Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1157(@200wpm)___ 926(@250wpm)___ 771(@300wpm)
For a Seer of some power, it is not easy to catch me unawares, yet I found myself surprised more than once this night. First by the appearance of someone I never thought to see in the Red Pearl—a girl in a robin’s egg blue cloak and lace mask—then by a waking vision of the room upstairs and knowledge of exactly what I had to do, not to mention the surprises of the rest of the night, which I cannot wait to capture in great detail on these pages.
The Maiden came into the Pearl tonight, dear one. The Maiden! I knew it was her the minute she walked through the door, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she played cards with a few guards, drank some champagne, and took in the environment like a starving beggar taking in sustenance for the first time in much too long. And as I watched her, I felt myself falling into that misty abyss of vision, where everything seems both surreal and much too real. In brilliant multicolored detail, I saw exactly what I needed to do. And so, when the opportunity arose, I directed sweet Penellaphe upstairs to the door I knew would change her life forever.
Once she was away, I shifted my attention to the reason for the Maiden’s acute distress. A captivating man of some years, sandy hair a halo around his head, sun-weathered skin begging to be touched, and eyes so clear a blue it was like looking into the sea—one you wouldn’t mind drowning in. And then I saw something I had never seen before with him. Something I never thought to see. My second sight flared to life, and I caught the unmistakable aura of a being of unfathomable age. Something I hadn’t seen since I’d crossed paths with none other than Penellaphe’s previous guardian, Leopold. The man was a viktor. But there was also something…more about this mortal. Something utterly unique.
I was so shocked by the discovery that I found myself immediately taking steps toward him. We were known to each other—quite intimately, in fact—but I had no previous designs on spending time with him this eve. Yet what I’d just seen made the lure to go to him almost unbearable. And not just because of his magnetic draw, which he had in spades. It was power. The gifts bestowed upon me by the Fates called to those given to him.
Now that my eyes had been opened, I could only imagine what a night with him would be like. Unfortunately, Sariah still knelt by his side, her hand running up and down his strong and muscular thigh, her adoring gaze taking in the handsome, almost gruff veneer of his visage—one I knew could soften into something akin to art. And I noticed that he rubbed at his temple, likely beginning to suffer from one of the migraines that often plagued him. I wished I could take away his pain.
With a sigh, I decided to leave him to Sariah’s adoring attentions and took my leave, excusing myself up the stairs to the middle of the hall, where a table rested below a dormer window that opened to the roof. The moon shone brightly through the glass, beckoning me like a siren’s song. I flipped the latch and pushed it out, the opening just large enough to permit a person to pass through. Scaling the table and stepping out onto the Red Pearl’s roof, I took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the night, closing my eyes and basking in the wonder for a moment before settling myself on the tiles, situating my red gown around me.
Head back, soaking in the night and ruminating on what I’d just seen, I started when someone pushed aside my long fall of hair and gently kissed my neck. I kept my eyes closed, imbibing the feel of firm lips with just a hint of stubble and the smell of leather and musk. My aura tingled, and I knew exactly who stood behind me. It was as if I’d conjured him with my thoughts.
He nipped my earlobe and then settled himself beside me on the roof. I met his clear blue eyes and smiled. When he returned the expression, such a beautiful look on that brutally handsome face, it made my heart skip a beat. It somehow felt like the greatest gift. Still, I saw some pain in the lines at the corners of his eyes.
I hitched up my skirts and settled myself facing him on his lap, looking into his eyes as I moved to massage his head and temples, scratching my nails across his scalp before kneading the tight muscles of his neck. He dropped his head back, a moan of pleasure escaping that went straight to my core.