by Jenika Snow
Although he was in his astral form, Adrik could smell Callum’s scent all over her. The possessive animal inside of him roared out, but he reminded himself that he had brought this upon himself. He watched her until she disappeared into the compound but couldn’t make himself leave. He stood there for several long, agonizing moments, wishing he hadn’t been such a worthless male. If he had been a better mate to her, none of this would have happened.
Before he slipped back into his body, he sensed two males approaching. He had made sure that his body wouldn’t be found, but there was still the chance that if the wind picked up, he would be sensed. He moved his astral form closer to the males speaking when he realized one of them was Kaleb. Kayla’s twin ate up the ground as he paced the length of the wall. Callum stood a few feet away with a flask in hand.
“I just think she needs to get out and find a male of worth.”
That comment was like a knife in Adrik’s chest, but it was all true.
“Ye don’t think ye’re being too hard on the vampire?” Callum ended his sentence with a swig from the flask.
“Would you be saying that if it was your sister that almost died?” Kaleb’s voice was a deadly growl. It would have had a lesser man shrinking back, and although he was completely right, Adrik gave Callum credit for not backing down.
“No, I would be just as pissed as ye are, but unless he kept her locked up, how is he supposed to protect her at all times?”
Kaleb ran a hand through his hair and grunted. “We will talk again once you have found your mate.”
Everything became suddenly still and silent at Kaleb’s words.
“Have ye found yer mate?”
Before Kaleb could answer, the sound of breaking twigs in the distance had both of them on high alert. Normally, Adrik wouldn’t give a shit about the happenings on Lyken territory, but Kayla was currently living there, and therefore, it was now his problem.
Kayla threw her backpack on her bed. Before she could even get her shoes off, the sound of men yelling broke the silence. She raced to the window and pushed the curtain aside. The scene below had her mouth going slack and her heart racing. Big, burly male Lykens formed a line in front of the compound. Even though the sun had already sunk below the mountains, Kayla could still see that they were dressed in military attire. Some even had guns and knives strapped to their thighs and waists. Whatever was going on had sent them all on high alert.
“Kayla.”
Through the thick wood of her bedroom door, she could hear her name being called. Just as she turned around, the door burst open, and the little Lyken female named Joslyn rushed in. Over Joslyn’s shoulder, Kayla could see children and women being rushed down the hall by men.
“What’s going on?”
“The property has been breached. They are sending all the women and children underground.”
“Breached by whom?” Fear spiked within Kayla. This was definitely serious if the whole Lyken community was acting this way.
“I don’t know, but we need to leave, now.” Perspiration dotted Joslyn’s forehead. Her breathing was frantic, and she kept glancing over her shoulder.
Kayla knew the smart thing to do, but she also knew her brother was out there. As if Joslyn knew what she was thinking, she answered her unspoken question.
“Believe me, Kaleb can handle himself out there. He’s one of the best.”
A tense moment passed, and then Kayla jumped into action. She knew how strong and intelligent her brother was, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something terribly wrong was about to happen to everyone and everything around them.
As she raced out of the room and followed Joslyn, Kayla instantly thought of Adrik. If she made it out of here safely, she planned on going to him. Things needed to be worked out, and she wasn’t about to waste another moment feeling depressed for what she didn’t have. She would make him see that they were so right for each other.
They ran down a long stone stairwell that led to a bunker underground. The air became more chilled the farther they descended, even with all the bodies being ushered below. Children clung to their mothers and cried as they asked what was happening. What was going on seemed so surreal, but it also brought back the same intense fear she felt all those weeks ago.
The bunker they were brought into appeared standard military issue. It reminded her of a bomb shelter, although a hundred times bigger. Cots were lined up against each wall for as far as the eye could see, and there were two monstrous steel doors with SUPPLY CLOSET printed on them. Kayla felt like she was in a horrible nightmare.
Two Lyken men were stationed at the entrance, and if the guns they held didn’t scare the shit out of everyone, the cold and dangerous menace their expressions held would do the trick. It didn’t matter how much steel and concrete surrounded them, Kayla could still sense the destruction and death right above their heads.
Chapter 36
Adrik slipped back into his body just as the sound of shouting pierced the night sky. All around him Lykens shouted for backup. The sound of guns going off and bullets piercing flesh rent the air. How had they breached the Lykens’ protective perimeter?
Adrik inhaled deeply and instantly sensed black magic in play. Without another thought, he shot out of where he was and ran toward the wall. The scent of corrupted humans lanced through his senses, and he growled. It was the same dark scent that Emmitt had. These people worked for the man who had almost succeeded in killing his Chosen.
The fact that humans had penetrated the impermeable fortress the Lykens had constructed would have been humorous on any other day, but not when Kayla was mere feet from the danger. He had fucked up once, but he wouldn’t do it again. All differences aside, Adrik would help the man who had wanted him out of his sister’s life so badly.
The stone wall that was meant to protect their people would have been tricky for anyone else, but Adrik found it laughable. He dug his claws into the stone and started to climb. When he reached the top, the scene before him left him speechless. Lykens and humans fought until the bloody death. Any Otherworld creature would have had no problem defeating the lesser species, but these humans were playing with black magic.
