by Riley Storm
A few more rips, and Aaric had created a man-sized hole. Olivia tensed, but nothing came flying out at them. No alarms sounded, nothing dangerous went off. In fact, nothing at all happened except the dust stirred up by Aaric’s actions settled to the floor.
“I’m going in,” he announced.
Olivia dashed forward to try and stop him but it was too late; he disappeared through the wall.
“Shit,” she muttered unhappily, before plunging in after him.
It might be dangerous to follow, but there was no way in hell she was going to stay behind in the creepy abandoned factory. Not on her own. Aaric was a dragon shifter, and being with him was the safest place to be, she figured.
A circular stairway loomed before them. Faint yellow light lit the walls, providing just enough illumination to see with. Aaric and Olivia exchanged glances. She nodded, and, with the dragon shifter in the lead, they descended.
The metal rungs were firm and secured. Nothing was loose, no squeaky noises. Whoever had installed this had built it to last.
The pair went down, and down, until she started to get dizzy from all the turning to the right.
“How far down do you think we are?” she asked in the quietest voice she could muster.
“Far,” Aaric said. “Very far.”
“What is this place?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just don’t know. But I intend to find out.”
They plunged ahead again but in a very short order, the stairs stopped and leveled out. A tunnel lay before them, hollowed from the very earth around them by tools man had not used in centuries. Wherever they were going, it was old. Very old.
“I don’t like this one bit,” she muttered. “Something feels wrong here. Very wrong.”
“I agree.” But Aaric kept moving forward.
She followed but the sense of wrongness continued to grow stronger until her skin seemed to crawl.
“Aaric,” she complained another twenty steps later. “This place isn’t right.”
But Aaric didn’t answer. She reached out to touch his shoulder but saw his arm go up first, barely visible in the faint light. Olivia realized abruptly that there were no more lights on the wall. It was Aaric that was generating the light for her to see by.
Dragons have all the coolest powers.
Her thoughts were cut off as Aaric whirled to face her. “Run.”
The single word chilled her to the bone and she started backpedaling before thinking to ask.
“Why?” she wanted to know. Aaric was coming with her.
“Thralls,” he growled. “Lots of them.”
“More?” she moaned. “I thought you dealt with them?”
He shook his head, his skin continuing to grow brighter. Behind him, she could hear noises in the tunnel now, following them.
“It’s not that unusual,” Aaric said, his pupils lining with the brightest golden light yet. “Lower-level vamps will have a dozen or two. Their strongest will have hundreds.”
Hundreds? she thought miserably. How were they supposed to deal with that?
“We’re not going to outrun them,” Aaric said. “They’re too fast now. You need to go. I’ll deal with them.”
“What?” she yelped, forgetting to whisper for the moment. “No, Aaric. You can’t.”
“I can,” he hissed. “And I will. It’s the only way. Get to the vehicle,” he said, pushing the keys into her hand. “drive back to the Keep. Francis will look after you. I’ll meet up with you later.”
“But the Thralls,” she protested.
“I can handle them,” he assured her. “But not if I have to watch out for you too. So, go. Now! Let me do what I do best.”
She gasped as his skin became translucent, revealing small versions of his scales below the surface.
“Go!” he shouted at her, his voice deepening, taking on a non-human timbre.
Olivia took one last look at him and fled back up the tunnel. She reached the stairs and started climbing. Her first instinct was to run as fast as she could up the twisting staircase, but if she got too dizzy, she would fall.
Not to mention how far up she had to climb. It was important to conserve her strength. Up and up she went, the walls twisting around her. They began to blur together, but Olivia didn’t stop, didn’t slow down.
She had to reach the surface, to escape.
Far below, she heard a roar. That could only be Aaric. But was that a battle cry? Or one of pain? What was going on down there? She hated not knowing.
At some point, she finally reached the top of the staircase, dragging herself up the last few steps. Her breath came in short gasps, sweat falling from her brow and pooling up in other uncomfortable places. But she’d made it.
She was on the surface.
So why don’t I feel any safer?
A shiver ran down her spine, chilling the sweat there instantly. Looking around wildly, she tried to see who was watching her.
“Hello?” she called, tentatively taking a step out into the hallway beyond the ripped-up wall that concealed the stairwell. “Is anyone there?”
She was greeted with nothing but silence.
31
Aaric backed up toward the stairwell a step at a time. In the darkness beyond, his eyes began to pick up movement. The Thralls were coming. He readied himself for their attack. This was the part he hated the most.
These creatures, they were human still. If he could kill the vampire, they would be set free. None of them knew what they were doing was wrong, they just felt compelled to act as their master wished.
Which meant he couldn’t kill them.
The same, unfortunately, did not apply to the Thralls. They would have no issues cutting him down and dismembering him, killing him completely.
