“A Binding,” someone whispered.
“Sharing of blood…”
“… I thought it was forbidden to Bind with humans ever since…”
“The Ceremony hasn’t been done in years…”
Whispers continued behind me, but I barely paid them any attention. What was a Binding? This was never in the agreement. Marriage in exchange for grain and soldiers. Those were the terms of this union.
No one had ever mentioned a Binding.
My breath came faster as I glanced up, looking out the window. The wind howled, and the panes shook as a snowstorm battered the castle. Why did they wait until I was in this frozen wasteland before telling me about this?
My heart thundered in my chest and a cold sweat appeared on the back of my neck as my fingers grew clammy against the sides of my golden dress. My breath escaped me in quick gasps as I tried—and failed—to remain calm.
I really was going to die tonight.
Panic squeezed me like a vise, and my entire body froze. I couldn’t have moved, even if I wanted to. The cold seeped in through my knees, black spots appeared in my vision, and I stopped breathing entirely. I was moments away from passing out when a warm hand landed on my arm.
“Relax, Luna.” Sebastian’s voice was strangely calm, given the circumstances. He whispered, “Take a breath.”
Instantly, my lungs expanded, and I inhaled as precious air entered my body.
“Good,” he said soothingly. Running his hand over my arm, he murmured, “Now, remain calm.”
His soothing tones reached my ears, and again, my body loosened against my will. My shoulders relaxed and the knot in my stomach unfurled. But why? This was wrong. I didn’tfeelrelaxed inside.
This Binding, whatever it was, did not sound good.
So why were my hands unclenching and my breath coming more easily? Why was my heart slowing?
A different kind of panic came to life within me. What was Sebastian doing to me?
“That’s good,” the vampire prince continued, his hand brushing up and down my arm as though I was a frightened animal. “Just be calm. This will be over before you know it.”
He was doing something to me. My mind was still my own, still diving into panic, but my body…
I sucked in a breath as realization struck me. I knew what this was. During my research, I read first-hand accounts of people who reported their bodies doing strange things while beneath a vampire’s spell. Some said they were told to do rather innocuous things, but others…
Humans beneath a vampire’s thrall had committed murders and other horrendous acts. Trembling, I forced myself to swallow. The vampire wascontrollingmy body.
Every single part of me, from my heart to my limbs, all seemed desperate to respond to his touch. He kept telling me to relax, unaware of the turmoil stirring within me. Twin waves of hurt and horror washed through me, nearly bowling me over with their strength.
“Well done,” he whispered. “That’s good.”
I rebelled against his touch. Forcing my lips to move, I fought against the pull of his thrall until my body responded to me once again.
Turning my head, I glared at the prince. “Don’t do that,” I snapped.
His black eyes widened and a flicker of surprise flashed through his eyes as he withdrew his hand as though I had burned him.
“Interesting,” he murmured, reaching out as though to touch me.
Shaking my head, I took a step back. “Don’t.”
A heaviness lay in the air between us as the prince studied me. Those wings burst out of the shadows once more, blocking us off from the murmuring crowd, and Sebastian moved towards me. I inched back, and he held up a hand.
“Luna,” he whispered, shaking his head. “Stop moving.”