Chapter Six

"You did what?!"

Hades sighed, already regretting telling Aphrodite about what had happened that night. He didn't feel like getting another speech about following his heart or being happy for as long as he could or any of that bullshit. He already felt like fucking crap.

"So, let me get this straight," the goddess snarled. "You almost kissed her and then kicked her out?!"

"I didn't kick her out!"

"You told her to leave, Hades! That's the definition of kicking someone out!"

"Her brothers wanted her to go with them-"

"-and she wanted to stay!" she shrieked. "She wanted to stay, you idiot!"

Hades rose from his chair, glaring. "Don't forget who you're speaking to, Aphrodite!"

The goddess flinched a little, but then crossed her arms over her chest again, glaring right back. "She chose to stay with you over going with her brothers. That should tell you something, Hades."

"It does! It tells me I already let things get too far."

"Too far? You haven't even done anything!"

"But I wanted to, Aphrodite! I wanted it more than I've ever wanted anything and that want, that need, blinded me; made me almost lose control, made me almost forget! And she almost let me."

"Off course she did! I told you, she might not remember the years she spend with you in those dreams, but she loves you!"

"Exactly! That wasn't-"

"If you say part of the plan, I swear to the gods, I'm ripping your balls off!"

Hades sniffed, sinking back down in his chair, his eyes stinging. He hadn't slept since she'd walked out of his house last night, his mind replaying what had happened in that library, what had happened with her brothers.

I really have no use for you.

He hated himself for that lie, for making her hurt...but it had been a necessary evil. She had to leave...and never come back, never think of him again. He would be a footnote in her past, a sour memory of some bastard she'd once worked with. Nothing more. And that's the way it had to be. She would move on, meet some new man, build a life with him, make love to him, whisper she loved him-

"Hades!"

Hades snapped out of his rage at the sound of Aphrodite's high-pitched voice, following her wide eyes to his fingers...that had torn straight through the leather arms of his chair.

He pulled his hands back, but the anger was still burning deep in his chest and he feared it would remain there, forever. It was a harsh reminder of what he would have to live without; of the woman he'd never see again.

Not ever.

"-can't just go in!"

Hades jumped up when the door flung open...and Adrianna entered, one of his guards storming in after her, looking frazzled and babbling something about being sorry, about not being able to stop her...but Hades didn't pay attention to him.

I truly am cursed, a voice inside snarled as he took in the sight before him.

Now, he'd seen Adrianna in dresses many times in his dreams, but the reality of it was even more beautiful. The red sundress she wore flowed over her curves, catching the slightest breeze, moving when she did. Her long, tanned legs were bare and beautiful; her delicate feet slipped into a pair of simple black flats. And that hair... It hung loose, cascading down her sweetheart neckline, brushing that soft skin between her breasts... But the most beautiful thing about her; the thing that really took his breath away...was the sweet smile her lips had curled into the second she'd spotted him. It was such a warm, sincere smile. No one had ever smiled like that when seeing him.

"What are you doing here, detective?" he asked, trying to sound harsh...even though he wanted nothing more than to go to her and finish what they'd started in his library the night before...

"I came to see you," she said, her voice too chipper. Had she not been furious with him only hours ago? Had she not stormed out of his house?

"Why?" he asked, confused.

She dug into the straw, yellow bag, pulling out something small and placing it in front of him on his desk.

Cursing inwardly, he recognized the logo of Argent Inc., the company he'd hired to fix-and upgrade-Adrianna's apartment. He'd known it was a stupid thing to do the second he'd thought of it, but he'd also known there would come a time when he wasn't going to be in her life anymore; and when that happened, he didn't want her living in an apartment that had zero security. He'd told himself he would come up with some explanation for his actions by the time she'd go back and see what he'd done, but with everything going on, it had slipped his mind.

And now, he was screwed.

How am I going to explain renovating her apartment without admitting I care about her?

"Good question," Aphrodite sang.

Get out of my head! he mentally snarled back.

Hades wanted to glare at her, but since Adrianna couldn't see or hear the goddess, he decided against it. He didn't want her thinking he was a nutcase.

"She's really something, isn't she?" Aphrodite continued, walking a circle around Adrianna. "Beautiful. Smart. Fierce. I see why you love her. I mean-"

"Why did you do that?" Adrianna cut Aphrodite off, watching him closely.

"Do what?" he snapped.

She cocked an amused eyebrow. "Take your pick. The door, the alarm, the bulletproof windows, the new floor, the new couch, the new lighting. And I've probably missed a few things, too."

She had. Some first edition books of hers had been damaged by the glass and blood, so he'd replaced them.

He'd had her chimney cleaned which hadn't happened in way too long and had become a serious fire hazard.

And her floors now had in-floor heating, which really had nothing to do with her safety and everything with her comfort...but he wasn't going to tell her that. She already looked suspicious enough.

"Why would you do that, Lucian?" she asked again, her voice a soft song.

"She knows, Hades," Aphrodite sang, a knowing smile on her lips. "She knows you want to keep her safe. She knows you have a heart. Why not just admit that everything you've been doing has been to protect her and not just to trap Rodchenko?"

Hades ignored the annoying goddess, snarling, "I figured that, at some point, we would work from your apartment, so-"

"-you wanted to protect yourself?" Adrianna snickered. "Really? That's what you're going with?"

"Lame excuse," Aphrodite voiced the expression on Adrianna's face.

"It's not what I'm going with, it's the truth, detective. Besides, it's not like I fixed your place up with my own two hands. I just made a phone call."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" he barked, feeling his fingers itch to reach out and brush away that curl that kept trickling down her neckline. He had to get her out of there, away from him. Now. "I have a pile of work that I've been neglecting while I was wasting my time helping you with Rodchenko, so if you wouldn't mind cutting to the chase- "

"Thank you."

Hades heart jumped, his fingers clutching the desk tighter.

So damned sweet.

"It was no big deal. Like I said, I just picked up the phone," he grumbled, sitting down and pretending to focus back on a few random papers on his desk. "Now, if you wouldn't mind leaving. I have-"

"-a pile of work, right? You said."

Why is she still smiling?

"Look, detective-"

"Before you start doing that thing you do where you insult me and make me so angry I storm off, just hear me out."

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, making it clear that she had his attention.

"Okay-" she started, smoothing her hands over her dress. She was nervous... God, he loved her nervous; flustered. "-give me one day."

He frowned. "One day to do what?"

"To thank you."

"You've already thanked me."

"Just saying the words isn't enough here, Lucian. You saved my life. You fixed my apartment. I can't just say thanks and then never look back. It wouldn't feel right."

"Detective-"

"Adrianna," she cut him off, sighing. "It's just one day and then I'll be out of your life."

"Do it, Hades," Aphrodite sang, almost bursting with enthusiasms.

Shut up! I can't go with her! Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how hard it is for me even now; sitting her? If I spend any more time with her alone, I won't be able to keep myself in check.

"Exactly!" the goddess cheered.

"It's a nice offer, detective, but I can't. I have too much work."

"In the dark," she mumbled under her breath, glancing around the confined space. He noticed that trace of sadness in her eyes again, that sympathy and before he could do anything about it, his mind flashed back to the night before, when she'd had that same warmth and compassion in her gaze...

"Anything else?" he snarled, feeling his body heat.

She softly shook her head, her eyes no longer sparkling. "No. I guess not. I would offer to pay for the repairs you had done in my apartment, but I'm sure that you would just-"

"-tell you that you're being insulting and that I would't have it?" he finished, cocking an eyebrow. "You'd be right."

She nodded, a sad smile curling her lips before she turned and headed for the door.

"Hades!" Aphrodite shouted so loud he flinched. "Go with her! She just wants one day with the man she loves! You can't give her that?! Just one day before you take something from her she doesn't even know she had?! Come on, you stupid-"

"You know," Adrianna whispered, turning back to face him. "I don't know why you think you have to pretend to be this tough, cold bastard, but just for future reference, you're not very good at it. You are sometimes and when you are, you're so good at it I want to rip you head off. But then there are moments when you're just...not very good at it. So, you might want to consider just dropping the act all together. If you did, I think you could be happy."

Happy...

"Goodbye, mister Nox."

She moved closer to the door and just when she was about to reach it, Aphrodite snapped, "Go with her or I'm showing myself."

What?!

"You heard me! If she walks out that door, I'm appearing right in front of her! Good luck explaining that!"

You wouldn't!

"Five seconds, Hades!"

Aphrodite, please, just let her walk away! I've finally done it! She's going! I can continue to search for a way to hide her from my brothers without any distractions now! Killian and Asher are looking after her! They won't let Rodchenko anywhere near her! She's safe! Please, I-"

"Two."

Be reasonable! You know I-

"Time's up."

"Wait!"

Both Aphrodite and Adrianna froze; one with a victorious expression on her face, the other with a confused one.

"Yes?" Adrianna asked, frowning.

Hades balled his hands in fists by his side, rumbling, "Fine. One day."

That delicate face of hers lit up, that giddiness once again radiating off her in waves. "One day."

He gestured for her to lead the way, shot Aphrodite one more vicious glare and then followed Adrianna out his office, trying his best not to stare at her legs or her shaped behind as she glided down the stairs.

"I'm going," Hades snarled at his manager, Levi, who was looking into the books at the bar. "I'll be back tonight-"

"Tomorrow," Adrianna corrected, adding when she noticed his expression. "A day lasts twenty-four hours, Lucian. I have a lot of things planned."

Twenty-four hours... God, the things he could do to her in that dress in twenty-four hours...

This is such a fucking bad idea.

"Just call me if anything's wrong," Hades gnarled, pulling out his cell. "I have my phone with me-"

"Oh, you have the new Apple?" she sang. "I've heard a lot about it. Can I see?"

He handed her the device...only to watch her drop it into her bag, saying to Levi, "Mister Nox won't be available. If there's any trouble, I'm sure you're qualified enough to handle it. Right?"

The man nodded, his eyes switching back and forth between his boss and Adrianna, trying to figure out what exactly was happening. Hades couldn't help him there...

"Good," Adrianna sang, turning on her heels and leaving both men staring after her.

One of them staring a little too much.

Hades hadn't even realized he was growling at Levi until he shot him a startled look and then rushed back to the bar.

When Hades finally followed her outside, he found her leaning against a black convertible, that smile turning into a grin when he walked towards her.

"Okay," he rumbled. "So, where are we-"

She held up her hand, cutting him off before four fingers curled into a fist, leaving her index finger pointing at the sky as she sang, "Look up."

He did, staring at the blue sky, searching for anything out of the ordinary...but there was nothing.

"I don't see anything," he said, cocking an eyebrow. "Just the sun."

"Exactly," she sang, putting on the sunglasses that had been perched on top of her head. "You made it out of the darkness, mister Nox. Welcome to the light."

Frowning, Hades looked up again...marveling in the soothing warmth on his face.

Don't get used to it, a voice warned. You'll be back where you belong soon. In the dark. Without her. Don't get used to the sun, the warmth, having her close. It will all vanish.

A engine firing drew his eyes back to Adrianna who was now sitting behind the wheel, flashing her brilliant white teeth at him.

"Get in," she sang, tying her long locks into a high ponytail.

Fully aware that he would regret it, he listened, slipping in the seat beside her.

Just one day with her.

Just one.

He could do that.

Right?

"You still haven't told me where we're going," Hades growled, ignoring how close she was; how amazing she smelled.

"Haven't I? Huh." And then, she spat off, her lips curled into a grin as she steered the car through the swirling mountain passes.

Fast.

His girl liked speed. A lot of speed.

She's not your girl. She'll never be your girl.

"Is this your car?" Lucian asked, running his fingers over the leather finishings appreciatively.

"No!" she yelled over the air rushing past. "Maggie's! She got it from my parents on her sixteenth birthday! Funny fact, I got a bike! And not the cool kind! An actual bicycle!"

Lucian's lips twitched. "If this is how you drive, can you blame them?!"

"I guess not!" she laughed, shooting him a measuring glance. "You're not scared, are you?!"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I don't scare easily!"

"We'll see!" she sang, steering the car off the main road, and then driving a few minutes through a carpet of dirt before parking between a cluster of trees.

"Okay-" he snarled, getting out of the car when she did. "-is this the part where you murder me?"

She laughed, throwing her bag and sunglasses on the backseat of the car. "Another joke, mister Nox?"

Watching her untie her long locks, his mind flashed back to the night before, to that robe she'd been wearing and the way her hair had felt flowing though his fingers-

Stop!

Clutching his hands, he walked to the edge of the cliffs she'd parked next to, hoping to find some relief in the cool ocean air...but he didn't. He feared nothing would give him the relief he needed...except maybe burying himself inside of her and-

"One question," she said behind him, her sweet voice only making his pants tighter. "Is that an expensive suit?"

He swallowed hard before gnarling, "Probably."

"That's too bad."

He frowned, about to ask what she meant...but then, there was a rustling sound behind him. A rustling sound he recognized all too well. A rustling sound that made his heart stop.

Why the hell did she just take her dress off?

"Remember when you said you don't scare easily?" she sang, not waiting for an answer. "Proof it."

He turned, confused…only to see her running towards him in a bikini that matched the dress she no longer wore.

He stood, frozen, fighting the demon that urged him to meet her halfway and take her on top of that fucking car. He won the fight, barely, staying right where he was…until he realized at the very last moment that she wasn't running towards him. She was running towards the edge of the cliffs. When he understood what was about to happen, he yelled out her name, trying to stop her, but it was too late. Pushing herself off, Adrianna jumped, dropping down into the ocean below, disappearing under water.


Adrianna closed her eyes, marveling in that feeling she loved so much; that feeling of being free. The wind swooshed past, the sun beamed down on her...and then, she hit the water, letting it enveloped her, swallow her whole.

God, she loved nature.

Just being able to swim in the ocean made her soul sing. She could never live in a town that was all iron and metal. She attributed that to her upbringing. The house she'd grown up in was built right next to a beautiful lake, in the middle of a clearing surrounded by forest, by nature. She'd woken with the birds, fallen asleep with an orchestra of crickets or the soft song of an owl. It was a peaceful place.

And so was this.

Smiling, Adrianna resurfaced, swimming to the little beach hidden against the cliffs. When the warm sand tickled her feet, Adrianna made her way to the cave at the back of the shore, slipping inside. The bag she'd stashed there earlier was still there, which was no surprise. No one ever came here, no one even knew this place existed. If she hadn't accidentally stumbled across it, she never would've known it was there, either. When you looked down from above, you couldn't see it. She'd checked. It was her own private little paradise.

"Adrianna?!"

She smiled when his angry voice echoed off the stone walls. Grinning, she stuck her head out...but her smile faltered the second she spotted him, coming out of the ocean. His black hair was sticking to his tanned skin; drops of water reflecting the sun as they dripped down his chiseled jaw; his Titan's shoulders moving up and down as he tried to steady his breathing. He'd removed his jacket before he'd jumped in after her, but his pants and white shirt were now ruined...and clinging to his impressive body. She could make out the mouthwatering outline of his concrete chest through the thin fabric; could see how well-defined his thighs were...

How do men like him even exist? She thought, reaching into the bag and pulling the beige beach dress over her head. Not that it covered much up-the see through material barely reached her thighs-but it made her feel a bit more dressed. When she grabbed the swim shorts and t-shirt she'd brought for him, she shot another glance his way...and then slipped the shirt back in the bag before she threw it over her shoulder and joined him on the beach.

Despite the fact that he was clearly furious, she still couldn't take that smile of her face. He looked so upset and confused. It was strangely adorable to see the detached businessman so out of his element.

"Are you out of your goddamned mind?!" he barked, striding towards her like a predator approaching his prey, his dark eyes furious on hers. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?! You could've drowned!"

She laughed, dropping the backpack down on the sand. "I've been here many times before, Lucian. The ocean is always calm here, there's no current or dangerous rocks underneath the surface. It's perfectly safe."

"You jumped off a cliff! A fucking cliff!"

"So did you."

He stopped at arm's length of her, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

"Thank you," she snickered, throwing the black swim shorts at him. "You might want to get changed."

He stared at the swimwear, his thick eyebrows knitting together. "What is this?"

"Swim shorts."

When he cocked an eyebrow, she understood that wasn't what he'd meant.

"This is me thanking you," she elaborated.

"Thanking me? How is jumping off a cliff thanking me?!" he barked, not waiting for an answer before he added, "And where the hell did these shorts even come from?"

She looked down at the backpack at her feet.

"And how did that get here-" he gnarled. "-without getting soaked?"

She nodded at the rocky path at the other end of the beach.

"Are you telling me-" he hissed, narrowing his eyes. "-that there's another way to get down here? One that doesn't involve risking your life?"

"Yes, but where's the fun in that?" she sang, adding before he could bark at her. "How did you think we were going to get back up?"

He shrugged, his anger evident in the hard, rough way he moved his shoulders up and down. "I didn't think about that."

She frowned. "But you jumped. Without knowing how you were going to make it back up those cliffs?"

His eyes grew a little softer. "You jumped, so I jumped."

Something warm nestled in her belly at that, that strange sensation of falling overtaking her again even though both feet were firmly planted on the sand.

"That's very Jack Dawson of you," she said after a few tense seconds of silence.

"Who's Jack Dawson?"

"You know, Jack Dawson. You jump, I jump. Titanic."

"I know you're saying words, but they're not making any sense."

