Chapter 2

Rhea.

The first thing I noticed was the velvet. It was soft, but cold and definitely not fit for a prison.

I blinked slowly, allowing my eyes adjust to my immediate environment. A dull throb formed at the back of my head, and it didn't help that every part of me felt heavy, without even doing anything. It took a while, but my vision slowly started coming back.

Shapes and colors came into place, but instead of giving me clarity, it only made my head throb all the more. The first thing I noticed were the gilded walls. They were pitch black, but I didn't miss the gold layer that seemed to coat it. If I wasn't properly groggy and still confused as to where I was, then maybe I would have stopped a bit to admire its beauty.

The walls towered above me, and I trailed them to the ceiling, where an ornate chandelier dangled at the center of the room. Underneath it, the top of a canopy bed spread out, and it took a couple of seconds to realize I was sitting on it. It looked like something straight out of a fairytale, if a trapped princess being watched by a villain was more of your vibe.

I sat up slowly, the velvet bunching around my waist. My limbs were heavy, and my body ached in ways I never knew was possible. I struggled to remember how I'd gotten here, and after what finally seemed like forever, I finally got it.

The memories rushed at me, right from the moment I infiltrated this damned palace, to the moment that monster knocked me out. But where was I?

I wasn't a vampire, but I could bet my life this wasn't what a vampire prison was supposed to look like. Or was it different in the vampire world?

“You're awake.” A voice came from the shadows. It was cold icy, literally everything I despised, but I found myself turning in the direction it came from anyway.

Alaric Virelious stepped into view, and I couldn't help the goosebumps that snaked down my spine. He was the perfect definition of grace wrapped in a lethal covering, just waiting and begging to be peeled off, and the worst part, I wanted to. I wanted to know everything about him and what made him so untouchable. His gray eyes were unreadable and unlike yesterday, he'd ditched all of the ceremonial clothes he was wearing.

Now, he looked casual, almost too casual for a vampire king. He'd swapped yesterday's clothes for a dark shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, with dark pants to match. The sleeves had been rolled to his forearms, revealing strong, veined hands, and I didn't miss the ink that swirled over his skin in intricate patterns I couldn't help but marvel at.

Perhaps, if my life goal hadn't been to murder the man, I would have asked for a closer look at his tattoos.

“You can take a picture if you like.” His voice slithered into my ears, forcing me to the present. I hated how calm he sounded, and how my body seemed to react to his voice. “Or, I can give you a tour. I have quite a few spread out on my back. I'm sure you'd like them, all you have to do is ask nicely.”

“What am I doing here?” I snapped Instead, blatantly ignoring his invitation. Only a fool would trust the words that came out of a vampire's mouth, and I wasn't one. “What do you want with me?”

“So many questions.” He sighed, not looking the least bit bothered. “You just woke up, shouldn't you rest a little bit?”

“You drugged me.” I rasped. “You knocked me out. With magic.”

The mere thought of it made my skin crawl. It was unnerving enough that vampires were one of the most powerful beings in the world, but the fact that higher beings Ike him, The Elites, as they liked to call themselves, possessed magic that seemed unbeaten, didn't sit right with me at all. It placed him at a huge advantage over me, and I hated it.

“Would you have preferred the chains?” He tilted his head to the side. “I can arrange them for you.”

“I would've preferred death.” I snarled. My defiance only earned me a smile, one I didn't want.

“Ah.” He chuckled lightly. He moved closer, just stopping in front of me. “But I'm not done with you yet. How could I let you die, my sweet Lira.”

I stiffened at his words. I wasn't a fool to miss what had just happened here. He hadn't fallen for my lie.

“You knew who I was the moment I stepped into your room.” I let out slowly. “Didn't you?”

“I suspected, and confirmed the moment you lied.” He shrugged, and I fought so hard to ignore the fact that he was a standing too close to the bed. “You have the eyes of a killer, and the tongue of a spy. I like it.”

I said nothing. What was I going to say? He'd called me out on what I thought was a perfect plan, and right now, I didn't even want to imagine what he was going to do to me.

All of my thoughts came to a halt as he leaned in, his face just inches away from mine. I wanted to move, but I couldn't. Not with the way his eyes seemed to have me in some sort of choke hold, and his scent, it curled around me, making me yearn for more.

“I'll ask you this, just once.” his voice was low and smooth. “Who sent you?”

“Go to hell.” I looked him dead in the eye. “Maybe you'll find your answer there.”

For a moment, we both stared at each other. The room was eerily quiet, and the only thing that could be heard was the erratic beating of my heart. My pulse roared in my ears, but from his side, silence. I wasn't even sure how heart was beating, if he had one, that is.

His gaze flicked to my mouth, then back to my eyes again. He hadn't touched me, not yet, but I couldn't deny the heat that raced down my spine and pooled in my lower belly.

“You're either very brave.” He murmured with a smirk. “Or very, very stupid.”

“Maybe both.” It wasn't my best comeback, but it was too late for that now.

“Let me make something very clear to you, little hunter.” his fingers brushed my jaw. It didn't feel like a threat, neither did it feel tender. His touch was just there, like he was daring me to flinch. “You may not fear death, but I promise, I can give you something worse…”

“Try me.” I spat in his face. I was well aware of the tension that coiled between us, and it didn't escape my mind either that all I was doing was feeding it and adding fuel to the fire, but I didn't care.

“Fine.” He said, straightening again, and just like that, it vanished. “If you won't talk to me, you'll talk to the council.”

“What council?” The question tumbled past my lips faster than I could catch it. In a desperate attempt to catch what was left of my integrity, I added. “I'm not going to beg.”

“I don't expect you to.” He gave me one last look before he turned away, something unreadable shining in his eyes. “Try not to kill anyone before the trial. Or do. It might amuse me.”

The door clicked shut behind him, and just like that, I was alone.

I counted to ten, before I made my next move. I stood, and that had to be the worst decision, because my legs trembled, almost sending me sprawling on the bed. I pushed through it, as I made my way to the window.

A curse slid past my lips when I realized it was locked, not just with bars, magic too. Magical runes.

I gave the room one last glance as something settled inside me. It was beautiful, but still a cage, and I didn't plan on staying in it for too long.

Tonight, I was going to escape.