“There’s a whole world out there,” Elena said. “You could have a place of your own, get married, have children.”

“Some of us will be allowed to mate and have children,” Northa said.

“And those children will be food for the vampires!” Elena exclaimed.

Northa shrugged. “It is how it has always been.”

“But you’re prisoners!” Elena looked at the women gathered around her. “Don’t you want to be free?”

“What is free?” Marta asked.

“I’m free,” Elena said. “I chose to marry Drake. We have a house of our own. No one tells us what to do or when to do it. We can come and go as we please.”

A girl with short black hair snorted with disdain. “You look like us,” she said, tugging on the sleeve of Elena’s nightgown, which was like the gowns all the other women wore. “You feed the vampires. How are you any different?”

“I don’t belong here.”

“But here you are,” the dark-haired girl said with an air of finality. “And once you are here, you can never leave.”

Those words, and the finality with which the dark-haired girl had spoken them, haunted Elena in the recreation room the next day. It might be true for the sheep, that there was no escape, but it couldn’t be true for her. She didn’t belong here. Would never belong here. She refused to believe she would never leave this horrible place. She had to cling to the hope that she would soon be with Drake again, that they could return to Wolfram Castle, because hope was all she had.

Now and then, one or another of the women would ask her what it was like outside the Fortress. What did the outside world look like? Had she ever seen a tree? A flower? Felt the sun on her face? The sheep knew about these things. They read books, saw movies and pictures, but they had never touched a living tree, smelled a flower, walked barefoot in the grass.

When she found herself drowning in despair, she clung to Liliana’s promise that she would see Drake again. She prayed it would be soon.

The day dragged on. She tried to read but couldn’t concentrate on the words. More than anything, she wanted to go outside, to feel the sun on her face, to go for a walk. To spend some time alone. How did the women stand it, always being together, never having any privacy, never having a few minutes to themselves? She wondered why the vampires refused to let their captives go outside. Didn’t they trust the guards to protect them? Or were the vampires afraid the guards would run away if given the chance?

After what seemed like forever, it was time for last meal. She was trembling when she entered the dining hall. Too nervous to eat, she kept glancing at the door, praying that Vardin would not call for her again.

When he appeared in the doorway, she could scarcely breathe. More frightened than she would have believed possible, she kept her head down, hoping he wouldn’t see her. Her heart pounded so loudly she could hardly hear anything else.

But she heard his voice echoing loudly in her mind, felt herself rising, moving toward him on legs that trembled, following him down the stairs and into his apartment.

And then the door was closing and Vardin was standing over her, his eyes glowing a bright, hellish red, his fangs gleaming in the candlelight.

Elena came awake to the sound of someone calling her name. For a moment, she imagined it was Vardin leaning over her, lightly shaking her shoulder. She swallowed the scream rising in her throat when she opened her eyes and saw Rodin standing beside her bed.

“Get up,” he said sternly.

“Where’s Drake? Is he all right? I want to see him. I need to see him. Please, I’ll do anything, just let me see him.”

“Then do as I say.”

Rising, her heart filled with trepidation, she followed Rodin out of the dormitory and up the stairs to the tower room.

Outside the door, a candle in a wall sconce came to life, seemingly of its own accord. Rodin plucked the taper from the holder, then opened the tower door and stepped inside.

Elena followed him, a soft cry of denial falling from her lips when she saw Drake curled up against the far wall.

Murmuring his name, she ran to kneel beside him. “Drake? Oh, Drake.”

“Go away.”

“No. What have they done to you?” His hands were swollen and blistered.

“Elena,” he said hoarsely, “get out of here. I do not want you to remember me like this.”

“I’m not leaving.” She glanced over her shoulder. “How could you do this to him? What kind of monster are you?”

“He is my son,” Rodin replied coldly. “He has violated our laws. The usual punishment is death. But I have decided to be lenient, for his mother’s sake.”

“Lenient!” She screamed the word at him. “You call this lenient?” Tears filled her eyes when she looked at Drake again. Gently, she stroked his hair.

He flinched at her touch and she realized his scalp was also burned.

