The Empire of Darkness

l

o big. Too per

closet filled with clothes I didn't choose. Everything in here

briel Moretti put me here, in his world, in his cage, and I

he lock is on

rough the room. S

he doo

br

er dark suit, shirt unbuttoned just enough to reveal a glimpse o

ts beneath me,

ownstairs," h

s. "I need you

s eyes stay cold.

t move

to meet the re

uns down

tay even. "I never ag

a blade. "You agreed when

hot and quick. "You di

te. "I gave you the only choice

ly chest to chest. He smells like leathe

your prisone

mething resembling am

unlock the front gate

pa

laughs. A low, quiet thing that se

is voice is silk over steel. "Bac

ls out my pendant again, the silve

in, voice dropping to something dangerously s

but I refuse to l

s fingers and shove it into my pock

tilts his head, watching me l

ve it," h

he means, he turns on

sage is

tay locked

er my breat

ng room

ystal glasses and gleaming silverware. Floor-to-ceiling windows

room that makes

the

ike kings around the

, all o

ilent whe

at the head of the table, owning the sp

esi

a cruel smile-leans back in his chair,

at the way

name," Ga

lse j

ting him. D

at makes something

his gaze over me like I'm something to b

"You'll have to

pples aroun

just nods toward an empt

't wa

it an

acing a plate in front of me. Expensiv

unset

of

c, a sandwich in one hand and a medical report in th

Gabriel

er the weight of all these eyes. "Yo

stranger," h

r laugh. "I'm not

ting his forearms on the t

kates dow

he says it-it'

a pro

ware that I'm in a room full of

tting next to the

is an i

efined-like somethi

it, there's t

ching me. M

tions with just enough information to satisfy them

s too, silent

always

nner is over,

first. "Alba.

teeth bu