Adrian (The Dark Shadows Book 4) (9 page)

“
N
eophytes
, line up for inspection,” a large rogue snarled, his deep scar along the right side of his face deepening as he frowned. Angel quickly lined up with the other newly turned vampires. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked around the room.

She, along with nine other newly turned vampires, had been kept in an old abandoned warehouse for the past couple weeks. It had started out as fifteen, but five neophytes had gone completely full blown rogue, much to the pleasure of the rogue vampires.

Angel shivered at the memory of watching them starve the new vampires of blood. Since being turned a month ago, she’d had cravings for blood, much to her chagrin. Her and the other neophytes were all once human, and all tricked into helping a stranger who in turn, attacked them and left them for dead.

Angel had yet to find out who it was that turned her. Her only memory was that of a rogue named Jaxon had found her and brought her back to this makeshift compound. She had barely seen him since. Occasionally, she would catch him watching her and the others as they were trained to feed, use their vampiric powers, and get their bodies used to the sunlight again.

The rogues were trying to make all the new recruits go completely rogue. Completely rogue meant that the vampire would have no true concept of anything but the bloodlust that made them a true killing machine.

She had heard that they were going to split the groups of five over time, and try to make them lose their sanity. The first five went three days ago, and Angel could still hear their screams echo in her head today.

She closed her eyes as the rogue vampire walked down the line, inspecting them one by one. She was the smallest of the group, and they had taken to calling her the runt of the litter. She wasn’t catching on as the others were. She was not the best fighter, and she still had a hard time trying to feed from a fresh source. The only thing she had going for her was her speed. She could outrun all the new vampires.

“So, runt, you’re still here,” the vampire rogue said, breathing down into her face. She was afraid to look him in the eye, so she stared straight ahead at his chest. She didn’t want to give him any reason to think that she was challenging him. The last neophytes who made that mistake were still limping a day later.

“Yes, sir,” she said softly.

“You five, follow me,” he said.

She looked up to find him pointing to her and four others. She gulped as she slowly followed him out of the warehouse, and toward the building located behind the main one that they stayed in. She knew where they were going. This building was where they attempted to make the neophytes turn rogue. Her hands trembled as she stepped inside the smaller building.

* * *

A
sharp tug
at the base of her neck caused her to cringe from the slight pressure of being pulled out of her dream. Her eyes were too heavy to open. The pain increased slightly, causing her to fidget. She didn’t know what was going on. She tried to open her eyes again, but it was as if someone had glued her eyelids shut.

She could hear the slight murmuring of a deep voices, but couldn’t make out any of the words. She felt herself being tugged in another direction, and the murmuring slowly disappeared as she fell back inside of the black abyss.

* * *

S
he opened
her eyes and found herself strapped down on top of a cold metal table. A large skylight was built into the roof of the building. Panic began to set in, making it harder for her to catch her breath. She could still hear the screams of the other neophytes that had been in the room as they went full rogue. So far, she seemed to be the only one that survived the rogues’ cruel forms of torture, and remained unchanged.

“The runt is a strong one,” the scarred rogue noted, speaking to someone she couldn’t see.

“Her mind is strong. No matter what you do, she won’t go full rogue,” an unfamiliar voice said.

“I can break her. I know I can,” the rogue voice hardened with determination. “Give me more time.”

“No, leave her be. We’ll soon need that rogue army that you promised us,” the other voice said. “I have a plan. Give me five minutes alone with her. She is the type of vampire that we have been searching for. She will be the future of rogue vampires, and our army will be unstoppable.”

Angel was pulled out of the memory. Her body felt weightless, as if she were floating through time. She felt a soft brush across her brain again. She twitched as the light touch morphed into a deep burning sensation.

A tugging sensation began at the base of her skull, causing a sharp pain. A moan resonated from within her as the sensation intensified. She struggled to move away from the pain, but her body was frozen in place. A scream built up in her, and the pain was instantly snatched away.

“Angel, open your eyes,” a voice called out to her.

