CRAVES

THE MARK

Amelia didn't take the necklace off.

She tried once.

Not because she disliked it, but because Bryan's warning had made the silver pendant feel heavier than it looked.

She stood in front of the mirror with her fingers around the clasp.

For several seconds, she considered removing it.

Then she remembered the way he'd looked at her when he'd told her to keep it on.

She let go.

The necklace settled against her collarbone.

She turned away from the mirror.

Sleep came slowly that night.

When it finally did, it was restless.

She dreamed of the forest.

Of running between trees she didn't recognize.

Of someone calling her name from somewhere behind her.

She couldn't see their face.

Every time she turned around, there was nothing there.

Then a hand caught her wrist.

She woke suddenly.

Her heart pounded against her ribs.

Darkness filled the room.

She sat up and reached for the lamp.

The soft light came on.

Nothing.

She pressed a hand against her chest and took a slow breath.

It had only been a dream.

She looked toward the window.

The curtains were closed.

The room was exactly as she'd left it.

Her eyes lowered.

The silver raven pendant rested against her skin.

For some reason, it felt warm.

She touched it.

The warmth disappeared.

She frowned.

Then a faint sound came from the hallway.

Footsteps.

Slow.

Measured.

She got out of bed.

The footsteps stopped.

She opened her door.

The corridor was empty.

A small lamp burned at the far end.

She looked toward the staircase.

Nothing.

She almost closed the door when she noticed something on the floor.

A single black feather.

She stared at it.

Her hand remained on the doorknob.

She didn't pick it up.

Instead, she stepped backward and closed the door.

The lock clicked.

She stood there for a moment.

Then she reached for her phone.

Her first instinct was to call Bryan.

Her thumb hovered over his name.

She stopped.

He was probably asleep.

She almost laughed at the thought.

Bryan didn't seem like someone who slept much.

Still, she put the phone down.

She climbed back into bed.

The feather remained outside her door.

...

Bryan was awake.

He had been for several hours.

He stood alone in the library, staring at the old portrait above the fireplace.

His father.

The man in the painting looked exactly as Bryan remembered him.

Tall.

Severe.

Dressed in black.

A silver raven resting against his chest.

Bryan's eyes moved to the pendant hanging from the portrait.

The same design he'd given Amelia.

His jaw tightened.

The necklace hadn't belonged to his father.

It had belonged to his mother.

She had worn it for almost two centuries.

Until the night she disappeared.

Bryan had kept it locked away ever since.

He hadn't planned to give it to Amelia.

Not originally.

He'd chosen something else.

A simple protective charm.

But when he'd seen the raven pendant in the vault earlier that afternoon, he'd known.

It belonged with her.

He just hadn't understood why.

Until tonight.

A knock sounded.

Cassian entered.

"You're still awake."

Bryan didn't turn.

"Apparently."

Cassian looked at the portrait.

Then at Bryan.

"You gave her the necklace."

"Yes."

"That was your mother's."

Bryan's eyes remained on the painting.

"I know."

Cassian was quiet.

"You haven't let anyone touch it in two hundred years."

Bryan finally turned.

"She isn't anyone."

Cassian studied him.

The words seemed to hang between them.

Bryan realized what he'd said.

His expression hardened.

"Did you find anything?"

Cassian nodded.

"We searched the western grounds."

"And?"

"Nothing."

Bryan's gaze narrowed.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing living."

The words made Bryan go still.

Cassian continued.

"We found tracks near the old chapel."

"Vampire?"

"Probably."

"How old?"

Cassian hesitated.

"Very."

Bryan walked toward the desk.

"How very?"

"Older than most of the council."

Silence.

Bryan's eyes moved toward the window.

The forest beyond it was completely dark.

"Did you find the feather?"

Cassian looked at him.

"No."

Bryan's expression changed.

"You know about it?"

"Someone left one outside her room."

Cassian hadn't mentioned it yet.

Bryan stared at him.

"How do you know?"

"The guards found it."

His voice became quieter.

"When?"

"About twenty minutes ago."

Bryan was already moving.

...

Amelia was still awake when the knock came.

This time, she knew who it was.

She opened the door.

