By the time the doors opened to the third floor, Ria's sense of panic threatened to overwhelm her. Wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans she made her way down the corridor to her father's office. She'd tracked his thoughts ever since she'd left Ryver, and she knew he was about to leave and join her in the cells. She couldn't have that. She needed to keep him away from Ryver for as long as possible.

Her hand shook as she reached for the door, and she had to take a moment to compose herself. Asher may not be telepathic, but he wasn't an idiot. He would see right through her if she didn't guard her emotions well. Taking a deep breath, she knocked and pushed open the door.

Asher had been studying a file, but slammed it shut as soon as she entered. His mental shields flew up, protecting his mind as best he could, but she'd already heard some of his thoughts. He'd been reading a report from an informant. Someone who hadn't Fallen yet, but seemed only too pleased to serve the cause. Ryver had been right on that front. She filed the name away.

He flashed a toothy smile. "Ria! I was just on my way to find you."

She forced herself to smile back at him. "I thought I would save you the trouble, Father."

He gestured for her to sit and she took a seat in front of his desk. "And?"

"Winter Solstice. At House Blackwood."

His vile smile widened. Despite himself, Ria knew he was impressed. "So your 'sugar,' as you called it, worked then. Very good."

Ria just nodded, fearful of saying too much.

Asher leant his elbows on the desk, his fingers steepled in front of him. "It seems you were right, daughter mine."

Her earlier words came back to haunt her. He would make a great asset. Swallowing down the bile rising in her throat, she strained to keep the horror from showing on her face. Asher meant to force Ryver to Fall, and she knew the Vampire would rather die than let that happen.

"It would be something of a coup, wouldn't it?"

"What would?" She asked just to demonstrate she hadn't been listening in.

"A Blackwood Warrior joining our ranks."

"Oh. I see. Well yes, I suppose it would."

He stared at her, those black eyes taking everything in. She met his gaze and concentrated on her breathing. Calm and steady. Relaxed and even. In and out. In and out. She couldn't show even a hint of the panic swirling in her stomach.

"I wonder if such a thing is even possible though. Blackwood values run in his very veins. It won't be easy."

Ria saw her chance at buying more time. "We need to convince him that it's his idea."

"More of your sugar?"

Ria nodded. "It's working so far. As you said, he's a Warrior. He'll meet any aggression with aggression of his own."

"Hmm. You could be right," he replied, still not sounding wholly convinced.

"What do we have to lose? He's not going anywhere any time soon."

Asher pondered the idea further. Doing anything without force did not come naturally to him and he definitely struggled with the idea of letting Ria spend more time with the Vampire. Yet, the prize was too great to ignore. He nodded. "Fine. We'll try it your way."

She tried really hard not to whoop for joy, such was the relief she felt at having bought herself more time. She had absolutely no idea what to do next, but at least she had a little more leeway. "Thank you."

Her father nodded. "The solstice is just under forty-eight hours away. If I'm to make use of this opportunity, I'll need more intelligence. Do not mistake this Vampire for anything other than an asset to be exploited. You have two days."

She was hoping for more, but she'd take what she could get. "I can do this, Father."

"I don't doubt it." The words sounded genuine, but there was an undertone of disbelief.

She listened carefully, wary of alerting him, and heard the thoughts behind the statement. He would allow her two days—he had other things to concentrate on anyway—but he wasn't leaving it all to chance. Preparations would still be made. Battle lines would be drawn. Ryver would Fall.

Asher insisted on having lunch. Lord only knew why. The whole thing was a charade; the leader of the Fallen never ate anything. As far as she knew, none of them did. What sustained them was something far more valuable than mere protein and carbohydrates. It had not occurred to Ria before, but the fact that her father insisted on her eating real food when he didn't touch it was just another piece of his twisted puzzle. She sat at the table, her mind still occupied with thoughts of Ryver and the truth that was becoming more and more evident in everything her father said and did.

An underling appeared from nowhere to whip the silver cloche from her plate and she jumped.

"Something wrong, daughter mine?" His voice affected concern, but Ria could feel the disingenuity in them.

She flashed him a small smile and concentrated on getting her heartbeat closer to normal. "Just a little nervous," she replied, taking up her cutlery.

Ria felt his surprise that she told the truth, but Ryver had been right: only lie when you absolutely had to.

"Why so?"

"Well it's not every day we have this kind of opportunity, is it?"

He smiled at that—a disgusting, black-gummed, toothy smile. Ria did her best to smile back. Asher grasped the stem of his gold goblet and raised it. "I think that deserves a toast, don't you?"

Ria took up her own goblet automatically, but Ryver's last words echoed loudly in her mind. Don't drink the wine. Her body seemed to be on autopilot though, and before she knew it, the goblet was at her lips, the sweet smell of cherries and copper calling to her.

Don't do it, Ria.