* * *

H
e couldn’t do
it anymore. He couldn’t watch her struggle with Aven’s extraction techniques. The tea that she drank seemed to be wearing off. Aven explained that he needed to delve deep into her psyche first, to try to find her memories, so he could pinpoint when the insertion of necromancer magic occurred.

Her eyes continued to flutter as her head thrashed on the pillow, while Aven continued to mutter words in his native language. The speed in which Aven spoke increased as he laid his hand upon her head. Her face flushed as a groan tore from her throat. Sweat lined her shirt, while her tiny hands clenched into small fists.

“You’re hurting her,” Adrian growled, unable to withstand watching his mate writhe in pain.

Aven held up a finger, as if asking for one more moment. The light dimmed in the room as Aven’s voice deepened, as he continued to chant in his language. Adrian stood at the foot of the bed, ready to knock Aven away from Angel, but he didn’t know what kind of connection was linking the Fae to his tiny mate. Her chest moved at an unbelievable rate as she tried to catch her breath. If she were awake, he would be afraid that she would hyperventilate and pass out.

“Aven,” he called the Fae’s name sharply, snapping him out of his trance. Aven turned his attention to Angel before slowly removing his hand from her head.

“Angel, open your eyes,” Aven commanded.

Her eyes fluttered, before finally opening. “Adrian?” she called out franticly, her eyes searching the room for him.

“I’m right here,” he answered, brushing past Aven to sit on the cot next to her.

Her honey brown eyes were wide with fear as they clashed with his. He grabbed her hand to help, wanting to comfort her, to lend her what strength he could pass onto her.

“Is it gone?” she asked, her eyes searching for Aven.

Aven turned back to them with a grim look on his face. “I’m afraid not. I was able to dive deep into your memories, but I wasn’t able to go as far back as I wanted to. How long ago were you attacked?”

“Ten years ago,” she whispered, her grip on Adrian’s hand tight.

“Ten years ago. Hmm… Do you remember when they took you to a small building?”

“The building where they forced the new vampires to go rogue?” she whispered, nodding her head. “That was right before I escaped.”

“That’s when the necromancer implanted the spell into the depths of your psyche.” He turned his sad eyes to Adrian. “Your mind was too strong for them to force you to go completely rogue, so instead, they decided to force their magic into you.”

“Can you remove it?” Put me under again. Take it out! Don’t worry about the pain. Please!” she shouted, just as Adrian dragged her to him and wrapped her in his arms. Her body was wracked with sobs as she buried her face into Adrian’s chest. “Get it out.”

“Can you?” he asked the Fae quietly, who looked away for a moment.

“No, I can’t,” Aven admitted, shaking his head.

Adrian’s heart plummeted.
Shit.
What else could they do? He refused to lose his mate; he’d just found her. He knew that if she were taken from this world, that he would willingly follow her.

“Do you know someone powerful enough who can?” Adrian asked, desperate for an answer.

They were running out of time. The Shadows knew that the necromancers were building their rogue army, and there was no telling when they would attack, much less activate any or all of their sleeper cell rogues.

“I can try to contact her,” Aven replied with a nod. “But, we will need time. She is a very powerful elemental, and I’ll need time to find her.”

“Please,” Adrian begged, gripping Angel tighter to his chest as her small body continued to shake. “Whatever you need to do, please, do it.”

Aven nodded his head, with sadness clouding his eyes. “I had a mate once.” He paused and turned away, but not before Adrian witnessed the tortured look in his eyes. “I will do everything in my power to help your mate, Adrian. I will do this for you.”

T
here is
no hope for me
, Angel thought to herself, as she stared out of the oversized, floor to ceiling windows of their bedroom. The midnight sky was starless, the only twinkle of lights she could see were from the city below.

She felt so helpless, knowing that at any moment, a necromancer could snap his fingers and she would be under his complete control. She couldn’t—no,
wouldn’t
hurt Adrian. She would rather die than harm her mate.

The cool window supported her forehead as she leaned against it, lost in her thoughts.

She could run.

Leave and put as much distance as she could between her and the Olaru family. She would just be a distraction to Adrian as he fought alongside the other Dark Shadows in the war against the necromancers.

