How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days (The Embraced #1)

“Have you been telling her that?” Luciana marched toward the jailer, her temper rising. “It is not your decision to make.”


The jailer gave her a condescending smile. “Of course, my lady. Either the old duke or the new one will be making the decision. But since she tried to kill them both, it’s a safe bet that she’ll swing.” He shrugged. “It’s better for her to know the truth, so she’ll have time to accept it.”

Luciana gritted her teeth as she motioned to the second tray on the desk. “Is that her food you’re eating?” When the jailer shrugged, she picked up the second cup of wine. “Jensen, will you go to the kitchens and bring back food and water for Rowena?”

Jensen hesitated. “I shouldn’t leave you alone.”

“I’m not alone.” She tilted her head toward the jailer. “And it won’t take you very long.”

“Very well.” Jensen headed out the door.

Luciana passed the cup of wine through the bars, and Rowena rose to her feet to accept it.

“Thank you, my lady.” She gulped it down.

“Do you have parents or family close by?”

Rowena shook her head. “Mama died from a plague when I was a babe, and Papa died at sea.” She hung her head. “I shouldn’t have gotten involved with Dax. I was just so happy not to be alone.”

Luciana sighed. How fortunate she’d been to grow up with the nuns and her four sisters. “Everyone in the kitchens is very worried about you. From now on, think of them as your family. They can give you good advice.”

“Yes, my lady.”

The jailer gave out a loud belch. “Beggin’ your pardon, my lady, but you shouldn’t fill her head with false hope. No way is she going to live.”

Rowena flinched, and more tears fell. “I’m so afraid.”

Luciana couldn’t let this girl suffer any longer. “I’m going straight to the library, where I’ll inform my father’s secretary that I have given you my word that even though you may receive some kind of punishment, you will not come to any bodily harm.”

Rowena’s eyes widened. “Can you really do that?”

“Yes.” Luciana turned toward the jailer. “And you, sir, should start treating this woman with respect.” She strode toward the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

She shut the door behind her and headed down the stone corridor for the stairwell that led up to the courtyard. Just as she reached the first stair, a noise behind her made her stop. Before she could turn around, an arm looped around her waist, pulling her back. Another hand pressed a strange-smelling handkerchief against her nose and mouth.

Panic streaked across her senses as she struggled to break the person’s hold. A swift kick backward elicited a muttered curse. A male’s voice.

The third assassin? She shook her head, trying to dislodge the handkerchief, but the drug crept into her senses. Within a few seconds the staircase blurred before her eyes and her legs grew weak.

Goddesses, help me! Her legs gave out, and everything went black.

*

When Luciana opened her eyes, she felt disoriented for a few seconds. Her head throbbed as she pushed away the fog in her mind. The assassin! Panic took root in her chest, but she quickly squashed it down. If she was going to survive this, she needed to keep her wits about her.

Where was she? Where was her kidnapper? Would it be best to pretend she was still unconscious?

She was lying on her back in a dimly lit place. Stale, musty air filled her lungs as her vision adjusted. A stone ceiling arched overhead. Hard stone beneath her. She stretched her arms and legs. No pain. No restraints.

She turned her head slightly to the right, her gaze following the arch of the stone ceiling till … good goddesses.

Bones. Thousands of bones. Shelf after shelf. Skulls staring at her with empty eye sockets. The flickering light of a nearby torch danced across the skulls in hues of red and gold, contorting the facial features until they looked as if they were possessed by demons.

Panic welled up inside her once more. This had to be the catacombs. Where the dead were buried and the ghosts of evil men lingered. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. You must remain calm.

“I know you’re awake.”

Her eyes flew open.

“Get up,” the kidnapper ordered. “I haven’t much time.”

As she slowly sat up, she looked around. To the left was another wall of bones and skulls. Behind her, more bones and a torch attached to the wall. In front, an iron gate extended across the width of the room. On the other side, another torch lit another room. More shelves with bones and skulls. In the distance, she spotted a man dressed in the black robes of a priest. Father Rune.

“Oh, look,” a voice whispered behind her. “A live one has come to visit.”

Luciana stiffened as a wisp of cold air floated across her back. Don’t turn around. It would be better not to let these ghosts know she could see and hear them. Ignore them. She rose to her feet and approached the iron gate.

“Yessss,” another voice hissed like a snake. “We could have fun with her.”

Panic threatened once again when she noticed the padlock on the gate. She was trapped in this chamber with some evil ghosts. Goddesses help her, this was her worst nightmare.

Father Rune chuckled. “I can see by your expression that you have realized the full extent of your situation.”

She took hold of the iron bars, and barnacles of old rust bit into her palms. “What do you hope to achieve by this? My husband and father will be furious.”

“She’s locked in with usss,” the snake-voiced ghost whispered, then chuckled with his dead companions.

She gave the bars a shake, but the lock held tight.

The priest sneered. “There’s no way out. You will remain there until someone finds you. Hopefully, it will be the Beast. I have arranged a small surprise for him.”

“Oh, she’s pretty.” Icy-cold ghostly fingers stroked her arm, passing through her gown and causing her skin to prickle with gooseflesh.