Grabbing her arm I turned her to me, she gave me a goofy grin as she slurred out, “It’s Lena. Did you come back to have fun with us, Lena? I bet he has a friend.” She turned back to the guy who currently had her ass gripped in his hand, and asked, “You have a friend, don’t you?”
“Sam, no, I don’t want one of his friends.” Frustrated, I spun her back to me.
“Lena, I’m going to fuck him right here,” she said then giggled, wiggling her hips back down on the guy’s lap.
“Sam, are you okay? This isn’t you, you don’t fuck guys out in the open or let your ass hang out for everyone to see.” Something wasn’t right and there was no way I was leaving without her. “Come on, we need to leave.”
“You’re such a party pooper, Lena,” Sam garbled, rocking to the side. Something was definitely off and I couldn’t let my friend do this to herself. I tried again to pull her off the man, but Sam wasn’t having any of it.
“Look dude, I don’t know who you are, but drugging my friend to get her to fuck you is beyond messed up.” Maybe getting this guy pissed off enough to push Sam away would be enough to convince her to come home with me. He just shrugged and pulled her back down to him. I stomped my foot in frustration.
Looking around the room for some sort of inspiration, my eyes landed on a pitcher of water. I briefly considered dumping it on the two of them, but if it didn’t work I would be dealing with a pissed off wet Sam, and that would be worse than a dry one. Continuing my search of the room, I made eye contact with someone standing in front of the bar. I couldn’t make out many of his features in the shadowed light, but he seemed to be watching us. He took a step forward and the lights from the side stage washed over him. Realizing it had been the same man who was on the side platform earlier, I blushed and looked away.
Ugh, this whole thing was so infuriating. I needed to get Sam out of here. Glancing around I tried to come up with some sort of plan.
“Princess?” A deep voice resonated behind me, causing me to turn. The man from the bar now stood in front of me, his long, dark blond hair hanging over his eyes as he studied me.
“I think you have the wrong girl. I’m no princess, just a girl trying to save her friend.”
“I guess that depends on who you’re asking, now doesn’t it?” He continued to study me. Rolling my eyes at him I turned back to Sam. I needed to get her up. Once she was off him she would be more willing to leave.
“It looks like you need some assistance there, princess,” the man said, coming up behind me.
“Ugh, stop calling me that.” I looked over his muscles, his hard abs, and strong arms. Maybe he could help since he wanted to be a nuisance. “I think my friend was drugged and I need to get her to leave. She won’t move though and that asshole,” I gestured to the man beneath Sam, “doesn’t seem to find a problem with what he’s done.”
“She seems happy enough to me, she looks like he’s pleasuring her a great deal,” he comments, raising his eyebrows at me in question, and I had to hold back a scream of frustration.
“That’s not the point. The point is that she is drugged! I know my best friend and she would never act like this if it weren’t because of something else.” I reached over and tugged on Sam’s arm again, keeping her from further undressing herself or the man beneath her.
“Perhaps she just let loose with a few drinks? That doesn’t mean she’s drugged, does it? Didn’t you have a drink or two tonight?”
“Yes, but no one would want to drug me, look at me and look at her. Of course they would want to take advantage of her. So no, I’m not drugged, but my friend is, and if you’re not going to help me I’ll do it myself. Then you can tell everyone why you let an innocent girl be drugged and raped in the place you work, while you stood by and allowed it.”
Holding onto the edge of the sofa, I leaned down and took my heels off, dropping them next to the table. I didn’t want to add tripping on my face to the list of tonight’s disasters. Wrapping my hands around Sam’s waist I started to pull her back off the guy.
“Oh come on, sweetheart. Don’t ruin a guy’s fun,” the man beneath her said around her shoulder.
“Some convoluted idea of fun, dickwad.” Moving her leg from under her so she was no longer straddling him, I started to turn her toward me. Hearing laughter behind me I turned to the blond stranger and asked, “Is something funny?”
“You’re a determined little thing aren’t you?” Chuckling again he shook his head and moved forward, kneeling to talk to the man under Sam. I stood straight and watched the interchange between the two. His eyes went wide as he looked between me and the long-haired guy, before standing and putting a now pouting Sam on the couch.
“My apologies,” he stammered out and lurched forward, looking like he was bowing before he walked away. Couldn’t even walk straight he was so drunk and he was going to take advantage of my friend. Disgusting.
“Thank you for whatever you said.” Hoisting Sam off the sofa, I pulled her close and started toward the stairs.
“It was no trouble at all.”
“Well I would like to say it’s been nice and all, but it hasn’t. Thanks again.” Turning, I led my friend to the front of the club where, oddly enough, her car was already waiting in valet. I didn’t even question it, security cameras or something probably saw us heading out.
Sliding her in the car and getting her seatbelt on was more work than I thought since she was now passed out, flopping around as deadweight every time I shifted her to get her in.
Finally inside, I pulled away of the club. Glad to see the last of Reflections in the rearview mirror.
Chapter Seven
Damien
I watched Selena walk away, stunned that she had stood up to Alex like that. He was known as one of the most vicious vampires in the region and never took that kind of treatment from anyone. Alex had just stood there though, wordless as she literally poked the bear, and then watched her walk away just as shocked as I was.