"Titanic!" she said again, sure the penny would drop at any second. "Come on, Titanic!"

He just shot her a puzzled look, as if she was the one being crazy.

"You've never seen Titanic?" she gawked. "Leonardo DiCaprio? Kate Winslet?"

"Those are actors, I presume?"

"You presume?! Oh, dear God!" she laughed. "You've seen other movies, right? The classics? Fight club, interview with a vampire, Dirty Dancing, Meet Joe Black?"

He cocked an annoyed eyebrow. "I have a certain function to perform, miss Salvatore. An important function. I don't have time for frivolities."

"Frivolities? You mean movies, beaches, sunshine?"

"Exactly," he growled.

She smiled, shaking her head. For someone so successful in business, he really was clueless when it came to life.

"What's so funny?" he asked, watching her closely.

"You," she sang. "You asked me before how jumping off a cliff is thanking you? Well, it's not. Not exactly, anyway. It's just the beginning."

"Just the beginning? Jumping off a cliff is just the beginning?"

She laughed at the trace of horror in his eyes. "Don't worry. We're not jumping out of plane next or anything. Today is just about showing you what you've been missing."

She could see his body tense again as his eyes darkened on hers, the sudden intensity in them making her skin tingle.

"Believe me, miss Salvatore," he growled. "I know what I've been missing."

She swallowed hard-her mouth suddenly dry-before casting him a little smile. "See, you say that, but I don't think you do. I don't think there's anyone in your life who's ever pushed you to go out into the world, to soak up the sun, to live outside of those dark walls. So, that's what I'm going to do today. If I only get one more day, if this is the last time we ever see each other again, I want to spend it showing you what's out there and then maybe, just maybe, when I'm gone, you'll think of me every once in a while and remember today, and decide to go to a beach...or jump off a cliff. That's all I want, Lucian. For you to live. To let go."

"I can't let go," he snarled, running a hand through his wet hair. "If I let go, if I don't focus on the task at hand-"

"-the world will come to and end?" She'd meant it as a joke, but she could see that same sadness she'd noticed the night before crawling back into his eyes.

"My world will," he rumbled. "I can't afford to forget why I'm here. I can't indulge in the things I want to indulge in, because if I do-"

"-it's harder to return to that office again; to the darkness?" She had no idea where that insight had come from, but she knew she'd hit the nail on the head the second his eyes narrowed on hers.

"Then don't return to the darkness," she offered on a whisper.

"It's not that easy."

"Right. Your brothers." She huffed, shaking her head. "I still say you should just talk to them-"

"I don't really think you should be giving advice on that subject."

She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying, it didn't exactly seem like your brothers were in the loop about your comings and goings. They clearly didn't know you were staying in my house voluntarily."

"That's different."

"How?"

"I don't tell my brothers things because they're ridiculously overprotective. You don't tell yours stuff because you're afraid of them."

"I'm not afraid of them," he snapped.

She just cocked a sceptical eyebrow.

"I'm not," he snarled. "Those assholes don't have any power over me."

She frowned at the emphasis he'd put on me. He hadn't done it on purpose and not everyone would've heard, but Adrianna was skilled in picking up on those subtle changes in someone's voice or behavior, a skill she'd learned when interrogating suspects. Lucian obviously wasn't a suspect, so she didn't confront him with his slip-up...but if she had to guess, he was protecting someone by pleasing his brothers.

Probably the same woman he's trying to decode The Gomorrah Codex for, a jealous voice hissed in her head. The one he wrote that beautiful piano piece for.

"Besides," Lucian interrupted her thoughts. "Your brothers can't be that overprotective if they let you come here, alone."

She forced a smile, that ugly green monster still clawing at her heart. "Well, they're not just going to follow me around without a good reason. They do have lives off their own."

"Right," he rumbled, his eyebrows pulling together. "But there is a good reason, though."

"They know you're not a threat, Lucian. I made that clear last night."

"Not me. Rodchenko."

She let out a cross between a laugh and a sniff. "I didn't tell them about Rodchenko."

Lucian froze, his jaw clenching. "What do you mean, you didn't tell them about Rodchenko?! Are you out of your mind?! He tried to put a bullet in your head!"

"Which is exactly why I didn't tell them," she said, smiling in an attempt to lighten his mood. When she realized lightening his mood wasn't in the cards, she let out a deep sigh and explained in a serious voice, "Look, Lucian, I couldn't tell them. They would've dragged my ass back to Italy!"

"Good!"

She flinched, her heart aching in her chest. "Wauw, you really can't get me far enough away from you, can you?"

"Away from Rodchenko!" he corrected, his eyes spitting fire. Almost literally. If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn she saw actual flames dancing in his irises. "You have to tell your brothers! They need to protect you!"

The ache in her chest was replaced by anger, her hands balling in fists. "First of all, for someone who's claimed on numerous occasions not to care about my safety, you sure act like you care and secondly, like I told you before, I don't need anyone to protect me! I can take care of myself!"

"Damn it, you stubborn-"

"I'm not stubborn," she cut him off. "I just know when I'm right!"

"You're not right!"

"No?" she snarled, taking a few steps away from him. "Attack me."

The hard, angry lines on his face disappeared, confusion taking over his features. "What?"

"Attack me. Come on, Nox. I'm just a little, defenseless girl, right?"

"I never said you were a little, defenseless-"

"Don't backpaddle now," she said, planting her feet firmly in the warm sand. "Attack me."

"I'm not going to attack you!"

"Chicken."

He cocked an annoyed eyebrow. "Did you really think that would work? I'm not some sixteen year old who-" His arm shot up, his eyes wide as he blocked her right hook.

She smiled, surprised. "Well done."

She swung with her other arm and he leaned back, her fist missing its target once again.

"Stop trying to hit me!" he barked. "I'm not fighting you!"

"Fine, then don't fight me," she sang. "But you should definitely defend yourself."

She could tell he wasn't done objecting to this idea, but before he could utter a single word, she went for him. She wasn't actually trying to hurt him, off course. She just wanted to show him she was a force to be reckoned with; that she didn't need anyone keeping her safe from the wolves outside her door.

She was a wolf.

And apparently, so was he. Like her, he was obviously not trying to hurt her. He never landed a single punch...but he could stand his own.

"You're not too bad at his."

"You sound surprised."

"I am. I didn't expect these moves from a suit."

"A suit?"

And then, he did something that made every guard inside of her come down.

He smiled.

Actually smiled.

Little dimples appeared beside his mouth, his eyes sparkling. She'd never seen him so soft. He still oozed power and danger, but the hard edges were gone and for the first time, she saw a vulnerable side to him. A human side.

And it was beautiful.

"I'm not a suit, Salvatore," he said, his smile even audible in his voice. "Trust me."

I do.

Blinking wildly, she tore her eyes away from his curling lips, her heart thundering in her chest.

You trust him? a voice snarled in her head.

Shaking her head, she went for him again, trying to distract herself...but failing.

How can you trust him? that voice continued in her head as she swung and blocked, advancing and retreating. You met him a few weeks ago! It makes no sense for you to-

Her thoughts halted abruptly when he took advantage of her distraction, grabbing the arm that had blocked his latest swing and spinning her around. Suddenly, she found herself pressed up against him, his hands wrapped around her wrists, pinning them down over her chest. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she should struggle, break free...but the second she'd felt his chest against her back-the chill of his still wet shirt touching her skin-she felt herself relax instead. It went against everything she'd been taught; against every instinct she had...but she somehow found herself surrendering instead of fighting. And it didn't help that she could feel his warm breath on her neck or that the salty smell of the ocean barely masked his own distinct, mouthwatering scent.

God, why does he feel so good?

"See," he growled, his raw voice making her melt even more...at least until he added, "You need your brothers."

Anger once again blazing through her blood, she pulled herself together and hissed, "I'm holding back, Nox. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"From where I'm standing, I'm the only one in the position to cause hurt."

"Well, then maybe you should stand somewhere else," she snarled before turning her palms out and then shoving her hands down, releasing herself from his grip. The second she was free, she crouched down and spun around, kicking his legs out from under him. When his back hit the sand, she moved towards him, smiling victoriously as she straddled him, pinning down his legs with hers, her hands on his chest keeping him down.

"You were saying?" she sang, grinning.

He didn't answer.

He didn't even move.

She noticed his Adam's apple bouncing, though; his hands gripping the sand beside her legs...and all off a sudden, she became very aware of the position she was in.

Literally.

She could feel the wet fabric of his pants through her bikini bottoms, his thighs flexing between hers, his chest underneath her palms heaving... And his eyes, those dark eyes, pierced hers in a way that made a hot shiver shoot up and down her spine. Why hadn't she thought this through? She was on top of him, for God's sake! She should move! Get up and move...but she couldn't. She just sat there, fighting her body; a body that wanted to lean down, close the distance between them and finish what they'd started last nigh-

A wave crashed onto the shore, the cold water brushing against her leg, bring her back to reality. Blinking wildly, she pulled herself together and rose...but before she could get far, his hands flew up from the sand, clasping down on her hips.

She froze, sparks igniting where he was touching her, her heart beating in her throat, her mouth going dry again and-

"What is that?" he growled.

Confused, she followed his angry eyes; eyes that were now focused on her belly. More specifically, on the tiny, round scar on her belly.

Reluctantly shrugging off his touch, she got up, self consciously pressing her palm over the mark. "That is the reason I don't wear bikinis around my family anymore."

He got back on his feet too, gnarling, "Did you get shot?"

She frowned at the rage in his voice, not sure why this news pissed him off so much. "Once. I did this undercover assignment when I was just starting out and the guy caught me off guard."

"You never told me that."

She huffed, cocking an eyebrow. "When would I have mentioned something like this? During the many long conversations we've had...never?"

She noticed him grinding his teeth before he snarled, "What happened to the man who shot you?"

"I don't know," she lied. "After he shot me, I passed out. I woke up in the hospital and he was gone."

"You didn't look for him?" he snarled.

"Off course, I did. The entire force did. But he was gone without a trace."

"What about your parents?"

"What about them?"

"You told me last night that they have a private security business. Did they look? I'm sure they have a better chance at finding him than your colleagues."

"What makes you say that?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Off course, he was right...but he couldn't know that. He didn't know what her parents were, what they could do.

"Instinct," he answered on a hiss. "So, did they look?"

"They would've...if they'd known."

"They don't know?!" he snapped. "How can your parents not know that you got shot?!"

"When it happened, I told the hospital not to contact them," she said, cocking an eyebrow. "And like I said, I don't wear bikinis around them, so they've never seen the scar."

"Jesus, you really can't ask for help, can you?"

"I asked you for help, with Rodchenko!"

"No, you didn't! I forced my help on you!"

She rolled her eyes, knowing full well that he was right...but she wasn't about to admit that. "Look, I just didn't want to worry them needlessly. The bullet went straight through without hitting anything vital. It was no big deal. "

"No big deal? You were shot!"

"Yes, and I'm still here, alive and kicking; as in, kicking your ass!"

He sniffed. "You didn't kick my ass."

"If that's what you need to tell yourself."

His lips twitched again, but she could still see the anger-and worry-on his face.

"You know, you should get changed," she said, pointing at the swim shorts he'd abandoned in the sand when they'd started fighting. "Keeping those wet clothes on isn't a good idea. Aren't you freezing?"

"No, I'm fine."

Off course he's not cold. Look at him, that new girly voice chimed in her head. He's hot as hell.

She mentally rolled her eyes at this newly discovered side of herself, clearing her throat before saying, "Well, do whatever you want, but I'm going for a swim."

She moved passed him, towards the ocean. The cold water would do her some good. Maybe she could get her body temperature back down to a normal degree, although she had a feeling that wasn't going to happen as long as he was around. How much longer was she going to feel this attraction? Surely, his effect on her should've worn off by now. Shouldn't she be used to his physical appeal yet?

Maybe it's not just physical. Maybe there's something deeper that pulls you in.

She reached the ocean just in time to stop that thought from taking root and soon, she let the water consume her, thinking off nothing but how amazing it felt, wrapped around her body.


How did I not know she got shot?

Hades watched with bated breath as she took off the barely-there beach dress, dropped it in the sand and disappeared into the ocean. He'd figured out how it was possible he'd never seen the scar before. In the dreamworld, people were a product of their own invention. Adrianna clearly didn't like the scar, so she hadn't brought it with her into their dreams...but he didn't understand why Adrianna had never spoken to him about what had happened. They'd met way before she'd become a cop, so he'd been in her life already when it had happened and yet, not a word.

Why would she hide that from him?

A breeze blew over the beach and Hades shivered. It was a new sensation to be cold...and he didn't like it one bit. Casting one more glance towards her bopping head in the water, he grabbed the swim shorts from the sand and made his way to the cave to change.

So, what now? the monster inside growled. She didn't tell her brothers about Rodchenko. No one's looking out for her. You know what this means, right? You know what you have to do.

No, he growled back. After today, we're done. We have to be. I can't be around her anymore. Especially not if she keeps straddling me in bikinis.

So, you're just going to leave her to fend for herself, then? Because it's a little difficult for you?

A little?! Every inch of my body hurts from trying to resist her!

Okay...then go behind her back. Tell her brothers what's going on. You heard her yourself; they'll take her to Italy and keep her safe.

That can't happen either. If I find the spell to hide her from my brothers, I'll need to be able to cast it immediately and since most powerful spells have to be performed with the person who's getting spelled present, I can't have her on some Salvatore lock-down in Italy.

Right, that monster snickered. And your reluctance has nothing to do with the fact that you can't stand the idea of her being halfway across the world? Why can't you just admit that you love having her around. It's hard, sure, but you and I both know you wouldn't trade this time with her for anything in the world...

Hades ignored the monster, putting his clothes on top of a pile of rocks, making his way back to the beach just in time to see her coming out of the ocean…

Fuck me.

Off all the places she could've taken him, she just had to take him to a beach, a place where she'd be in a goddamned bikini, looking like a goddess. Her raven hair was sticking to her cheeks; those bright blue eyes closing as she raised her face to the warm sun; her red lips curling in a sweet smile…

When she made her way towards him, he could've sworn he saw her eyes run over his chest for just a moment, her cheeks flushing…but he didn't dwell on that. If he let himself dwell on that blush; on the notion of her getting turned on by the sight of him, he wouldn't be able to keep the monster at bay for much longer.

"You got changed," she said when she reached him, gathering her wet hair over one shoulder. "You weren't getting cold by any chance, were you?"

God, he loved that teasing tone to her voice.

"No," he said, rolling his eyes when her smile turned into a knowing grin. "Okay, fine, maybe a little."

"Mmmmm," she chimed, bending down to grab something from her backpack again.

He tried. He really tried…but he couldn't stop his eyes from landing on that curvy bottom of hers as she bend over. He still remembered what it felt like to bury his fingers in those cheeks; to hold on to them when she rode him; to feel them tense right before she came.

"One for you-" she said, holding out a white towel for him without looking up. "-and one for me."

He was grateful for the damned thing. Not so much because he was still cold-he was scolding hot at that point-but because he could use it to hide his lust for her, strategically holding it in from of his shorts.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked as she spread her towel out over the sand.

"Now, we take in some much needed vitamin C," she sang, laying down on the soft fabric with a deep sigh

He frowned, watching her as she raised her arms above her head and closed her eyes.

"So, we just…lie down?"

She opened one eye again, grinning. "Yes, mister Nox. We just lie down. It's called relaxing. You are familiar with the concept, aren't you?"

Not really.

He didn't answer. Instead, he followed her lead, spreading out his towel beside her and laying down. At first, his body was very aware of the fact that she was right there, his every sense heightened…and then, he heard her breathing steady. He knew that sound, knew what it meant. She'd fallen asleep.

His lips twitching endearingly, he dared a glance her way, a warmth that had nothing to do with the sun spreading out inside of him. Not so long ago, he'd never seen her like this. He'd always been there when she dreamt, but he'd never been there to see her sleep, to hear those adorable sounds she made. It was a sight he'd take with him into eternity.

His fingers itched to reach out and feel that warm skin underneath his fingertips; to brush a wet curl from her cheek; to trace the swell off her lips…but he'd only be torturing himself.

Digging his fingers into the sand instead, he tore his gaze away from her, trying to think of anything else. But he couldn't. He hadn't been able to think of anything else since the moment he'd seen that vague vision of her. Did he really think he could think of anything else now that she was actually here, laying right beside him?

Forcing himself not to look at her again, he closed his eyes…and soon, he felt himself drift, too. The fact that he hadn't slept since the night before last was finally catching up with him…and he happily let it overtake him.

At least asleep, he would be able to keep his hands off her.


Adrianna wasn't sure what had woken her. Maybe the sound of the seagulls flying above, maybe the chill in the air that came with the sun lowering in the sky. Whatever it was though, she was grateful. Even before she'd opened her eyes, she'd been able tell something was…different. Normally when she woke, she felt cold, her legs curled against her chest, annoyed her sleep had been interrupted…but now, the first thing she felt when her mind came back from the abyss of sleep, was this strange new warmth. Not a warmth that came from the outside, but one that started from within, soothing her entire being. It was only when she finally opened her eyes, that she realized what was causing this wonderful feeling.

Him.

