Uniquely Unwelcome (The Shadow World, #1)

by Brandy Nacole

  “Yes, maybe another time. And I promise you that time will be soon. Someone like you could be of a great asset to someone of power like me.” Aldrick slowly removes his hand from my shoulder, running it down the length of my arm to touch my hand. His skin is cold as ice.

  “Thank you, Lord Aldrick. I will be looking forward to another visit.” Yeah effing right, I don’t plan to ever visit this place again. Not in this lifetime or any other.

  “You may go.” Aldrick slips his hand from mine and returns to his overelaborate seat. I’m more than ready and willing to leave now. I know better than to run, although I want to. A predator’s natural instinct is to attack those who are afraid and running. I simply walk really fast, keep my gaze on the exit, and watch my surroundings out of my peripheral vision.

  Back in the lobby, the Vampire numbers have dwindled. There are only three now: Felton, Alton, and a female Vampire behind a desk. I’m about to ask where we can find Lynna but Danika beats me to it. Apparently she is just as eager as I am to get out of here.

  “Where can we find Lynna?” Danika asks both Felton and Alton. Neither one respond, since it appears that the woman sitting behind the desk is in fact Lynna.

  “How can I help you sweetie?” Well, she seems a lot nicer than the rest of the jerks.

  “Lord Aldrick said we could get information from you. We needed the locations of where the missing Vampires were taken.” I keep looking back over my shoulder to the closed doors as I address Lynna. I cannot shake the eerie feeling I got inside that room.

  Without any questions about why, she gets out a map from a drawer in her desk. “Each location is marked by an x with the missing Vampire’s name beside it. Will this do?” Lynna asks.

  “Are you kidding? This is great! Thank you.” I only wish I could get this from the other Shadow groups. Then again, at least the Elders knew the information by heart, where Lord Aldrick didn’t, nor did he care to.

  We turn to leave, but Lynna has more to say. “Would you like the information on the humans as well?”

  “Humans?”

  “Yes, I have a map of their locations and their names as well,” Lynna says as she sets another folder before us.

  “How do you know they are related to this particular situation?” I ask. Humans go missing every day. There are so many accidents, killings, and abductions among themselves; it is often hard to connect them to our own world.

  Lynna intertwines her fingers and rests her chin on them. “They were servants of Vampires.”

  I guess that could be a huge clue. Humans who are in servitude to Vampires don’t go missing without the Vampires knowing why. When a human does escape or gets captured by another Vampire, it doesn’t take long before they’re found by the Vampire looking for them. But this information makes me curious about my earlier conversation.

  “Why did Aldrick, I mean Lord Aldrick, not say anything?”

  “These matters are not of his worry. Humans are so fragile and replaceable to him. It’s the host Vampires who care about them.”

  Lynna tries to sound detached like the others, but I can hear the disdain and worry in her voice too. It may be faint but it’s there.

  “Then why concern yourself?” I ask.

  Lynna cuts her eyes up at me, taking my question as an insult rather than just open curiosity.

  Danika quickly steps up, grabbing the folder on the desk. “Thank you so much for this. I’m sure it will come in handy.”

  Lynna looks from me to Danika, changing her facial expression to a softer more appreciative one. “You’re welcome.”

  Fulton and Alton gesture for us to follow them. We’re almost out of the lobby when I turn back to Lynna. “One more thing, does Lord Aldrick know you have investigated the human locations as you did the Vampires?”

  Lynna never answers me. She turns her back on us, facing her computer. But without seeing her face, somehow I know the answer to that and more. It comes to me all at once, like a series of images and feelings. I know that even though she fears Aldrick, knowing if he found out that he would sentence her to death, she doesn’t care. Her life is not going to be ruled by him and his hate. I can see that she has supporters behind her, and plans to bring true justice to the Vampire community, real change.

  I must have some funny expression on my face, because Danika gasps and grabs my wrist, her eyes big as silver dollars. “Did you just have a premonition?”