The smell of blood cloaked the natural aroma of the pines and evergreens. Off to his left, Adrik spotted Kaleb fighting hand to hand with a human in black. Arcs of blue electricity flew from the human’s hands, toward Kaleb. The Lyken was quick on his feet and able to dodge the human’s attempts. Whereas the shots of electricity may not have killed Kaleb, they would have rendered him unconscious and vulnerable to a bullet to the head or blade to the throat.
Adrik swung over the wall and raced toward Kaleb. The human’s back was toward Adrik, which let him have the element of surprise. He felt his claws lengthen further and grinned in anticipation. This was the fight he had been aching for. All his pent-up anger, aggression, and disappointment over his actions and losing Kayla hadn’t been properly released. He would make sure to enjoy this kill. This human was, after all, threatening not only Kaleb, but Kayla as well.
In one swift move, he brought his nail through the side of the human’s neck. A grand arc of crimson blood immediately sprayed out. In a matter of seconds, his foe fell to the ground in a lifeless heap. Kaleb stood a few feet from him, and at the first glance at Adrik, his demeanor turned from ready stance to pissed off.
“What in the fuck are you doing here?” He was already turned into his Lyken form, and if that wasn’t frightening to the humans, the icy chill of his eyes was sure to scare the shit out of them.
Adrik didn’t need to reveal that he had been spying on Kayla. “Listen, I’m here to help.”
“Why in the hell would you help me?”
“You know why I’m here, wolf.” They stared at each other for several long moments, and finally the tension broke. “Instead of talking about this, why don’t we take care of this little problem?”
Just as Kaleb opened his mouth in retort, several humans in the same long, dark clo
aks emerged all around them.
“Come on, wolf. The only way to beat them is to work together.”
Kaleb battled two on the left, while Adrik grinned in excitement at the two on the right.
“Come on, boys. Let’s see how good you really are.”
Adrik was already turned, the animal inside of him eager to shed more blood and protect what was his. His fangs drew blood from his lower lip, and the taste excited him further. One of the humans charged forward, sword raised high and battle cry ringing from his lips. He was easy to take down, and although he had a gun cocked and ready, the human didn’t get the chance to fire it before his throat was cut open.
When he faced the next human, Adrik could see he wasn’t as foolish as his comrade. Whereas his buddy let his anger and hate cloud his judgment and cause his movements to be predictable, this one was clever and waited with patience. The hood of the cloak shrouded his face, but not so much that Adrik couldn’t see his grin of excitement.
Adrik could hear Kaleb and the other humans grappling behind him, but he knew the Lyken could handle himself.
“I’m going to enjoy taking your head clean off your neck.” The human reached behind himself and unsheathed an impressive-looking sword.
Adrik liked the fact he was going old-school with the blade, but he had centuries of battle experience on this human.
The human charged him and brought the sword toward his neck. Adrik ducked and swiped his claw across the human’s thigh. The scent of blood filled his senses immediately. He gave the human credit, he didn’t flinch or cry out in pain, but he soon would.
They fought for supremacy. Blood was spilled, and bones were broken, but in the end, the human lay on the ground just like the others.
“Damn, these bastards were tough.”
Adrik wouldn’t admit it out loud, especially to Kaleb, but the humans were certainly being trained more ruthlessly.
Before Adrik could respond, a dark, ominous cloud started to form around their ankles.
“Oh shit.”
Adrik thought the same thing. The black smoke started to wind its way up both of their thighs. Several cloaked humans stepped out from behind trees as if they had been mirages and reappeared. Both of them tried moving, but the smoke was like quicksand, making them sink faster the harder they struggled. Adrik could hear shouts sounding all around them, but there wasn’t a Lyken to be found.
“I can tell by your stench that you must be the infamous vampire Emmitt spoke of.” The man who spoke lifted his hands and removed the hood of his cloak. “Well, let me introduce myself. I’m Evant, the one that will end both of your miserable lives right after I’ve sucked every ounce of power from you.” He grinned broadly. “I’m curious as to why a Blood Breed would be helping a Lyken.” He started chuckling as if what he had just said was humorous. “I’ve done my homework, boys. I know that Kaleb over here finds your relationship with his sister a little trifling.”
Adrik made sure to keep his expression neutral. It would do no good to show the curiosity as to how a mere mortal would know something like that.
“I also know that your female is just down the mountain, locked away in a bunker that I want to assure you will be penetrated.”
Adrik growled loudly, but all that accomplished was a hearty laugh from the hunters before him.
“You really think you’re any kind of threat to me in the state you’re in?” The human lifted his hand, and a light came from his outstretched palm. The black smoke started to wind itself higher up their legs until it finally spiraled around his and Kaleb’s waists. “We aren’t the same as we were when you guys came across us last. We are more lethal than ever before.”