At some point, they'd both fallen asleep and when Adrianna had rolled onto her side… he had followed. She could feel his hard body curled up against her back, his warm breath brushing against her hair, his spicy scent enveloping her. And as if those things alone weren't tantalizing enough, she suddenly realized he'd draped his arm over her side, holding her locked in his embrace, his hand wrapped around hers…and hers holding on tightly to his.

Lying there in the sand, with her heart slamming against her chest, Adrianna felt something she'd never felt before; something between happiness…and panic. She was enjoying this way too much. Normally, she didn't like being touched by anyone but her family, especially not in such an intimate way, but with him, it felt natural, as if she'd been spooning with him for years.

Trying not to freak out, she considered her options. She could move, but then she would risk waking him up and she thought it was best to avoid that. Obviously, neither of them had gotten in this position on purpose. Sometime during their slumber, their bodies had just done this for some reason and she feared that if they woke together, things would get awkward; kind of like waking up next to a stranger after a drunk one night stand. Or so she'd been told by Maggie. She didn't want it to be like that, to feel uncomfortable, especially not if this was the last day she had with him. She didn't want to spend those last moments in tense silence. So, for that reason-and that reason alone- she decided to stay right where she was. It had nothing to do with the fact that she felt like she belonged in his embrace nor did it have anything to do with how safe she felt with him holding her. No. It had nothing to do with either of those reasons.

Nothing.

Sure, keep telling yourself that, but sooner or later-

Her thoughts halted abruptly when he stirred behind her.

Quickly, she closed her eyes again and steadied her breathing, feigning sleep. At first, she felt him holding her even closer, his nose brushing over her neck, making goosebumps trickle down her skin...and then, his entire body tensed. His mind must've finally shaken off the last remains of sleep and now, he was fully aware of where he was; of who he was holding...and judging from the soft growl she heard slip from his lips, he wasn't too happy about it.

Keeping perfectly still, she almost smiled when he didn't immediately move. For a few long, beautiful seconds, he just held her... and then, within the space of a single breath, he was gone. She ignored how her body mourned the loss; how that strange thing in her chest clenched; how that little voice in her mind screamed to turn over, grab those broad shoulders, kiss those luscious lips and make him stay...but in the end, she did none of that. She just laid there, listening to his feet moving over the sand, taking him away from her in a fast pace. When she recognized the sound of someone diving into the water, she finally opened her eyes, catching a glimpse of his body disappearing underneath the surface.

Letting out a deep sight, Adrianna rolled on her back, staring at the orange sky above with a frown.

"Pull yourself together, Adrianna," she whispered to herself, burying her fingers in her hair. "Lets not forget that this is the last day you have with him. He's made it perfectly clear that he wants nothing to do with you after today." That new ache pinched her heart again and she sat up straight, hugging her knees to her chest as she snarled, "Stop it! Stop feeling for him! It can go nowhere! It can only-"

Her brain forgot how to form words when he came out of the ocean again. He clearly hadn't enjoyed his short swim. His eyes were angry, his jaw set...but that chest...Gawd, that chest. Watching him, she felt her insides tighten like they'd done the last time she'd seen him come out of the water, all dripping and hard edges. But something was different, too. She could tell that it wasn't just lust crawling through her veins anymore. Something had changed inside of her; grown soft and warm...and she wasn't sure if she liked it.

Trying to get her mind off that disturbing feeling, she jumped on her feet, gathering the towels and shoving them back in the backpack.

When she heard him come up behind her, she purposely avoided his eyes as she said, "We should go. We'll be late."

"Late for what?"

Those butterflies fluttered in her stomach again at his deep, rumbling voice. Why wasn't she getting used to that sound?

"You'll see," she just said, plastering a smile on her face before turning towards him…and finding him standing right behind her, so close she could feel the coldness off the ocean that clung to his body. She could see his Adam's apple bounce, his eyes turning even angrier right before he rounded her and disappeared back into the cave.

"Okay, can you please pull yourself together," she whispered, throwing the backpack over her shoulder. "If you don't, you might freak him out and he'll stop indulging you. You remember how hard it was to get him to come with you, right?"

After he emerged from the cave, once again fully clothed, they made their way up the rocky path in silence, watching as the sun slowly slipped underneath the horizon. When they reached the car, Adrianna put her dress back on and tied her hair into a high ponytail again before getting behind the wheel. Lucian was already in the passengers seat, his angry eyes on on the road ahead. This had clearly been a bad idea. She'd wanted to take him somewhere peaceful; somewhere he could shake of the darkness, the stress…but judging from his body language, she'd done the exact opposite. He was more tightly wound than she'd ever seen him...

She swallowed back a sudden lump in her throat, her chest hurting as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Those grey depths immediately locked onto hers, his eyebrows pulling together even more.

"I thought you'd like it here," she added in a soft voice that dripped with regret. "Clearly, I was wrong."

"No."

Her wringing hands froze as she matched his frown. "No?"

"No," he repeated in a commanding voice, those beautiful eyes piercing hers intensely. "You weren't wrong…Adrianna."

She couldn't stop the smile from spreading over her face when he said her name for the first time since the library, since they almost-

"Good," she cut off that memory, turning on the engine. "Then I'm sure you'll love the next part, too."

"And you're really not telling me what the next part entails?"

"Dinner," she said, steering the car back to the main road.

"Just dinner?" he asked, clearly skeptical.

"Just dinner."

"Why don't I believe you?"

She simply smiled and focused on the road, enjoying the wind in her hair and the mesmerizing colors that painted the sky.


"Are you sure you're not lost?"

Adrianna laughed. "Yes, I'm sure. Relax."

Hades cocked an eyebrow, glancing around skeptically. They'd been navigating through a maze of alleys for a while now and he was pretty sure no one would be dumb enough to open a restaurant anywhere near here. Not to mention he didn't like walking around in this part of town after sunset with Adrianna...especially not when she looked the way she did; her hair loose, her skin sunkissed from their day on the beach. She was still wearing that same mouthwatering dress, but she'd foreseen him jumping off that cliff and had stopped by his house to grab fresh clothes before coming to the club to get him. Good thing too, because the shirt and pants he'd been wearing were ruined.

He would jump after her again in a heartbeat, though. It had been worth spending the day with her, seeing her in that damned bikini...waking up next to her. He still didn't know how he'd ended up spooning her. It's like, as soon as his mind had fallen asleep and he was no longer in conscious control over his body, it had acted on instinct and apparently, his instinct was holding the woman he loved...and she'd felt so fucking good, curled into him, her firm behind snuggled against his groin, her tiny fingers clutching his, his nose buried in her hair...

Feeling his blood heat again, Hades wished he was back on that beach, with an ice cold ocean at hand to jump into. But he wasn't, so instead, he straightened his tie, keeping his hands busy before he lost control of them, grabbed her, pushed her against the nearest wall, lifted up that dress and-

"Anna?"

The heat in his veins went from lust to rage when he saw Gabriel Vasquez walking towards them, a big grin on his face and his eyes way too interested on Adrianna. When he reached them and hugged her, Hades had to look away, just to stop himself from...acting on instinct.

"Gabriel," Adrianna greeted when he let go of her, her voice clearly confused. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came from a consultation with a potential new client," he said, his eyes flickering from Adrianna to Hades. "And you?"

"We're just grabbing a bite to eat," Adrianna said, taking a step back so she stood beside Hades again when she said, "You remember Lucian Nox, don't you?"

"Off course," Gabriel said, holding out his hand with a smile that was a lot less welcoming than the one he'd shot Adrianna. "The club-guy."

Hades sniffed at the subtle insult, shaking his hand. "And you're the PI-guy."

"Yes. Speaking off-" Gabriel said, focusing back on Adrianna. "-I've been trying to get a hold of you, but you disappeared off the radar."

"I know. I'm sorry," said, switching from one foot to another. She was feeling uncomfortable...and for some reason, that pleased Hades. She clearly wasn't enjoying Gabriel's presence. "I just needed a little time after what happened to Gerard."

"Right, I heard about that," Gabriel said, rubbing her arm, making Hades grind his teeth. "I can't believe Rodchenko actually hired a sniper. I'm glad you're okay."

"Thanks to Mister Nox," she said, smiling up at Hades, making the anger in his chest cool. "He pushed me out of the way. He saved my life."

Gabriel tried to smile at Hades, but even a blind man could see it wasn't a sincere smile. This man clearly didn't trust him...and he obviously didn't like him around Adrianna.

"We should go," Adrianna cut the tense silence, sweetly grabbing Hades' arm, making sparks shoot up and down the limb.

"Yeah, I should go, too," He nodded, checking his phone. "But we should meet up soon, Anna."

"Why?" Hades snapped.

He could tell by Gabriel's expression that he didn't appreciate Hades jumping into the conversation, but he really didn't care what that idiot thought. Under his watch, Rodchenko had almost shot and killed Adrianna, so as far as Hades was concerned, Gabriel's business with her was over. Not to mention it was obvious this moron had more than just a business-interest in her. Calling her Anna, hugging her, looking at her the way he did...

Fucker.

"I understand that you needed some time off," Gabriel said, addressing Adrianna again. "And I've been trying to keep track of Rodchenko on my own, but I can't be there twenty four seven. I need sleep and I have other clients, so I was just wondering if you already feel up to taking over the stakeouts-"

"She won't be doing that anymore."

Hades ignored the glare Adrianna shot him and kept his eyes locked with Gabriel's.

"You speak for her now?" the fucker said, dropping his polite pretense.

"No, he doesn't," Adrianna hissed. "He-"

"-doesn't think it's a very good idea for her to go anywhere near Rodchenko anymore," Hades finished her sentence, still glaring at the man. "Since he tried to shoot her and all. If you really need your eight hours of beauty sleep, I can arrange for someone to take over the stakeouts."

"You can arrange for someone?" Gabriel sniffed, his eyes switching back to Adrianna. "Who is this guy?"

"Look-" Adrianna said before Hades could show him exactly who this guy was. "-I'll call you, okay? We'll talk about it."

Her soft voice clearly had a calming effect on the man. Hades could see his anger vanish, that ridiculous boyish smile curling his lips again.

"Alright," the idiot said, giving her a tight nod. "It was nice to see you, Anna."

"Same here, Gabriel," she said and then, she put some pressure on Hades' arm, signaling for him to move. He was more than willing to oblige, rounding the man without a word, marveling in the feeling of her hand on him.

"So," Hades said when they'd turned the corner. "You didn't ask him to drop the case, huh? Aren't you worried about Rodchenko coming after him?"

He could swear he saw her blush, but the darkness made it hard to be sure. "He knows the risk."

"As do I."

She shot him an annoyed glare. "You know what I mean. It's his job. It's not yours. I dragged you into this Rodchenko-mess and that wasn't fair to you. "

"You didn't drag me into-"

"Could we not have this argument again?" she cut him off, sighing. "Let's just pick up where we left off before we bumped into Gabriel. Please."

What was it about the word please? Why couldn't he deny her anything when she uttered that single word?

"Alright," Hades said. "I think, before he came along, I was pointing out you're clearly lost."

She laughed again, the sound making the last traces of his anger fade.

"O ye, of little faith," she snickered...and then, she turned sideways and knocked on a door which Hades hadn't even noticed was there. The color and design blended in with the brick of the alley, making it so you wouldn't even notice it was there; not unless you knew to look for it.

And Adrianna had clearly known.

The soft clicking of metal pierced the night and then the door opened, a muscled man shooting them both a strict glare before booming, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Adrianna said. "I'm here to see the Fairy Godmother."

Hades frowned, but the man didn't seem fazed, responding, "She's not in. Her carriage turned into a pumpkin."

What?

"Well, then I'll just have some tea with Merlin," Adrianna said, smiling.

"Plain?" the man asked.

"Two sugars and a dash of milk. No lemon."

He nodded and then stepped aside. Adrianna signaled for Hades to follow her and he did, staying close.

"Code?" he asked as they walked down the dark entry.

She nodded, her smile widening when the sound of a saxophone came drifting towards them. "The door is pretty inconspicuous, but just in case some random people stumble on it, the code makes sure they can't get in. This place runs on exclusivity and privacy, so if you don't know the right things to say, there's no way you're getting past the bouncer."

Considering the tight security, Hades expected to find some dazzling, modern place…but when they finally came to the end of the hallway and two other, well-built men held open the thick velvet curtains, Hades couldn't help but frown. Instead of the expensive interior he'd imagined, Adrianna led him into a space that was anything but expensive. There was a wooden bar to the right lined with stools, a makeshift stage in the very back where a very skilled live band was performing and the rest of the room was taken up by a few tiny round tables placed around a crowded dance floor.

"Not what you thought you'd find?" She asked, no doubt noticing his confused expression.

"Not really no. I thought-"

"Adrianna?"

Adrianna's smile grew even wider when an elderly man came waking towards them, watching her with warm eyes.

"Henry," she sang, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "It's been too long."

The man smiled, the lines on his face deepening. "How have you been, dear?"

"Good. Busy."

"Ah," he groaned, shaking his head. "Youth is waisted on the young. Isn't that right, mister-"

"Nox," Hades said, shaking the hand he'd been offered. "Lucian Nox."

"Lucian Nox?" Henry repeated, frowning. "Not the Nox that runs Club Cepa?"

"One and the same, I'm afraid."

The man laughed, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Oh please, I've heard nothing but good things about your club and as you can see, it's not like we're in competition with each other."

"Well, that wouldn't be fair, would it.? You'd win hands down," Adrianna said, winking at Henry before shooting Hades a teasing smile.

The man laughed again, nodding his head in the direction of an empty table. "You should take your date to a table before I steal the little charmer away, mister Nox."

"It's not a da-"

Henry turned and walked away, laughing, before Adrianna could finish her correction.

"Shall we?" Hades asked, offering his arm for her to hold again. There were a few steps down and she'd changed into heels earlier which made something simple as steps tricky…but that wasn't the only reason he'd offered. He'd loved the feeling of her hand on his arm earlier.

When she slipped her arm through his, holding on to his bicep, he suppressed a groan and instead said, "Nice man."

Adrianna nodded, her fingers tightening, that blush coloring her cheeks again as he led her to the little table Henry had pointed out, the wood underneath their shoes creaking.

"This used to be a speakeasy during the prohibition, you know," she said. "Henry fixes it up every now and then, but just enough to make sure it doesn't fall apart at the seams."

"Obviously."

Her lips twitched as he pulled back the wooden chair. When she'd taken a seat, he held on to the chair a little longer, just to make sure it would hold. Like the rest of the interior, it looked like it could collapse at any moment. It had a certain charm, though; like they'd stepped into the past. He could see why she loved it here.

"Not really what you're used to, huh?" she sang when he sat down opposite to her.

Hades frowned, unbuttoning his jacket. "You really do think I'm a suit, don't you?"

She bit that lip of hers, making him shift uncomfortably. How could she make him so fucking hard, just by biting her lip?

"You did notice I brought you two options to change into, right?" she smiled. "Jeans and a T-shirt, which I had to dig up from the very back of your closet...and a suit. Remind me again, which one did you pick?"

He cocked an eyebrow, trying to feign annoyance even though he could feel his lips twitch again. What was it with him and the smiling? He never smiled...but with her around, his damned lips seemed to either curl or yearn to kiss her…or both.

"Just because I wear a suit, doesn't mean I am a suit," he said, not liking the idea of Adrianna thinking of him as stuck-up. If she only knew who he really was, what he really was...

"No," she agreed. "But the house does. And the arrogance. And the expression on your face when we came in here-" she trailed off, adding on a frown. "-but then, you fight the way you do and throw me for a loop."

"Fight the way I do? I don't fight like a suit?"

She shook her head, letting out a little laugh. "No, you don't. You fight with too much passion and urgency. Suits don't fight like that. They're all technique, no fire, which is why they always lose. You need to be able to improvise, to feel your opponent's next move before he makes it. That's what I was taught, anyway."

"By who?" He asked, always eager to hear about her past, about her life when she wasn't with him in her dreams. Adrianna had always been open with him; talking without reservation about her family, her career, her friends...but here, it was different. Outside of their dreams, they had all the time in the world to talk, without the fear of her waking up, which meant she had more time to tell the stories that hadn't necessarily defined her, but still made her smile the way she was smiling now. And he had more time to ask questions, to dig deeper, to find out exactly what made his woman tick.

"Pretty much my entire family," she answered his question, gathering her curls over one shoulder before she continued, "Because of their job, my family was worried some people could get the stupid idea in their head to come after them and those they love-"

"Meaning you," he growled.

"And my brothers, yes," she said, frowning for a second, no doubt because of the angry tone to his voice. "So, if it had been up to my dad, I would've learned how to fight before I learned how to talk. Luckily, my mom was the voice of reason. At least for a little while. As I got older, she got on board with my dad. In fact, after a while, every single member of my family kept trying to rope me into some form of martial arts-"

"But you didn't want any part of it?"

"No, I just wanted to be normal. I already had enough trouble fitting in at school."

"Why?" he rumbled, noticing a hint of sadness in her eyes.

She shrugged. "Let's just say my family's always been a little...mysterious. No one really knew them and I was the first of the Salvatores to go to school in town."

"Your brothers didn't go to school?"

"Homeschooled," she explained. "They...advanced pretty quickly."

Right.

For a second there, he'd forgotten her brothers were born as vampires. They wouldn't have been able to go to a regular school. At least, not without their little secret being discovered.

"So, the other kids were mean?"

"No. Not mean. They just...kept away."

"I'm sorry."