  “A what?” We are eagerly whispering back and forth, although I don’t know what good it’s doing us. These bats can hear anything.

  “A vision, the future, someone’s life, etc., did that just happen to you?”

  She’s leaning in real close and I can hear her heart racing. Surely my premonition wouldn’t invoke such a reaction from her, but apparently it has. This isn’t the time to talk. Or the place, for that matter.

  “Not now, we can discuss it later.” I gesture toward the two Vampires in front of us, who were likely told to report everything we said back to Aldrick. If I tell Danika right now, Lynna’s plans might not happen. Aldrick would definitely take out any risk against his life and leadership.

  Danika nods as we continue to follow Fulton and Alton back down the twisty hallways. Once we reach the halls where the humans live, I can see the elevator. My adrenaline starts pumping at the thought of freedom. I’m ready to tear down the hallway at a dead run.

  But our walk down the hall is halted, my freedom put on hold. The sound of broken glass and loud voices, clearly arguing, fill the hall. Fulton and Alton tell us to stay put as they head toward the commotion. As we watch them walk away, I start to ask Danika if she wants to go ahead and bolt, when another figure walks up to us.

  My first instinct is to prepare for a fight. But the boy approaches with his hands in the air, showing he means no harm. He’s walking briskly but cautiously as he looks toward the lounge.

  He hurries to explain who he is. “My name is Coy. I know you don’t know me, but I need your help and I need it fast. My brother is one of the humans who are missing. I need to get out of here so I can find him.” He searches our faces and then settles on mine. “I heard what you’re doing and I want to go with you.”

  At first I’m stumped. Why did he choose me to plead with? He probably would have had more luck with Danika. No amount of pleading in this world would persuade me to drag a human along with us, especially out of this place in our current situation.

  I shake my head, sternly saying, “No.”

  He looks shocked for a moment. Did he honestly believe that I would say yes? Determination sets in on his face. This boy is not going down easy, that I can tell.

  “I’m coming with you and you only have a few minutes to realize that before those two come back. My friends can only distract them for so long.”

  Wow. He’s bold. “Do you honestly think I’m going to risk breaking you out of here? Not to mention take you, a vulnerable human, with us to face god knows what?” The conversation had been quiet but my voice is rising to try and make him understand there’s no freaking way he’s coming along.

  “This is something I have to do. He’s the only family I have left, and you know these vamps aren’t going to do shit to find him. You’re my only hope.” His voice cracks toward the end, becoming a raspy whisper.

  I sigh and then try to make him understand. “Then why don’t you let me find him and I’ll bring him back to you?”

  I mean that makes sense, right? Why would he want to take a risk of getting caught escaping and then take another chance of getting killed? I have no idea what we are going to have to go through to find these people, but I’m sure it’s not going to be easy.

  Looking at his set face, realization dawns on me. “You want to escape so you can find your brother and you can be free. You don’t ever plan on returning here do you?”

  Coy looks down like he’s ashamed and says, “No.” He regains his momentum and lifts his head so he can look me in the eye. His warm brown eyes bore into mine.
“Would you?”

  I don’t even have to think that one over. There’s no way in hell I would come back. I couldn’t even imagine being a slave let alone a Vampire slave. All the disrespect and neck chomping? No thank you.

  Still, if I take him then the vamps will know I did. What will Felton and Alton do when they come back and we’re not here?

  I start to explain this but Danika’s urgent voice cuts me off. “Whatever we do, we must do it quickly. They seem to be settling things in there.” She’s anxiously looking down the hallway at the lounge. I can hear Felton threatening whoever was arguing and promising they will regret it later.

  I look over to her, “Well what do you think we should do?” I figure she’ll say no. That it’s too dangerous to be dragging a human around. Her thoughts are probably mirroring my own.

  “I say we take him with us.”

  I try catching my jaw but I miss and it hits the floor. Did she really just say that? Danika checks one last time down the hallway for Fulton and Alton, then before I can object, she’s grabbing us both by the arm and dragging us down the hall.

