A man was chained spread-eagled to the stone wall. No, not a man. Nothing human had fangs like that or eyes completely black with no white showing. Whatever he was, he was tall and muscular with long matted hair and wore nothing but what looked like a black silk scarf around his hips. A light sheen of sweat threw every straining muscle into relief, highlighting the scars criss-crossing his chest and stomach. Not bullet wounds. These had been slashing wounds. She shuddered.

He lifted his lips away from his fangs in a silent snarl. No need for him to make scary noises. He was already the star of her next fright fantasy.

“He’s a big man.” Sparkle slid her gaze the length of his body, lingering where the black scarf slowly slipped lower, inch by torturous inch. “And oh so dangerous. Dangerous men are sexy.” She glanced at Cinn. “Don’t you find that’s true?”

Cinn’s heart began beating again with a solid thunk. She turned to face Sparkle. “Okay, you got me. I bought into the reality for a moment. But if I were going to fantasize about a vampire, I’d make damn sure he looked better than that.” She refused to turn to look at “that” again.

Something in Sparkle’s smile made Cinn swallow hard.

“You’re right. Most vampires are gorgeous, but I guess there’s always the exception to the rule. Although who knows what he really looks like under all that hair, dirt, and scars? Mede brought him here directly from his grave.” She moved closer to the “vampire.” “He’s a little crazy right now. I hope he comes out of it soon.” Sparkle sighed. “I hope he comes out of it at all. He has a brother, Taurin, who’s searched for him a long time. In fact, Taurin and his wife have just finished running down another false lead.”

Behind her, the fake vampire hissed, and Cinn controlled the urge to bolt. Things were getting a little too bizarre for her.

“Mede got a tip on Dacian’s location three days ago and went to check it out. He showed up at the castle with Dacian a few hours ago. We’re not quite sure where Taurin is right now, so we can’t give him the news. Considering Dacian’s condition, maybe it’s better this way. Taurin and his wife will be back at the castle in a few days.”

“Uh…” No words came. Sparkle wasn’t joking. She was freaking serious.

“Then Mede and I will have to make a decision.” Sparkle’s expression said it wasn’t a decision she looked forward to. “If we can get Dacian coherent and cleaned up, we’ll reunite him with his brother.”