Free The Blood Bride (Blood Secrets) by Imogene Nix Page B

as they prepared them for the new inhabitants, but never before had she entered.
    He touched a point on the wall and a recess opened, hidden within the dark wood casing. The keypad came as a surprise—a high-tech security system was hidden within the wall. Of course, it made sense, but it had never occurred to her they would need something like that.
    He depressed the keys and a green light glowed, a beep sounded and the click of the locks filled the air as tumblers moved, unlocking the entrance. He reached out and pushed the panel open, so she could see it led into a dark corridor beyond. She took a step forward, then another, and the passage closed behind her.

Chapter Three

    Hope contained herself, a shriek fighting to escape and her lungs burning. Darkness. It was the one thing she’d dreaded since her abduction. Her hands moved forward of their own volition, while she shivered in the chill atmosphere. The corridor was cool and dark, the absence of light terrifying her. Stone rough and dry, though cool, caught her fingers and she tried to work out where she was. Xavier propelled her forward in the dark, and she knew her breath was audible, the panting sounds filling the silence.
    “Be careful, there are steps here.” His voice at her ear made her shiver as the fear receded. She wasn’t alone at least. In her mind, she knew her reaction was a mix of anticipation and fear, but there was also an indefinable feeling that whipped through her senses.
    She shivered again, and an arm pulled her closer, masculine and muscled. Warm.
    The roughness of his coat grazed her arm, and a sensual thrill filled her.
    “Let’s get you down to the chamber where there is some lighting.” His voice was deep, and she could feel the vibrations on her skin. Her nipples tightened. It was just the cold, she told herself. But she knew it was a lie.
    A few more steps and Hope finally detected a glow ahead. She moved towards it a little faster, catching her heel on the edge of a step. Felt the stiletto catch on something, maybe a slightly uneven tile, but in the dark she couldn’t see. Hope pitched forward, wobbling, as her arms wheeled madly looking for something to grip. She threw her body backward, forgetting his presence for an instant, until his arm surrounded her, pulling her firmly against his lean, hard body once more. Xavier held her for a second longer than it took her to find her balance, his hands splayed over her stomach, then they retreated once more.
    “Whoa. Slow down a bit. Once you get used to it, you’ll be fine, although maybe your eyesight isn’t going to be much help in this environment. I will organise some lighting for you, so you can see where you are going tomorrow evening.” His words centred her once more, and there was no trace of emotion that she could decipher in his voice.
    They reached the bottom of the steps, and the dim lighting showed her a long corridor. The alignment mirrored the upstairs layout, except, instead of heavy wood and cream painting, there were rough-hewn walls of grey stone, teamed with slate flags on the floor. Doors dotted left and right, and she craned her head to see within.
    “These are the sleeping quarters of the guards. Our rooms are at the end through the door.” He ushered her quickly along the long corridor. The large wooden door at the end opened without a squeak, and led into a luxurious apartment, decorated in pale colours, so unlike the overpowering dark woods upstairs. She glanced around quickly.
    “Wow! I never thought about your suite. This is lovely.” Hope ran enchanted fingers lovingly over the light oak furnishings. A love seat sat on dark blue carpet, exquisite paintings she was sure were the works of old masters graced the walls covered in shimmering blue wallpaper, and beyond she spied a white cabinet filled with books. A large armchair nestled into a cosy corner.
    “This is glorious!” The words were breathless as she looked around.
    “Yes, from where I am