  “Have you lost your mind?” I ask her, still in disbelief that she’s dragging this human boy along with us.

  “No apparently not, I’m still thinking and speaking which requires a mind.” She urges us along, picking up the pace and her grip on my arm.

  “Yeah but apparently not a very good one,” I mutter.

  As we approach the elevator doors a problem strikes me. “Uh, you do know there is a guard in the elevator, right? He’ll probably notice the flesh with us.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll cloak him long enough to get us out of here,” Danika says, still concentrating ahead.

  When the elevator doors open, I get ready to fight our way out. Surely the vamp will notice the human we have with us. I would bet good money that not many of those leave. Plenty probably ride the elevator down but never back up.

  As luck would have it, the guard doesn’t seem to notice a thing. We all step into the elevator and the doors shut behind us. The vamp addresses Coy. “Where’s Fulton?”

  O Jeez! My heart races as I hold my breath, dizziness threatening to spin me out of control.

  “There was a scuffle in the humans’ common room. He went to take care of it. I told him I would escort these two out,” Coy says, his voice mirroring Alton’s. Creepy.

  The elevator stops, the door opens, and I am back into freedom. I can practically hear the angels rejoicing.

  “I’ll escort them to their vehicle and then I’m going for a walk. Like to see what’s on the morning menu,” Coy says to the guard.

  Do they really say stuff like that or is Coy over-doing it? “Morning menu” seems kind of harsh but apparently it’s common vamp lingo.

  “Bring me back an appetizer,” the guard says.

  I grimace to myself. Nice, real nice.

  The elevator doors close and I let out a huge breath. We made it out! Now all we have to do is get out of this town and I will feel one hundred percent better.

  I turn toward the car, ready to sit down and breathe, but am stopped dead in my tracks. I only thought I was home free. Thought all I would have to do is get back in the car, drive to the airport, get in the air, and take a nice nap. But yet again I’m wrong.

  Our car is covered in mutant creatures, things I have never seen before. Some have fangs and tails, some have wings and snake skin, some have talons and green skin. And they’re all tearing our car apart.

  Chapter Nine

  I start running for the car, ready for the fight, although fighting these monsters could be tricky. I’ve never seen creatures so hideous and disfigured. Coy begins to follow me, but I yell at him to stay back. Coy freezes, his face masked with shock, fear, and a need to want to help, but backs up to the pillar regardless. Danika is already in the action. I would yell at her to stay back but I doubt she would listen.

  I’m almost to the car when it explodes, sending shards of metal through the air. I shield my face with my arms, turning my back to the oncoming debris. When I turn around Ethan lands on top of the wreckage, his ears tucked, jaw snapping, as a growl rumbles out from deep in his chest. He’d busted through what was left of the car, shifting into his wolf form in the process.

  I quickly get into the fight, grabbing a freaky-looking creature with snake eyes and a dog tail. I throw him across the street into the side of a brick building. He gets up shaking his head, momentarily stunned.

  There are four other creatures circling around the car. I have enough time to yank another creature off Ethan before the snake-dog is back. He tries to grab me but a roundhouse kick from me knocks him back. I don’t have time to react physically to the second creature coming at me, so I push at him with my mind and send him sailing across the street.

  Danika has one creature writhing in pain on the ground. She has her hand outstretched, a light blue glow encompasses her hand as she concentrates on the creature in pain before her. She squeezes her fist, making a twisting motion that causes the creature to give an ear-splitting screech.

  Ethan has one of the creatures pinned to the ground while another one clings to his back. He snaps ineffectively at the one on his back as he tries to keep the other pinned to the ground with his paws.

  I grab the one on Ethan’s back and toss him to the side. But I don’t have time to help him further. My two attackers are back, one on the left and one on the right.

