When Valentine’s sire is forced to take a mate by his Clan leader, Valentine is reduced to stoking the castle’s furnaces as nothing more than a cindered servant to the new matriarch. With his sire Libertine incarcerated and Valentine forced to wear a cursed collar, there seems no way to escape Belladonna’s hold on them. When a stranger appears, Valentine is surprised by how quickly he trusts the other vampire. He accepts the request to go to the castle of his Clan Lord, the ancient and powerful Hades, to uncover who is working to overthrow him. His reward is freedom for both him and his sire. No one is meant to know who he really is, and Valentine pretends he’s one of Hades’ favorites while in the castle, adopting the name Cinder and playing his Seductive nature to its full. But his world is shaken to its core when Valentine finds himself falling for the enigmatic Cole. As a Seductive, Valentine never imagined he’d want an Alpha Predator as a mate. Worse yet, it may be that Cole could be the very one he’s been sent to uncover. When the battle for dominance begins, where will Valentine’s loyalty lie?

Cinis

When they drew close to the table, Castor and Pollux stepped aside, and the unofficial entourage stood in a line, facing the crowd, hissing and blowing smoke.


“I present to you, Valentine, sired by Libertine, betrothed of Blade.” Arsen’s voice boomed out, echoing around the hall, and the gargoyles roared, blowing clouds of smoke.


“Excellent entrance.” Seth clapped his hands. “Most excellent.”


“Yes, indeed. It seems I have much to learn of Seductives.” Hades smiled; his fangs were already descended. “Well done, Valentine. If any here had doubts about your union with Blade, they’ll have changed their minds after that display.”


“Can we pleaseget the ceremony over and done with. I want to claimmy mate.” Blade’s voice was a deep growl that sent a bolt of lust through Valentine’s body.


“Yes. I’m quite sure you do.” Hades replied, then leaned in close. “You will be patient. I’m sure you’ve already claimed Valentine several times already.”


Chapter 37