Skeletal fingers dug into Ryver’s jaw as Steele held his head up. The guy's face was just millimetres from his own, and his stinking breath hit him like a green fog, flipping his stomach.

"Answer me!"

Ryver didn't say a word.

This had been going on for hours. Or maybe it was days. He didn't know. Always the same questions. What was his name? Why was he here? What did the Order intend to do with Ria? His answer remained the same—silence.

He grunted as another blow smashed into his side and a sickening crack reverberated around the dank room. He clenched his jaw tight, breathing hard through his bloodied nose, but he would not utter a word. It was the fifth time they'd broken his ribs. He would heal.

Another strike, this time to the kidney. Chains creaked and the irons at his wrists pulled hard at already ruined flesh as his body swung with the momentum. He couldn't decide which hurt most: the punch or the agonising burn across his shoulders from being held in the same position for so long. His arms stretched out wide, exposing his body. The irons that cut into his wrists were attached to chains mounted in to the stone walls. There weren't many substances strong enough to hold a fully grown Vampire. Even less that could subdue a Warrior. In the few moments of peace they'd allowed him, he'd realised they were an iron-osmium alloy. Iron would hold most Fae. Osmium would hold any. Including him it seemed, despite his earlier travels through a wall of the stuff.

"You are Ryver of House Blackwood," Steele spat at him.

Ryver just smiled. Steele knew who he was, but Ryver wouldn't give him the satisfaction of confirming it.

"Fucking Vampires. They're all the same, so fucking self-righteous," Steele's subordinate scoffed.

Ryver stiffened as he heard Steele's mind kick in to overdrive. He'd finally realised that beating Ryver into submission wasn't getting them anywhere. He was forming another plan. Ryver swallowed hard at the darkness enveloping him.

"Force him to Fall."

He could not allow it. He would not. There were many things he could endure, but not that. Never that. He would never Fall.

He narrowed his eyes at the man and focused. He grasped that kernel of an idea within Steele's mind, pushing with all the energy he could muster, and he attacked it. He'd led similar assaults before, but they had almost always been an accident. This one was not. This was led with purpose and brute force. And it was surprisingly easy. He took that dark and disgusting thought in his hands and crushed it. Snuffed it out like he would a small flame.

Steele screamed and clutched his head as he stumbled away from him, but Ryver did not relent. There were so much evilness in Steele's head that Ryver found he couldn't stop.

The man dropped to his knees, blood streaming from his eyes, his nose, his ears.

"Sir!" his man screamed as he rushed to his commander's side. Steele collapsed to the floor and his lieutenant snapped his gaze toward Ryver. "Stop!"

Only when Steele started fitting did Ryver finally relent.

The lieutenant stalked towards him, a murderous look shining in his jet-black eyes. "What did you do, you filthy Vampire bastard?"

More Fallen arrived, drawn by the commotion, and rushed to their comrade's aid. Steele was by then a gibbering wreck and was carried off in a hurry.

The lieutenant punched Ryver hard in the gut, winding him. "Tell me!"

Ryver didn't answer. He just stared at him, though he couldn't help the satisfied smile tugging at his lips. It was totally worth the rain of blows that followed. It was even worth the broken nose and the lashes that tore open the flesh on his back.

He would heal. He always did.

* * *

Ria waited in the shadows. There were guards running up and down the hallways in a panic. She knew from their thoughts that something had happened. Steele had been injured, attacked by their prisoner. From what she understood though, the Vampire was bound in chains of iron and osmium. Her father's guards must have underestimated him.

A little part of her couldn't help but be pleased. She didn't care for Steele. He was always watching her, as if he was waiting for her to make a mistake. Wherever she went, which was never far since her father never allowed her to leave the compound, Steele was never far behind. Even if she couldn't see him, she felt him, sensed his untrusting thoughts. To have him out of action for a little while was just what she needed.

Finally, the corridor fell silent. Just to be sure, she sent her mind out, checking every nook and cranny for any hidden auras or signatures. She found just one. And that was all she needed.

She was at his cell in no time, but she wasn't prepared for what greeted her. Stripped to the waist, the vampire hung, arms outstretched, clamped in heavy irons. The smell of his blood still rode the air, but there was very little visible sign of injury. Once she noticed the smell, it seemed to grow more intense. Chocolate and raspberries. How was that possible?

As she approached the bars, he lifted his head. "I knew you'd come."

"Very sure of yourself there, Vampire."

"You know me, Ria. You feel it in your very bones."

"I know who you are, but I don't know you, Ryver of House Blackwood.

He flashed her a small smile, but there was still pain in him.

Looking back up the corridor to double check nobody had followed her, she took out the keys she'd managed to procure from the guard room. Unlocking the cell door, she stepped inside. The floor was sticky and wet and her boots made odd noises as she circled him. Spilt blood shouldn't bother her, but it did. He was here because of her, however misguided that might have been, and he had shed an awful lot of blood for it.

When she reached his back, she stood there, transfixed. Fine, white scars spiderwebbed across his skin from his broad shoulders to the small of his back. The pain those injuries caused must have been excruciating. Mesmerised, she reached for him before she could stop herself. He gasped as she ran her fingers down his back and she paused.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"No," he replied sounding hoarse.

