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PROLOGUE

Castle Helvita, Horde vahold

RUSSIAN WINTER, IN AGES LONG PAST

What fresh hu?" Ivana the Bold asked her son, Lothaire, as guards escorted the of the Vampire Horde

And Lothaire's father

Though only nine, Lothaire could tell his mother's tone held a trace of recklessness "And ake you?" she demanded of him, as if he could explain his father's rash ways

The summons had come at noon, well past his bedtime "I know not, Mother," heHe'd had only seconds to dress

"I groeary of this treatment One day he will push me too far and rue it"

Lothaire had overheard her co's "tirades and dalliances, his increasingly bizarre behavior" She'd softly confessed, "I threay ht but an ill-treated h I was heir to the throne in Dacia"

Fyodor had tried to co with hi Now I question whether he has a heart at all"

Today her ice-blue eyes were ablaze with a dangerous light "I was meant for better than this" With each of her steps, the furs that spilled over her shoulders swayed back and forth The skirts of her scarlet gown rustled, a pleasing sound he always associated with her "And you, my prince, were as well"

She called him "prince," but Lothaire wasn't one At least, not in this kingdo line of them

They followed the two guards up winding stairs to the king's private suites The walls were gilded with gold and moist with cold Outside a blizzard pounded the castle

Sconces lit the way, but nothing could alleviate the gloo corridors

Lothaire shivered, longing to be back in his wars

Once they reached the anterooan opening the groaning gold doors, Ivana smoothed her hands over her elaborate white-blond braids and lifted her chin Not for the first tiel of yore

Inside, lining the back wall, was a soaringof jet glass inlaid with sylass kept out the faint sunlight visible through the stor's chair

Not that the towering va more to make him fearsome His build wasplank, his fists like anvils

"Ah, Ivana Daciano deigns to obey a su table Every night his eyes seeainst the sand-colored hair that fell over his forehead

The dozen or so courtiers seated with hiuised s She found these courtiers beneath her and made no secret of it

Seated to the king's left was Lothaire's uncle Fyodor, who appeared embarrassed

Lothaire followed Ivana's gaze to the seat at Stefanovich's right hand-a place of honor usually reserved for her Dining plates littered with the remains of a meal were spread before it

Occasionally, young va it in addition to blood Perhaps another of Stefanovich's bastards had cost them?

Lothaire's heart leapt I could befriend hi's bastard, he'd had no friends; histo him

" 'Tis late," Ivana said "All should be abed at this hateful hour"

Fyodor see Ivana, but she paid hi, "What do you want, Stefanovich?"

After drinking deep from a tankard of mead-laced blood, Stefanovich wiped his sleeve over his lips "To seestared down at Lothaire "Come"

"Do not, Son," Ivana bit out in Dacian

Lothaire answered in the same, "I will, to spare you" As ever, he would do whatever he could to protect her, no matter hoeak he knew himself to be

In her expression, anxiety for him warred with pride "I should have known Lothaire Daciano would never cower behind his mother's skirts, even in the face of such a red-eyed tyrant"

When Lothaire crossed to stand before the king's seat, Stefanovich shook his head with disgust "You still cannot trace, then?"

Lothaire's face was i" No matter how hard he tried to teleport, he could never succeed Ivana had told hi was a talent that came late to the Daci-they had lidon that he took after her more than after a mere Horde vampire

Stefanovich seized Lothaire's thin ar "Too frail, I see"

Lothaire was desperate to grow bigger, to be as formidable as his warrior father, if for no reason other than to protect his mother Not that Princess Ivana needed another's protection

"By all the gods, you sha neck at birth"

Lothaire heard these criticisms routinely, was used to them

His mother, however, was not

With a shriek, Ivana snatched up a carafe of blood, hurling it at Stefanovich It shattered a pane of black glass just behind hiht

The courtiers hissed, scattering throughout the cha elbow before a day servant scurried to stuff the hole with a wadded cloth

"My son is perfect" Ivana bared her fangs, her blue irises gone black with emotion "Other than the fact that he bears your stamp upon his face Luckily, he inherited his keen , a mark of the Daci!"

Stefanovich too bared his razor-sharp fangs, his eyes blazing even redder "You tempt my wrath, woman!"

"As you tempt mine" Ivana never backed down before him Whenever Stefanovich struck her, she struck him back twice

Ivana had told Lothaire that the Daci were coldly logical, ruled by reason Apparently, Ivana the Bold was the exception

Fierce as the blizzard raging outside, she even goaded Stefanovich to get his attention, lashing hiht She had once ad the vampire female ould eventually be his-Stefanovich's Bride, the one ould make his heart beat for eternity

The lawful queen ould bear his true heirs

Ivana s with her temper "You mock your son at your own peril, Stefanovich"

"Son? I don't claim him as such That boy will never coulp from his tankard "Of that I am certain"

"I am as well Lothaire will be superior to any other male in all ways! He's a Dacian!"

Lothaire watched this exchange with deepening unease, recalling the warning his uncle Fyodor had once given Ivana: "Even Stefanovich can grow jealous of your knowledge and strength You must bend, ere his love for you turns to hate"

Lothaire knew his uncle's warning had come true

For Stefanovich looked murderous "You believe your kind so much better than mine-"

A feered into the room from Stefanovich's private chamber A mortal female