Chapter 56: At Your Command

Skyler POV

I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt glued down, like someone had weighted them with lead. My body ached—arms and legs stiff, head throbbing painfully. At first I thought I must be recovering from a brutal hangover, but this sensation felt different. Distant yet piercing pain, like every joint in my body had seized.

A low groan escaped me as I forced one eye open. The room was unfamiliar: a plush, neutral-colored couch under me, soft velvety texture. Across from me stood an oversized bed draped in a blue duvet, piled with pillows in shifting shades of aqua, green, and teal. The walls were painted in muted greys, and curtains of heavy fabric hung over a window that revealed nothing but darkness outside. None of it matched the decor of my home, or any place I recognized. My heart pounded as I realized I was a stranger in this room.

And I was not alone. That vampire sat not five feet from me, leaning casually against the corner of the bed, arms fold