The wrought iron gates of the Malphas estate slammed shut with a final, metallic clang. The sound echoed in my chest like a judge striking a gavel.
Rain battered the tinted windows of the black SUV. I sat in the leather backseat with my single, battered canvas duffel bag resting on my knees. It held my clothes, my few earthly possessions, and the silver dagger I kept hidden in the lining. Next to the sprawling gothic mansion looming at the end of the driveway, my belongings felt pathetically small.
This was not a home. It was a fortress.
The architecture was a staggering mix of sharp, black stone and massive stained glass windows. Gargoyles carved from dark marble crouched on the rooflines, their stone eyes seeming to track our approach. The magical wards surrounding the property were so thick they made the air shimmer. My skin prickled under the heavy pressure.
The SUV rolled to a stop beneath a sprawling portico. A shifter guard opened my door. The freezing night air bit into my cheeks.
Silas Malphas stood at the top of the stone steps.
He had beaten me here. He was no longer wearing the suit jacket from the underground bunker. He stood in a crisp black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. The dark fabric stretched across his broad shoulders. Without the jacket, the raw, lethal power he commanded was even more obvious.
"Bring her bag to the east wing," Silas instructed the guard. His voice was a low rumble that cut right through the sound of the rain.
He did not wait for me. He turned and walked into the cavernous foyer. I gripped the strap of my satchel and followed the Beast into his lair.
The interior of the estate was a masterclass in opulent intimidation. Dark mahogany panels lined the walls. Crystal chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings, casting fractured light across the polished marble floors. It smelled of old wealth, woodsmoke, and the faint metallic tang of hidden weapons.
Silas led me up a sweeping grand staircase. We walked in heavy silence. I kept my eyes focused on the broad expanse of his back, refusing to let him see how fast my heart was beating. Every step took me deeper into enemy territory. Every step was a calculated risk.
He stopped in front of a heavy oak door at the end of a long, shadowed corridor.
"This is your suite," Silas said. He turned to face me. The golden hue of his eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting of the hallway. "You will sleep here. You will take your meals here or in my office. You do not wander the grounds without an escort. Do we understand each other, Sienna?"
"I am a legal contractor," I reminded him. I kept my chin high. "I am not a prisoner."
A dark, dangerous smirk touched his lips. "You are whatever I need you to be to ensure the survival of this syndicate. You proved your worth tonight. But worth makes you a target. The other monster factions will know what you did to the Iron Fang vampires by morning. If you step off this property, you will be hunted."
He was right. I had bound a rival faction leader and watched Leo turn him to ash. I was a marked woman.
"I understand," I replied softly.
Silas reached out. I went rigid, expecting pain or violence. Instead, his large hand brushed the wet fabric of my coat collar. He adjusted the lapel with a terrifyingly gentle precision. The heat radiating from his knuckles seeped through the damp wool and burned into my collarbone.
"Good," Silas murmured. "Rest for a few hours. We have work to do at dawn."
He turned and walked away, his footsteps utterly silent on the thick carpet. I pushed open the door to my room and stepped inside.
The suite was breathtaking. Deep emerald velvet curtains framed massive windows. A king sized bed sat in the center, covered in dark silk sheets. A fire cracked merrily in a stone hearth. It was the most luxurious room I had ever seen.
It was also a cage. I walked over to the window and looked out at the sprawling grounds. Shifter guards patrolled the perimeter. Security cameras tracked every angle. I was trapped. But as I set my satchel on the desk, a cold surge of determination flooded my veins. Being trapped inside the Malphas estate was exactly what my shadow client wanted. I was exactly where I needed to be to find the Primal Ledger.
Five hours later, the sun dragged itself over the city skyline. I stood in Silas's private office.
The forced proximity was already wearing down my nerves. The office was located in the heavily guarded west wing. It was a sprawling room filled with ancient tomes, modern computer terminals, and the suffocating presence of the Beast himself.
Silas sat behind a massive desk carved from black walnut. I sat at a smaller table positioned just a few feet away. I was close enough to see the steady rise and fall of his chest. I was close enough to smell the intoxicating scent of bergamot cologne mixed with winter air and cold iron.
"These are the secondary ledgers for our casino operations," Silas said. He tossed a thick leather bound book onto my table. It landed with a heavy thud. "The numbers from the goblin factions are not adding up. Find the discrepancy. Draft a penalty notice for the faction leaders."
