Evie hated if she’d done something that would make Natalya mad at her. She looked away, ashamed and afraid, but Natalya drew her eyes back to hers by gently grabbing her chin. Her touch was warm. She smelled of lavender.
“Why did you think a kiss would be the right way to thank me?”
The question made Evie pause. Her life had changed to be about survival first and everything else second. She knew what she was. It was made clear in Varro’s Court. She had no value beyond what her body could provide.
But Natalya’s violet eyes resting on hers, calm and concerned, made her remember what it had been like before. How she’d liked dancing, teaching, and drinking cheap wine with Amanda.
The thoughts made her feel dirty.
“I don’t have anything else to offer,” Evie said, tears rising in her eyes.
Natalya’s face changed to a look of deep understanding. Like she knew exactly what Evie meant. It was hard to imagine someone as powerful as Natalya relating to something so shameful.
“The next time you kiss someone, let it be because you want to,” Natalya said. “Not because you’re grateful to them, or scared of them, or because they make you feel like you must. Can you promise me that?”
Not knowing what else to do, Evie nodded.
There was a knock on the door, and it opened, letting in a woman Evie didn’t know. She had a slight frame, tan skin, and dark hair, and she had fresh fang marks on her neck. A human.
Natalya quickly stepped away from Evie. The newcomer frowned.
“Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all.” Natalya put on a forced smile. “I’m glad you could come. I trust Aleksander didn’t mind.”
“He went to rest. I’m sure he’ll have plenty to say about it tonight.” The woman turned to Evie. “You must be Evie. I’m Lily.”
When Lily held out her hand, Evie flinched away. Lily’s arm hung in the air for a moment, and then she let it drop. She gestured at the couch.
“Want to sit down?”
Evie didn’t really, but then Natalya made an almost imperceptible nod. Evie followed the instruction, sitting down next to Lily.
“Natalya thought it would be good to have someone human talk to you,” Lily said. “You being here in the high-rise is only temporary. You’ll be taken to an apartment later today, and we’ll have someone stay with you. You’ll be cared for until you feel fit to be on your own. It’s only an offer, though. If you want to leave, no one will stop you.”
Evie thought she noticed Natalya tense when Lily said the last sentence, but it was such a brief thing she might have just been imagining it.
“I don’t understand…”
“The Court of Chains doesn’t keep slaves.” Lily pulled at the necklace she was wearing, the pendant an iron ring wrapped in silver chains. It glowed slightly. “A human can sign a contract to be bound to someone in exchange for protection, but they aren’t forced to stay in it. You can always leave if you want to.”
Natalya snorted, and Lily scowled at her.
“Something funny?”
“No, not at all,” Natalya said, smiling. It was the first time Evie had seen Natalya do so authentically, without hidden resentment or sadness. It softened her lethally beautiful features.
“I’m free?” Evie asked. “I can go if I want to?”
“You can.” Lily squeezed her hand. A tentative relief started forming in Evie’s chest.
There was a sudden, loud rumbling from behind her. Evie sprang to her feet as a steel black-out cover slid down over the window. The golden rays from the sun vanished, replaced by the glow of overhead lights.
“Sins…” Natalya muttered as the final bit of sunlight was blocked out, and the door swung open. In walked a tall, pale man with black hair and pure black eyes. At a glance, he would have looked delicate, but his eyes were alight with an anger that was anything but.
A vampire.
Evie immediately dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead against the floor. She wanted to run, but she knew she wouldn’t make it more than a few steps before he caught her. Better to offer herself to him and pray he was feeling merciful.
