Chapter 1

Forty minutes after Calvin admitted he'd been unfaithful and asked to end our marriage, I slid the agreement across his desk.

Under its terms, I would keep the castle and the cars, and our son, Noah, would live with me.

Calvin would pay twenty million dollars in a lump sum to cover the settlement and child support.

After that, Noah and I would leave him in peace.

Calvin was on a conference call with the stewards of his lands. His expression shifted almost imperceptibly when he glanced down and saw the words "Dissolution of Marriage Bond."

He gave me a small nod.

I left the room.

I figured I could save us both some time by packing his clothes and things myself.

They filled three whole suitcases. I even went up to the attic for his childhood photos so nothing would be left behind.

That was where I found our wedding portrait, tucked away in a corner.

Calvin was as handsome as I remembered. I was smiling, my arms wrapped tight around him in the moonlight.

He used to hold me like that and murmur, "I love you so much, sweetheart.

"How did I get lucky enough to marry you?"

We met at the vampire academy. His family had fallen on hard times, and his shirts had been washed so often the color had faded. He hadn't inherited his title yet.

I had plenty of suitors, but I fell for Calvin the first time I saw him.

He was steady, kind, and handsome.

I could have gone on for hours listing the things I loved about him.

By the time we left the academy, getting married felt like the most natural thing in the world. He inherited his title and went into business with friends to rebuild his family's holdings in the human world.

I inherited a title of my own. I was a ruling princess, with lands and a fortune in my own right.

When I got pregnant, I left the daily running of my estate to my steward.

I devoted myself to Calvin, our home, and our child.

As the business grew, so did the number of dinners and receptions Calvin had to attend.

Even with everything there was to do at home, I found time to work out, try new makeup, and put together outfits for formal occasions.

Calvin did his part, too. However busy he was, he'd come home, look after Noah, and warm our evening cups of blood himself.

When his mother and I disagreed, he'd help us work things out.

The other nobles had envied us since the days when we were courting.

I couldn't say exactly when his meetings started running later.

Sometimes he wouldn't come to bed until dawn.

My friends half joked that I'd better keep an eye on him or I'd be the last to know.

I told them they had nothing to worry about, but I couldn't quite shake the feeling.

A few times, I brought blood to his meetings.

Everything looked ordinary. His stewards were all in the council chamber, and the woman sat at the reception desk outside.

Her name was Catalina. She was human, a small, slender woman with short hair and a soft voice.

She always smiled as she curtsied.

"Your Highness."

Over the years, I'd sometimes imagined what it would be like if Calvin fell for someone else.

I'd pictured his beautiful vampire secretary, perhaps, or a young noblewoman making her debut. Maybe even one of the formidable princesses he did business with.

The human woman behind the reception desk had never crossed my mind.

I'd heard she'd divorced her husband after he cheated on her.

This was her first job since the divorce, and it meant a great deal to her.

She arrived early, remembered how everyone liked things, and sometimes brought in pastries for the human staff.

A few of them even paid her to make their meals.

When I heard about her situation, I told Calvin she'd had a hard time and asked him to look out for her.

He was always matter of fact about it.

"We don't play favorites here. I've already asked the steward to remind her not to do business with the staff on the side."

I used to tease him about being such a hardhearted prince.

Looking back, I suspect he hated the thought of Catalina going home after a full shift only to cook for everyone else.

What finally made him ask me to end our marriage that day?

Before dawn, he'd come home from a banquet, and I'd warmed his usual cup of blood.

He looked at it, sighed, and pushed it a few inches away. For a long time, he said nothing.

Then he looked up at me with tired eyes and asked if we could dissolve our bond.

He admitted he'd been having an affair for six months. On nights when he claimed to be in meetings until dawn, he'd slipped away to take her to a hotel.

"She's human, Amaya. When I hold her, I can feel the warmth of her skin. I can hear her heart beat faster for me."

He liked the novelty, he said.

My hands were trembling. I curled my fingers into my palms to steady them.

"Who is she?"

When he said Catalina's name, I thought I'd misheard him.

The strength went out of me.

I felt cold all over.