It's only when we reach his room that he finally sets me down, all but throwing me onto the bed with a force that steals the breath from my lungs. I scramble to sit up, my heart in my throat as I watch him pace the length of the room, his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides. "I'm sorry," I blurt out, unable to bear the tense silence any longer. "I know it was reckless of me to leave the castle, but I had to see Lily. It was important." Nickolas rounds on me, his eyes flashing with a fury that sends a shiver down my spine. "So you could ask her about your family," he snarls, his lip curling in a sneer. "Don't bother denying it, Amelia. I know she's your cousin." I feel the blood drain from my face, my mouth falling open in shock. "How...how did you...?" "You think I wouldn't fucking notice the resemblance?" he scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. "The way you two are so close, the

NICKOLAS I step out of my room, a sly smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I recall the look on Amelia's face moments ago. The way her eyes widened in surprise, the flush of disappointment that stained her cheeks when she realized I wasn't going to let her cum...it was everything. Fuck! That woman will be the death of me, I think ruefully, shaking my head as I make my way toward the stairs.As I descend down to my office, my thoughts drift back to our earlier conversation, to the way Amelia had reacted when I'd finally given voice to what happened to me. I still can't quite believe how well she took the news, how she didn't recoil in disgust like I'd always feared. I know she only let the subject drop because she could sense how difficult it was for me to speak of, and for that, I'm more grateful than I can put into words. As much as I want to be open with her, to lay myself bare in every sense...revisiting that time in my life

“As I said, I was raped, and that doesn’t fully explain how I got these scars. To understand, I need to tell you my story from the beginning. My mother was one of the king’s human sex slaves, young and beautiful. When she ended up pregnant with his child - me - he knew she had to escape before I was born because his mate and my wretched stepmother, Jane, hadn’t conceived by then. Desperate, she fled into the night, leaving everything behind to give me a chance at freedom and to save me from Jane’s inevitable wrath if I were born in the castle.For five precious years, we had a small taste of happiness, though always glancing over our shoulders. Then Jane finally tracked us down. She threw us into a dank, lightless cell, more tomb than prison. Every day, she visited to rain blows upon my mother’s wasting body, beating her till her once lovely face was mottled with bruises and blood. The guards took their turns with her as well, violating her

I spend the day with Lily before returning to the castle late at night. As I step into our shared bedroom, I freeze, my breath catching in my throat at the sight before me. Nickolas stands with his back to me, his sculpted body bare as he strips off his clothes, the fabric dark and heavy with what can only be blood. He turns slowly as if sensing my presence, and I feel my knees weaken at the sight of his chest and abdomen that's painted red, the blood still wet and glistening in the dim light. "Like what you see?" he asks, his voice a low, cocky drawl that sends shivers down my spine."No," I lie, tearing my gaze away, my cheeks flushing hot."Hmm," he smirks, clearly seeing through my feeble attempt at nonchalance. To my surprise, he doesn't stop undressing, his movements deliberate and sensual as he unzips his fly and sheds his stained pants and boxers. I can't help but stare, my core clenching with need at the glorious sight of my mate naked before me,

NICKOLAS My eyes slowly peel open, but the darkness surrounds me. With a guttural grunt, I push myself to my feet, hands outstretched, grasping at the void, searching for something to anchor me. My fingers graze a cold, rough surface – a wall. I cling to it, using it as a guide, shuffling forward, sniffing the stale air, trying to figure out where the hell I was. I last remember Ava casting a spell that put me to sleep. Where the fuck have they taken me? My thoughts immediately turn to Amelia, my heart aching at the image of her waiting for me, her heart slowly shattering with each passing moment I don’t show. She must think I’ve changed my mind about meeting her parents. The thought twists like a dagger in my gut. I need to find out where I was and get the hell out.“Planning on leaving so soon?” a voice slices through the darkness, and the lights blaze to life, searing my eyes. I squeeze them shut, hiss