Alex and his little goons had left angrily, but I knew that wasn’t the last we would see of them. I didn’t have time to worry about them right now, there were more important things to take care of. Like figuring out for sure if Selena was the one we had been searching for. Everything that I had seen from that little spitfire was telling me she was. I had never seen a human with the type of fire she had. No human had ever been able to push me off the way she had in the alley either.
I went through the side door, Adrien following close behind. “Damien, you can’t just run back up to her and expect to drag her off like a Neanderthal.”
“We need to get her and take her to Valentina, she’s the only one who will know for sure if Selena is her daughter. That’s my only priority.” I continued my fast pace through the halls, reminding myself not to lose patience and end up going too fast. There were too many humans here to lose control. Turning from the hallway we reached the railing on the top balcony, I stopped when Adrien grabbed my arm, holding me in place. “We need to go get her,” I insisted, trying to move toward the stairs.
“Yeah, because that worked so great last time? Didn’t you feel her heart racing? She was terrified. Think about it, if we have any hope of this working, any hope at all, scaring her isn’t the way.”
Frowning, I glared at him. “I didn’t want to scare her, I just wanted to get her to Valentina. When I finally found her, there you were thinking with your fucking dick again.”
“I didn’t mean for that to happen, I have no clue what I was thinking. She’s just mesmerized me from day one. Fuck, you have seen that, I know you haven’t been left unaffected by her. You were right to stop it when you did. Consider it for a minute though. Do you really think she’ll be open to accepting us? Shit, all of this, if she’s terrified of us?” Adrien turned me around to see her stomping through the club toward the stage. “Not to mention she’s pretty pissed at the moment.”
“So what do we do?”
“Let’s just watch her and make
sure she gets home safe for now. We don’t need Alex trying something stupid in the meantime.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I leaned against the railing and watched her struggle to get her friend off Sean. She was a determined little thing, that was for sure. I had to admire that she hadn’t desert her friend and she was certainly loyal. Most women would have already given up and left, especially considering what she had just went through outside. Not this little spitfire though. Selena was fighting for what was hers.
From the shadows of the bar Aldrich lifted his glass, catching my attention. I focused on him and sent a thought. Go see if she needs help.
On it, he replied, moving out of the shadows looking as amused as I was with her attempts to remove her friend.
When we had all officially become the queen’s advisors fifteen years ago, we had to swear a blood oath to her. In doing so it bound us all to her and to each other, not only by oath but also by blood. It was unbreakable, and trying to do anything to disservice the queen or her advisers would mean instant death for the traitor.
As our blood mixed, the queen’s magic had combined with it, giving us the unique ability to telepathically speak with each other. It was definitely something that came in handy considering the amount of shady people we dealt with daily. Outside of our circle no one else knew about it and we preferred it that way. They just assumed we were that in tune with each other, and we let them think whatever they wanted.
I hadn’t hesitated in swearing my life to the queen or to these men. Before I had been little more than a slave, being forced to do terrible things as ordered, or be killed. In the end, I had decided that death was better that having humanity suffer at my hand. In turn, those who gave the orders chose torture for me instead of death. So I had been shackled and tortured to near death, only to be allowed to heal so they could start all over again. Adrien had found me and rescued me. Deciding he no longer wanted that life for himself either, so we escaped and moved to live with Valentina. They had saved me in more ways than one. The rest was history.
Shaking myself from my thoughts I watched Aldrich approach her, observed as she struggled to leave with her friend. The way she made her ascent up the stairs with her friend only convinced me more that she was the daughter we had been searching for. Her strength, not only physically but mentally, surprised me. She refused to back down from any situation and it was impressive.
Selena piled her friend into the car and started to leave. Finding Aldrich also watching from inside the club doors, I let him know we were going to follow her home to ensure she made it safely. Seeing him nod in acknowledgement we left behind her, keeping to the shadows so we wouldn’t be seen.
They reached their apartment complex without incident. Adrien and I waited as Selena and her friend made their way safely into the building. Well, if dropping her friend down the stairs once and having to start back up a second time could be considered safe that is.
We started our return to the club, able to move much faster this time. Speeding through the night we were two blocks away when I caught their scent. Alex had come back, this time with company. I glanced at Adrien as he too picked up on our unannounced visitors, and we knew it was going to be trouble.
Rushing toward the club we stop short, not expecting so many people to be with Alex. He stood near the alley from before, though this time thirty others surrounded him. He had come with a purpose and I didn’t like the way this was looking.
Aldrich, you need to get your ass out here, I thought to him, not liking where this was headed. “Alex, I didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”
“Ya know why I’m here, traitor.” He spat on the sidewalk next to his feet, looking back at me as Aldrich came to join us.
“Can’t say that I do. Pretty sure this is a little far out of your territory, isn’t it? So please, give me one good reason why we shouldn’t tear you apart.”
“The girl.” He stared at me, looking for a reaction. I wasn’t about to give him one. I had no clue what he knew, but I wasn’t giving him anything.