She took a peep into his mind; she couldn't help herself.

"I'm not lying, Ria."

She snapped her hand back and dashed back under his arm. "What did you say?"

He stared down at her, those green eyes of his drilling right into her. "You heard me."

She took a deep breath. "So you are who they say you are then?"

"And you still deny you know me."

Why did he keep insisting that she knew him? She studied his face. Even then, there in the darkness with the smell of his blood in the air, yellowed bruises and fine scars all over him, he was absolutely beautiful. She wouldn't ever forget that face or those eyes. Quite unlike anything she had seen before, they were dazzling.

She felt this inexplicable need to touch him, to run her fingers over those scars, to feel his muscles under her hands. The aroma of chocolate and raspberries kept calling to her, tempting her, drawing her to him.

It was only when Ryver took a shaky breath that she realised she'd moved closer, much closer. She stood just a few inches from him, his immense chest right in front of her face. Her hand danced across his pectoral and came to rest over his heart. Looking up, she met his gaze.

His heart staccatoed under her hand as he took another shaky breath. "You're killing me, Ria," he whispered.

The pain in his words struck a chord, felt oddly familiar. "Why did you come if I cause you so much pain?"

"How could I not?"

She moved her hand up to his face. "Tell me why you're here."

* * *

Feeling her hands on his body should have been the balm he needed. A light in all the darkness that surrounded him, but something felt wrong. The words she said were too familiar, the tone in her voice an echo of similar words said in this very room just minutes ago.

His heart screamed at him to answer her question, to tell her everything, but he couldn't find the words. If he gave voice to what she was to him and she denied him again, it would be worse than any pain the Fallen could inflict. He didn't think he would survive it.

He looked down at her and saw the darkness in her eyes. It was more pronounced than the last time he saw her, as were her cheekbones. "What have they done to you?"

She took a step back, a frown forming on her face. "What are you talking about? What have who done to me?"

"You don't belong here, Ria."

"Of course I belong here. You're the intruder here, Vampire."

And she was back to insulting him. Nice one, Ryver.

Ria started pacing, her arms folded under her breasts. "Look, I don't know what you think is happening here, but this is my home." She stopped in front of him again. "Are you crazy? I mean you must be. You entered the House of Velgeren, unarmed, without backup, and for what? For a woman you don't know."

Put like that, she was right. He had lost his mind. He was a complete fucking lunatic. Except for one thing. He did know her. And she knew him.

He made a decision. He may live to regret it, but she left him with no other choice. Every time she denied him, refused to let him in, a piece of his soul died. "I'm really sorry about this."

Her brow creased. "Sorry about what?"

This.

She gasped and her eyes flew wide. "No!"

* * *

She ran.

Or at least she tried to. She was too late. Her feet stayed firmly planted in the congealing Vampire blood on the floor. Somehow she had allowed him into her mind and once he had that foot in the door, she was powerless to stop him. He was far stronger and her defences crumbled to dust.

Lights danced in front of her eyes, and the deep beat of bass drummed in her ears. Strangers—wearing fantastical outfits and sporting multi-coloured hair, tornadoed around her, blurred into each other, spun in infinity until she was unsure which way was up and which was down. The noise was incessant, thundering through her, eclipsing everything. Almost.

In the eye of the storm, she found peace. She and Ryver stood in the centre of all that chaos, shielded from everything. Protected because they had each other. He reached for her hand and white-hot heat flashed through her. The connection so raw, so pure, it took her breath away. She felt his burning gaze on her and lifted her head to meet those shining, emerald eyes. Her heart beat so fast she was convinced it would burst through her chest. When his gaze dropped to her lips, she was convinced it would. His huge hand cupped her face and as he bent his head, her breath stuttered. His lips were tantalisingly close, and she had never wanted anyone to kiss her as much. She wanted to feel his mouth on hers so much she actually started to shake.

Gossamer light, this kiss may have been insignificant to someone else. Not to her. She felt it with every bone in her body. His effect on her was absolute, right down to her very soul.

When his tongue swept into her mouth, her legs wobbled and her body moulded itself against his. The rich taste of chocolate cut with the sharpness of raspberries enveloped her, the combination so heady she felt she could drown in him forever.

When he finally broke away, the grief she felt at the loss of him was almost more than she could bear.

And then it was gone. All of it. She rocked back on her heels and stumbled.

Gone were the pulsing lights, the drumming bass, the strange faces, the chaos. All that remained was the heavy pounding of her heart and the rich aroma of chocolate and raspberries.

"You know me, Ria."

She snapped her head up and met his glowing green gaze. Her head started to turn, ready to shake her denial. Ready to tell him in no uncertain terms he was wrong. "I..." The words died on her lips.

Other thoughts entered her head, none of them hers. She stiffened as she realised her father was looking for her. "I have to go," she said as she turned to leave.

Ryver's chains rattled as he struggled against his binds. "Ria, please!"

She risked one more glance at his handsome face. "I'm sorry," she whispered.