ike smoke, bold, reckless,

at is not a good idea, Cassandra. You're already heartbroken. The last thing you

t beneath her skin. Her hoodie slipped off one shoulder, exposing the graceful curve

ped, her tone sharper than intended. Sh

or months. He made me feel like I was the only one, while all the while he was planning his escape. Like I was

lothes spilled out, casual wear, work attire, dresses she rarely had the chance to we

s up and march to his uncle's mansion like, 'Hi there, I'm here to seduce you, hope you like silk a

dress dangling from her hand. S

shutting me down?" she a

en't plotting your own emotional demolition derby, but honestly? I'd rather see you doing

twitched. "You're

y going to go through with this insane plan, then fine. But let's do it properly. You want to

IUS THORN'S ESTAT

been set free. Rain poured down hard, hitting the tall, curved windows of Blackthorn Manor with stea

ld house, everything wa

more grand and empty. Paintings of serious-looking ancestors stared down from the walls, and the many bookshelves were crammed with old books, some o

ss shimmered slightly in the soft light coming from the fireplace. The fire crackled gently,

s. His dark eyes stared into the fire, watching the flames move and da

tapped once on the arm of the chair, an unconscious gesture, as if tr

san

breath like a curse, the syllabl

ver have sto

e driving through the city's lower district, and the next.

lapsed on the pavement

ma

t, rich, earthy, mortal. Humans always smelled off to him, but her? She'd been a confusing

keep driving. He

ulsion had made him open the door and step

s driver lift her limp body and p

o a hospital or dumped on the nearest park bench and forgot

done the safe

ries of blood, hierarchy, and war. Those instincts told him humans were beneath hi

ally women. The last time he trusted

d by the soft echo of a name

ain, this time with a note

back in a single motion, the burn grounding him. But the momen

in the hall when she w

ude, maybe. Instead, he got fire. S

llenged Da

ended his very nature. She shouldn't have mattere

tened at the memory of her voice, soft but edged in ice. She hadn't flinched when he insulted her. Hadn't begge

lder than English, a guttural language of

t you on the str