Page 88 of Ravenous

“Who was hunting you?”

“Co?tin.” His name came foul from her tongue. “He’d chased me before, but that day—I could feel it. More malice. More intent. He told me if he pierced my jugular, my blood might restart his heart. And would probably have killed me.”

Arctos went still. “Yourbrother, Prince Co?tin.”

“Yes.” She swallowed. “He thinks I’m his mate.”

“But he’s been the walking dead since he became immortal in his thirties. That was centuries ago.” Arctos’s gaze narrowed. “You didn’t blood him.”

“No. Thank gods. His heart and lungs and other…systems remain as dormant as ever.” When a Bride blooded a male, every part of him resurrected from the deathlike state of his unique vampire immortality. The lust he’d forfeited would surge back all at once—overwhelming and demanding release. The prospect had terrified her. “Co?tin believes I’m too young to blood him.”

“That can happen, but it’s rare,” Arctos said, frowning. “Usually only across species.”

“Yes. Even if Ihadblooded him, that would only mean I’m his fated ideal, not that I’d ever feel the same. He repels me.” She lifted her chin. “I could not despise him more.”

“What happened after?”

“When my father discovered my gift, he valued me enough to forbid Co?tin fromphysicallyharming me.” A brittle laugh escaped her. “Yet my brother’s gaze followed me. For years I hid in the library or my room. He waited. Then Father conceived of the crypt scheme, and Co?tin assumedhewould be sealed in with me. When he learned Father intended to sell the spaces instead, he raged. Said the crypt wasn’t invulnerable and that if he couldn’t have me, no one would.” She met Arctos’s gaze. “My choices became clear: leave Bloodreach or die there.”

“Did you tell anyone about the threat?”

“Yes.” The word scraped. “My parents dismissed it. Guards did nothing. Siblings didn’t care or wouldn’t cross the future king.”

Arctos cursed low.

“In the moments when you’ve been decent to me,” she whispered, “guilt strangled me. He will come for me. It’s one reason I left tonight. Because when he does, he’ll kill you because of this ‘marriage.’”

“The fuck he will.” Arctos began to pace, the firelight casting his shadow across the den. “How would he reach you here? You now know what those ravines are like. Enemies have never overcome them.”

“He can’t trace, but a demon could help him. One who could teleport or fly.”

“Teleporters can only trace to places they’ve been before, and we never allow any but the most trusted into our inner sanctum. Any who fly over will be shot down by our archers.”

“I don’t want to put your people in danger.” She worried the hem of her gown. “I’m bait for him.”

Arctos stopped pacing to gaze down at her. “He’d have to be taught the way in. Berserkers and trusted demons won’t betray our map. Who would possibly show an insane vampire prince the path?”

“I don’t know,” she said softly. “Nightmares are resourceful. They always find ways to come true.”

***

Arctos

The haunted look in Emilia’s eyes shattered his last doubts. No one could feign that. And the tells had always been there.

Her shock that Arctos wouldn’t crawl into bed with her.

Her surprise that he wasn’t interested in her for sex.

The venom in her voice whenever she spoke of Co?tin.

Want to tear that fucking ghoul apart.

Arctos somehow leashed his rage to say, “I believe you. And I understand your actions now.”

Her shoulders dipped. “Do you think less of me because of my family?”

“No.” A beat. “But I don’t yet knowhowto think of you.”