She looked up at Rodin again. “Do something. He’s suffering.”

Rodin nodded. “It would not be punishment if he were not.”

“I want to be alone with him.”

“I will allow you five minutes.”

“How very generous of you.” It took all the willpower she possessed to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

Rodin inclined his head. He placed the candle in a crack in the floor, then left the tower, closing the door behind him.

“Drake, you need blood,” Elena said urgently. “Hurry, we only have a few minutes. Take mine.”

“No.” He shook his head. “Go away.”

“Stop being so stubborn. We don’t have time to argue.”

Raising his head, he looked at her, only then noticing that she wore the same plain white nightgown the sheep wore. “Why do you not hate me for bringing you here?”

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t know this would happen.”

“I promised he would treat you well.” His nostrils flared. “Vardin.” The name hissed past his lips. “I will kill him for this.”

“I’m fine.” She forced the lie past her lips. “Please, my husband, take what you need.”

He shook his head. “I dare not,” he said. “If I begin”—he shook his head again—“I am afraid I would not be able to stop.”

“Please, Drake,” she begged softly. “I can’t bear to see you suffering like this.”

“It will pass, in time.”

She stared at him. His beautiful face was blistered almost beyond recognition. She yearned to take him in her arms, to hold him close and comfort him, but touching him would only cause him more pain.

Leaning forward, she kissed him ever so lightly. “I love you.”

“Foolish girl.”

“Tell me,” she begged. “Tell me you love me, even if it’s a lie. Tell me we’ll be together again soon and that nothing will ever part us.”

He cupped her cheek in his hand. “I love you,” he said fervently. “Whatever the future holds, never doubt that I will always love you.”

“And we’ll be together again, promise me.”

“We will be together again, wife,” he said, brushing the tears from her cheeks. “I swear it.”

She forced a smile. She knew he was lying, but for now, it was all she had.

“Rodin is coming,” Drake said.

Leaning forward, he kissed her again, an achingly tender brush of his scorched lips across hers. A fleeting caress that she knew meant good-bye.

And then Rodin was there, dragging her to her feet, leading her away.

Chapter 16

Drake sank back on the cold stone floor, more miserable than he had ever been in his life. Yesterday had been bad. Today had been worse. He breathed a sigh of relief as the sun went down. His body twitched uncontrollably, his fangs ached. He needed blood. But worse than any of that was the knowledge that Vardin had fed on Elena, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He rested his forehead on his bent knees, thoughts of vengeance and murder chasing through his mind like mice in a maze. Closing his eyes, he imagined driving a stake through his brother’s black heart. But it wasn’t Vardin who was responsible. True, he had fed on Elena, but it was Rodin who had allowed it to happen. For all Drake knew, Rodin had suggested it. One thing was certain, Elena would not have been quartered with the sheep if Rodin hadn’t ordered it.

“Speak of the devil and he appears,” Drake muttered as his sire opened the tower door. It took every ounce of what strength he had left to gain his feet.

“I have brought you something to drink,” Rodin said.

“I want nothing from you. Nothing but Elena’s freedom.”

Closing the distance between them, Rodin held up a tankard made of gold. “Drink this.”

“No.”

“Do not make me force you.”

Drake glared at his sire. What would be worse, drinking of his own free will, or resisting? One way or the other, Rodin would have his way, and with that thought in mind, Drake reached for the goblet.

The contents were thick and cold but he drank greedily, his eyes closing as the blood took the edge off the worst of the pain. After draining the goblet, he licked his lips, then met his sire’s gaze. “How long are you going to keep me locked up?”

“That is what I have come to discuss with you,” Rodin said. Taking the goblet, he tossed it aside.

Drake took a deep breath. From Rodin’s tone, it was obvious he wasn’t going to like what was coming.

“Tomorrow night, in front of the Council, I will annul your marriage to the mortal female and formally announce your betrothal to Katiya. Since the night of the new moon has passed, you will wed at her pleasure.”

“And if I refuse?”

“I will leave you here until your flesh is dry and your veins empty and you beg me for mercy.”

“Ever the loving father,” Drake said bitterly. “Is that the worst you can do?”