Page 53 of Embers in the Snow

Does he do this because he knows it will shock me, or is he truly unaware of how destabilizing it is to be swept up into a monster’s arms and carried away into a vast and unfamiliar stone castle?

How can I even fathom the thoughts and logic of someone who isn’t human?

He shoots up flights of stairs as if they were nothing. We navigate a maze of stone corridors at terrifying speed, passing a shocked onlooker—a soldier or servant, I can’t quite be sure, because as soon as I catch sight of the hapless soul, we’re gone.

We pass frosted windows and heavy wooden doors. I catch glimpses of opulence amidst the stark walls and cavernous ceilings. A stunning tapestry of a forest in autumn, threaded with gilt. A series of menacing monster-heads, taxidermied and turned into trophies on the wall. Fine rugs on the floors, intricately woven; shades of cream and grey laced with vibrant flourishes of red, green, and blue.

I’ve never seen anything like it before.

And yet, none of it matters.

I’m completely helpless in this powerful creature’s arms, and we’re entering another doorway now, passing through an antechamber into yet another room, and it’s warm in here, and it smells of wood and smoke and leather.

All of a sudden, I’m being set down on my feet, and he takes a sharp step back from me, recoiling as if I’m covered in a noxious substance.

Or as if I’m the poison itself.

Instinctively, I wrap my arms around myself, thankful for the thick, dependable coat that keeps me warm. I wish I had a suit of impenetrable armor, to keep me safe from this man.

But there’s nothing that can come between us right now.

All I have left are my wits and my tongue… and the fact that I’m not dead yet.

Calm down. If he wanted to harm you, he would have done so already. It’s obvious that he wants only one thing from you.

I remember what he did to me.

His sharp fangs, sinking into my skin. The exquisite pain. And the rush of warmth that came afterwards…

Oh, my Goddess.

I glance away, unable to meet his eyes as my body betrays me; as my heart flutters wildly and heat seeps through me.

“Who are you?” I demand. “Why do you keep hauling me into your arms and stealing me away against my will?”

“Finley Solisar…” His voice is strained. Dangerously so. It draws my attention back to his face. He rubs his hand over his handsome features and lets out a shuddering sigh.

The way he looks right now… it isn’t cruel or cold or savage, as I’d expected.

I don’t really understand it, but he almost appears…

Vulnerable.

“I…need… to drink from you. I can’t explain. It’s beyond my control. But I swear on my mother’s grave that I will not harm you. So, I beg of you, allow me to take from you again… like before.” He implores me with his eyes, which are the color of rubies.

And ever so slightly, they glow.

“Why are you even asking?” My voice comes out colder than I intended. “I’m no match for you. You could easily overpower me, just like you did before, so why bother seeking my consent?”

His eyes widen a fraction. “I’m tryingnot toturn into a complete monster here.”

“So you expect me to say yes because your need is so great, and because youasked?Is that going to make you feel better about all of this?”

“I was hoping you would understand, because the alternative isnotso pleasant.” He takes a step forward, the unholy glow in his eyes intensifying. “And I have reached my breaking point.”

His nostrils flare. He inhales deeply.

His thirst is palpable. The air around him almost crackles with tension.

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