Chapter 7
Hades was back on that little, secluded beach, listening to the waves crashing onto the shore as the woman he loved stared out into the ocean. The sun was setting on the horizon, bathing his bikini-clad beauty in a mystical orange light. God, he loved watching her. How did anything so beautiful even exist? And what cruel twist of faith had bound that pure, innocent creature to a monster like him? She deserved so much better…
As if hearing his thoughts, Adrianna glanced over her shoulder, those blue widows to her soul immediately finding him. She turned in a swirl, the beach dress that barely reached her thighs catching the wind with every step she took towards him.
Desire coursing through his veins, he started walking too, impatient for her touch. He never got to hold her when they were both awake, at least not the way he craved to hold her...and he missed it so damned much. Wrapping his arms around her always felt like coming home. He'd never known what that was like; he'd never been at home anywhere in his long life...except when he was with her.
She was his home.
When he finally met her halfway, he reached out for her, ready to pull her against his chest, hold her, kiss her…but instead, her palm slammed into his cheek the second he was within reach, making his skin burn with her fury.
For a moment, he wasn't sure what had just happened, but then, he heard Aphrodite's warning chime in his head.
When she's in that dream state with you, she remembers your previous dreams and what's going on in her real life. She won't be pleased with you.
The goddess might have been on to something. And he deserved this. He deserved her anger, her wrath...What he didn't deserve, were her tears. She shouldn't be crying over a fucking bastard like him and yet, that's what she was doing.
He'd made her cry.
He'd made his beautiful, perfect girl cry.
"Adri-"
"I don't do virgins?!" she yelled, her wet angry eyes glaring at him. "I don't do virgins, Lucian?!"
He swallowed hard, his gut wrenching. "I know, I didn't-"
"I don't do virgins?!"
Her hand flew out again, ready to slap...but he grabbed her wrist just in time, stopping her mid-air. The second he touched her, he could feel electricity crackle between them; could feel her pulse speeding up underneath his fingers...but her anger didn't diminish. If anything, he'd made things worse.
Fuming, she pulled herself free, her blazing eyes shooting to the sky as she screamed, "Wake up, Adrianna! Wake up, right now!"
"That's not going to wor-"
"Wake up!"
"Baby-"
Her eyes snapped back to him, narrow and furious as she snarled, "Don't call me baby!"
He took a step closer to her…and she took one back, making him growl softly. She'd never done that before. No matter how angry she got in their dreams, she'd never avoided his touch.
"Don't you dare make that sound!" she hissed, pointing a long finger at him. "Do you really think you can treat me the way you treated me tonight and then slip inside my dreams as if nothing happened?!"
"No, I-"
"How could you do that to me, Lucian?" she cut him off. "I've begged you to meet me in the real world so many times! I've dreamt about it since the day we met and now, you're finally there and you behave like this total and complete asshole?! Not just tonight, but since day one!"
"Adrianna-"
"Don't say my name like that!"
"Like what?"
"Like I mean anything to you!"
He took a step closer to her…but she pinned him down with a furious look, stopping him in his tracks.
"Adrianna," he rumbled. "You know you mean everything to me."
She sniffed, a tear dripping down her flushed cheek.
"I hate behaving the way I do out there. It kills me to say the things I say to you, to do the things I do-"
"Then don't say them! Don't do them!'
"It's not that simple!"
"No, it never is with you, is it, Lucian?"
He swallowed hard, knowing what was coming...
"You used the name I gave you?! Seriously?! Even in the real world, you won't tell me who you are?! That is so fucked up!"
"I know," he growled, frustrated. "I-"
"Are you even a gypsy?" she cut him off, glancing down at the crystal around his neck. "Is that really a family heirloom or-" She trailed off when she saw the answer in his eyes. "Unbelievable!"
"You are the one who deduced I was a gypsy. I never said-"
"Be very careful," she hissed, her eyes blazing. "You do not want to start blaming me for any of your messed up lies right now!"
"I'm not blaming you, I just...I let you believe I was a gypsy to justify how I knew about who you are, who your family is-"
"You could justify it by telling me the truth! By telling me about these dreams!"
"I can't do that."
"Why not?! Because it'll make you sound crazy?! It will, at first, but I would believe you eventually and-"
"That's not why."
"Then why?! Just tell me!"
"I can't, Cara. I want to...but I can't."
"Don't give me that!"
