tel staff finally escorted her back to the Terrell estate. Hours

obe, tying the belt with trembling fingers. Her throat was parche

all sconces in the hallway stretched her shadow long across the floor.

tried to make her footsteps completely silent, but her dry

low voices drifted from the slightly ajar door o

r own name, clear as day. A morbid curiosity seized her. S

narrow slit, she saw her foster mother, Clotilda, holding a gl

ty. "Mom, Kamryn won't even look at me. He walked right pa

re is carrying the Lane family's child, everything will proceed exactly according to plan

sledgehammer. She clamped both hands over her

r, tinged with a cruel excitement. "And after

own the stairs-whatever you prefer. Then, drain her blood and transplant her healt

urrogate vessel. The realization shattered her entire reality. A w

gala. All the recent warmth and smiles from her foster family had b

terror. She stumbled backward, and her heel caught t

, letting out a dull, harsh screech. The

s sharp, suspicious voice pi

bird. She looked around frantically for a place to hide,

moment of absolute panic, a strong arm reached out of

r into the unlit storage room next to the study.

A low voice vibrated

empty hallway. "Strange... I definitely heard something." She m

t a chest hard as rock. The scent of rich cedarwood mixed with ra

her ear. "What are you doing sneaking around

ng through the high window illuminated her foster brother's face.

ails deep into her palms. She used the sharp pain to keep herself

ough to be convincing. "I came down for water, and I got lost in the

s thumb and forefinger around her jaw with enough force to nearly crush it, an undeniable authority in the grip. He for

warmth. "Your hands are shaking

s to look wide, innocent, and dependent on her brother. "I'm just..

gaze scraped across

, he released her jaw abruptly, se

reeze to death. Mother still has uses for you tomorrow." His tone returned to its usual h

laire whispere

tight around herself, the fabric still holding his body heat. Kee

against the wood. She slid down to sit on the floor, ga

lf from crying out loud. The pure terror in her eyes sl

." she whispered to the empty room, her voice h

nd escape, and first thing in the morning, she needed to b