Bryan stood outside.

He looked different.

His hair was slightly untidy.

His shirt sleeves were rolled to his forearms.

There was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there earlier.

His gaze immediately moved over her.

Face.

Hands.

Neck.

The necklace.

Then back to her eyes.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

His gaze shifted toward the floor.

The feather was gone.

Amelia noticed.

"You know about it."

Bryan stepped inside.

"Yes."

"How?"

"I was told."

She folded her arms.

"Of course."

He looked at her.

A faint trace of amusement appeared in his eyes.

"You don't like that answer."

"No."

He almost smiled.

Then his expression became serious again.

"Did you touch it?"

She shook her head.

"Good."

He walked toward the doorway.

She followed.

"Why?"

He stopped.

"Because I don't know who left it."

"Another warning?"

"Possibly."

She looked at him.

"You keep saying possibly."

"Because I don't like giving you answers I'm not certain about."

She frowned.

"I'd rather know the truth."

"I know."

He turned toward her.

His gaze dropped to the necklace.

She touched the pendant.

"This is connected to all of this, isn't it?"

He didn't answer.

She waited.

His silence told her enough.

"Bryan."

He took a breath.

"The necklace belonged to my mother."

Her fingers froze against it.

"Your mother?"

He nodded.

"She wore it for a very long time."

"What happened to her?"

His face became unreadable.

"She disappeared."

The words were simple.

The pain behind them wasn't.

Amelia lowered her hand.

"I'm sorry."

Bryan looked away.

He hadn't expected sympathy.

He hadn't realized how much he needed it.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Then Amelia stepped closer.

She didn't touch him.

She simply stood beside him.

Bryan looked down at her.

A tiny smile appeared.

It was tired.

Real.

He reached out and gently adjusted the pendant where it had shifted against her neck.

His fingers were careful.

Almost reverent.

"Keep it on."

She nodded.

His hand remained near the pendant for a moment longer.

Then he lowered it.

"There's something else."

She waited.

"Tomorrow, you're coming with me."

"Where?"

"The council."

Her expression changed.

"The vampire council?"

Bryan went still.

He hadn't told her.

She realized it.

"You just confirmed it."

He closed his eyes briefly.

When he opened them again, she was watching him.

"You said there were things I didn't know."

"There are."

"And you're a vampire."

Silence.

He didn't deny it.

Her heart began beating faster.

She looked at his face.

At his eyes.

At the strange calm he'd always carried.

The moments that hadn't made sense suddenly lined up.

His strength.

His speed.

The way he'd known when she was behind him.

The way he'd disappeared into the night.

The way he'd reacted to blood.

She took one step backward.

Bryan didn't move.

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you been lying to me?"

His expression tightened.

"I didn't lie."

"You never told me."

"I was going to."

"When?"

He didn't have an answer.

She looked toward the hallway.

Then back at him.

Fear was beginning to replace confusion.

Bryan noticed.

His voice softened.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

She gave a small, nervous laugh.

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's true."

She looked at him for several seconds.

Then her eyes fell to his hands.

"Have you ever..."

She couldn't finish.

He understood.

"Yes."

Her stomach twisted.

"Humans?"

Another pause.

"Yes."

She swallowed.

"But not for a very long time."

She looked away.

He didn't approach.

He gave her the distance she needed.

That somehow made everything worse.

Because the man standing in front of her was still Bryan.

The same man who had carried her bag.

Bought her flowers.

Brought her slippers.

Given her a necklace that belonged to his mother.

The same man who had walked away when the scent of her blood became too much.

She looked at him again.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

His eyes softened.

"Because I knew you'd be afraid."

"I am."

"I know."

She expected him to leave.

Instead, he stayed where he was.

No excuses.

No promises.

Just waiting.

After a long silence, Amelia reached for the necklace.

Her fingers closed around the raven.

Bryan's eyes followed the movement.

"I'll wear it."

His expression changed.

Relief.

Barely there.

But she saw it.

She didn't know what tomorrow would bring.

She didn't know what the council was.

She didn't know what kind of world she'd married into.

But for the first time, she understood one thing.

The contract had never been as simple as she thought.

And neither had the man she'd married.