He was going to have to be very precise in his attacks. Disabling, debilitating strikes. Not fatal. It would take more out of him, more effort and focus. If these were something else, he would simply burn the tunnel until the rock began to melt. It would be that easy.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. On top of that, Aaric had no idea if the vampire was concealed among the Thralls, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
As if all that wasn’t enough, there was his concern about just what the vampire had found down in these tunnels. Was it still there? What was the purpose? He needed to try and find out, if at all possible.
If he did that, however, he exposed Olivia to further danger. That was something he simply could not abide.
His choice was clear, now that all options had been considered. Hold off the Thralls until he estimated Olivia was clear to the car. Join her and return to the Keep and safety. In the morning, he could return to the property alone and explore without having to worry about Olivia.
You’re doing a lot of worrying about her, aren’t you? About someone who is just a distraction?
Aaric shook the thought free as the first of the Thralls came rushing at him. He ducked under a wild swing, an elbow flicking out to crack ribs and send the thrall crashing to the floor behind him.
There was no time to think about it from there. They came in a mob, nearly two dozen of them at once. If that’s all there is, it means it’s just a low-level vampire, thank goodness.
Aaric had been fearful he was up against someone stronger. An elder vampire would likely have spelled his doom, especially down here in the confined tunnel where he couldn’t use his powers to their full extent.
Something slammed into his back and Aaric grunted in surprise. Rolling with the blow, he came up in a half-spin to his feet, facing the other direction. His attacker held a length of pipe.
That’s going to leave a bruise.
Angrily, Aaric lashed out with his right hand. A brilliant white spark shot across the distance and impacted on the weapon. The intense fire responded to Aaric’s control and spread across the pipe. The metal began to glow orange and the Thrall abruptly dropped it, his palm turning red and blistering.
St
ill there was no sound. That was the eerie part of it all. The fight was being conducted in near total silence, aside from wuffs of air as people flung punches and kicks at him, and the sound of bodies as they hit the ground, the walls, the ceiling, and often as not, each other.
Aaric was a whirlwind darting through, under and over, striking faster than the Thralls could respond. He was surgical in his attacks. Broken bones, snapped knees, cautious blows to the head. None of the Thralls died, though many would need recovery from their injuries before they would be useful again.
In short order, he was the only one standing, the Thralls laying around him mostly unconscious, a few struggling to get up, to come after him, but unable as their bodies refused to respond.
Taking a deep breath, Aaric looked down the tunnel, wishing he could go in after them, but knowing his priorities were with Olivia. By now, she’d be at the car, waiting for him. He could all but imagine the sound of the horn going off furiously.
He retreated to the circular staircase, standing in the middle of it, looking up.
“Sorry, boys,” he muttered. “It’s about to get warm in here.”
Thrusting his palms downward and out to the side, condensed fire appeared in each of his hands, and a moment later, shot outward. His boots exploded as more flame licked out from his feet.
And some people think I’m just good for lighting a fire, he thought as he rose on a plume of orange flame.
Fire was the result of combustion. Enough combustion produced energy. Direct that energy away from him and in enough strength, and it would counter the force of that annoying thing called gravity.
Aaric soared up through the center of the staircase, reaching the ceiling and simply plowing right through. If he got lucky, a stray ray of UV in the morning would plunge straight down and burn the vamp. Otherwise, the building was going to be demolished, so what did he care about another hole?
He emerged over the roof, angled his body to the car and then extinguished the fire, dropping to one knee to absorb the impact as concrete and other debris crunched underneath his weight.
“Olivia,” he called, striding toward the car, looking around the abandoned factory just in case they weren’t out of it yet. “Start it up.”
There was no response. Frowning, he looked at the car.
It was empty.
“Olivia!” he barked, whirling. Where was she? Had she waited in the factory instead?
The sun was nearly down, and in a short while, it would be the vampires’ turn to come out and play. Aaric wasn’t ready to face such a powerful foe. Not yet. He needed to get back to the Keep and do some research, arm himself with a few tools that could help tilt the field in his direction. But first, he needed to find his woman.
“Olivia!” he called again, fighting back stress and fear.
There was a rustle of sound behind him. Aaric spun, dropping to one knee, balls of blue-white fire appearing in his hands in the blink of an eye. He sagged as the source of the sound revealed itself.
Olivia darted out from a doorway and ran across the open ground to him. He swept her up into a hug, continuing to back toward the car, not wanting to waste any time.
“Where were you?” he wanted to know. “I was worried sick.”
“I’m okay,” she said, throwing her head against his chest, staying close. “I’m fine, I promise.”
He nodded and got to the car door. “Get in, let’s go.”
“Right. Um. You drive.”
Aaric didn’t argue, he just opened the door and waited for her to hop across the seat to the passenger side before climbing in. The door closed and he fired up the engine. It was all taking too long. The vamp was going to attack at any second, he could feel it. They needed to go.
The big SUV rumbled out onto the street and picked up speed. Now he was wishing fervently that he’d brought one of his sports cars. The extra speed would have been appreciated and—
“What are you doing?” he growled as Olivia leaned across the seat and began to fiddle with his pants.