“There are a lot of girls that visit our establishment. Could you be more specific?” Aldrich asked from my side.
“These two know who I’m talkin about. Cristian wants to know why ya’s protectin’ a human and I’m going to find out.” He took a step forward. “So ya’s gonna tell me who she is?”
I looked between the two at my side, before I answered, “Looks like we still have no clue who you’re talking about Alex. You can head home and tell your master that you came up empty handed. Again. I’m sure he’ll be pleased with his pet.”
Anger flew across his face as his teeth descended. He lunged across the sidewalk, catching me by my midsection and slamming me against the wall. Bricks broke apart around me and crumbled to the ground. The noise of multiple fights erupting around me clued me in that our people were engaging in battle.
Alex picked me up by my throat and threw me across the street. Landing upright as I skidded along the pavement to a stop, my own teeth came out in defense, ready to battle. He must be forgetting I had fought with him for years and knew his style. This one might be big and beefy, but I was fast and quick on my feet.
Running at each other through the crowds of people battling around us, he made a mistake and swung high. I met him with a fist to his stomach and he doubled over. Catching him again with a fist to the head, he went all the way down. He reached out and pulled my feet out from under me, knocking me to the pavement before jumping to his own feet.
As I pulled myself up he trapped me from behind, a headlock holding me tight as steel in an attempt to break my neck. My hands flew to his arm to try to keep him from squeezing or twisting any tighter. I knew as far as muscle to muscle went, that I didn’t have him outmatched. I tore my fangs into his arm and ripped into his flesh. Blood filled my mouth as it gushed out of his arm, and he screamed and let go.
I spun and grabbed his shoulders. Yanking him down toward me, I kneed him hard in the stomach, using the momentum to send him flying back against a delivery truck waiting in the street.
Running straight at him I passed him and ran up the opposite wall, hoping to catch him off guard and gain the upper hand. I knew that he wasn’t too quick on his feet, so I was counting on that to end this quickly. Launching myself off the wall I landed behind him. I jerked him away from the truck and grabbed him by the neck. Before he realized what I was doing, I sank my fangs deep into his throat. His rotten flesh disgusted me to the core but I couldn’t let it matter right now, this was purely to protect my people. Ripping a gaping hole, I tore as much flesh from him as I could and spat it on the ground.
I threw him back onto the pavement and spat at him again, blood running down my chin. I wiped it away, and growled, “I won’t kill you this time, but consider this a message and take this back to Cristian. You don’t fucking mess with what’s ours.”
Silence had fallen around us as everyone watched, waiting to see how Alex would react, knowing his reaction now would determine his life or death, and I would not hesitate again.
“We will find out what’s happenin and we’ll be back,” he said gruffly, holding his neck to stop the blood flowing freely onto the pavement. It had already started healing, but would be slow and very painful. I hoped it caused him all the agony in the world.
“I would strongly advise against that,” I warned, as two of his men came forward and lifted him off the ground, leaving with him.
Adrien and Aldrich came to my side and watched them leave as everyone went back into the club. Blood covered the street and filled the air, thankfully we had no casualties today, but it didn’t seem like peace was in our future.
“Think they’ll return?” Adrien inquired, holding his own arm that had been cut open but was quickly healing.
“They would be wise not to,” Aldrich replied.
“Yeah. Let’s go see Valentina and catch her up,” I suggested.
Chapter Eight
Valentina
Sitting in my bed I listened to the commotion downstairs, knowing that I couldn’t do anything to help. I should be out there fighting alongside my people, protecting them. Yet here I was laying in my bed, frail and weak.
I knew my clan was strong, but with my magic weakening by the day, I had no clue how it would affect the blood of my people. There was no way of knowing how my state might trickle down to them. In no way was I questioning their capability, I knew they would handle matters. I just wasn’t sure how it had escalated into a fight, and the unknown made me wary of the outcome.
Wincing as a loud thud reverberated through the street below, I could only hope that meant things were turning in our favor. Suddenly it was quiet and I strained to hear anything from outside. Even with my superior hearing I couldn’t make out what was happening. The windows had been shut that morning and I was too afraid to interrupt anyone during the fight.
The silence was deafening, I needed to know something, anything. Pulling back my thick blankets I slowly swung my legs out of the bed. Now gaunt and thin, they shook as they touched the wooden floor, barely able to take my weight. I leaned against the nightstand for support, forcing myself to stand the rest of the way. My muscles labored hard as I continued to make my way toward the wall, knowing I would never make it unassisted.
Finally, reaching the window I drew the heavy curtain to the side, peering out into the street below. The scene that greeted me was much worse than I could have imagined. Blood covered the road, and men and women from both clans stood over each other, bleeding freely after having brutally battled each other.
Damien held a thick man by the throat, tearing into him with his fangs, and spitting his flesh on the ground next to him as blood poured from the man’s neck. Throwing him back toward the pavement Damien gave him a look of disgust, seeing him cowering away from him. Knowing that my advisors would have it under control I shuffled to a chair next to the window, unable to stand any longer.
Tattoos and Cupcakes (Amulet of Queens Book 1) Page 6