A lone tear made its way down her cheek at the thought of leaving Adrian. She knew she had no other choice in order to keep him safe. The sound of the door opening and closing behind her reached her ears. She could sense that it was Adrian. Her body had become so in tune with his, that she could sense it was Adrian without turning to look.

His warm arms surrounded her and pulled her back into his muscular frame. The smell of him engulfed her as he nuzzled her neck, his lips leaving a trail of kisses. Angel could feel his hardness press against her bottom as he pulled her back, closer to him.

Angel closed her eyes, getting lost in the moment, just as his hands unbuttoned her jeans. She could already feel herself growing slick with need as Adrian’s finger slid between her folds. She gasped when he swiped his finger across her swollen nub. Angel knew that she would never be able to deny him anything, so she spread her legs wider, trying to give Adrian better access, but found herself restricted by her jeans.

“Clothes off,” he murmured in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Without another word, he helped her out of her clothes.

Angel braced one hand against the window, knowing that they were too high up for anyone to see them, but loving the thought that there was a possibility of spectators. Adrian pulled her naked body flushed against his muscular form, as his fingers again dove in between her slick folds.

Adrian’s fingers spread her labia open, as another one swiped her slick opening. Cool air hit her clit, making it tingle and swell in anticipation. His free hand enclosed her swollen breast, massaging it as his finger dipped inside of her. The moonlight provided enough light to allow Angel to see everywhere his hands touched.

She threw her head back against his strong chest, riding her mate’s skilled fingers, and the wave of emotions that he was wringing out of her. Angel squeezed her eyes tight as her hips began moving on their own, thrusting against Adrian’s fingers as he continued to stroke her swollen flesh. Angel reached up behind her, needing to hold onto something, and her fingers locked onto his hair.

Adrian’s mouth found its way back to her neck, but this time, she felt the sting of his fangs piercing her neck. His grip tightened on her breast as he drank from her. Angel thrust harder, feeling herself about to reach her peak. She cried out as his finger disappeared from her clit, abruptly stopping her orgasm.

“Oh God! Don’t stop!” Angel cried out, needing Adrian to finish what he had started.

He pulled away from her neck, licking the puncture holes closed. His fingers plunged into her slippery core, and her pussy contracted against his fingers.

“You are mine.” Adrian’s voice was gruff, firm, and possessive, while he continued to work her swollen clit. “This pussy is mine.” He thrust his fingers deeper inside of her. Angel loved when the alpha in him burst to the forefront. She whimpered as his breath caressed her ear. “I’m never letting you go—ever.”

Every inch of her pussy pulsed, needing relief as he slowly withdrew his fingers, soaked with her juices. Adrian trailed his fingers along her folds again, parting her to reach the swollen flesh that begged for his touch. Angel’s legs trembled, barely holding her up.

Her fingers tightened in his hair. Her breaths were coming faster. Adrian again led her to the edge of euphoria. She was so close. If he didn’t let her come this time, she swore she would do bodily harm to him. She tilted her pelvis forward, seeking his fingers, as he continued his sweet torture.

“Come now, my Angel,” he ordered, pinching her sensitive flesh as the waves of her orgasm slammed into her.

She screamed his name, as the sensations bombarded her. Her knees buckled from the onslaught of emotions. Adrian’s quick hands caught her before she hit the floor. He swung her trembling body up into his arms and carried her over to their bed.

* * *

I
have to leave him
, Angel thought to herself. She shifted in the bed, and even in his sleep, Adrian drew her close to him. She stared at him, taking in the stubble on his chin, and his long eyelashes that most women would pay big money for. Tears clouded her vision as she thought of their all night lovemaking. Every touch from him reinforced what she already knew. He loved her, and because of that, she would have to leave him.

She would rather take a stake to her own heart than to be the reason his stopped beating. She didn’t know where she would go with the rogues after her. If Jaxon had found her, she was sure one of the higher ranked rogues would soon find her as well. She shivered, thinking back to her time when she was first turned.

She would have to run—fast and far away—from the love of her life.