Blood And Vows

ana'

wouldn't c

rozen cobblestones. My body vibrated under the chilly weather and I could

n from last night's disciplinary lesson remained. Above me, my half-s

ling her morning tea. "Papa's litt

t. It landed in the dirty water with a splas

ted into

ov household had taught me that silence was

me. The eldest Orlov daughter stopped so close that I could

water soaked through my threadbare dress, one of their cast-offs from th

'll never be a real Orlov," she whispered, her minty breath fogging between u

eped out. I held back my tears. "I wish you'd just died at birth." She sa

lov himself strode through, his wolf-fur coat dusted with fresh snow. The si

lia

e flooding my veins. He n

over my soaked dress with obvious disgust

pped from her fingers, shat

e white dress," he told me. "And for Go

rment passed down to me by Elena, reserved for rare occ

lipped out of my mouth be

it coming. Pain exploded across my cheekbo

he said calmly, shaking out his han

fingers like talons. "Finally making yourself useful

. Steam curled around my battered body as I sank into the hottest water I could bear. My mind raced with terribl

mother died immediately I was born. He w

f girls, making him

wrath because they are of nob

me in the eyes. The expression on her face was way

tly as she worked the kno

before continuing. "They say... th

it wa

dress, my damp hair braided tightly down my back. Nickolas look

hed me toward the waiting car

ittering storefronts and crowded cafes. I pressed my forehead to the cold glass

ts golden domes glowing against the night sky.

aw the b

lver. A snar

ov c

turned

be doing her

whispered. "Smile, Dochka, you're finally useful." He smirked. "I can finally end th

d. Marriage! who

ged, but it was too late. My f

Liliana." He smir

as I fought to hold back the

ing on my neck. It was the only thing I have left of my mother - her pi

sts whose eyes never left me and standi

wn the aisle. But the look on his face told me

? Well, I wasn't given to him as a wife. I was sold to

before him, my

the devil himsel

ress. His glacial eyes raked over me, stripping me bare

hadows of the cathedral's archw

sol

n enemy. But

se to marry me? Guess he

rabbed my wrist tightly

r thinks he's trading trash for peace. But tr

hten, it became very

vows. A sleek black Rolls-Royce Boat Tail stopped right

Nikolas walked up to Mikhail. Mikhail

gger into my palm. His gaze turned dead

es wi

't a peac

a suicide

o kill, I wouldn't be standing he

d I quickly slipped th

was never go