One of the hooded males came up to the assumed leader and murmured something. Adrik glanced at Kaleb, hoping the Lyken knew a way to get out of this, because he sure as hell didn’t. Back when the hunters were more widely known within the Otherworld, their style was more cutting off heads and burning at the stake. Their new use of black magic was something that would need to be looked into, that is, if either of them got out of this alive.
Chapter 37
Kayla couldn’t stand it any longer. She didn’t know how long they had been locked in this bunker, but the fear, crying, and claustrophobia she had to deal with were driving her to the point of madness. Children continued to cling to their mothers, while the younger males spoke loudly in the corners about going out there and kicking ass. She worried about Kaleb. He was able to take care of himself, but she didn’t know the extent of what was happening out there. Anytime she tried to ask one of the “guards” what was wrong, they blew her off.
“Were you able to find anything out?” Joslyn came up to her. The two of them had stuck together since being ushered underground. They had split up and tried to gain some kind of intel into what was happening aboveground.
“No, you?”
Joslyn shook her head and sat down on one of the empty cots. “I’m not surprised we couldn’t find anything out, though. Lyken males are about as forthcoming with information as a pile of rocks.”
Kayla sat beside her and breathed out wearily. “How long do they plan on keeping us down here?” Not that she didn’t want to stay safe, but without any kind of information to go off of, she wanted to rip her hair out.
“They will keep us down here until the threat above is removed.” Joslyn placed her head in her hands. She didn’t say anything for several minutes, and Kayla wondered if she was crying. “This isn’t the first time this has happened.”
“It isn’t?”
Joslyn lifted her head and shook it. “No. I remember when I was about five years old or so, they took us to the bunker. We were down here for days.”
The air left Kayla. No way in hell she could stay cooped up down here for days. “What happened?”
Joslyn turned to look at her, and Kayla saw tears in the little female’s eyes. “I don’t know. They never did tell us, but this time it’s different.”
“How?”
“I’ve never seen the males this…” Joslyn looked around and Kayla followed her. “Scared. Whatever is up there is far more dangerous than anything they have ever encountered.”
Kayla didn’t respond because she had no idea what in the hell to even say. They sat in silence as they continued to listen to the children cry and their mothers trying to console them. Kayla closed her eyes and tried to picture herself elsewhere. It didn’t help.
The sound of stone cracking around them had her snapping her eyes open and sitting up straight. Screams sounded all around her as dust rained from the ceiling.
“They’ve breached the bunker! They’ve breached the bunker!” Men rushed around, gathering the women and children as they barked orders into the handsets attached to their shoulders.
Breached the bunker? “I thought this place was impenetrable?” Kayla had to practically yell to speak over the chaos of noise and the sound of bombs going off above them.
Joslyn had her hands over her eyes and was shaking her head frantically. Another loud noise rang out, and stone started to crumble around them. Kayla closed her eyes and coughed when she inhaled the dust that was starting to fill the room. She opened her eyes and turned to look at Joslyn. Falling debris must have injured her because blood started to make a trail from her scalp down her forehead.
“Oh God, you’re injured. Come on, we can’t stay here.” Kayla grabbed her hand, and they both stood. She didn’t know where they would go, but they certainly couldn’t stay here, not with the place caving in around them. Her ears rang from what she assumed were the bombs above them going off. She pushed her way through the throng of people until she came up to two burly men standing in front of the only exit. Both of them were shouting into their handsets in between coughing.
“We have to get out of here!” Kayla shouted at them.
Their response was a shake of their heads. “We have strict orders to stay put. We haven’t gotten confirmation that it is safe to leave the premises.
”
Before Kayla could open her mouth and spout off a few obscenities, the room shook violently. With their hands still twined together, Joslyn and Kayla fell forward. If the commotion all around them wasn’t bad enough, the fact that children’s screams rent the air was Kayla’s breaking point.
“Listen, assholes, this place is about to collapse. If you don’t let everyone leave, you’ll be responsible for each of their deaths.”
Both males gave each other a look after she was finished. One of them tried reaching Aedan once more, but all they got was static.
“You’re wasting time!” Kayla shouted, and the floor vibrated beneath them. After a long moment, they reluctantly opened the massive doors.
The dust that had filled the room was instantly sucked out through the now open doorway. Before Kayla could move out of the way to usher the children and their mothers out, every person in the bunker seemed to rush forward at the same time. Joslyn and she were pushed to the side. It was like a stampede of buffalo, and the only thing they could do was stay out of the way and pray they didn’t get trampled.
When the last person was out the door, Kayla realized it was just the two of them left. The two guards, cowards that they were, had abandoned them in the wake. Kayla looked over at Joslyn. The young female was still bleeding from the cut on her forehead and looked much paler than she had a few moments ago.
“Come on, we need to get out of here.” Kayla had to all but drag Joslyn with her. It seemed the little blonde was far more injured than Kayla had initially thought. She took the stairs two at a time, and when she pushed the door that lead into the upper floor open, she stopped in her tracks.
Kaleb and Adrik stood ten feet from her. Several men draped in dark cloaks stood around them, and Kayla instantly knew they were part of Emmitt’s clan. The danger and evil that came from them wrapped around her neck like a noose.