Chapter One

The royal guard's face darkened with annoyance. "Wait here," he said and pushed the massive door in her face.

Eve released an impatient breath and stared at the ornate knocker. It was made entirely of gold and fashioned into the shape of a wolf baring its jaws. She grimaced beneath her covering.

The sun was strong and she kept her face down, lifting her gloved hands to secure the hood around her head. She prayed she didn't have to wait long. Her stomach clenched with hunger at the sweet, intoxicating scent of blood around her.

Focus, she told herself. Don't do anything stupid. She gritted her teeth and tried to block the scents around her, but it was so hard. After four hundred years, it wasn't any easier fighting the urge to feed off innocent humans, but she would rather die than give in to her vile thirst.

"Momma, why is that woman dressed like that? Isn't she hot?" a child a few paces behind her asked.

Eve knew she stood out like a sore thumb wearing her black cloak, covering her from head to toe, but it was either that, or burn to a crisp, another hellish side effect to immortality.

"Hush. Stop staring at her," a woman said.

She pursed her lips. If the King didn't come soon, she was going to knock down the massive, brass door and find him herself. For a split second, she was tempted to do just that, but common sense prevailed. She didn't want to start a war.