A little smile pulled at her lips, her eyes softening on his. "It's not your fault. Besides, it's not like I didn't have friends. My family was-and still are- my best friends and that includes Maggie. I don't lack love or support. But, when you're a teenager, you want some peers to notice you too and I didn't think becoming Xena, The Warrior Princess would help me with being socially accepted."

"But you like fighting now," he said, watching her lean back in her chair. "I saw it in you face earlier."

"I do."

"So, what changed your mind?"

She smiled, tucking a curl behind her ear. "The house I grew up in, back in Italy, is surrounded by woods. One of my favorite things to do growing up, was get lost in those woods. I knew them like the back of my hand; knew ever brook; ever clearing. It was my slice of heaven. One night, when I was fifteen, I was out for a run and I heard this keg party going on. I decided to go and warn them that they were on private property before my brothers felt the need to. They wouldn't ask as nicely as me. Actually, they wouldn't ask, period. So, I went and about halfway there, I saw this girl, about my age, with a guy, kissing against a tree and I got this...feeling."

"The same feeling you get with Rodchenko," he rumbled, intrigued.

Her eyes widened a little, little lights igniting in them. "Exactly."

"You knew something was wrong."

She nodded. "So, I hid and waited...and I didn't have to wait long. About two minutes later, this other guy came out of nowhere. Her boyfriend greeted him with this slimy smile on his face and the girl smiled along. She had no clue."

"They were going to hurt her."

She sniffed, crinkling her nose in disgust. "Apparently, the boyfriend thought that because she was with him, she was his property and he had every right to...share her."

Hades felt an fire roar in the pit of his stomach, a fire he recognized all too well. As God of The Underworld, he'd felt that same fire whenever he'd had to deal with those on their way to the worst circles of hell; those humans who had no humanity in them whatsoever.

"I went to help her and found out that, even without any training, my body pretty much knew the basics."

"You kicked their asses."

Adrianna nodded, proud. "And I really liked it. Not the physical act of hurting them, but the feeling of being in control, of being able to take care of myself and most of all, the feeling of helping others. I decided right then and there to stop caring about the fact that I didn't fit in. Standing out was so much more rewarding. So, I started my training the next day and years later, I became a cop."

"Making your family very proud, no doubt."

"Proud and worried," she corrected. "I think they-and especially my dad-would've preferred it if I'd chosen a less dangerous profession. Or if I'd stayed at home all together until I could join the family business."

"But you didn't want to do that?"

"No," she huffed. "I get it, I really do, but I didn't feel like sitting around when I could be out there, making a difference."

"And your father didn't try to stop you? Or your mother?"

"They tried...but I'm not that easily stopped. You should know that by now."

He did. He hadn't been surprised to find out that Damon and Elena Salvatore's daughter was stubborn, though. They were both the most hardheaded people he'd ever met.

"What about you?" she asked.

"What about me?"

"How did your parents feel about you and your brothers getting into the club-life?"

Hades sniffed, wondering exactly what his parents-Cronus and Rhea-would say if they could see him now, on Earth, in love with a mortal. Probably not much good. Then again, his parents had never had anything good to say about their offspring. Especially not that bastard. The only thing Zeus had ever done right was overthrow Cronus and banish him to Tartarus along with the other Titans. That sadistic fuck belonged in that deep, dark hole.

"Not much good, huh?" she said, reading his mind.

"I wouldn't know. They're not in my life."

"Oh," Adrianna whispered, her eyes kind on his. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

They sat in silence for a few seconds, staring at each other and just when she opened her beautiful mouth again, a man came to their table with two beers, a bowl of mixed nuts and a much too warm look in his eyes.

"Welcome back, stranger," the waiter said, flashing his clearly bleached teeth at Adrianna.

"Scott?!" she exclaimed, getting up and hugging the man, making Hades' hands clutch underneath the table.

What was it with these men popping up everywhere like fucking weeds tonight?

"I thought you were going to Brazil?"

"That's still the plan," he said. "But Henry hasn't found a replacement yet, so I'm sticking around until he does. I don't want to leave him in the shit." This Scott acknowledged him then too; his brown eyes zooming in on him. "Hi."

"Oh, sorry," Adrianna said, rubbing her forehead as she sat back down. "Scott, this is Lucian. Lucian, Scott."

Hades returned Scott's tight nod.

"Is the kitchen still open?" Adrianna asked, tapping her fingers on the table.

"Off course," Scott grinned. "Same as always?"

"Two, please," she said, glancing at Hades as she added, "Unless mister Nox would like a menu?"

He sniffed, realizing what she was doing. She was still teasing him about the suit-thing, testing him.

"No," he said, playing her game. "I'm sure that whatever the same as always is, it will be the best thing I've ever had in my mouth."

Except for you.

"Good," she laughed, confirming her order with Scott before he walked away. And not a moment too soon. If he'd kept ogling her much longer, Hades would've taken his eyes out with his fucking thumbs.

"The boy likes you," he growled when he was out of hearing distance.

Adrianna frowned, her eyes flickering back to Scott for a second. "No, he's just a friend."

"A friend who likes you."

"Isn't that what friends generally do?"

"You know what I mean."

"You're seeing things."

"Or your blind to them. Just like you're oblivious to that PI's affection for you."

Her eyes dropped for a moment, making Hades straighten in his seat, intrigued. "Oh, you do know about that."

She shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's a recent thing. I'm sure it will pass as quickly as it came."

"I wouldn't be so sure," he rumbled, watching her play with a strand of her hair. "You're not easy to forget."

He froze at the exact same time she did. He hadn't meant to say that last part out loud, but it had slipped from his tongue before he'd been able to stop it.

Swallowing hard, he tore his eyes from her fingers and trailed them up to meet hers. Her blue gaze was warm and confused...and she was blushing.

Fuck, he loved it when she blushed.

He opened his mouth to say something, to take it back, to do damage control...but then suddenly, Henry stood beside their table, sweetly placing his hand on her shoulder, holding out a violin.

Adrianna's blush deepened even more when she noticed the instrument, shaking her head as she shot the man a sweet smile.

"Henry, I can't-"

"Come on, please," he begged, obviously pulling at her heartstrings. "The band is dying to play with you again."

Hades glanced at the men on the stage, all of them watching her expectantly.

"I haven't touched a violin in a long time-"

"It's like riding a bike," Henry pushed, bringing the violin closer to her. "Please, it may be the last chance an old man like me gets to hear you-"

She cut him off by grabbing the instrument, sighing, "Well played."

When she rose, the musicians on the stage started to clap, making Adrianna grin.

"I'll be right back," she said, shooting him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

She was pulled into the dancing crowd by Henry before he could tell her it was alright. The truth was, it was better than alright. He'd had no idea what to say after his slip-up; no idea how to explain his sudden words of affection. It's not like he could tell her he loved her, that she meant everything to him. She could never know that.

His heart aching, he watched her being welcomed on stage by the other musician, all smiles and warmth. He wondered if she knew the effect she had on people. Not just men, but people in general. They liked her, wanted to be around her...and that only emphasized the difference between them. People never welcomed him with such amicability, with such kindness. They shun away fom him, sensing his darkness. Everyone except the beautiful miracle that was playing the violin like an expert, spurring the growing crowd off dancers on. She was so...alive.

You don't deserve her.

He didn't need that voice in his head to remind him off that. He knew. Just like he knew what the presence of his darkness in her life would do to her light. Like that butterfly in the painting in his office, his darkness would envelop her, trying to warm itself at her light...only to inevitably pull her in the darkness with him.

He knew this.

And yet, this knowledge didn't have the same effect on him as it used to. Before, he would've gotten up from his chair and walked out, hurting her, pushing her away a little bit more. But now, he watched her laugh, her curls bouncing as she moved to the music, as she danced around the man playing the saxophone. Something inside of him was weakening, yielding to her...and he couldn't stop it.

Her bow brushed over the strings one more time and then, the music stopped and the crowd exploded in applaus as the musicians patted Adrianna on the back, hugging her as she laughed.

After taking a little bow, she handed the violin back to Henry, who was waiting beside the stage and then made her way back to him. He noticed a few men trying to approach her, but she blew straight passed them, keeping her eyes on him, doing something to his heart.

When she reached their table, he expected her to sit down, but instead, she held out her hand, brushing away a few stray curls that were sticking to her forehead. He could see how flushed she was; could sense the adrenaline pumping through her veins. He knew what she wanted.

Don't, that voice warned in his head. But it wasn't a shout anymore, like it used to be.

It was barely a whisper.

"You dance, right? Any man who can fight the way you can, can dance."

When he still didn't move, she laughed, taking a step closer to him, making his body tighten in all the right places.

"Ah, I see," she sang teasingly, reaching out for his tie and loosening it just a little. "You don't want to wrinkle your suit."

She wiggled her eyebrows and then, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Had that little minx really just challenged him?


Adrianna's pulse was racing, a fire roaring in her belly. She felt like her entire body was crackling with electricity as she moved to the rhythm of the music. She'd forgotten what a rush it was to perform, to get lost in the music. It gave her so much energy she needed a release and right now, all she could think of was the music and the way it felt vibrating through her body.

There was only one thing missing.

One man.

Suddenly, two hands clasped down on her hips. She could feel her heart race even faster, her toes curling...until she turned and found some random man grinning at her instead of the one she'd hoped to find. Disappointed, she took a step back, making his hands drop, but the man wasn't that easily deterred. He kept dancing like no one was watching...and no one would want to. The poor man had no rhythm whatsoever.

"You were great up there!" he yelled over the music, doing a twist with his leg that looked unnatural.

"Thank you!"

He clearly misread her answering out of politeness as some sign of interest and moved closer again. She was just thinking about kind ways to blow him off when someone grabbed her hand from behind and twirled her around. As she spun, she almost lost her balance...but luckily, she spun straight into a hard chest.

"Careful with the suit."

Adrianna looked up into his grey eyes, bursting out into laughter. She'd definitely found a button to push...and it was cute as hell.

He cares what I think of him...

"Changed your mind about dancing, huh?"

"It looked like you could use some help," he rumbled, his warm breath hitting her flushed skin, making her blush crawl down her neck. God, how did he do that? How did he make her body feel like it belonged to him...

"Right," she whispered, the hand he was still holding tingling. "Well, I guess you can go then. I'm fine now."

Please, don't go.

He made a low, growling sound of agreement; one she felt deep in her belly...but he didn't move. He stayed right where he was, his body inches from hers, setting her skin on fire.

"One dance can't hurt, right?" he rumbled, his narrowing eyes glued to his free hand as it slowly slipped around her waist, making her knees weaken. "It's just one dance."

She frowned, getting the strange feeling that he wasn't talking to her, but himself...However, when the music slowed down and his palm pressed against on the nape of her back, she couldn't care less who he'd been speaking to. All she cared about was the way her body felt against his; the way her soul cried out. It reminded her of Italy...of coming home.

Her heart racing so fast she was sure he could feel it beat against his chest, Adrianna hooked her arms around his neck, her fingers instinctively threading into his dark hair. The ocean had washed out all the product, making his hair thicker, softer, easier to run her fingers through.

His embrace tightening, she noticed his eyes turning a shade darker, but once again, she felt no fear. Just like when she'd woken up on that beach in his arms, she felt safer than she'd ever felt. Closing her eyes, she gave up whatever fight she still had left and surrendered to the moment, resting her head in the crook of his neck, breathing him in. He smelled like fire; like passion; like man…

After a long moment, she felt his body melting against hers too. He was letting go as well...His hands started roaming over her back; one remaining in that little dip right above her behind and the other slowly slipping up to that soft spot between her shoulder blades. She could feel his nose on her neck, his breath touching her skin. Never had she wanted a moment to last as much as she wanted this one to. She had the feeling that, even if she could stay there forever, wrapped in his arms, it still wouldn't be long enough.

Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to test that theory.

She wasn't sure why she opened her eyes when she did or how it was possible that they immediately found the entrance. Maybe it was because, as a cop, she had a sixth sense for trouble. Or maybe it was that famous Salvatore-instinct. Either way, the second she spotted the three individuals entering the bar, she knew they were trouble...and when the fourth one followed after them, she was proven right.

Victor Pierce, she mentally snarled, recognizing the man who was now walking towards the cluster of tables in the corner. No, not a man. His good looks made it hard to believe he was the cruelest vampire that was currently walking the Earth, but he was. As leader of The Forsaken-rogue vampires who refuse to play by The Salvatores' rules-the blond, blue eyes monster had been on the top of her family's hit list for a solid decade now.

When she quickly scanned the room for any more of his Forsaken, but didn't find any, she realized he wasn't there for her. This was just a coincidence. A fucked up, badly timed coincidence.

Just one night, she mentally groaned, holding Lucian tighter. Can't I just have one night off? One night without vampires or criminals? One night, just with him?

Apparently not.

She couldn't turn a blind eye to this. Not only because it wasn't The Salvatore-way, but also because she knew what was about to happen. He knew Victor Pierce's reputation. He left a trail of destruction, not witnesses. If she had to take an educated guess, she'd guess Henry's place was going to have a problem with their wiring later tonight, burning it down, with everyone in it.

Call your brothers, that cautious voice inside suggested.

Good idea, except, both my phone and Lucian's are in my bag and I left my bag in the car. If I go get it, who knows what will happen by the time I get back.

Making a decision, Adrianna took one last, deep breath-filling her lungs with his scent-and then, slowly loosened her hold on him. She could feel him tense again, snapping out of the same spell she'd been under. Mentally cursing, she pulled back enough to look him in the eye and cast him a sweet smile. He didn't smile back. His grey eyes switched back and forth between hers, as if he was looking for some sort of explanation for what had just happened. He wouldn't find it in her. She had no idea herself...

"I don't feel so well," she lied, needing an excuse to get him out of the club. "I think I saw a bottle of aspirin in the glove compartment of Maggie's car. Would you mind getting me one?"

Something told her he didn't exactly believe her, but if that was really the case, he didn't call her out on it. Without a word, he immediately headed for the door, as if he couldn't get far enough away from her, fast enough.

She didn't have time to feel hurt over that, though. She had to get this done before Lucian returned. Otherwise, what she was about to do next, would raise too many questions she wasn't allowed to answer.

More than a little pissed off, Adrianna went into Salvatore-mode and made a beeline to the table Pierce and his three Forsaken were occupying. She could tell the moment the Forsaken spotted her and then the second they recognized her. They started to rise, ready for a fight, but Pierce whispered something that made then drop back into their seats. They clearly weren't happy about being benched, but they were too scared to disobey Victor Pierce.

"Miss Salvatore," he sang when she reached their table. "What an unexpected pleasure."

"Shut up, Pierce," she hissed, making his slimy smile drop for a split second. "Shut up, get up and get out."

"I don't think that's going to happen, Adrianna. Can I call you Adrianna?"

"No," she snarled, pressing her palms down on their table and leaning in threateningly. "And I wasn't making a request. This bar is off limits."

He sniffed, running a hand through his dirty blond hair. "You know, I heard about you. The Salvatore woman," he rumbled. "The human Salvatore Woman."

Was that a threat?

"The part you should focus on there, is the Salvatore-part," she snarled, itching to slap that smug look off his face. "I am a Salvatore, Pierce. If you don't believe me, we could always ask my brothers. They're in town."

"And yet, they're not here, which means, you haven't tipped them off."

"Yet."

"Pretty ballsy move, facing me alone."

"Not really. You wouldn't be stupid enough to harm me."

"What makes you say that?" he asked, something igniting in his eyes that turned her blood cold.

She pushed back a frown, gnarling, "You wouldn't want to start a war."

"Oh, princess," he snarled, dropping his charming facade. "You started a war a long time ago. You and that family of yours. And we all know war means casualties."

Walk away, that cautious voice chimed in her head again. This vampire is out of his fucking mind. Get away from him.

"Last chance, Pierce," she hissed instead of following the voice's advice. "Go now and I'll considering not telling my brothers you threatened me."

He laughed and then, before she'd seen it coming, that crazy asshole grabbed her wrist and snarled, "Oh, I want them to know, sweetheart. In fact, I think I'll leave a message for them in your blood, making sure they-"

"Release her," a deep voice suddenly growled, a voice that made her heart sink and sore at the same time. "Now."

No, no, no. Why didn't he just listen and go to the car?

When Lucian moved to stand beside her, she wanted to tell him to walk away; that he had no idea who he was dealing with; that he could never win this fight...but then, something happened she hadn't seen coming.

Pierce actually let go of her.

Just like that.

Confused, she watched as the vampire's blue eyes locked with Lucian's dark ones...a flicker of recognition in Victor's gaze that made her stomach clench.

What the hell?

"I think it's time for you to leave," Lucian growled, a muscle in his jaw ticking. "Don't you?"

She could see Pierce swallow hard, the fear on his face clear as day. He was afraid...of Lucian.

"Did you hear me?!" Lucian barked when Pierce's eyes flickered back to her. "Leave. Now!"

The vampire actually took a scared step back at his loud command, his Forsaken rising to come to their Master's aid...but Pierce shoved his hands against their chests, stopping them. As if he thought Lucian could take the three of them. And then, the next thing she knew, Pierce nodded tightly and disappeared in a flurry of movements, taking his men with him as he scurried out of the bar.

She knew this was what she'd wanted to happen. She'd wanted Victor and his Forsaken to leave...and yet, instead of feeling happy or relieved, she felt terrified.

