~ Scarlett ~The shadow at the end of the hedge maze shifted, and out stepped a woman who looked like she had been sculpted from marble and ice.She wore a sharply tailored charcoal suit that clung to her commanding frame, her silver-streaked hair pulled back into an immaculate, razor-tight chignon. Her eyes—a pale, translucent blue swept over the scene with the cold precision of a hawk evaluating prey."She has the eyes of a creature that bites back," the woman observed, her voice smooth, deep, and devoid of warmth. She stopped beside Nikolai, taking in my disheveled hair, my bare ankles, and the maid's uniform clinging to my chest. “Good. Soft women die in our world within forty-eight hours."Nikolai didn't look at her. His gaze remained pinned to mine, his fingers slowly relaxing as he stepped back, giving me a fraction of breathing room. The absence of his oppressive heat made the morning air feel suddenly frigid."Scarlett, meet Madame Vane," Nikolai said smoothly, adjusting t
Last Updated : 2026-08-17 Read more