Chapter 1
I was out hiking one weekend when I came across a weakened man.
He lay against the roots, pale as alabaster, and offered me a devil's bargain: his fangs for my veins, and in return, enough gold to drown in, a life stripped of all ordinary hunger.
At the time, I was still a teenage girl obsessed with vampire novels.
The man was devastatingly handsome, pale as moonlight, exactly like the creatures in my stories. On impulse, I agreed.
I gave him my throat before my mind could form a single protest.
He pulled me into arms that held no warmth, no pulse. His fangs pierced my throat; the dark, saccharine rush of blood loss sent me floating, weightless, toward some holy oblivion.
Just as I began to drown in it, he withdrew.
Three days later, he showed up at my door in a tailored suit, carrying a case of gold bars, every inch the gentleman. His eyes glinted with a predator's patience. "Tina, I tasted your soul in your blood. Marry me, so the world knows you belong to the dark."
I said yes, breathless with joy.
A year into our marriage, my sister Catherine Reed married the owner of a small bakery.
Her life was quiet, simple, and happy.
But no one saw it coming. On Christmas Day, Catherine slipped something into our wine. "Tina, I can't live with this anymore. I'm younger and prettier than you. Why did you get to marry a man like that while I'm stuck being a baker's wife?
"There's poison in both our glasses. I'm done with this dull, miserable life. You're coming with me."
I died in agony, yet my face held a smile of relief. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that hiking trail.
*****
When I opened my eyes again, spring warmth filled the window.
Out on the lawn, my dad was playing fetch with our golden retriever. My mom simmered stew in the kitchen, and the rich, savory scent settled my fractured nerves.
On the nearby calendar, "Hiking Day" was circled in red marker. I stared at it a while, then shuddered.
My mom emerged from the kitchen in a floral apron, puzzled. "Tina, aren't you going hiking today? It's getting late. The mountains turn dangerous after dark."
I looked at her, my throat tightening, and threw myself into her arms. "I'm not going, Mom! I want to stay home and bake almond shortbread with you."
My mom patted my back with a helpless laugh. "Alright. Go grab me a bag of flour from the pantry."
I murmured, voice thick with emotion.
As I carried the flour back into the living room, I came face-to-face with Catherine. She wore a hiking pack and was heading out the door.
She was dressed with obvious care. A white lace dress clung to every curve, golden curls spilled over her slender shoulders, and peach lipstick made her pretty face achingly lovely.
I frowned. "Catherine, you're going hiking in a dress?"
She gave me a wary look. "Do I need your permission to do what I want?"
The naked hostility in her eyes cut deeper than any blade.
I opened my mouth, then closed it. In the end, I watched her leave in silence.
On this exact day, in my previous life, I went hiking on a whim and encountered a weakened man in the mountains.
He lay in the low brush like a fallen prince, pale gold hair gleaming, green eyes like gemstones.
When he saw me, a bitter smile crossed his lips. "I thought today would be my last. Fortune placed you in my path, dear girl.
"Listen to me. Allow me to feed, and in three days I shall bring you a case of gold bars. Save me, and I swear you will want for nothing all your life."
At the time, I was still a girl consumed by vampire novels.
This man possessed a face of devastating beauty, translucent skin, and archaic robes stained with dead leaves that belonged to no modern era. Dear God. He looked exactly like the vampires in my stories.
Before reason could intervene, I agreed.