Chapter 1

I'd had one drink of Elder's Blood at my brother's club, and now some woman was blocking my exit, demanding I pay with my own heart's blood.

Even after I told her who I was, she spat her venom, convinced I was a liar.

I took a deep breath and reached for our blood-link.

Ancient words flowed through my mind, searching for my connection to Corvus.

Nothing.

No, not nothing. It was blocked.

A dark, malevolent energy shrouded our blood-bond like a thick, black fog.

I opened my eyes. Scarlett was staring at me, a smug look on her face.

"Can't reach him?" Her tone dripped with scorn. "Looks like he's tired of you."

I forced myself to stay calm.

"I own this place," I said, my voice low and steady. "I am the true Lord of House Volkov. If you push me, I'll have the goblin bankers show you the blood-sealed deed."

At this, Scarlett didn't back down. Instead, she burst into a shrill laugh.

"The true Lord?" She swayed toward me, her fiery red hair swinging like flames. "A whore who crawled into his bed dares to call herself a Lord?"

Suddenly, she raised her right hand. On her wrist was a silver bracelet etched with complex runes.

The runes flashed a blood-red light.

I felt my power drain, crushed by an invisible force.

My knees buckled. I nearly collapsed.

"Feel that?" Malice glinted in Scarlett's eyes. "A gift from Corvus himself. Made especially for... women who don't know their place."

I gritted my teeth, trying to summon my power. Nothing. It was like fighting against an invisible net—the more I struggled, the weaker I became.

"You think I don't know who you are?" Scarlett leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. "I'm to be Corvus's blood-bonded mate. I've known about his little flings for a while now."

Her voice grew more vicious.

"One night, he came home drunk, stinking of your cheap perfume! And you, the bitch who seduced my mate, actually dare to show your face here!"

I was speechless.

So this was the girlfriend Corvus was too scared to bring home to the family?

His mate?

This pathetic creature, so weak-blooded she couldn't even sense my true power, was trying to trap me with some ridiculous house rule?

"Not only did you seduce my man, you stole precious Elder's Blood!" Scarlett's voice rose, loud enough for everyone to hear. "A low-life leech, daring to steal from the nobility!"

"I am..." I managed to say, but she cut me off.

"You're what? An old hag? A whore trying to latch onto a noble? You don't deserve to live!" Scarlett sneered.

Rage burned in my chest. I fought to break free.

But my power was completely suppressed. I couldn't even cast the most basic vampire spell.

Scarlett turned to the crowd.

"You are all witnesses! This woman cannot pay for the Elder's Blood. Her crime is unforgivable!"

Two massive guards stepped out of the crowd. They held silver-laced chains, their eyes cold.

The sharp scent of silver filled the air, weakening me further.

"Last chance," Scarlett said, turning back to me with a smirk. "Kneel. Confess your crime and pay with your heart's blood. Or else..."

"Or else what?" I bit out.

"Or else you'll have plenty of time to reflect in the Sun Chamber."

The two guards lunged. The silver chains whistled through the air.

I tried to dodge, but my body was too slow. The cold metal bit into my wrists and ankles.

Searing pain shot through me.

"Drag her away!" Scarlett shrieked.

I was hauled across the marble floor. The vampire nobles around me just watched. No one lifted a finger.

The elevator doors opened. They threw me inside.

Up. One floor, two, three... all the way to the top.

The penthouse Sun Chamber.

The moment the doors opened, blinding light assaulted me.

My eyes burned, and tears streamed down my face.

Unlike the rest of the dark club, this room was hellishly bright.

A special skylight let in amplified ultraviolet rays—a death sentence for a weakened vampire.

The room was filled with silver instruments of torture. The air stank of dried blood and cold metal.

I was thrown to the floor. The burn of the chains and the glare of the light made me black out.