POV: Alexei

Victoria's wrist fascinated me in the worst possible way. The black symbol wasn't tattooed or branded. It existed beneath her skin somehow, visible through the flesh like ink suspended in clear water. When I touched it, the mark felt cold. Not the cold temperature, but the absence of warmth. Like touching something that had never known heat.

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"No. It just feels... wrong. Like having a splinter in my soul instead of my finger." Victoria flexed her ...