Free Dangerously Red (A Dark and Dirty Tale) by Kristin Miller Page B

shouldn’t ever appear powerless or frail. Don’t you agree?”
    I nod and lower my head respectfully.
    Having another panic attack was not an option. Check. It wasn’t like I planned to pass out at the ceremony the first time.
    “And forget about any reservations that might be spinning in that pretty little head of yours.” Her voice is stern. Commanding. And by reservations she means the undeniable pull I feel toward Reaper. “You may excuse yourself now.”
    I dart from the office on shaky legs, nerves scattering over my body like gooseflesh, and hug my crimson cloak against me. Candles, perched on sconces and set in chandeliers, cast a warm glow through the main hall as golden moonlight spills from the rectangular windows and onto the glossed floor. Although the castle was bustling with wolves not thirty minutes ago, there’s not a single canine in sight, and for that, I’m grateful. I don’t want their eyes on me, witnessing my walk of shame. Pre-shifters in vibrantly colored robes huddle in the corners, laughing and whispering as if all the pressure has been lifted from their shoulders.
    Each of them has already declared their mate.
    I’m the only one left, thanks to my panic attack that stopped the show.
    Charging between two leering gargoyle statues, I lift the front of my robe and lumber up the grand staircase. My feet are still heavy, my legs trembling from the lingering effects of the adrenaline that slugged through me. But I’m almost there. My room is a few doors down, past a suit of armor and into an alcove on the left. I steal inside, lock the door behind me, and sag against it.
    I should be relishing in the peace and quiet, but the satin tie of my cloak suddenly feels too tight on my neck, and the fabric too sticky against my legs. I’ve never been claustrophobic, but the realization that I’m about to choose Lukas as my mate has the walls closing in around me. My spacious private chamber is suddenly too small, with not nearly enough air.
    I can’t breathe.
    Thunderous knocks rattle the door at my back. I spin around with a squeal and clutch at my cloak as my heart drums double-time.
    “Who is it?”
    “Lukas.”
    A shiver rolls up my spine at the steeliness in his voice, and I can’t summon the words to welcome him in.
    “Open up,” he commands.
    I reach for the handle instinctively but then pause, my hand lingering in midair. My mouth goes dry, as if I’ve been sucking on cotton, and I realize he’s here to punish me. I’ve betrayed him, perched on the edge of his desk with my legs spread wide, and begged his cousin for sweet release. To add salt to the wound, it was minutes after I left his arms.
    “I need some time alone to get ready for the ceremony,” I say, letting my hand drop to my side. “What do you need?”
    The doorknob turns quickly, as if he’d planned to shove his way in, but the lock holds. I take a step back, and then another, and I can’t catch my breath.
    “I want a few minutes alone before you stand in front of everyone,” he commands. There is no question in his tone. No wiggle room to do anything but what he says. “You owe me that much.”
    He’s right. Of course he is. For what I’ve done, I’ll be lucky if I don’t end up in the dungeon with the rats. I slept with Lukas, and then pretty much ran into his cousin’s arms.
    Maybe I deserve to bunk with the rodents…
    Sighing, I lick my lips and will the right words to escape them. “All right.”
    As I pull open the door, my heart stutters and the air catches in my lungs. Lukas stands in the doorway in a stark-white dress shirt and slacks, his arms folded over his chest. I can’t deny how strikingly handsome he is, even now, as anxiety ratchets up my spine. Muscular frame, broad shoulders, clean-shaven jaw and plump lips. I’d be dead if I didn’t have a physical reaction to the way he’s standing in front of me now.
    But this time, as I stare into the depths of his dark eyes, warmth doesn’t