His voice was loud and clear and helped cut through the pull wine had on her. She was aware of Asher watching her, those beady black eyes staring at her over the rim of his goblet. She smiled, raised the glass slightly in a toast and then put it back to her lips. She tipped it back and watched him do the same. It was hard. Possibly one of the hardest things she'd ever done. As her father took a long deep drink, Ria kept her lips closed and although she tipped the goblet up, she was careful not to let the potent liquid touch her lips. She even remembered to swallow and sigh afterwards, pretending to seem satisfied.

She was anything but.

A cold sweat threatened to break out across her forehead and her hands felt shaky. She had to count internally to keep her heartbeat regulated. Was this what drug addicts felt when faced with such temptation?

Determined to concentrate on anything else, Ria stuffed a huge piece of chicken in her mouth, followed by a shovel full of salad.

Asher laughed. "Keen to get started?"

Ria nodded, still chewing her way through a giant hunk of rocket.

Thankfully, the ringing of Asher's mobile drew his attention away from her. She swallowed down her food with difficulty; in truth, she had no appetite for it.

"What?" Asher snapped as he answered the call.

Ria pushed the rest of her food around her plate, wondering how much longer she'd have to stay to avoid arousing any suspicion when she caught a semblance of a thought from her father. She didn't catch all of it, but she saw the quick look he shot at her and got the distinct impression that he knew she wouldn't like whatever he was discussing.

Why didn't she listen from the start? She could kick herself for being so stupid.

"Shall we continue?" She heard the voice at the other end of the line ask.

Again with that look.

"Yes. Carry on," Asher replied and ended the call.

"Everything alright?" Ria asked.

He flashed a disingenuous smile. "Nothing for you to concern yourself with, my dear."

Ria didn't believe him, but she daren't listen to his thoughts. Not yet. His shields were firmly in place, and even though she felt confident in her abilities, she wasn't sure she could enter his mind unnoticed. She couldn't afford for him to suspect anything but her total compliance.

"I think I might pop back to my room and have a shower," she said, changing the subject.

"Wash away the stink of Vampire?"

Her heart constricted as the memory of dark chocolate and raspberries enveloped her. "Something like that," she replied.

"Very well. I have some business to attend to anyway," he said, taking a last sip of his wine.

Ria licked her lips.

Asher rose from his seat. "I'll see you later, daughter mine. You'll keep me updated?"

"Of course," she replied, her voice sounding hoarse.

Asher left her sitting at the table. With Steele still incapacitated, she found herself completely alone. And she was grateful for it. What happened down there in the cells had left her mind reeling and her body burning. Thankfully her father seemed too preoccupied with what he might gain to have really noticed, but now he'd gone, she let down those walls she'd so carefully constructed. Her heart beat double time as she twisted her hands in her lap and let her mind start to process it all.

That memory he'd shown her played heaviest on her. The actual event happened days ago, but she could still feel his lips on hers. Still felt his hands on her body.

Sitting there stewing wasn't going to do any good. She had to come up with some sort of plan. If Ryver came in through the ventilation system, perhaps they could get out that way... But then everyone else knew about that too now, so surely that made the air ducts a no go. She'd been under close guard so she didn't know enough of the layout to be confident of finding a way out on her own. Schematics. That was what she needed.

Her father's office was too risky, but his right-hand man would keep the details. Of that, she was sure. Steele was in charge of security. She smiled to herself as she rose from her seat. Steele's office would be perfect because nobody would be there. Her smile broadened. The poor man was in the infirmary after all.

The burning caught her off guard. Since Ryver had arrived, her feelings had gone from curiosity, to attraction, and right then, a bone-crushing need. She took a shaky breath, trying to compose herself, but it did little to douse the flames that had ignited within her. Burning brightest at her core, the sudden onslaught made her clench her thighs together.

Ryver!

She just needed to hear his voice.

Can you hear me?

Nothing.

Ryver, plea—

As she reached the door, white-hot pain shot across her shoulders, the intensity of it bowing her back. She caught the door frame as her legs threatened to go from under her. Breathing hard, with tears pricking her eyes, she struggled to understand what was happening. She didn't have the chance to form a single thought before more agony sliced across her ribs, taking the wind right out of her. She cried out as her knees buckled, and she crumpled to the floor. God help me!

She lay there, struggling to catch her breath, tears streaming down her face without any idea what was happening to her. Another blow landed, this time straight to her gut and she curled into herself, desperate to protect herself from her invisible assailant.

Jesus Christ, she was going to die.

And then it was gone. The pain just disappeared. She could breathe and she'd never been more grateful as she inhaled deeper than she ever had before. It took her a minute to figure out how her limbs were supposed to work, but she finally managed to peel herself off the polished concrete floor. Standing was a step too far, so she leaned against the door frame and just enjoyed having oxygen in her lungs.

Her heart still staccatoed in her chest, but as her mind started to get with the program, she noticed she was completely uninjured. Startled, she patted herself down just to be sure, pulled up her shirt to check her ribs and stomach. Not a mark. Nothing.

A thought entered her mind, so terrifying it made her blood run cold. It was enough to force her up off the floor and send her running for the lift.