"Are you alright?" she heard Lucian ask.

She didn't answer. She couldn't.

Without a word, she turned her back on him and walked out of the club, into the night, something inside her chest aching in a way it had never ached before.

"Adrianna!"

Rage crawled through her blood when she heard him call after her, his hurried footsteps getting closer and closer.

He'd lied to her.

She'd trusted this man, despite her better judgement...and he'd lied to her.

When he finally caught up with her and cut off her path, she tried to round him...but he moved when she did, stopping her in her tracks.

"Get out of my way!" she snarled, shooting him a deadly look.

"Adrianna, please, let me explain. I-" He reached out for her...and she flinched. She hadn't meant to, but she just felt so enraged, so betrayed. His lies had cut deep, deeper than she cared to admit, and if he touched her, she feared she would crumble.

And yet, despite that, she still felt her rage waver for just a split second when she noticed the hurt that crossed his face as she recoiled from him. She actually had to stop herself from apologizing...

"Who are you?!" she snapped instead, hearing her voice tremble.

"What?"

"Who. Are. You?" she repeated, punctuating every word, searching his eyes for the answer, even though she knew she wouldn't find it there. Those eyes were a deep sea of secrets she couldn't navigate. She'd never been able to read them, which is how he'd managed to sneak up on her like this.

"You know who I am," he growled, a vein in his neck throbbing, that damned hurt still in his eyes.

"I thought so, too!" she hissed. "But you scared Victor Pierce in there! Victor Pierce feared you!"

Lucian swallowed hard, his eyes dark on hers.

"Victor Pierce is scared of no one!" she continued when he didn't speak. "But one glimpse of you and he all but ran out the door!"

"Adrianna-"

"He recognized you!" she snapped, hating how her body still reacted to him saying her name. "Why did he recognize you, Lucian?!"

"I run a successful club-"

She huffed, shooting him a disappointed look before pushing past him and walking away, hugging herself against the sudden cold that was chilling her to the bone.

"You remember I'm a detective, right?" she snarled over her shoulder when she heard him still following her. "I know when someone's lying! Not to mention there's no reason for Victor to fear a club owner!"

"He didn't fear me!" Lucian tried behind her. "He just-"

Adrianna spun on her heals, feeling her face flush with rage as she hissed, "Stop lying, Lucian! Just stop! Tell me how he knew you, right now or I swear to God, I'll assume the worst!"

"The worst?" he growled.

Why was he suddenly angry?

"Yes, the worst," she snapped. "Victor Pierce isn't a man you want to be associated with! In fact, he's not a man at all!" When Lucian didn't even blink, she added on a hiss, "But you knew that already, didn't you? You know what he is!"

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she snarled, "Choose your next words carefully, Nox."

"Why?" he snapped. "Because they might be my last?"

She knew he'd said that as some sort of sick joke, but it wasn't a joke to her. And it wouldn't be to her brothers either. "If you are involved with Victor Pierce in any way, they might be!"

"Involved? Did it looked like we are on the same side?"

"No, but I think we've learned tonight that things aren't always what they seem! Now, answer the goddamned question! Do you know what Victor Pierce is?!"

Those mysterious eyes switched back and forth between hers, clearly deliberating what to say and then, he finally growled, "Yes. I know what he is."

She let out a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding, her insides clenching.

"Say it," she whispered. "Just so I know for sure before I take this conversation any further. Say what he is, out loud."

He sighed and then rumbled. "A vampire."

Her lungs forgot how to draw in breath for a moment as she stared at Lucian with renewed eyes. He knew. He knew about vampires. He's known all along.

"How?" she asked. "How do you know? What are you?"

"Are you going to ask me if I'm a demon again?" he growled, reminding her of the first time they'd met. It was a good strategy, taking her on a trip down memory lane...but it only made the ache in her heart worse.

"Yes, I am," she snapped. "See, I only now realize you've never actually answered that question. You dodged it. In fact, you've dodged a lot of my questions. Don't dodge this one."

He didn't speak for a long moment and then, he finally rumbled, "I told you my great aunt was a gypsy-"

"You're a gypsy, too? A witch?"

"I don't have any powers."

"Then why was Victor Pierce so afraid?"

"Because he knows off me," Lucian said. "He knows my name, my lineage and that alone can strike fear in others more than any power out there."

She just glared at him, hating how that rational voice in her head was whispering that he was actually making sense. As a human, no supernatural out there should fear her either and yet, they did. Because of her name, her lineage.

"I met Pierce once, a long time ago," Lucian continued. "I didn't think he'd remember me, not many do, but obviously, he did."

Not many remember him? I doubt that.

Stop it! You're mad at him! He lied to you!

Did he? I mean, he told me his great aunt was a gypsy and I knew he was different the second I laid eyes on him in Maggie's shop. No ordinary man asks for The Gomorrah Codex.

Okay, so he didn't lie about himself per se. But he still played you. Ask him. Ask him the question you're afraid to ask.

"Do you know about me?" she whispered, obeying that voice. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes," he gnarled, holding her gaze. "You're Adrianna."

She felt that chill in her body warm up a little at the softness in his voice. She wanted so badly to believe that she was just Adrianna to him; a woman he met by chance.

But something told her that wasn't the case.

"Don't dodge," she said, pushing. She might not have wanted to know the answer, but she needed to know it nevertheless. "You know what I'm asking. Do you know what I am?"

His jaw clutched again, those eyes betraying him even before he nodded.

"You knew all along." It wasn't a question.

Her mind trying to cope, she started walking again, feeling her stomach turn. She was actually feeling sick, nauseous. He knew she was The Crescător. He knew about her family. He knew.

"Adrianna!" he yelled behind her. "Can we just talk about this?"

"Talk?!" she yelled back without slowing down. "Okay, let's talk! Let's talk about the fact that you've been lying to me since day one!"

"I haven't been lying! It just never came up!"

"Never came up?!" she huffed over her shoulder. "That's what you're going with?!"

"It's the truth! We were working on capturing Rodchenko, a human! We never once handled anything supernatural!"

"When we met, you acted like you didn't know me!"

"You were there as a homicide detective, so I treated you as one! Besides, it's not like you ever brought it up yourself!"

"Oh, so now it's my fault ?!" she screamed, outraged.

"I didn't say that!" he tried to sooth. "I'm just pointing out that you yourself haven't exactly been the poster child for honesty!"

He has a point.

Don't listen to him, she thought, even though she could feel her anger diminishing. Remember, people who know you're The Crescător will try to use you for their own personal gain. You know that. Your family warned you about that.

What gain? He has nothing to gain.

That you know off.

He's not a vampire. He can have children the old fashioned way. What would he want with me?

A link to The Salvatores. He just said it himself; names hold power. Especially the Salvatore name. If there's one thing you know about this man, it's that he likes power, being in control.

"This was never about Rodchenko, was it?!" she croaked, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "You were never interested in helping me catch him!"

"That's not true! I want Rodchenko behind bars as much as you do!"

"Bullshit!" she hissed, speeding up. "You took advantage of the situation! You wanted me close so you could manipulate me into-"

Suddenly, he was in front of her again, now looking as pissed off as she was.

"I wanted you close?" he snarled, the veins in his neck throbbing. "I wanted you close?! Have you missed the subtle ways in which I've been trying to get you out of my damned life?!"

She flinched at his harsh words, but he didn't stop, taking a step closer to her.

"You were the one who showed up in my office to ask me about Frederik Gerard!" he barked. "You were the one who insisted I stay at my house while you were there! You were the one who came to the club today wearing that goddamned dress! Not me! Never me! You have no idea how hard I've been trying to stay the hell away from you!"

"Because I'm a Salvatore?" she hissed, insulted. "Because I'm demon's spawn? Because I'm-"

"-Adrianna!" He screamed. "Because you're Adrianna!"

Shocked, she just stood there, watching him, trying to figure out what he'd meant by that. Was she really such a horrible person to be around? She knew they didn't see eye to eye most of the time, but to despise her that much... She'd done nothing to deserve that.

"Well, after tonight, you'll get your wish!" she snapped, continuing her path back to the car. "You'll never have to see me again!"

"Ha!" he laughed coldly, walking beside her, matching her frantic pace. "That was the plan, but just like every other plan I've had, you screwed that one up to!"

She shot him a glare, trying to shake him off, but he was just as fast as her, as fired up.

"No one is forcing you to be here, Nox!"

"You are forcing me, Salvatore!"

"Me?! How am I forcing you?!"

She almost bumped into his hard chest when he moved back in front of her, cutting off her path.

"How?!" he snarled, his eyes spitting fire. "By not telling your fucking brothers about Rodchenko, that's how!"

"So?! Why do you care!"

"I care because as long as you keep going after Rodchenko, he's going to keep coming after you and yet, you refuse to ask for help or even tell anyone what's going on, so I have no choice but to stay with you! You're going to get yourself killed otherwise!"

"Oh, so, now it IS about protecting me?!"

"It's ALWAYS been about protecting you!"

The moment the words were out of his mouth, the anger drained from his face; his dark, widening eyes falling away from hers as he took a step back, running a hand through his raven hair.

Adrianna could feel the anger leave her body too; confusion and something warm taking its place as she stared at the man in front of her, trying to let his words sink in, have them make sense. When she'd seen her fixed up apartment earlier, she'd had a feeling he'd had the work done so she would be safe...but she'd just thought this had been a recent thing; that he'd started to care for her after spending time with her, at least enough to care whether she lived or died. She'd never dared dream everything he'd done since they'd met had been about protecting her... Suddenly, every second they spend together, everything he'd ever said or done replayed in her mind; seeing it all through new eyes: Blackmailing her into going with him after Rodchenko's sniper had almost put a bullet between her eyes; keeping her all but locked up inside his home with a guard at every exit; insiting she only travelled in his bulletproof town car; sending her home with her brothers even though she'd wanted to stay... He'd known Killian and Asher were vampires, that they could keep her safe from Rodchenko better than he could. It had all been for her own good. Not because she was bait as he'd wanted her to believe for some reason, but to protect her. Why hadn't he just told her that? Why had he acted liked this cold, distant bastard?

"Lucian-"

His eyes snapped back to hers when she spoke his name and she drowned instantly. He looked so...lost. And tired. As if he was losing a battle inside he'd been waging for too long.

You were going to say something, a voice whispered in her mind, trying to pull her back to shore, to reality.

It didn't work.

Even though she now knew he'd kept things from her; even though he'd known who she was all along...nothing had changed. If anything, it had intensified whatever it was that she felt for him. He'd known from day one that she was The Crescător and yet, instead of trying to lure her in; instead of trying to seduce her with meaningless words and gestures as others had tried, he'd treated her the way he treated everyone. Badly. But still, it was a new experience. One she didn't want to end.

"You have no idea-" Lucian started, his voice so soft it barely carried on the night air.

I have no idea about what? she thought when he didn't continue, trying to calm her body down as he took a step closer to her. She wanted to ask the question out loud, but when his eyes got that tortured look in them again-that same look she'd seen in his library-she forgot how to form words. She could feel her body surrender when his gaze dipped to her lips, a calm descending on her mind she only felt when he was around. He soothed her, even though her heart raced every second she was near him. It wasn't a physical calm, it was an inner one, as if being around him somehow made every worry and fear she'd ever had vanish into nothing.

"Adrianna," he growled, slowly reaching out for her. "I-"

She waited breathlessly for his touch, for whatever he was about to say...but then, she could see that cold mask slip back into place, his darkening eyes hurling over her shoulder. For a moment, she wasn't sure what had happened, what had ruined the moment...and then, she heard a deep voice say behind her,

"You got a light?"

She could tell by Lucian's expression that whoever had spoken was bad news. Not to mention that, now that she could focus on something besides Lucian's eyes again, she could make out about eight different sets of footsteps. Last time she checked, you didn't need to be in a group to ask for a light.

When she turned and took in the scene before her, she almost let out an annoyed groan.

Oh, come on! Seriously?! Can't I just catch a break?! One break!

Nine men stood before them, each one uglier than the next. They all wore dark clothes, no doubt to blend in with the darkness if necessary, for example if the cops came around...and the ugly fuck carrying a baseball bat gave her the impression that they were no strangers to police. For a short moment, she wondered if maybe Victor Pierce had send these men after them, but she dismissed that idea pretty quickly. Victor wouldn't be dumb enough to make a move like this, out in the open. Not to mention he would've used his Forsaken and these morons were clearly human criminals. Their dirty appearances alone made that blatantly obvious.

See, this is why I never go out! she thought, sighing. Nothing in my life can ever be normal! Not even a night out.

"You're not after a light," Lucian finally answered the man who'd spoken, pointing out the obvious.

They all laughed and Lucian used their moment of distraction to gently grab her arm and guide her behind him. She let him, not wanting to draw the men's attention back yet, but there was no way in hell she was letting him fight alone.

"He's not as dumb as he looks," the biggest one said, mocking Lucian. Adrianna stretched her fingers and then curled them into fists, trying to focalize her rage in her hands. This could still be solved by communicating...although she doubted it. She knew body language and these men were ready for a fight. Itching for one, even. Their eyes were focused on them, an amused grin on their faces. She took her time assessing each and every one of them, processing the information they unintentionally gave her. With one glance, she could tell which ones would go down easily and which ones would be trouble. When she was done, Adrianna kept her eyes on the unmistakable leader of the pack, ready for whenever he decided to stop playing this game.

"If you're after money, notice the lack of a purse," Adrianna tried, even though she could tell that's not what they wanted. Robbers were quicker, to the point. They wouldn't linger like this; they wouldn't play with their victims. "And I don't wear jewelry."

The leader's grin grew, his disgusting eyes watching her with an interest they hadn't held when he'd been focused on Lucian. "Don't worry, sweetheart," he said in a thick voice. "I'm sure you'll find another way to please us."

Lucian's back arched, his hands balling by his strong thighs. She could see him lose control, but before she could calm him down, the men decided to give up their facade as well. They moved as one, like a wave coming towards them. Lucian shot a dark look over his shoulder, a look that was meant to communicate she should run. She just shook her head, making it clear that would never happen, and then stood beside him, quickly kicking off her heels. When she noticed the leader's attention was focused on Lucian, she hurriedly whispered, "He favors his right side. He has a bad left knee."

She could only pray he'd heard, because before she could make sure, the men reached them.

The idiot with the bat was the first to take a shot at her, his relentless smile betraying he had no idea what he was up against. He thought he'd chosen wisely, going for the woman instead of the broad man accompanying her. It didn't take long for him to realize his mistake. As soon as he was within her reach, Adrianna dug her fingers into the bicep of the swinging arm and ripped at the muscle, while hitting the forearm on the same side. It was the first thing her father had taught her: first, attack the limb that attacks you. And it worked. The bat fell to the ground immediately, the only sound louder than the wood hitting the pavement being the man's scream. But despite his pain, he didn't give up, forcing her to press her advantage decisively. Striking his neck next, she dug her fingers in the trunk of muscle, grabbing his windpipe. Elijah's technique called for her to pull it straight out, lacerating her attacker's throat and killing him. But there were other options. Non-lethal ones which she preferred. Pushing rather than pulling, she momentarily closed the windpipe against itself, cutting off his air. He dropped at her feet, gasping and something told her that, even if he recovered before the fight was over, he wouldn't get involved again.

Stepping over him, she shot a quick glance to Lucian and realized she hadn't been the only one holding back on the beach. Each move he made rolled naturally into the next, his attacker's body jerking from one direction to the other. To an outside observer, it would appear to be one simultaneous tornado of movement, of blinding speed, a blur too fast for the eye to follow, but she saw the technique and realized she didn't have to worry about him.

The second guy came at her fast with a looping swing at her head. He was clearly angry and she could practically hear her mother's voice in her ear, an echo of her training; Don't ever fight angry. That's not what fighting is about. It's about survival. Be angry later.

No one had told this moron that.

She ducked his fist easily and took his knee out with her foot a second later. She heard it pop before he screamed and went down in a heap. He still somehow managed to roll over and reach for her leg, but she kicked his hand away, got down on one knee, slammed her fist into his ugly face and watched his lights go out.

She heard the next man before she saw him and he managed to land a well-aimed punch to her kidneys because of it. She took the blow as her gaze fell on the next man running over. She spotted something glistening in his hand and held back a groan. There was always one asshole with a knife.
Thinking it best to take on the man with the knife one on one, she quickly got rid of her current attacker. Not wasting any time, she hit him in the V under his ribs where the sternum ended, paralyzing his diaphragm. He gasped, doubled over and then pitched forward into the dirt.

Has no one trained these idiots?

She could actually see the man with the knife hesitating for just a split second, his eyes dropping to check on his friend with equal measures of fury and terror, rethinking his choice of victim...but if he thought he would go anywhere near Lucian with that knife, he had another thing coming. In the end, he decided to take a crack at her after all, no doubt driven by a false sense of superiority because of the blade in his hand. She almost laughed when he stood before her, holding the knife loosely in his right hand between his thumb and index finger about waist height. He was going to go for her low, with a slicing motion. Classic amateur mistake. A professional holds a knife in a tight fist and goes straight for the eyes.

When he swung, he clearly expected her to jump back, but instead, she leaped inside the swing, hooked her left arm over his right, grabbed his throat with her right hand, and drove her right knee into his stomach. When she let him go, he fell to his knees, leaned forward with a shocked expression, vomited, and then passed out.
She considered grabbing the knife and using it for her own protection, but her experience with knives told her they were a disadvantage in a proper fight...