  I crouch into a defensive position and get ready to block and strike. Snake eyes goes to grab my neck but I block and grab his forearm while spinning around to knock the other one in the chest. The fangy freak goes flying into the brick building across the street. From the looks of it, Fangy and Snaky are causing some major damage to the brick building.

  Snaky attacks while I’m temporarily distracted. He throws himself back, smashing me into the wreckage of the car. I try getting a grip on him but he’s fast. He spins around and back-hands me across the face. My head snaps to the side from the impact. I try breathing through the rage I’m feeling, to no avail.

  I turn back to Snaky with my fangs fully extended. If he had just punched me or kicked me, I could have handled that a little better. Slapping me invoked a rage so raw I don’t know if I can control it. I jab Snaky in the throat, hearing the unmistakable sound of muscles tearing and bones cracking. Not pausing, I give him a liver shot and then do a roundhouse kick, connecting with his chest. Snaky goes flying to the ground, unconscious. I nudge him with my foot, checking to make sure he’s out of the picture.

  I have no time to turn back to the action before I’m grabbed from behind. My attacker puts me in a choke-hold. His grip is tight, making it hard to find a release. He’s dragging me backwards toward the pillars that surround the museum. Do these creatures work for the vamps? Where in the crap did they find such beings?

  I try stomping on his foot to get a little slack, but he doesn’t react. I try knocking him off-balance by throwing myself sideways, but his grip holds. Frantic, I continue thrashing as I try devising a plan for escape. There is no way I’m facing Aldrick for taking the human.

  Danika’s to my right combating a slimy, winged creature. She’s no longer using her magic and is now fighting in hand-to-hand combat. She seems to be holding up but I can see blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Ethan has ripped his opponents to bits and is now moving to help Danika.

  The creature’s talon-like hands slices me as he throws me up against a pillar. My head slams into the concrete with such force that my vision swims in darkness. When my vision returns, I’m face to face with the creature I pulled off Ethan. His foul breath makes me gag as he leans in closer.

  He extends fangs that are jagged and rough instead of the vampires’ smooth points. As he comes in closer I try to head butt him, but he tightens his grip on my neck, forcing my head back. He comes in closer again. Is he going to bite me?

  Just as he’s about to tear into me, a long piece of steel catches my eye. The discarded
piece of metal no doubt came from the demolished car. I know I can reach it if I can just get enough leverage between me and my attacker. I shove the slimy creature back with as much force as I can, but my head’s still swimming with disorientation, so it’s not much.

  The creature doesn’t even take a step back from my feeble effort. Instead, he slams my head into the pillar again, causing my vision to swim once again. Blood starts trickling down my neck and back, my shirt now clings to my skin.

  Fang boy leans in once again, his lips brushing my ear. “Heed this warning. Forget this nonsense and go back home. Next time, you will not come out alive.”

  He then throws me to the ground and lets out an ear-splitting shriek. The other creatures retreat after him, disappearing around the corner and out of sight. I try to stand and pursue them but the world is spinning too fast for me to find my feet. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

  “What the hell was that?” I hear Ethan shout. He must have shifted back to his human form.

  “I don’t know,” comes Danika’s ragged answer. “Have you ever even heard of creatures like that before?” I am glad to note that I can distinguish voices. That’s a good sign, right? Ethan doesn’t answer Danika’s question but I’m sure I see him shake his head.

  “I thought I was a goner. I held out inside the car as long as I could but once they started tearing open the roof I knew I had to escape. Lucky for me that’s when you guys arrived.” I make out Ethan enough to see him hiding behind the demolished car. He steps out with his torn, shredded shorts on, and grabs at his side as he slowly walks toward Danika. I can’t see his injuries clearly through my blurred vision, but I can see the blotches of red.

  “Are you alright?” I have to squint to make out the figure standing over me. Coy crouches down and brushes my hair aside. “Looks like you got a nasty gash. You may need a few stitches.”

  I brush his hand away. “I’m fine.” I try to stand to prove my point, but lose my balance mid-rise. Luckily, Coy catches me before I hit the ground again.