Chapter 2

The UV rays were a thousand knives, tearing at my skin.

I wanted to scream, but the sound was trapped in my throat.

Black mist started to rise from my body—the soul bleeding out, a sign of extreme agony for a vampire.

Every inch of me was on fire.

I curled up on the floor, feeling myself being roasted alive.

Footsteps sounded outside the door.

A heavy black curtain was drawn, and the sunlight's intensity dropped by half.

But for me, it was still hell.

Scarlett walked in, a short silver whip in her hand.

"Look at this," she said, staring down at me. "The legendary fox who seduced my man, now groveling at my feet like a dog."

She raised the whip and brought it down hard on my back.

Crack!

The silver hissed as it met my skin.

A bloody gash tore open on my back.

"Why would an old hag like you seduce my Corvus?" Scarlett roared, striking me again. "What makes you think a wrinkled bitch like you deserves his gifts?"

Crack! Another lash.

My back was a mess of torn flesh.

Black blood dripped onto the floor, sizzling as it hit the metal.

"Answer me! What poison did you use on him?" she screamed.

I struggled to lift my head and look at her twisted face.

I said weakly. "You're mistaken..."

Before I could finish, a fourth lash struck my face.

The silver whip carved a deep wound across my left cheek.

The pain nearly made me pass out.

"Liar!" Scarlett shrieked, losing control. "You think I don't know? Every time he came back from you, he reeked of sex and satisfaction!"

She threw the whip aside and waved to the guards outside.

"Get in here! Hold her down!"

The two brutes entered the room.

Wearing thick gloves, they pinned my arms and head without hesitation.

Scarlett retrieved a black bottle from the corner.

It was filled with a thick liquid that gave off a foul, sickening stench.

Beast blood.

And the filthiest kind—from a rabid wolf.

My pupils contracted in horror.

For a pureblood noble, being forced to drink beast blood was the ultimate humiliation.

Worse, the foul blood would corrupt our bloodline, causing a permanent loss of power.

"No..." I struggled desperately.

But the guards' hands were like iron clamps.

"This is what happens when you seduce another woman's man!" Scarlett ordered. "Open your mouth!"

I clenched my teeth, refusing.

Scarlett sneered and pried my jaw open.

The filthy beast blood was forced down my throat.

The feeling was... indescribable.

Like swallowing a rotting corpse. It was a revulsion that sickened my very soul.

My body instinctively tried to vomit, but Scarlett choked my neck, forcing me to swallow.

One gulp, two, three...

I felt my bloodline thrown into chaos. My pure power was being tainted, like a drop of ink in clean water.

"Have a taste!" Scarlett let go, a satisfied smile on her face as she watched me suffer. "This is the price for stealing my man!"

I knelt on the floor, retching violently.

Clots of black blood poured from my mouth, corroding the silver floor.

"Learned your lesson yet?" Scarlett crouched down, whispering in my ear. "I'll give you two choices."

She held up two fingers.

"One: get the hell out of Corvus's world. Give me your heart's blood and swear you'll never seduce my man again."

I struggled to look up.

"Two: you compensate me. Three vials of Elder's Blood, plus a million in cash for the emotional damage you caused."

She paused, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Of course, if you choose neither, I'd be happy to keep feeding you beast blood. Until you're completely broken, a mindless 'Feral.' Let's see you seduce men with that broken body then!"

A Feral.

The lowest of the low in vampire society.

Monsters who'd lost all reason, driven only by a thirst for blood.

My consciousness began to fade.

The beast blood's corruption was spreading. If I didn't stop it, the consequences would be dire.

"I..." I coughed up more black blood. "I'll pay."

Scarlett's eyes lit up.

"Smart choice," she said, standing to look down on me. "Guess you're not completely stupid."

"I need... to make a call," I said weakly.

Scarlett hesitated, then glared.

"Fine. But don't try any tricks. Or you'll be tasting more beast blood until you're insane."

Shaking, I took out my phone and dialed my cousin Chloe's number.

"Chloe..." I tried to keep my voice steady. "I need you to bring three vials of Elder's Blood to The Crimson Curtain. Immediately."

Chloe's surprised voice came from the other end. "Mora? You sound..."

"And a million in cash," I cut in. "As fast as you can."

"Mora, what in the world happened?"

"Don't ask. Just come."

I hung up and looked at Scarlett.

Her face was a mask of greed and triumph.

"Three vials of Elder's Blood? And a million?" Scarlett licked her lips. "Seems you're a rich old bitch. But even so, you're staying the hell out of Corvus's world!"