...and she was about to have a proper fight.

The next man in line to take her down was someone who would give her a run for her money. He had the hands and posture of a boxer and not the kind you found in a ring; the many scars on his hands gave that away. He fought bare-knuckled and from the looks of his face, he wasn't afraid to get messed up. She counted at least three different-badly healed-fractures in his nose alone and from certain angles, his jaw didn't exactly look natural either.
He approached slowly, watching her, doing what she'd done with them. He was sizing her up, looking for weaknesses and even though she'd been taught to have none, she still felt her heart race a little faster.

When he finally lunged at her, she dodged to the side and delivered a sharp kick to his knee. He grunted and fell against the brick wall...but instead of getting angry, his expression changed from loathing to amusement. She knew then that she was in even more trouble than she'd thought. This sadist was fueled by pain.

As he came for her again, the wind echoed annoyingly in her ear, not helping the situation at all.

Widening her stance, she reminded herself she was a goddamned Salvatore and braced for his attack. He was fast. Faster than a man like him should be. It made no sense for all that muscle to move as fluidly and gracefully as it did, but he was living proof that you should never judge a book by its cover. He kept her on her toes, swinging from every angle...but she wasn't a novice at this either. She'd practices with men and women much faster and stronger than him; vampires with reflexes he could never match. But that didn't change the fact that he was a challenge. It took her a while before he finally gave her an opening, before she was finally able to land a punch. And she didn't hesitate for a moment. She had once timed herself at six strikes per second, and if anything, at that moment, she broke her record. A double palm heel blow to both ears, a hit to the throat, stepping under and inside his flailing arms to shoot an elbow upward into his abdomen; rolling into a hit to the balls; and an elbow to the underside of his chin; followed by a palm heel onto the bridge of his nose. He was no doubt in agony at this point...but it didn't stop him. It did however, slow down his reflexes. When he aimed his fist at her jaw, she had plenty of time to lean away from him, his knuckles swooshing past her skin. Not missing a beat, she smashed an elbow into the side of his skull; into the soft spot high on the temple. He stumbled back then, blood rushing from his nose and mouth. Any normal man would've been out cold by now, but this guy only seemed to get stronger with each hit. It was only then that she noticed his pupils. They were dilated...a lot.

He's on drugs. A lot of drugs.

That explained how he was still standing, glaring at her with an enraged look in his eyes. He didn't like being bested...and something told her it hurt a man like him even more that he was being bested by a barefooted woman in a red sundress. This time when he lunged, he let out a primal scream, a pointless show of force, one that made it even easier to determine what his next move was...if one is not distracted.

And, unfortunately, she was distracted.

Behind the man storming towards her, Lucian was fighting with another one of those animals and fighting well...but he didn't seem aware of the fact that a second creeper was coming up behind him, clutching the knife she'd dismissed earlier.

No.

"Lucian!" she screamed, his dark eyes immediately finding hers. "Behind-"

The last thing she saw, before she was thrown to the ground, was Lucian turning to face the knifeman.

His hands felt like ice as they closed in a viselike grip around her neck. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she'd been trained for this, that there was a way out...but for the first time in her life, she was ruled by panic. Her legs started kicking even though she knew it wouldn't get her far. He was straddling her hips, his thighs crushing her, keeping her immobilized from the waist down. She tried to force his fingers away from her neck, digging her nails into his hands, but his grip was unyielding. The ache in her chest grew worse with every passing second as she writhed under his grasp. She had to breathe. Her lungs began burning from the lack of air, her mind slowing down. Becoming more and more frantic, she reached for his face, feeling her nails tare into his skin...and yet, his grip didn't loosen even a bit. Slowly the world started to spin, to fade, as each sound grew dull. She felt her arms go limp, crashing to the ground as a world of black washed over her, pulled her down. She was drifting into oblivion, seeing the faces of those she loved; her parents, her brothers, Maggie...and then, out of nowhere, there was Lucian. His sculpted face, his rare smile, those penetrating eyes. If she was dying, it was a strange relief to find him there, to have him with her when-

Air rushed back into her lunges, returning her to that alley. Coughing in fits, she rolled onto her side, trying to catch her breath again, waiting for the pain in her chest to become bearable. After a few seconds, her mind started to catch up to reality, remembering why her throat hurt, how she'd gotten on the ground. The only thing she didn't understand was how she was still alive. At least, not until her eyes focused again and she saw Lucian, crouching over the man who'd almost choked her, his fists slamming into the bastard's face over and over again, a frantic look in his eyes.

"Lucian," she croaked.

Her voice was so weak it barely made it passed her aching throat. There was no way he could hear her over his rage, over the sound of knuckles hitting bone.

Pushing back the pain, Adrianna scrambled up, swaying on her feet for a moment before she regained her balance and rushed over to him.

"Lucian," she said louder. "Stop."

Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Lucian was just out of control. He was pummeling her assailant mercilessly, growl after growl slipping from his lips.

Moving behind him, she grabbed a handful of his shirt, tugging, but it was pointless. He was too lost in his rage, unaware of anything but the man underneath his fists.

He's going to kill him.

"Lucian!"

Her windpipe screamed out from the strain she was putting on it, but she had to stop him. Not that she cared one bit for the man Lucian was destroying. It was Lucian himself that she worried about. Taking a life was a burden she didn't want on his soul.

Her heart thundering, she fell to her knees beside Lucian, once again screaming his name. But he didn't even see her, his bloody fist making something else on his victim's face crack.

Stop him! Now!

Desperate, she waited for him to pull his unyielding fist back again...and then let her own hand shoot out, stopping his hand mid-air. The man underneath him gurgled gratefully, but Adrianna wasn't focused on that. She kept her attention on Lucian, letting out a little gasp when his eyes finally touched hers again. They were no longer the warm, mesmerizing eyes she knew. His charcoal eyes were ice-cold now, void of any warmth or even humanity. He was lost. And it was her fault.

"Lucian, don't," she whispered, trying to reach his common sense. "You're going to kill him."

That prospect didn't stop him.

It spurred him on.

His lips curling into an animalistic smile, he pulled his fist from her grip, preparing to crash it back into his victim...

No.

Out of ideas, her hands moved on instinct and flew up, cupping his face.

And it worked.

His fist stopped an inch from the man's broken face, his eyes flying back to hers. There were so many emotions swirling in those grey depths, the intensity of it trapping her breath…

"Get up," she begged, casting him a desperate look. "Please."

There was a long moment of silence in which things could go either way...and then, she saw the muscles in his legs tense, preparing to rise. Letting out a sigh of relief, she rose with him, fully aware of the fact that they weren't out of the woods yet. She could see he was one push away from finishing what he'd started, from destroying the already maimed man at their feet. She could practically see his rage blazing in his blood, setting him on fire.

"It's okay, Lucian," she whispered, trying to sooth him. "He's not worth it."

His furious eyes snapped down, to her neck, his hands balling into even tighter fists. She could see blood trickling down from his knuckles onto the ground, not sure who's blood it was.

"We should get off the street," she said when she heard people pass by the alley. "Someone has to have heard this. The police are probably on their way already. They can't find us here. Considering the state these bastards are in, they'll have a hard time believing we were the ones attacked."

Lucian didn't respond. He just stood, frozen, his eyes now on his hands.

Worry about him later. Right now, find a way out of here.

Her mind racing, she ran her gaze over the dark alley, trying to recognize where she was. She'd been so ticked off when they'd left the bar that she'd just started walking without an actual purpose, something she regretted now. She had no idea where she'd led them.

Just start moving. You need to get away from this place first. Make the rest up as you go.

Grabbing her shoes and his jacket from the ground-it didn't seem like a good idea to leave them at the scene of an assault- she took his arm and carefully tugged him with her, further down the alley, trying to spot anything familiar as she pushed back the growing worry in her chest. Lucian was too quiet, too numb. He just went along with her, no objections, no suggestions. That wasn't like him. At all.

Biting her lips, she turned a corner, her heart dropping when it lead to a crowded main road. A road she now recognized.

His club, she mentally cried out, cursing herself for not recognizing the building she was now leaning against. She'd been here so many times before, just never from the back. These people can't see him like this. His staff can't see him like this. Where do I-

Her thoughts trailed off on a gasp when she was suddenly yanked back into the alley.

"Lucian?" she grumbled, almost tripping over her bare feet as she tried to keep up with his maddening pace. "Where are you goi-"

Her question got drowned out by the loud clatter of an iron door being kicked in. By Lucian.

Her eyes wide, he pulled her through the door that was clearly marked as an exit, into the building beside his club.

"Lucian, can you talk to me?" she whispered as he dragged her through something that looked like a laundry room. "I don't think we should be here."

He didn't answer her. He just kept pulling her along, never once looking back at her.

"Lucian-"

He slammed open another door and Adrianna had to catch her breath for a moment. Suddenly, they were in a huge hotel lobby. An expensive hotel, from the looks of it. Everything was red and gold, chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings, their light reflecting in the smooth, gold reception desk. But even though they were now in public, Lucian didn't slow down. He made a beeline to the elevators at the other end of the lobby...and no one tried to stop him. Every receptionist, every bellhop just glanced their way with wide eyes and then went on with their merry day. For all they knew, she was being kidnapped! It sure as hell looked like it! She was wounded, being manhandled, tripping over her own feet, for God's sake! And yet, no one lifted a finger!

When they reached the elevators, he dragged her to the only black one in the line of silver, shoving his thumb against the button with so much force she was sure the thing would break. Luckily, it didn't and two second later, the doors slid open.

"Lucian, what are you doing?" she whispered, her eyes darting around the reception in a panic. They weren't supposed to be there and if he continued to behave like a madman, someone was going to call security or worse, the police. She didn't want her colleagues finding her in a hotel with Lucian. She'd never hear the end of it. Not to mention they were both clearly injured and, colleagues or not, they would have to investigate what had happened to them. It wouldn't take them long to connect them to that alley, to the man Lucian had nearly beat to death. He'd gone way passed self-defense and knowing the law, Lucian would be arrested. She couldn't let that happen.

The elevator doors slowly slit closed...and all of a sudden, the panic she'd felt a moment earlier vanished...and all she was aware of was him. She'd never been in a confined space with him like this; close, his hand clutching her arm, his smell slowly creeping into her pores.

She shifted from one foot to another, trying to rub her thighs together in the hope it would somehow stop that warm feeling that was spreading from between her legs to every cell in her body.

It didn't work. If anything, it made things worse. The second she'd moved, his grip on her arm had tightened...and for some reason, that made her breathing falter. There was something about the fact that he was stronger than her; that he could overpower her, that made her knees wobble. That had never happened before and it's not like she'd never met other strong men, or vampires, to be precise. Yet, not one of them had ever triggered such a bodily response. That was the whole reason she was still a virgin. She'd never understood when women had claimed that they couldn't help themselves when they were around a certain man...but she understood now. Every cell in her body was aware of the fact that he was right there; her mind going to places it had never gone before. She could practically feel him pinning her against the wall, his lips on her skin, his hands between her-

A high-pitched ding snapped her out of her fantasy and the moment the doors opened, she was being dragged again, even rougher this time. His hand had wrapped even tighter around her arm, his body looking even tenser. She was so taken aback by his demeanor, that she hadn't even realized the elevator had opened up into a penthouse until he let go of her arm and she suddenly found herself standing in the middle of a sleek, modern living room.

Holy crap, she thought, slowly walking towards the giant floor-to-ceiling windows. The skyline outside glistened in the moonlight, the first drops of rain falling from the sky. What is this plac-

Lucian came storming back from the other side of the open space, slamming a first aid kit down on the stone coffee table so hard that she jumped.

What is wrong with him?

She swallowed hard, rubbing her aching temples as she glanced at the elevator they'd come out of. There was no other entrance, no door. Just that elevator. She'd never been in a place that had a private elevator.

"I won't harm you."

She almost jumped when he finally spoke again, his former deep, warm voice now cold and hard. It took her a long moment before she understood why he'd felt the need to tell her she was safe. But then, she realized he'd thought she'd been looking for an exit...to get away from him.

He thinks I'm afraid of him, she realized, her heart breaking. He thinks he scared me in that alley.

"I know you won't harm me," she whispered, intending to reassure him...but instead making him tense even more.

Why is he so angry?

She could've asked him, but she wasn't in the mood to fight. She was tired and the adrenaline was wearing off. She could feel her muscles finally catching up to the strain she'd put on them, her throat throbbing painfully. If that asshole had had an ounce more strength in his hands, he could've snapped her neck.

"Are you in pain?"

She hadn't even realized she'd been rubbing her neck until she noticed him watching her fingers.

"It's just a little soar," she lied. "Nothing an aspirin can't fix."

He fell silent again, his entire body on edge as he impatiently dumped the contents of the first aid kit onto the table. When he pulled a bandage from the mess and started to fumble with it; trying to wrap it around his still bleeding hands, she sighed, speed walking to his open kitchen.

She felt his eyes follow her, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as she grabbed his silver fruit bowl, dumping the few pieces of untouched fruit in his sink before filling the bowl with room temperature water and grabbing a clean, soft towel from a drawer.

"Sit down," she ordered as she made her way back to him.

He paid no attention to her, continuing to try and tighten the bandage around his knuckles all by himself.

"Look," she sighed, putting the water and towel down on the table. "You can ignore me all you want, but you're only hurting yourself here. If you don't clean those wounds properly, they can infect."

His eyes finally touched hers again…and she almost wished they hadn't. They were so hard, so furious…and yet, there was something else underneath it all. Something that made her reach out for his hands despite his obvious aversion to her help.

However, the second her fingers brushed his skin, he pulled his hands away from her touch, as if she burned him.

Huffing, she felt something in her chest clench and suddenly, she realized his attitude towards her wasn't just pissing her off...it was hurting her.

"Okay," she snapped, confused. "Fine. I get the message."

Ignoring the ache in her stomach, she turned away from him, stalking back to the elevator, her blood boiling. Why did she keep putting herself through this? All Lucian Nox ever did was push her away. Even when it looked like he wanted her, he immediately followed that up with bullshit like this. She had to stop this, she had to regain control before all was lost.

"Salvatore, wait!" he suddenly barked behind her...and she could feel her feet actually hesitating to continue her path. Her body kept betraying her around him, doing and feeling things her mind warned her against.

"Salvatore, where are you going?!"

"Home!"

"You can't!"

"And why is that?!"

"Because those fucks weren't after money!"

"So?!"

"So, they sought us out! They targeted us! And you and I both know who put that target on our backs!"

She shoved her thumb against the call button, keeping her eyes on the metal doors, ignoring the reflection of the man coming up behind her.

"Rodchenko won't stop, Adrianna!" he stated the obvious. "You can't be alone-"

"I won't be alone. My brothers are at my place-"

"-oblivious to the danger you're in!"

The elevator doors slid open and Adrianna shot inside, almost breaking the button to the reception as she slammed her fist against it. This time, she was the one who avoided eye contact. She didn't want to see those doors close on him... Despite her rage, she could still feel him, crawling under her skin and even though she knew she was right to leave, a part of her wanted to stay, desperately.

The further the elevator closed, the more her body screamed out...and then, suddenly, a big, bleeding hand shot between the doors and forced them back open. Wide-eyed, Adrianna glared at him, her body tightening as his furious face came into view again.

"Let go of the door, Lucian," she snapped.

He didn't move. He just glared at her, his simmering eyes making her knees tremble.

"Let go of the door, Lucian!" she hissed again, punctuating every word.

Again, he just stood there, watching her, making her melt more and more with every passing second. If he looked at her like that much longer...

"Lucian, let go of the door or I swear to God-"

"Rodchenko won't like what happened tonight! He's not done!" he barked, his fingers tightening on the silver door. "You can't be alone!"

"I told you, I won't be alone! Besides, you had those workers make my apartment into the safest place in the city-"

"And how are you going to get there?! Are you going to steal another motorcycle?!"

"If I have to," she spit out, stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest. "I got along just fine before you and your private chauffeur showed up, you know!"

"You can't drive in the state you're in! You're injured!"

"I'm fine! And even if I wasn't, It's not your concern!"

"Not my concern?!" he hissed.

"Yes, not your concern?!" she shouted, her eyes spitting fire. "You've know me for what?! A month?! And for the most part of that time, you've been nothing but a complete and utter bastard to me!"

"You think I wouldn't care if you got hurt?!" he spit out, the elevator creaking underneath his tightening fingers. "What kind of a man do you think I am?"

She swallowed hard, her heart aching at the tortured look in his blazing eyes. "I don't know what kind of a man you are! I don't know who you are! One moment, you're a cold asshole and the next, you're this!" she screamed, waving her hand at him. "I honestly don't understand you!"

His jaw set even more, the veins in his neck throbbing dangerously. "You don't have to understand me! All you have to do, is get out of this fucking elevator!"

"Just let go of the door, Lucian!"

"You can get out yourself-" he snarled, ignoring her plea. "-or I can drag you out over my shoulder."

She glared at him, planting her feet even firmer on the ground. "You can try, but you've seen what I can do! I would be careful if I was hey!" Fuming, she slapped his back as he actually had the audacity to throw her over his shoulder and carry her back into the loft.

