The contractions started. My vampire mate locked me in an ice coffin carved with runes —just to delay our child's birth until his childhood sweetheart Isolde pureblood heir received the ancient blessing. I begged. He called me poison. "I'll be back after she gets the honor." When the blessing finally crowned Isolde, he remembered me. He ordered his blood thrall to release me, but the thrall's voice trembled with terror. "My lord... Lady Gracie and the child... their life signs... they're gone."