A dangerous laugh escapes me as I squat down and slam my bloody handprint against the cold stone beneath my feet.
The Hallow ignites.
Several screams meet my ears as the queens stagger back. I stare at Adaia as Edain wrenches her out of the way of the swirl of magic.
“You will pay for this one day, Adaia,” I whisper, knowing that she can hear me. “I promise once. I promise twice. I promise thrice. I will be the end of you. Nothing will take Vi from my side. I give you this promise of Darkness. Keep it close to your heart. Because at the end of our thirteen years, nothing will stay my hand. You think me weak?”
I smile at her.
Darkly.
And then I unleash all that power into the world, feeling the portal suck us into oblivion. I do what no mere fae should ever be able to do.
I power the Hallow myself.
There’s a cold pit in my heart as we arrive in the Hallow chamber in Ceres. The sudden cessation of magic makes me stagger and I go to one knee. There’s a ringing in my ears. A blind spot in one eye. The voice inside my head is quiet, but something inside my chest feels broken.
It feels like a crack appeared there, somewhere in the prison I’ve formed around the Darkness.
Are you there? I whisper.
There’s no answer.
It’s gone. For the moment.
Vi stirs in my arms as if the transfer woke her.
Our eyes meet, her pupils dark enough to blot out the blue of her eyes.
“I promise you this,” I whisper in a voice that’s not entirely mine. “We will never let you go. We will never allow anyone to hurt you. You are ours. Forever and always.”
“My prince?” There’s a tentative hand on my sleeve.
Mariana.
I blink and color drenches the world. “Here. What do you need?”
“Are you all right?” she asks. “You sounded different for a moment.”
Forever and always. It’s a strange echo in my head.
Enough to make me search again.
Hello?
Silence.
It’s gone. Definitely gone. Buried down so deep I can barely feel it. I take a deep breath. “Take me to the healers. We need to break this curse.”
I will have Vi back.
No matter what I must do.
And if the curse doesn’t break?
Then I will win her heart all over again.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE DARK COURT RISING WORLD
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Seduced by Desire. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into the past when Vi and Thiago first met.
Next up is Curse of Darkness, the last book in the trilogy!
The Darkness is coming…
Iskvien must face her darkest challenge yet, in order to save her world.
Her husband.
Available now:
Promise of Darkness
Crown of Darkness
Seduced By Darkness
Pre-order:
Curse of Darkness
Want to know more about future release dates?
Make sure you sign up to my newsletter to be the first to know when they’re available.
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I hope we meet again between the pages of another book!
Cheers,
Bec McMaster
Also by Bec McMaster
DARK COURT RISING
Promise of Darkness
Crown of Darkness
Curse of Darkness
Novellas in same series:
Seduced By Darkness
LEGENDS OF THE STORM SERIES
Heart Of Fire
Storm of Desire
Clash of Storms
Storm of Fury
Master of Storms
Queen of Lightning
Legends of the Storm Boxset 1-3
COURT OF DREAMS SAGA
Thief of Dreams
Thief of Souls
Thief of Hearts
LONDON STEAMPUNK SERIES
Kiss Of Steel
Heart Of Iron
My Lady Quicksilver
Forged By Desire
Of Silk And Steam
Novellas in same series:
Tarnished Knight
The Clockwork Menace
LONDON STEAMPUNK: THE BLUE BLOOD CONSPIRACY
Mission: Improper
The Mech Who Loved Me
You Only Love Twice
To Catch A Rogue
Dukes Are Forever
From London, With Love
London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy Boxset 1-3
DARK ARTS SERIES
Shadowbound
Hexbound
Soulbound
Dark Arts Box set 1-3
BURNED LANDS SERIES
Nobody's Hero
The Last True Hero
The Hero Within
The Burned Lands Complete Trilogy Boxset
SHORT STORIES
The Many Lives Of Hadley Monroe
Burn Bright
About the Author
Kidnapped by a dread pirate when she was a child, USA Today Bestselling Author, BEC MCMASTER, was raised on myth and legend, and offered her younger siblings to the goblin king many a time. Unfortunately, he did not accept.
Now she writes epic fantasy romance with a dark and sexy twist, which is almost as much fun. She has a secret weakness for villainous heroes, wicked fae princes and dangerous vampires, though in all her daydreams she’s the one rescuing them.
Bec lives happily-ever-after with her very own hero and princess-in-training in the wilds of Australia, where she can often be found drinking tea or plotting her next travel adventure.
Escape the ordinary at www.becmcmaster.com
