, he pushed me down against the bed with his body. One hand claimed my neck, pressing onto the collar there, his thumb tracing my jawline. I tried to bring the iron bulbs down on his head, but the chain wouldn’t give—the movement only further wrenching my shoulders.

“I told you that you’d be mine, one way or another.”

“The only person I belong to is myself.”

I worked to steady my thoughts, but they were churning out of control, and I knew it wasn’t just the hand on my neck that kept me from catching my breath. The tension in my chest crawled up my throat, threatening to let loose in a howl.

But I wouldn’t let him see me cry. Wouldn’t let him see how much his betrayal of the promise of home and belonging had broken me. Not when he had already shattered something inside me that I had only just managed to rebuild.

“Let me go,” I demanded. “Or I’ll make you regret it.”

Aviel’s other hand moved lower. I bucked against him as it reached the neckline of my dress, lazily toying with the bow tying it closed.

“Stop fighting me or this will be more painful than it needs to be,” he growled. “Especially after you decided to stab me.”

He bit down on my neck to drive in the point. I gritted my teeth against the gasp that escaped me.

“And I’ll happily stab you again,” I said with as much venom as I could manage. “Now get away from me, you fucking sadist.”

I tried not to think that defiance might be the only defense I had left.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” Aviel said, playing with the panes of my stomach through my dress, dipping his finger lewdly into my belly button. “I’d rather play with that wicked mouth of yours. Among other things.”

He leaned in, and I tensed to headbutt him. But his hand pressed down hard against my collar, anticipating the attack. I fought for breath as he kissed me, his tongue sweeping in despite my lack of reciprocation.

“I’ve been waiting for you to be mine for a very long time, Evangeline.”

Aviel’s hand loosened, and I sucked in a deep breath. Then spat at him, a glob of saliva sliding down his cheek. That perfect face twisted in fury. Slowly, he wiped it off with the back of his hand, then backhanded me so savagely I saw stars. My cheek stinging, I felt a warm trickle of blood sliding down my cheek from where his ring must have cut into me.

“You’ll learn to listen to me.” In one quick movement, he pressed my legs down with his knees. I tried in vain to thrash against him, but his hand pushed me into the bed, his pale eyes finding mine. “Are you going to behave?”

One finger traveled slowly down my body. I yanked my hands against my bonds, feeling them cut into my wrists as he cupped my breast over the thin fabric.

I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing back into the bed, but I couldn’t get far enough away. I shuddered as my body betrayed me, reacting to the touch without my consent.

“Never,” I choked out.

I steeled myself to strike—to get that hand away from me by whatever means possible, but there was a knock at the door. His hold loosened, and a flash of hope burst through me.