I opened the book and began to scan the columns of numbers. My mind was sharp, but my senses were overwhelmed.
Silas was a terrifying distraction. He did not behave like a typical mob boss shouting orders. He operated with a lethal stillness. For two straight hours, the only sounds in the room were the scratching of my pen and the soft turning of pages.
Then, his phone vibrated against the wood.
Silas picked it up. He did not say a word of greeting. He listened for ten agonizing seconds. His golden eyes never left my face as he processed the information from the other end of the line.
"Burn the warehouse down," Silas commanded in a soft, even tone. "Leave the doors locked. Make sure the rival crew is inside when you strike the match."
He hung up the phone. He did not blink. He just condemned a dozen men to a fiery death while watching me review a casino spreadsheet.
My stomach twisted, but I forced my hand to keep writing smoothly. I could not show fear. Fear was blood in the water.
Silas stood up from his desk. He walked over to a crystal decanter resting on a side table. He poured a glass of water, the ice clinking softly against the glass. He walked over to my table and set the glass down right next to my hand.
I looked up, startled by the domestic gesture. The brutal monster who just ordered a warehouse burned down had noticed I had not taken a drink all morning.
"Drink," Silas instructed. He leaned his hip against the edge of my table, crossing his arms over his chest. He was so close his shadow fell over my paperwork. "You cannot spot a skimming operation if you are dehydrated."
"Thank you," I murmured. I picked up the glass. My fingers brushed against the condensation. I took a slow sip, hyper aware of his gaze tracking the movement of my throat.
"You have a very steady hand, Sienna," Silas noted. His voice dropped an octave, vibrating with that dark, possessive energy. "Most people tremble when they hear me conduct business."
"I am paid to manage your contracts," I replied, setting the glass down. "I am not paid to judge your methods."
Silas chuckled. It was a dark, rich sound that made my pulse jump. "A very pragmatic lie."
Before he could press the issue, the heavy oak doors of the office swung open. Leo strode in. He looked rumpled and wired, his dark hair sticking up in every direction.
"We have a problem at the eastern borders," Leo announced. He ignored me, focusing his chaotic energy on his older brother. "The werewolf packs are contesting the new boundary line. They are demanding a sit down right now."
Silas sighed, a brief flash of annoyance crossing his sharp features. He pushed himself off my desk.
"Keep reviewing the casino ledgers," Silas ordered me. "I will be in the war room down the hall. Do not leave this office."
Silas and Leo exited the room. The heavy doors clicked shut behind them.
The sudden silence was deafening. I sat frozen for ten seconds, listening for footsteps. Nothing. They were gone.
I stood up instantly. My heart slammed against my ribs.
This was my chance. It was the first time I had been left alone in his private sanctuary. If the Primal Ledger was hidden anywhere in the estate, it had to be in this room.
I pushed my magic into my eyes. The colors of the office drained away, replaced by the glowing reality of the Thread Binding sight.
I scanned the room quickly. The walls were lined with mundane, gray threads of basic security magic. But as my gaze swept over the massive bookshelf behind Silas's desk, I gasped.
Hidden behind a row of ancient encyclopedias was a dense, pulsing web of thick golden magic. It was a ward. A very old, very powerful ward designed to hide something of immense value.
I hurried around the large walnut desk. My boots made soft thudding sounds on the Persian rug. I reached the bookshelf. The magical pressure radiating from the hidden safe was so strong it made my teeth ache. This was it. The Ledger had to be behind those books.
I raised my trembling hand. If I could just unravel the edge of the golden thread, I could pop the ward and look inside.
I was an inch away from the books. My fingertips tingled with the proximity to the raw power.
"Sienna."
The voice was a frozen blade sliding down my spine.
I gasped and spun around, dropping my magical sight in a panic. The world snapped back into vibrant color.
Silas stood in the doorway. He made no sound when he opened the door. His golden eyes were locked onto my raised hand. The predatory stillness was gone. He looked like a beast ready to strike.
I was caught standing behind his desk. I was caught reaching for his deepest secrets.
The air in the room vanished, replaced by a suffocating wave of lethal, monstrous anger.
Author's Note
Oh no! Sienna took a huge risk and the Beast caught her right in the act! How is she going to talk her way out of this one? Silas does not seem like the forgiving type, especially when it comes to his private sanctuary. Let me know your best theories on how she survives this cliffhanger in the comments! Please like and share if you are loving the suspense. See you in the next chapter!
