Prologue: Kiev
The beautiful Italian vampire stood by the port, gazing out at the ocean. The sight of her took my breath away. Even after centuries, she still had the same effect on me.
I approached quietly and placed a hand on her shoulder. She jumped back, extending her claws and lashing out as soon as she recognized me. I retreated a few steps, stunned by the hatred burning in her eyes.
“Stay away from me, you monster,” she snarled.
Gone was the fear I had grown accustomed to seeing in her whenever I was in her presence. In its place was sheer malice.
Her words stinging my ears, I stared at her lips. Those soft red lips… Those lips that had once kissed me with passion. That had so often woken me from sleep. That had uttered words of undying love.
Those lips that had never used to require force or threats to press against mine.
But now, those lips cut me deep.
It was hard for me to reconcile how such venom could have emerged from such softness. Even though I knew I deserved every word.
Her insult penetrated my skin, seeped into my very bones and set my mind on fire. As I stared down at her, I caught the reflection of my own red eyes in hers. And I knew then that those lips would never kiss me willingly again, for what I had become could not evoke affection from anyone.
So I forced a kiss on her, as had become a habit of mine whenever I wanted to remind myself of her taste.
When she fought me, I gripped her neck and kissed her harder. I sank my fangs into her lower lip, drawing blood. Then I bit into her neck. Her gasping and struggling only added fuel to my frenzy. Aware of the crowd now gathering around us, I lifted my mouth from her skin and slammed her back against a tree. As I withdrew a dagger from my belt, she screamed. I clasped a hand over her mouth. Tears streamed down her cheeks as I ran the cold blade against her collarbone.
“Natalie Borgia,” I whispered into her ear. “The vampires’ ultimate diplomat. How will we manage without you?”
Her eyes widened as I cut a gash in her skin, her hands clawing against my shirt.
“Please! No… Kiev!”
“I think somehow we’ll survive.” The words escaped my mouth in a hiss, revealing what I had become: a snake.
“T-try to remember! Please. You don’t want to do this.”
I brought the dagger down and pierced her kneecap. My hand wasn’t enough to stifle her shriek. I withdrew my hand as she gasped for breath, her eyes drowning in agony.
“That hurts, doesn’t it? Good.”
I slid the dagger out of her knee and waited a few moments. Then I brought it slamming down again, relishing the sound of bone splintering. Her hands reached for my neck. Returning the dagger to my belt, I wrestled her to the ground and straddled her hips.
Her lips had ripped out my heart.
Now I’ll rip out hers.
Extending my claws, I dug deep into her chest. As my hand closed around her heart, I watched as she released her last breath. Then I placed my arms beneath her and lifted her onto my lap. I sat cradling her limp body against mine, as one would a child.
And I fell apart.
My body shook violently as tears streamed down my cheeks, mixing with the blood on my hands.
Chapter 1: Kiev
A searing pain brought me to consciousness. I reached for my stomach. Warm blood soaked my fingers. I looked up through the darkness of my cell to see a tall figure looming over me.
“We’ve come to a decision.” The coarse voice of my captor echoed off the walls. “The execution will take place in three days.”
“What?” I choked.
“We can’t afford to keep you alive longer than that.”
I gazed up at his face. Cold grey eyes stared down at me.
“You’re making a mistake,” I said, clenching my jaw against the pain.
“Mistake?” He let out a mirthful shriek. “Our only mistake has been not killing all of you vampires sooner.”
He backed out of the cell and slammed the iron gate shut.
“Wait.” I crawled to the bars before he disappeared. “Listen to me, Arron.”
Large black wings rooted behind his shoulders shuddered as I uttered his name.
“You lost the right to address me as anything other than Master the day you betrayed me,” he hissed. “Just be prepared. And don’t fight when we come for you. It will only make things worse.”
Before I could say another word, he left. His footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Retreating to the back of my cell, I leaned against the wall, gripping my abdomen. Blood still leaked from my wound. It was deep; the hawk had sliced me with his talons. Normally such a gash would have closed within seconds. But my body’s natural healing capabilities weren’t working as usual. The serum he had injected into me during my last lashing still flowed through my veins.
Seeking distraction, I cast my eyes around the prison. The cells closest to me were filled with vampires. Each of their pale faces shared the same terrified expression. Dark circles showed beneath their eyes: a sign that, like me, they had also been starved of blood. I knew that some of them were also traitors. But most were not. Clearly, our loyalty didn’t matter to Arron any more. Being vampires was enough to qualify us for death.
I shouldn’t have been surprised by Arron and his council’s decision. It should have been obvious that our days were numbered as soon as my father declared war on their territory. But I had expected them to turn me into one of their kind. I would have been a useful addition to their army.
For months I had fantasized about the day when one of their witches would perform the ancient ritual that would forever rid me of the disease that was vampirism. Barely a day had passed since I had escaped from my father when I hadn’t imagined myself as a hawk.
Sharp talons, heavy wings, a shining black beak… Unrecognizable.
The witch might even be able to change the color of my cursed red eyes.
So desperate was I to make this transformation a reality, I had traded myself in as an ally to the hawks. I had even stolen a newborn whom I knew was of particular value to them and handed him over. In exchange, they were to allow me to become one of them, and offer me protection in their realm.
But then I’d helped a girl escape. And in that moment of weakness, I’d willingly given it all up. I’d lost Arron’s trust by allowing the humanity I silently craved to show through me.
Now that the hawks saw no reason to keep their end of the deal, death was a welcome prospect—it was better than falling back into the clutches of my father. I drew comfort knowing that the hawks had as much to lose as I did and would do all within their power to keep him locked out. But even still, three days seemed like far too long to wait.