Page 33 of Barely Breathing

I hope not.

“Anyone else think we live in a vampiric democracy?” Costin asks as casually as if he’s offering a drink. “No? Then perhaps we can return to more civilized conversation. But I will leave you with a thought. Traitors will be dealt with swiftly and without mercy. If you have a problem with how I run things, I invite you to speak to the European Council. But a word of warning. They are more intolerant than I.”

When Costin’s gaze sweeps the room, it pauses on the wall where I hide. Just for a moment, but long enough to make my knees weak. Tears blur my vision as I back away from the peephole. I bump into the wall and gasp. Instantly, I cover my mouth with both hands, trying to take the sound back.

Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. I shouldn’t have left the protected wing.

The passage is pitch black except for the pinpoint of light coming through the spy hole. I try to move quietly away to go back to my room. My foot catches on something, and I stumble backward into what feels like a wall—until it moves.

“Careful, little castoff,” Costin whispers, his cool fingers digging into my shoulders. “These old passages can be dangerous.”

He twirls me around to face him. I make the mistake of looking up into his eyes.

“What are you doing out of protection, little spy?” he asks, lightly touching my cheek with the same hand I saw ripping the heart out of a chest. I stiffen in fright and feel tears burning my eyes.

“You killed him,” I whisper.

He looks at the amulet around my neck as if it holds some meaning for him. “Your heart is beating so fast.”

“I won’t tell,” I promise, terrified.

“You should not have been here,” Costin answers with a frown. “This world is not for you.”

I take it as a threat. I don’t want to die. A scream builds in my throat, but his eyes have begun to swirl.

Chapter

Ten

“Tamara?” Costin asks, his voice jerking me out of the secret tunnels. My head feels dizzy, and it takes me a moment to remember we’re still inside werewolf territory. The past is so real that the feelings of being a teenager in that house linger even as my vision clears.

This is not the information I was expecting. We’re wasting precious time out here while the memory of his brutality towards vampire traitors wars with my need for his help in the present.

I’m out of my league. I’m not too stupid to realize that.

This revelation about his past violence isn’t what I need. Not with Paul captive and Diana missing. Not with time slippingaway.

“Tam—”

“Don’t touch me!” I jerk away as Costin tries to steady me. The memory leaves me shaking, but anger burns hotter than fear. We need to deal with the werewolves. Instead, I’m discovering more lies. “You’ve been messing with my head since I was sixteen? What else have you hidden from me?”

“What do you?—?”

“Don’t try to deny it. I remember you finding me in the tunnels at the country house after I saw you…” I can’t bring myself to say it out loud. The lingering fear of being in the secret tunnels settles inside of me. “I saw what you did.”

How many other memories has he stolen? How many other secrets is he keeping?

“Let me take you somewhere safe.” He reaches for me again.

“Safe?” A small laugh escapes me in disbelief. “Like your home, where you can mesmerize me into submission for another week?”

His eyes narrow. “You’re making a scene.”

I look around the empty road. Before I can protest, he pulls me against his chest. The world blurs into darkness. His body the only solid thing I can feel. It keeps my nausea from the teleporting at bay…barely. When my vision clears, a burst of candlelight reveals that we’re in his bedroom. He doesn’t immediately release me. For one heated moment, I’m aware of every point where we touch.

I wrench away from him. The covers are pulled back on the bed, and the familiar crimson sheets mock me with memories of waking up confused. I grab my dizzy head and try not to vomit. “Damn you, Costin!”

“I didn’t mesmerize you,” he says like he’s done me a favor.

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