But I knew there was something important that I needed to remember, something that Aric had shared, and that was what I focused on while I worked on the mark.
He’d told me something about the Summer fae, something that had been…unexpected.
My gaze drifted from the stone to the floor as my thoughts wandered to all-you-can-eat buffets and gumbo and beignets and—
I dropped the rock and tipped forward, my eyes narrowing on the floor under the slab. Something was lying there. What was it? Scooting onto my knees, I stretched until my fingers brushed cool metal.
The dagger.
“Holy shit,” I whispered, curling my hand around the hilt. How had it gotten there?
Part of me didn’t even care to know the answer, because this…this was my chance. My vehicle of retribution. My payback. It was everything, better than a juicy steak and a mountain of mashed potatoes.
My stomach grumbled in disagreement.
Okay. Almost as good as a juicy steak and a mountain of mashed potatoes, but this was…this was my chance.
Tears flooded my eyes as I stared at the dagger. Aric was an Ancient. I still remembered how to kill one. Head shot or sever the brain stem. Fae be gone, right there.
I rocked back, lifting the dagger toward one of the torches. The blade was stained red—with my blood. I looked down at the cuts all over my legs and my arms. This was Aric’s weapon, the tool he used on me. He…he’d dropped it the last time he was here.
That was super careless of him, but he’d been…shocked about something. My grip tightened on the dagger as I tried to recall what had led to him dropping this. Even though my head felt less woolly than normal, it was still full of empty spaces. He’d been asking me questions, wondering how I’d survived—
The sound of footsteps outside the chamber forced me into jerky action. I needed this dagger, so I knew to hide it and pray that he hadn’t realized he’d left it behind. Shoving the blade back under the tomb until it was hidden by the shadows, I then took a deep, slow breath, preparing to stand. I knew I’d be dizzy and winded, but I needed to get to my feet. I needed to do everything possible to keep my wits about me and keep that dagger hidden.
Slowly, I pulled myself up, and I swayed like a reed in the wind. My heart was racing from the effort, but also because of my find.
The door opened as Aric entered. Anticipation and dread clashed like thunder within me. He had food, and I was starving, but eating never came without a price. And he wasn’t alone. The same icy female fae as before was with him. My stomach sank.
Bath time.
I thought—no, I knew—he glamoured me when this occurred. Sometimes, I remembered it. Sometimes, I didn’t. But I knew he always fed afterward, and then…then I remembered nothing.
Oh, God, what if I forgot about the dagger? Dread quickly turned to panic. I couldn’t forget the weapon. I couldn’t—
“Did you miss me?” Aric strolled forward, platter in hand. “I missed you.”
I took a step back. The female remained by the door as she usually did, but she carried more than just a tote with her this time. A long, dark bag was draped over her arm.
“You don’t want to admit it, but I know you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing.” He placed the covered dish on the slab. The scent of meat reached me. “I’ve been very busy, my pet.”
My pet.
God, I couldn’t wait to tear his fucking head off. It took everything in me not to grab the dagger and do just that.
Twisting toward me, he picked up the chain, tugging on it until I stumbled toward him. Once I was close enough, he curled his arm around my waist, drawing me to his side as if we were lovers.
I wanted to vomit.
“I cannot wait to tell you all about it. You will be so very interested in what I’ve discovered,” he went on. “But first, I’ve brought you gifts.”
Gifts? My hungry gaze found its way to the silver platter.
“Not that,” he murmured, skimming his fingers over the many tiny abrasions marking my arms. I winced at the contact, and his eyes took on a heavy-lidded quality. “At least not the gift I’m most excited about.” He snapped his fingers at the female. “Show her what I’ve brought her.”
Pulse skittering, I watched her lift the bag. The sound of a zipper being lowered filled the chamber. It was only then that I realized she was holding a garment bag. The folds of the bag parted as she stepped forward, revealing what lay beneath.
A gown. It was a gown. One made of some kind of silvery material that reached the floor. As the female fae pulled the garment bag away, I saw that the dress was sleeveless and nearly translucent. It was like spun moonlight, even in the dim lighting of the crypt, and utterly beautiful.
My stomach twisted with nausea. “You expect me to wear that?”
“Ah, she has found her voice.” Aric chuckled, squeezing me like it was some kind of inside joke between friends. “I do expect you to wear this, and I expect you to be honored to do so.”
I stared at him, dumbfounded. He couldn’t be serious.
Aric motioned the female forward, and she obeyed without a word, laying the gown over the slab but keeping it on the garment bag so my blood did not reach it.
“You see, this gown is very special.” Aric slipped his arm away from me, and I exhaled raggedly. Reaching for the delicate material, he traced the deep v-neck of the dress. “It is not of this world, but a token of mine. It was to be a wedding gown. Mathing,” he said, speaking fae. I thought the word meant mating. “You would not be the first to wear this, but I believe you will be the last.”
Stepping back, I wrapped my arm over my waist as I followed his fingers down the center of the dress. The material seemed to respond to his touch, darkening into a slate gray.
“Do you know who wore this gown last?” he asked.
My throat dried while my suspicions threatened to sink me.
Aric glanced over his shoulder at me. “Answer me, my pet, or I’ll make you.”
Even though I wanted nothing more than to disobey him, I couldn’t risk being glamoured or fed on. Not when I needed to remember that dagger. Swallowing hard, I lifted my chin. “Who…?” I cleared my throat. “Who wore it last?”
“Thank you for asking.” He refocused on the dress while the female slipped silently back to the doorway. “Siobhan wore it on her wedding day.”
Oh, God.
I closed my eyes.
“Well, she wore it to her wedding. I caught her before she arrived,” he added. When I reopened my eyes, Aric was staring down at the dress. “Caden never saw her in it, but he’ll know it was hers when he sees you in it.”
A jolt ran through me as my arm unfurled.
He tilted his head to the side, his pale eyes opening to meet mine. “Funny how history repeats itself.”
“I…I don’t understand.”
“You don’t?” He faced me fully, and I tensed. “You don’t remember, do you? What you told me the last time I was here.” A smirk graced his perfect lips. “You’re strong, and you’ve held on longer than any mortal should’ve. All those lovely moments when I’ve taken your essence from you have done their damage, but it should’ve fried that little brain of yours. If you were fully mortal.”