The lights in the hotel room had been turned off, casting the entire suite in a dim, intimate atmosphere. From the open doorway, the large, luxurious bathroom was visible—its elegant bathtub filled with warm water. A few candles flickered softly in carefully placed spots, casting dancing shadows on the marble tiles.

A tall, broad-shouldered man was soaking in the tub, his muscular arms resting loosely along its edge. Droplets of water trickled from his damp hair, glistening in the candlelight. A glass of wine sat on the edge of the tub within easy reach. He brought the glass to his lips and took two, maybe three long sips.

Then it hit him. A strange heat began crawling through his body—sharp and unnatural. It wasn't the warm flush of alcohol. It was something else. Something wrong.

Before he could react, something moved at the edge of his vision. A silhouette of a woman appeared, stepping silently into the bathroom as though she had emerged from the shadows themselves. Her face was partially concealed behind a half-mask adorned with delicate details, feathers curling gracefully along one side.

He didn’t recognize her. And that made it worse.