Rory’s POV

The fire in the ceremony room burned with an eerie blue light. Shadows crawled across the stone walls like live things. My pulse raced so fast I thought it might rip out of my chest.

“You can’t force me,” I whispered, backing away until my shoulders hit the cold wall.

Lucien stepped forward, his red eyes sparkling in the dim light. His voice was low, scary, yet soft enough to shiver down my spine. “I don’t want to force you, Rory. But you don’t understand ...