“I just need it,” she said, undoing his zipper, her other hand stroking his cock through the pants. “Now. In my mouth.”
Aaric frowned. He knew humans often responded to life or death situations with heightened arousal, but this was on another level.
“I’m not sure now is the right time,” he said, shifting uncomfortably as she pulled his dick out and started sucking on it.
“Come on,” she said, mouth full. “It’s fine. We’re safe.”
“This is too weird. No. Maybe later,” he said, as much to try and get her to stop as anything. “I need to focus on driving.”
Olivia sat up straight, back against the chair. She was pouting, he realized. Pouting that she wasn’t allowed to give him a blowjob. That was also weird.
He pushed aside the thought that he’d just turned down road head and focused on the issue at hand. Now was not the time for that—they had bigger issues to fry.
And he was the only one who could do so. His head needed to be in the game.
Not in her mouth.
32
The car hadn’t even finished hissing and chugging as he killed the engine before Olivia was throwing herself at him once more.
“Can you really not wait?” he asked, recognizing the irony of the situation.
Since when does a male turn down sex twice in a row?
But as sexy as he found Olivia, especially when she wanted him this badly, he knew that they needed to stay focused.
“I just need you,” she said. “Badly. Please. Back there…”
Aaric cursed himself as he heard the fearful note to her voice. She was scared and trying to ground herself in reality. To reassure herself that she was, in fact, alive.
“A quickie,” he said, giving her a wink, hauling her up into his arms.
“That’s good enough for me,” she moaned, melting into his arms, her lips latching onto his neck, sucking and biting, doing the same to his earlobe.
Shivers ran down his spine. Gods, he felt so wanted, so needed, by this woman. Her lust, her desire for him, was intoxicating, and he felt his body responding.
They took the elevator up, managing to refrain from stripping down right then and there, as they had before. Aaric smiled at that memory, knowing it was one he would remember for the rest of his life.
His door closed behind them and Olivia wormed her way out of his arms, clothing following not far behind.
“Come on,” she all but gushed, her top and bra flying across the room.
“Here, let me,” he rumbled, heading for the boots he’d found for her, which she would need to remove before her pants.
“It’s okay,” she said hurriedly, waving him away. “I’ve got it. You take your clothes off. Let me see that hard cock of yours.”
Aaric hesitated, then shrugged. If she needed the dick, she was going to get the dick. This was more carnal lust that she was after. Primal instincts rising to the top. Even just imagining bending her over his furniture, he grew hard, wondering what would break first tonight, Olivia, or his couch. She was going to get it as rough and raw as she could handle, he decided, his arousal spiking.
He ripped off the remains of his pants and boots, the destroyed material simply parting along seams as he grabbed a handful and pulled with his full strength.
Same with the shirt, and then he was naked. “Get over here,” he ordered, pointing at the ground in front of him.
Olivia came over to stand in front of him, arms slightly behind her back, looking up demurely through her eyelashes. She was naked, her large breasts swaying from the motion, drawing his attention to them immediately.
Her mouth hung open slightly and her nipples were erect. She waited patiently, breathing heavily. She was ready, he judged.
Leaning in, he grabbed her chin just a little roughly and lifted it, holding it there so he could move in and kiss her. She stood frozen, awaiting his commands, a statue, his to control. Aaric’s blood flowed faster
, heating his body. He could scent her now. Aaric opened his nose wide, drinking it in deep.
She melted forward, her arms coming out from around her back and—
Aaric’s left hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and holding it firm. He reared backward, hissing in surprise.
“What the fuck?!” he roared at the six-inch blade held in her grip. “You’re trying to kill me!”
Olivia went silent but he felt her arm struggling against his grip. She would never break free, not unless he let her go.
But she moved swiftly, using his astonishment against him. The hand opened and the blade fell free, dropping into the clutches of her other hand. He recovered just in time to jump back and out of her reach. Then he grabbed her other hand and disarmed her.
The blade dropped to the ground and he eyed it, noting the silver metal with black substance carved into its tang. Radiation. He’d scented it when he’d tried to take a deeper smell of Olivia.
It was only that sheer, blind luck, that had saved him.
“What are you doing?” he wanted to know.
But Olivia just kept struggling, going after the blade, single-mindedly. Not speaking. Not making sounds of any kinds.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he snapped as the pieces all came into picture, her actions aligning completely with those of several other people he’d encountered lately.
“He was waiting for us,” Aaric said, tossing Olivia over his shoulder. Her tiny fists beat against his back, and she tried ceaselessly to wiggle free, but it was pointless. His strength was too great and Aaric kept her pinned as he walked through the Keep into the lower levels, making sure to press a particular button as he descended into one area.
“The sonofabitch was waiting. For me. For you. This whole thing was probably engineered. He wanted to get close to me via you. Hoping you could kill me for him.”
Two things popped into his mind as he gently dropped Olivia into a cell and stepped out, slamming the door closed a second before she lunged at him, the only sound her breathing.