"Put me down! You have no right to do this! This is assault! I'm a cop! I could arrest you for umph." When she hit the sofa, she shot him the most disgusted look she could muster up...but he wasn't even looking at her.

Scrambling up, she moved for the elevators again, but she'd barely taken one step or he'd grabbed her arm and shoved her back down on the couch.

"Seriously?!" she gnarled. "Look I get that you're mad at me for what happened tonight-" His eyes shot back to hers angrily. "-but you have no right-"

"You think I blame you for what happened?" he snarled, towering over her.

"Don't even try to deny it! It's obvious!"

"I don't blame you!" he barked.

"Oh, come on!" she huffed. "You can say that, but you've been like this since the fight, so you clearly blame-"

"-Rodchenko! I blame Rodchenko!"

"You blame me!"

"No, I don't, Salvatore!'

"Oh, please! You're screaming at me; looking at me like you want to kill me! Why else would you suddenly behave this way other than because-"

"-you saw me!" he shouted, that torment back in his charcoal gaze. "Because you saw me!"

Her eyes melted on his as she somehow understood exactly what he'd meant. She'd gone through the same thing with Killian, the first time he'd brought in a Forsaken. The rogue vampire had put up a fight and her brother had been forced to resort to violence. A lot of it. When he got home, he didn't speak for two days and he constantly had that look in his eyes; that same look Lucian had now. That tortured, self-loathing look.

Feeling her anger melt into something warmer that enveloped her heart, she stood up beside him, whispering "Lucian, the only thing I saw tonight was a man saving my life-"

"What you saw was evil," he gnarled, his injured hands tightening on his thighs. "You weren't supposed to see me like that. Not you. Not ever."

"Lucian-"

"You were right," he cut her off, looking away from her again. "You should go."

She wasn't sure why her stomach was suddenly turning. Was this not what she wanted only minutes ago?

"Mike will pick you up downstairs," he continued in that hard voice. "He'll drive you to your apartment. I'll send a handful of my guards to your building, make sure you're safe."

"But-"

"This was a bad idea from the start," he broke off her objections. "You and me can never-" He trailed off, the grey clouds outside the window rumbling in the sky. "Just go. Everything you need is still at your disposal. My contacts, my guards, my driver-"

"But not you?"

She could see him tense, but his eyes remained on the sparkling skyline. He was determined. He really did want her to go.

Maybe you should listen, a little voice whispered in her head. This thing with Lucian-whatever it is- is getting out of hand. You're getting too close. He is getting too close. Go back to your life. Forget about him. In a few months, you'll be a vampire and you'll have to leave anyway. Better to cut all ties now than letting this continue and develop into something more...

"Why are you still here, detective," he rumbled again. "Go!"

This time, she listened, ignoring that returning pain in her chest. She knew this was the right thing to do. She had no business being in his life. His world was so different from hers...

When she slipped into the elevator again and pushed the button back to the lobby, she actually felt nauseous, as if her body was protesting her decision. She could hear the clouds outside burst, see rain slamming against Lucian's giant floor-to-ceiling windows...and Lucian, sinking down on his sofa, burying his face in his hands. Could she really do this? Could she really leave him like this, hurt and hating himself? The doors slid closed and Adrianna made a decision she knew she could never come back from...


It's for the best.

You have to let her go.

Hades growled at that voice in his head, his fingers digging deeper into his face as he heard the elevator close behind him, moving down, taking her away from him. Was this how he was going to feel for all eternity without her? Like he couldn't breath? Like his heart would break out of his chest at any moment?

Swallowing hard, he dropped his hands and stared at them, watching the blood glisten on his skin. It wasn't all his blood. Most of it was that human's. His chest fell and rose faster as the rage inside built again. He'd never felt like he'd felt in that alley, so out of control, so…dark; and he was the fucking God Of The Underworld. The second he'd seen that human straddle Adrianna, his hands around her fragile neck, he'd seen red. He'd tried to get to her faster, but that idiot with his knife had turned out to be tougher than he'd looked and by the time he could get to his girl, she'd already stopped moving. That image of her, lying there, motionless… He'd thought she was dead. He'd thought he'd lost her. He didn't even remember what had happened after that. He'd just...snapped.

The next thing he knew, his Adrianna was kneeling down in front of him, alive and well, trying to save his soul. If only she knew he had no soul, that everything good she saw in him was bound to her.

Lighting flashed through the sky as Hades started to wrap a bandage around his hand, silently cursing Zeus and Poseidon. Without their interference, Adrianna would've never seen his true nature, the monster within. That moment would be all she would remember of him now, that darkness. Even if they would meet in their dreams again, she would never look at him the same way again. She would never-

"I told you to clean the wounds first."

His blood igniting, Hades looked up from his knuckles, finding Adrianna standing there, a soft look on her beautiful face. Speechless, he gazed into her baby blue eyes, convinced that she was a figment of his imagination. She couldn't actually be there. Why would she possibly still be there?

She sank down on the couch beside him and he just watched her, the confusion written all over his face. She'd seen who he really was; what he really was...and she was still there?

"Adrianna-"

Her tiny fingers wrapped around his aching hand, bringing it closer to her and he forgot what he was going to say. No one could be this kind, right? This forgiving?

"You shouldn't be here, Adrianna," he rumbled, feeling his control slip with every passing second.

She ignored him, grabbing a pair of tweezers from between the mess on his table.

"Adrianna," he pressed. "You should go home."

She remained silent as she pulled tiny pieces of filth from his wounds. He knew he should be in pain, but in that moment, he felt nothing but a comforting warmt spreading out inside of him, touching every corner of his being. No one had ever taken care of him like this; he'd never wanted anyone to...until now. Having her look after him, having her care enough to tend to his injuries, filled him with an undescribable feeling of belonging.

She laid the tweezers on her lap without a word, pulling the towel out of the bowl of water, wringing it out before softly running it over his hand, wiping away the blood and dirt.

You're fucked, you realize that, right? the demon in him laughed as he watched her carefully wrap a bandage around his cleaned knuckles. If this didn't push her away, nothing will. She's seen the worst of you and she's still here. That can only mean you got to her, somewhere along the way. She cares about you. Why not just give into it? Be with her. You can keep looking for a way to keep her safe, but at least this way, if you can't find the key to The Gomorrah Codex, if you can't translate that damned text and hide her from your brothers, you can still go to Plan B.

You mean, the plan where I trick her into doing the ritual with me before I leave her, human, heart broken and unable to ever start a family with any other man? No. Never.

Fine, then don't do promise her anything, but just...be with her. You want her. Take her.

I can't.

Why not?

Because right now, she might care for me, but she doesn't know she loves me. Not yet. If I keep her at a distance, she'll never let herself fall for me completely, she'll never feel the way I will feel when I inevitably have to leave her. Broken. Ruined.

"Are you listening to me, Adrianna?" he snapped, trying to sound threatening as she bandaged up his second hand. "If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from me."

Finally, she awknowledged his warning, sniffing as she dropped the bloody cloth back in the bowl of water. "I'm not scared of you, Lucian."

"You should be."

Her eyes touched his again, that damned kindness still there. "Why? Because you're a monster?"

"Yes."

She shook her head, stopping his heart when her tiny hand reached out for him, her thumb finding a cut in his eyebrow. "I don't think that needs stitches. I should disinfect it, though. Just to be-"

He grabbed her wrist as she reached for the pile of cotton swaps, stopping her hand mid air.

"I'm serious, Adrianna," he barked.

"I know, but I'm not going anywhere, Lucian," she said, casting him one of her soft smiles. "Can I have my wrist back now?"

He blinked wildly, unwrapping his fingers from her skin with a shocked expression. Grown men had run from him; Victor Pierce had been terrified of just the vague memory of him and yet, this slender woman sat beside him as if he was just a normal man, in need of help, unafraid.

"I wanted to kill that fucker, Adrianna," he gnarled, trying to make her understand. "I still want to. If I think about what he did, what he'd almost done-" His eyes dropped to the darkening bruises on her neck. He could see exactly where that fucker had tried to squeeze the life from her, could make out each of his strong fingers .

"You were angry. You lost control."

"Yes," he fumed.

"That doesn't make you a monster, Lucian," she whispered, the light from another bold of lightening casting a yellow glow on her cheeks. "That mades you human."

He got up, rumbling as he towered over her, "What is wrong with you, woman? You should run from me."

She rose, too, cocking an eyebrow as she said, "I'm a Salvatore, Lucian. Salvatores don't run."

He sniffed, wishing he could point out that her mother had spend six hundred years on the run from Niklaus as a vampire and her father had spend months on the run with Elena after she'd become a human, hiding from the same Original... But he couldn't say any of that, not without raising a whole range of questions he couldn't answer. She assumed he was a gypsy and he intended to keep it that way. She couldn't know who and what he truly was. That would only put her life in even more danger.

"What were you going to say?" She suddenly asked in a soft voice. "Before those men interrupted us in that alley. You were going to say something. What was it?"

I love you.

"I don't remember," he lied, his voice deep and raw.

"I think you do."

Hades bit the inside of his jaw, hating that feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him she knew. Deep down, she knew what he was going to say...

"Look," he growled. "If you're so damned determined on staying here, you can stay, alright? There's a guest bedroom up the stairs, second door to your right. Goodnight, detective."

His body screaming at him, he turned away from her, heading for the stairs.

"Thank you."

"It's not like you really gave me a choice," he snarled without slowing down. "You refuse to leave, so-"

"Not for the room. For the alley."

His feet halted. Now she was thanking him?!

"You saved my life," she added on a whisper. "Thank you."

Hades pressed his eyes shut against her sweet words. "Don't thank me."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" he gnarled. "Because you had the upper hand in that fight until you lost focus to warn me."

She sighed behind him. "You're going to hate yourself for that too now?"

"Just go to bed, detective," he rumbled, continuing his path to the stairs.

"I made that decision, Lucian!" she yelled after him. "And I would make it again!"

He froze, his mind screaming at his body to get him the hell out of there...but his body didn't obey.

"You'd make it again?!" he fumed, shooting her a glare over his shoulder. "Are you out of your mind, Salvatore?! You almost died!"

"If I hadn't called out to you, he would've stabbed you!" she shot back, her voice trembling. "I couldn't let that happen!"

"Yes, you could've!" he gnarled, turning on his heels, shooting her the most vicious glare he could muster up. "But just because you swore some ridiculous oath to protect and serve-"

"No!" she cut him off, unimpressed by his threatening demeanor. "It has nothing to do with being a cop!"

"Then why would you do something so unequivocally stupid, Salvatore?!"

"Because I didn't want to watch you die!"

"So instead, you made me watch you die?!

"That wasn't the plan!"

"Nothing that's happening is part of the goddamned plan!" he barked, thunder booming throught the giant penthouse. "Do you think I planned this?! Do you think I enjoy screaming at you in the middle of the night?!"

"Then don't scream at me!"

"I have to scream at you, because you won't listen, Adrianna!"

"Listen to what?!"

"To me telling you that you should run the other way!"

"I told you, I don't run!" she screamed back. "Not from anyone or anything and certainly not from you!"

"Than you're a goddamned fool!"

"Maybe, but I'd rather be a fool than a coward!"

Hades felt his next growl before it slipped from his lips, taking a threatening step forward. "I am not a coward!"

"Aren't you?!"

"I was right by your side tonight, Salvatore! Or did you miss that?! I didn't run either!"

"What about in your library?!" she asked, her voice suddenly less hard. "Or right now?! Tell me this isn't you running!"

He clenched his mangled fists, adrenaline and desire coursing through his veins as he glared at her. "What do you want from me, Adrianna?!"

She sighed, shrugging her tiny shoulders. "I don't know! But I know I don't want you to leave! And I know you don't want to leave, either! Do you?!"

He sniffed, trying desperately to ignore how soft and sweet her eyes had turned once again. "I told you before; it doesn't matter what I want."

She frowned, running a hand through her curls. "I feel like I'm going crazy here, Lucian. My entire life I've been focused on three things; my job, my family and my future. Nothing else ever mattered. And then I meet you and now-" she trailed off, softly shaking her head as she stared out into space. "I've been suspended for weeks and I don't even miss it. My brothers are in town and I'd rather stay here, getting yelled at by you, than meet up with them. And my future is just...a blur, at this point." She looked at him then, her gaze sated with turmoil as she added on a whisper, "Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?"

Yes. God, yes.

"No."

A flash of hurt crossed her eyes, breaking his heart, but he had no choice.

Don't I?

She sniffed. "Not a coward, huh?"

He just stared at her, feeling that monster inside claw to get out, but he wouldn't let it. He would never-

"Even if I did know-"

No, what are you doing?!

"-it wouldn't matter."

Her eyes widened a little, melting on his again. "Why not?"

"Because I won't let it," he growled, adding when she prepared to object. "Adrianna, you are kind and caring; you look at the world and want to make it better. I look at it and want to watch it go down in flames."

"No, you don't. I know you believe that about yourself, but you're wrong, Lucian. You're a good man."

He sniffed, clenching his jaw. "Why would you believe that? Because I saved you?"

"Twice."

"That doesn't make me a good man, Adrianna!"

"It does in my book!"

"Then you need to burn that fucking book!"

The storm outside slammed the rain against the giant windows, the wind howling through the night...but Hades didn't once look away from the woman standing in the middle of his living room, breathing as heavily as he was.

"You can't change my mind about you," she whispered after a long moment. "It doesn't matter what you say. Or what you do."

"Then you're an idiot."

"Probably," she huffed. "But I'd rather be an idiot with you than walk away and never feel like this again."

Don't ask her.

"Feel like what?"

Moron.

"Confused. Mortified. Lost," she whispered in that warm voice of hers, swallowing hard before adding, "Wonderful."

Wonderful? After everything they'd been through tonight, after nearly dying, she feels...wonderful?

"Lucian?"

Her begging voice broke something inside of him, pushed him over some sort of edge.

It was over.

He was done.

Growling, he stalked over to her...and crushed his mouth into hers. His hands drove into her lush black hair, grabbed handfuls of it as he finally kissed the woman he'd craved for millennia. And she kissed him back. Unreserved fire and passion met him, her lips as hungry for him as his were for her. And her taste...God, her taste. Nothing had prepared him for the taste of her. Kissing Adrianna was like discovering a new world, like touching the heaven he'd been deprived off.

Blindly, he moved them to drive her back against the window. He needed her body harder against his, needed to feel the press of those firm, full breasts against his chest. She molded against him instantly, her curves fitting into his hard edges with stunning perfection. Feeling the softness of her body against his, feeling her respond, feeling her surrender was unlike anything he'd ever experienced; unmatched even by their dreams. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that what he was doing was wrong...but he willfully unknew it, and the scolding voices in his head were lost to the drum of her hot blood and the tingle of her deep, red lips. He wanted to taste every inch of her and be tasted by her.

God, he'd never wanted anything more.

He parted her mouth greedily, invading with his tongue. Groaning at the sensation of her warm mouth hungrily drinking him in, he reached down without ever taking his lips from hers, cupping her knees and lifting her up. He let out a strangled moan as she wrapped her slim legs around him, pressing her warm center against his aching hardness. Unable to stop himself, he slipped his hands underneath her dress, brushing the lace that covered her curved, tight bottom.

He should've come to his senses then, thought about what he was doing…but he was lost, helpless, unable to rule his needy mouth, his restless hands, while within, his heart beat out the mortifying truth.

I can't stay away from her.

His desperate kisses moved to her neck, kissing her bruises before tracing lower to that dip at the base of her throat, tracing it with his tongue. She cried out in pleasure, writhing against him with a desperate need that matched his own. He wanted to hear her cry out like that again; cry out his name as he buried himself deep inside of her.

That was the only thing that drove him now…

A hunger.

A demand.

A moment's madness where body ruled mind and blood roared over reason.


Adrianna lost her mind, gave it up willingly. Who was there to know, to care, but the two of them in the dark and the storm? Desire pounded in her veins nearly as hard as the rain on the roof above them, fueled by years of abstinence; by weeks of wanting him. She was more conscious of Lucian than she had ever been of anything or anyone else in her life; of the faint shine of grey beneath his half-closed lids, of the shadow of light stubble across his jaw where he hadn't shaved—and more than anything else of his mouth, the shape of it, the way it felt pressed against hers, the skill with which he made her body melt. As she let herself fall into him, she realized with a previously unknown certainty that she would never have enough.

She would never have enough of him.

He was everywhere, kissing her harder, deeper, with a feverish need. Moaning deep in her throat, she reached for him as if she would otherwise drown, fingers clutching at his collar and hair. She ached. It felt as if she couldn't get close enough to him, close enough to his broad chest, to the solid muscles of his thighs. Deep inside, her passion was struggling with her mind, which urged her to take a moment to think, to talk.

Tell him you're a virgin. You have to tell him before he finds out for himself. You have to-

Adrianna gasped when he gently tugged at her curls, but he caught her gasp in his mouth, drowning it out with a growl of his own, drowning out the objections that whispered in her mind.

With impatient fingers, she reached for the hem of his shirt , tugging it out of his pants. She drew it up just enough to slide her hands beneath it, touching his warm, soft skin. He groaned as her fingers ran over the muscles of his abdomen, trailing down to that little patch of hair that disappeared into his pants. He took over then, roughly pulling the fabric over his head and flinging it aside. She wanted to stare at his chest in awe, but before she could, he drew her into another searing kiss. Trembling, she hooked her arms around his neck; his skin burning hot to the touch. The muscles of his shoulders were hard and smooth; flexing underneath her palms. Physically, she was so small, so vulnerable in the arms of this large man…and yet, she'd never felt more powerful, more secure.

