Alyssa Darkclaw's ankles bathed in moonlight, the chains gnawing her flesh keeping her conscious. The blood moon clung to the sky like a tarnished copper coin, illuminating the skeletal carvings on the vampire spire's walls until the stone eyes seemed alive—all fixated on the silver ring embedded in her chest, its engraved wolf head grinning with cunning.
"Layne, you son of a bitch..." She attempted to curl into herself, the chains hissing like vipers. Three hours ago, the man who'd once plucked star-shaped flowers for her had driven this heirloom ring through her heart. "A betrothal token? More like a dog collar."
The wind carried the stench of rotting roses, triggering memories of their engagement night—Layne's lips brushing her earlobe as he whispered "Silver complements your collarbone." Now she understood it as a vampire measuring his prey. Glass shattered in the banquet hall below, some bloodlord's brat probably spilling his goblet of virgin blood.
"Seventh rib's broken." She cataloged injuries, tongue coated with iron. The moonlight flared suddenly, the ring searing her flesh. Amidst agony, a vision flickered: Kane Bloodhowl drawing his bone bow miles away, arrowhead aimed at her chest. Why would the mad king...
As pain shredded her nerves, chains snapped somewhere below. A werewolf prisoner howled: "The grey wolf shall devour the silver moon!" She whipped her head around, catching amber eyes at the dungeon window—eyes belonging to a mute servant who should've died in last year's purge.
The ring exploded with light. Alyssa felt her heart melting. "If I die, I'm taking souvenirs." She bit her tongue savagely, bloody saliva spattering the wolf's engraved eyes. Before she could finish the curse, Kane's arrow pierced the night air only to veer wildly upon hitting her, dragging the ring into the blood moat below.
Darkness swallowed her consciousness as the Blood Prince roared: "Since when do sacrifices grow thorns in their hearts?"