Chapter 1
Ignoring the heat pouring from the late-summer sun, Terry jumped two steps at a time as he hurried to obey his mistress’s summons. Lady Monroe had sent him an SMS calling him to her villa. Why not her usual telepathic order? She even told him to come straight to the living room.
Something was seriously wrong.
Dread crept up his spine as he walked the gilded halls of her mansion, flooded with the afternoon sunlight streaming through the arched windows.
“When you die, he’ll die anyway,” Rita’s yell sounded desperate.
Terry stopped in his tracks to listen. The heavy oak door to the living room was ajar.
“I severed the bond.” Lady Monroe was calm and collected, as always.
Her sister gasped. “It’ll kill you.”
“I’m already dead.” He could hear a faint smile in his mistress’s voice. “Terrence doesn’t deserve to die.”
He walked into the room, his heartbeat thrumming in his ears. The women turned to him in unison.
“It’s good you’re here,” Lady Monroe greeted him before he could drop to his knees. “Unbutton your shirt, please. I need to take off your collar.”
Her “please” hit him like a slap.
“My lady…” he whispered, giving her a shocked glance.
“‘Diana’ will do. I’m no longer your mistress.” She reached for the small silver key hanging from the chain around her neck.
He caught her hand. “Leave it.”
She arched her brow. “If the key perishes in battle, there will be no way to take off your collar.”
Cool and reasoning. As always.
“Then don’t let it perish, my lady,” he said, his heart hammering against his ribs.
She laughed. Her kiss was long, and sweet, and scented with roses and musk. When she pulled away, he was gasping for air.
“I’ll do my best,” she said and turned around, a purple portal opening in mid-air at the wave of her hand.
“You always do,” he murmured, as the most extraordinary woman he’d ever known was walking to face her death.
How could it ever come to this?
She severed the bond? That’s interesting. Didn’t she say there was no way to do that?
I’m lost. How did we get here?