She could feel the zipper of her dress moving down then, his warm fingers following its path over her back, making her body come alive in a way it never had before. Every inch of her skin burned for his touch, her lower body now hot and pulsing as her mind tried to stay in the moment, feel everything and remember it in all its delicious glory.

When he slowly brushed the red straps from her shoulders, down her arms, that voice came back, once again urging her to tell him about her virginity; to get it over with. It was no big deal after all. It didn't change anything.

Her dress pooled down to her waist, revealing her lace-clad breasts. Groaning, she ran her fingernails across his back, squirming against him as his mouth moved away from her lips, to her jaw, down her neck, continuing their path to the valley between her breasts. She'd never been kissed there, but God, she loved it. The feeling of his stubble scraping against the sensitive skin, his warm breath seeping through her pores and setting her blood on fire. She bit her lip, threading her fingers through his hair as she realized there were so many other spots on her body that had never been touched.

And she wanted his lips on all of them.

His hand slipped between her thighs and she cried out on a half sob of pleasure as he touched delicate flesh.

All Adrianna could feel was his touch, all she knew was the heat that moved through her, the need. She was speechless, nearly mindless.

Nearly.

"Lucian?" she moaned, drowning in the feeling of his fingers slowly moving closer and closer to her aching center.

"Cara," he moaned back, his tongue stroking a spot behind her ear that drove her crazy.

Cara. Why did that pet name sound so familiar, coming from him? He'd never called her Cara before, had he?

Her thoughts evaporated into nothing as his hips started moving against her core, the rhythmic thrusts giving her a taste of what was about to happen. And it felt good. So good.

"Lucian," she breathed in his ear again as his lips locked onto her neck, his hard body pressing her tighter against the cool window. "I have to tell you something."

She could tell by the growl that emanated from his chest that he'd heard her, but he didn't stop, he didn't even slow down. And she didn't want him to. God, she didn't want him to.

But she had to tell him. Maggie had always pressed that she had to tell the man she would eventually make love to about her virginity. She hadn't and because of that, the guy hadn't exactly been gentle. Besides, it wasn't good to start this thing with Lucian-whatever it was-on a lie.

She could feel his fingers unhook her bra and decided to get it over with so she could enjoy what was about to happen.

"Lucian," she breathed in his ear again, her heart hammering in her chest. "I'm a virgin."

The second the words were out of her mouth, the very second, Lucian's hands froze on her thighs; his lips stilled on her neck. She could even feel his chest stop heaving against hers. He'd actually stopped breathing...

"Lucian?" she whispered, an ominous feeling raging through her belly. Something was wrong...

When he finally moved again, Adrianna wanted to scream as his hands gently put pressure on her legs, forcing her to unwrap them from his hips. She didn't want to stop, didn't want distance between them...but it wasn't her decision to make.

Her feet hit the ground and she could barely keep upright, her knees weakened by desire and dread. What had happened?

Those hands once again balling into tight fists, he took a few hurtful steps away from her trembling body.

Why is he doing this?

"Lucian, what-"

"You're a virgin?" he gnarled, those eyes pinning her down with a hard look.

Something inside her twisted together at his tone and for the first time in her life, she felt ashamed. Rationally, she knew there was no reason to feel that way. Being a virgin was nothing to be ashamed off...but he looked so upset; so disgusted.

"It's no big deal," she mumbled, pulling the straps off her dress back up over her shoulders, suddenly feeling too exposed.

"No big-" he cut himself off, his hands tightening so much tiny spots of blood appeared on the bandages.

"You're opening up your knuckles," she said, moving towards him. "Let me see, I-"

She trailed off when he actually backed away from her; as if he feared his touch; as if she was poison.

"How can you be a virgin?" he growled, his eyes narrowing. "We-"

He stopped himself again, his eyes switching back and forth between hers.

"It just never happened."

"But you're gorgeous."

Her blush crawled down her neck, her knees wobbling again. "It never felt right. I guess I was just...waiting."

"For what?" he growled.

She swallowed hard, whispering before she could stop herself, "For you."

His eyes softened for just a split second, that fire roaring in them again as he breathed, "Cara."

But as fast as it had come, it was gone again, ice replacing heat in his gaze, snuffing out that spark of hope that had ignited in her heart.

"This was a mistake," he barked.

She knew she should get angry, scream at him for treating her this way, for making her feel so small...but kissing him, opening up to him had made something weaken inside of her and instead of cursing him out, she heard herself beg, "Please, don't say that, Lucian."

His jaw set as he grabbed his shirt of the floor, putting it back on without a word as she saw that familiar cold seeping back into his dark eyes.

"Don't do this," she whispered, her stomach knotting. "Please, don't become that man again. Not after-"

"You can stay or go," he said as he buttoned up, his voice now void of any emotion.

"Lucian-"

His eyes snapped back up to hers...and she could tell there was nothing she could say anymore. It wouldn't matter.

He was gone.

Just in case it wasn't clear to her yet though; in case a part of her heart wasn't completely shattered yet, he snarled,

"I don't do virgins, detective."

Adrianna felt her veins turn into ice, her mind and body actually going into shock. Had he really just said that? Was this really the same beautiful man she'd been kissing only second ago, the man she'd been willing to give herself to?

Anger surged through her then, but she couldn't form a single word. Not without breaking down. She could already feel tears well up behind her eyes, could feel them pushing to break free...and there was no way in hell she was going to cry in front of him!

No.

Way.

Tearing her eyes away from his, she took in a sharp breath and hurried past him, hurling towards the elevator. He didn't try to stop her this time and there was no way she was turning back either. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

As soon as the doors opened, she shot inside, keeping her back turned to him until she heard the doors close again.

Don't cry.

Do you hear me, Adrianna?

Do. Not. Cry.

When the doors dinged open, Adrianna spurted out of the elevator, heading for the exit. She wouldn't come back here.

Not ever.

Not to this hotel and certainly not to that man.

She'd been humiliated enough.

"Miss Salvatore?"

Adrianna jumped when Lucian's driver suddenly popped up beside her, matching her rapid pace.

"Leave me alone, Mike," she snapped, feeling the tears push against her eyes.

"Mister Nox asked me to drive you home."

"Hah!" she let out a loud, barking laugh, glaring at the poor man. He had nothing to do with this...but in that moment, she didn't care.

"Please, miss," Mike tried again, the revolving doors getting closer. "He insisted-"

She stopped in her tracks, shooting Mike a disgusted look as she hissed, "He insisted?"

"Yes, he wants-"

"I don't care what he wants, Mike!" she yelled, making a few heads turn in her direction. She didn't care, though. She just wanted to get out of there, put as much distance between her and the man a few floors above. Maybe then, that ache in her heart would lessen. It had to. She couldn't keep feeling this way. "I don't need him! Or his driver! Or anything he could possibly offer me! Do you hear me? I am done!"

She spun on her heels again, about to storm out when Mike groaned, "He suspected you'd say that and if you did, he told me to tell you that he could always have that long overdo chat with your sergeant...and your brothers."

Adrianna froze, her fingers balling into fists, her nostrils flaring. Was Nox really threatening to tell her brothers about Rodchenko? To tell her sergeant?

"Miss-"

"Just lead the fucking way!"

When Mike walked out in front of her, she followed him through the rain, slipped into the town car and watched as the world outside passed by. Everything was still standing...and yet, it felt like the world had collapsed around her.

Stop it, a strong voice hissed in her head. You're better than this. You're Adrianna Salvatore. Don't let him get to you. Sure, you opened up for the first time in your life, let yourself be vulnerable and you got crushed because of it, but see things from the bright side-

Even the voice in her head drew a blank then, unable to think of a bright side to this situation. Because there was none. She'd let him inside and he hadn't just hurt her... He'd ripped her apart.

When the car stopped in front of her building, her rage only grew. Fuming, she got out, immediately heading for one of the three men who weren't nearly as inconspiuous as they tried to be.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snarled, recognizing the guard from her time in Lucian's home.

"Mister Nox just called us and gave us orders to guard you here from now on and-"

"No!" she screamed, slowly losing the battle against her tears...and her sanity. "No, no, no! Go away! Now!"

The three men exchanged glances, but she could see on their faces that they wouldn't take orders fom her. Only from him. And she wasn't about to call him. Not even just to yell at him. She didn't want to hear his voice, ever again.

"Oh, fuck it all to hell!" she screamed, blowing past the men and storming up the stairs.

She was relieved to find her apartment empty. She couldn't face her brothers right now. They would see something was wrong and this was one story she wouldn't share with them. Or with anyone. Ever.

As shame flushed her cheeks, she felt a tear trickle down her skin...and then, something inside broke. Folding her hands over her mouth, she tried to stop herself from sobbing...but it didn't work and for the first time ever, Adrianna just...broke.


A decanter slammed against a clean white wall, the sound of shattering crystal filling the dark room. Hades watched the scotch drip down as his breath came out in short, labored pants; his body tense and aching; his mind screaming out.

She's a virgin? How is that possible? The things we've done in our dreams-

His mind flooded with memories of their lovemaking; of being inside of her; of feeling her come-

Letting out a primal scream, Hades gripped the glass table, hurling it across the room until it smashed into the black dining table, showering glass everywhere...but if he'd expected that breaking things would help with the rage inside, with the self-hatred, he was sorely mistaken.

How could I have let this happen? How could I have lost control like that?

He clutched his hair, letting the truth sink in. Adrianna had never been with anyone? Why had she never told him? Not even when they'd first made love in their dreams had she revealed her innocence...

Because it wasn't real in your dreams. It was her imagination, her fantasy. There is no pain there, no restrictions, no fear.

For years, he'd thought she was out here, in the real world, having a life, loving others, while in reality, he'd been the only one.

"It just never felt right," he heard her sweet voice whisper again. "I guess I was just...waiting. For you."

Snarling, he snagged a lamp of the coffee table, flinging it towards the window-

-but it never reached its destination.

"You!" he yelled, stalking over to Aphrodite with murder in his eyes. "This is your fault!

Aphrodite backed away from him, dropping the lamp she'd caught as she held up her hands in an gesture of innocence. "Okay, I have no idea what's going on, but I can see that you're a tad angry-"

"I went out with her today because you forced my hand!" he screamed, following her backwards retreat. "I bet you even knew, didn't you?! You knew about her!"

"Knew what about who?!"

"It's not bad enough that I fail to stay away from her?! That I'm too damn weak to do what's right?! No, I have to almost violate her in the worst possible way!"

"Violate her?!"

"She's a virgin!" he shouted, hearing his anger bounce of the high ceilings. "Pure! Innocent! Everything that I'm not! And I almost took it from her against a fucking window!"

Aphrodite's palms pressed down on his chest, stopping him in his tracks, her eyes wide and sparkling on his. "I'm sorry. Back up. You did what?"

Hades wanted to wipe that look of her face; that interested, delighted look...but no matter how evil he was, he didn't hit women.

"You heard me!" he barked.

"You and Adrianna-"

"Yes!" he snarled, cutting her off. He didn't need to hear the words out loud. He knew what they'd almost done... He knew it all too well. He could still feel her legs around him, her hands on his muscles, her tongue stroking his-

"I lost control!" he gnarled. "And because of it, I almost took advantage of her."

"Took advantage?" the goddess asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Was she drunk?"

"No."

"Drugged?"

"No."

"Otherwise incapacitated?"

"No!"

"Then how exactly did you take advantage of her? It sounds to me like she was up for it."

"She has no idea who I am! She thinks she does, she thinks there's anything redeemable in me-"

"Smart girl."

Hades growled, his eyes spitting fire. "You and I both know she's wrong, Aphrodite! I might be human now, maybe even have a conscience in this mortal form...but I'm the embodiment of evil!"

"No, you're not, Hades," the goddess said, watching him with kind eyes. "You have a certain reputation because of what you do, but you are not evil. Adrianna is the living proof of that. You love her. You've loved her for millennia. Evil doesn't love."

"She's an anomaly!"

"No, she's not."

"No?" he tore the bandages of his hands, showing her his wounds. "Do you know how I got these?"

She shook her head, her eyes widening a little as she took in his battered knuckles.

"I lacerated them while I was bashing in a man's face!"

"You hurt a human?"

"Hurt? I destroyed him!"

She opened her mouth, clearly about to to berate him...but then, she pressed her lips together again, watching him with piercing eyes before she asked, "What had he done?"

"Who said he did anything? Maybe I just felt like hurting someone!"

She shook her head softly. "No, you punish the guilty, Hades. That's what you do. You don't just hurt people at random. What had he done?"

Hades ground his teeth together, looking away from her.

"Ah," she sang knowingly. "He hurt your girl, didn't he? He hurt her and you made him pay."

Hades clenched his jaw, snarling. "She's not my girl."

"Yes, she is. She belongs to you, Hades. And you belong to her. You're a half of a whole-"

"Don't start with your love goddess-crap!"

"It's not crap!" she spit out, offended. "Just because Hallmark slapped it on a overpriced card, doesn't mean it doesn't hold any meaning anymore! I've been saying this from the start, Hades; some things you have no control over! Ever if you somehow manage to push back your feelings, there's still the matter of her feelings! Things changed for her the second you entered this world! Her soul knows its Mate is here and it won't let her walk away from you!"

"Yes, it will! I hurt her tonight, Aphrodite! She won't forgive me! I've made sure of that!"

Aphrodite just smiled, shaking her head. "Fine, then don't listen to me. But this isn't my first rodeo, cowboy. Don't you think I've seen this before? You remember Elena and Damon, right? You remember how they tried to push each other away every change they got? Remind me, how did that turn out again?"

Hades turned away from her, glaring at the skyline, ignoring that feeling in his chest that warned him she might just be right...

"Look, I'm sorry you're in pain, Hades. I really am. I wish I could help, but I'm already putting my ass on the line by covering for you with Zeus. I don't know what else I can-"

"Do you have any more of that potion?" he asked, an idea taking form.

"What potion?" she aswered, her eyes turning wide when she realized what he was talking about. "No, Hades. Bad idea."

"I need to be with her."

"Then be with her here! Slipping inside her dreams isn't fair, Hades! She won't remember any of it afterwards!"

"But I will!" he barked. "Look, I know it's selfish, I do, but I just need one night; one night where I can hold her and tell her I love her."

"Hades-"

"You know that when this is over; when I've hid her from my brothers; when they figure out what I've done; that I won't ever see her again, right? They won't let me go near her. Not even in her dreams."

Aphrodite sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Tonight can't be the last memory I have of her, Aphrodite. I was so cruel to her-"

I don't do virgins, he heard himself snarl again, watching her beautiful eyes fill with pain and humiliation. He'd humiliated her. He'd humiliated his devine, ravishing girl.

"Please, Aphrodite."

The goddess stared at him for a long time...and then let out a deep sigh as she pulled at one of the many chains around her neck until a light blue vial slipped from between her cleavage. When she held it out for him, he reached for it eagerly...but before he could get his hands on it, Aphrodite pulled it back, saying "You do realize that there's a very good chance things won't go the way you hope, right?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, when she's in that dream state with you, she remembers your previous dreams and what's going on in her real life."

"So?"

"So...you don't forsee any problems there?"

Hades just growled, snatching the potion from her fingers. "I need to see her, talk to her. I'll figure the rest out along the way."

Aphrodite shot him a little smile, those eyes sparkling again in that knowing way he hated. "Well, what could possibly go wrong with such a well-thought-out plan?"

Glaring at her, Hades popped the cork out of the vial without a second thought, bringing the potion to his lips.

"Wait, before you take that, I need to tell you something," the goddess said, stopping him just in time. "You jumped at my throat earlier, so I couldn't get a word in, but the reason I came here tonight was to warn you."

"Warn me?" he growled. "Do Zeus and Poseidon suspect anything?"

She shook her head. "No, it's not about them. It's about Damon and Elena."

"Damon and Elena?"

"They're coming to town."

Hades sniffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Off course they are. That's just what I needed."

"Just stay out of there way, Hades. That's easiest. They know who you really are and it's in your best interest to make sure they don't tell anyone. If you reveal yourself, Zeus and Poseidon will know."

"I'm aware, Aphrodite," he snarled.

"Yes, well, they'll probably arrive sometime tomorrow and they're only here for a day or so, to celebrate Adrianna's witch-friend's birthday."

"Yeah, that's why her brothers are in town too."

"Just, be careful."

He sniffed and then emptied the vial in his mouth, that familiar warmth immediately swirling inside of him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you about this dumb idea, Hades," the goddess sighed, her voice already sounding far away as he stumbled to the couch. "She won't be pleased with you."

Ignoring her, Hades sank down on the cushions, his eyes drifting closed...while a few blocks away, Adrianna's teary, exhausted eyes were doing the same thing, drifting into oblivion right alongside him...

...unaware of what what was waiting for her on the other side...

...and who.


Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update, but as you've probably noticed, this chapter just kept going! I hope you liked it... I've reread this chapter so many times, I didn't like it by the end of it... I just hope that's a side effect from over-reading :-D! Please, let me know by review or Twitter ( LustAndLoveFF)! Hearing you thoughts, feelings makes all the work worth it!

X LustAndLove