"It's the truth! I wish things could be different! I wish-"
"Bullshit! If you wanted them to be different, things would be different! If you hadn't been so goddamned mean, we would be in a bed together right now! I would've fallen asleep in your arms like I've always wanted instead of falling asleep alone, crying!"
He clutched his jaw. "I know I hurt you-"
"Hurt me?!" she snarled, her voice breaking. "No, you hurt me by being cold and distant and calling me detective! Tonight, you did more than hurt me! You made me feel like a freak, like I was worthless! You acted like taking my virginity would be the most disgusting thing you'd ever do!"
"Because it would be!"
She flinched as if he'd slapped her in the face, more tears welling up in her beautiful eyes.
"Okay-" he admitted,kicking himself over the head. "-that came out wrong. Let me explain-"
"You know, most men would be glad that a woman saved herself for them, but you-"
"I was honored, Cara," he cut her off, making her sniff again. "I was! I am! I just-"
"-enjoy humiliating me?!"
"No! I didn't enjoy that! I could never enjoy anything that causes you pain, Cara. I lov-"
"Don't!" she barked, her eyes widening a little. "Don't you dare say those words to me for the first time now! You don't do what you just did to me to someone you…feel that way about!"
He took a few deep breaths, trying to push back the instinct to grab her, pin her down against the cliffs and show her exactly how he felt, no words needed...
"Cara," he growled, struggling to control himself. "When I said that taking your virginity would be the most disgusting thing I'd ever do, I meant that I am not the man you should bestow that honor upon. I'm not worthy of you."
He could see her features soften just a bit. "That's my decision to make!"
"Yes, it is, but choosing me would be a stupid decision, Cara."
"Why?" she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Don't tell me this is about what happened in that alley again. They attacked us, your system was flooded with adrenaline and you just lost it for a second-"
"Did I?!" he cut her off on a snarl. "The more I think about it, the more I realize I knew exactly what I was doing! I thought I was too late, I thought he'd killed you and I wanted him dead for it, Adrianna! I wanted to feel his life slip away-"
Suddenly, her warm fingers wrapped around his clutching hands, her eyes melting on his for just a few, wonderful seconds…and then, she blinked wildly, clearly remembering she was angry.
Removing her touch, she took a step back again, running a hand through her wet curls. "You were cold to me long before that alley, so I'm guessing this isn't just about that man, is it?"
He shook his head, his hands still burning where she'd touched them.
"Is there any chance you'll tell me what it is about?"
"I told you before, I can't."
"Then why did you come here? If you can't tell me anything, what's the point?"
"I just…had to see you," he growled. "I couldn't let tonight, in my loft, be the last memory I have of you."
She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
God, that chest...
"But you're okay with it being the last memory I have of you?" she snapped. "Why would you-"
"You're hurt, right?" he growled. "And when you wake up, you'll hate my guts?"
"You're not exactly my favorite person right now, either."
"And the last thing you'll want to do is come anywhere near me, correct?" he rumbled, ignoring that stabbing pain in his chest at her words. "You won't want to have anything to do with me, ever again?"
She opened her mouth to snap something back, but then, those beautiful lips closed again and she frowned, watching him closely.
"That's what tonight was about?" she asked after a tense moment. "Pushing me away?"
He just watched her, his eyes giving her the answer.
"Why did you even come into my life, then?" she croaked.
"I didn't mean to."
Her eyebrows knotted together even tighter. "What?"
"I had to come to your town for reasons I can't explain-"
"The Gomorrah Codex," she cut him off, her eyes curious on his. "You came to town for The Gomorrah Codex."
His heart raced a little faster in his chest. She was too smart for her own good sometimes...
"To protect a woman," Adrianna continued, frowning again. "What woman, Lucian?"
"It doesn't matter," he rumbled.
"It clearly matters to you."
"Adrianna-"
"It's me, isn't?" she asked, watching him closely. "You need a spell to protect me."
"No."
She sniffed, shaking her head softly. "You know, I can always tell when you're lying. Even when we're awake."
"Adrianna, please, just drop-"
"What are you trying to protect me from, Lucian?"
"I can't tell you."
Her tiny hands fisted. "Okay, can you at least tell me why you need a spell to keep me safe? You know I'm a cop, right? And that I have an army of vampires at my every beck and call if I need them? Why can't you just tell me what the danger is so I can take my own precautions?"
Because if I told you about Zeus and Poseidon, they would sense it and they would know I'm not sticking to the plan. They'd kill you on the spot. No human or supernatural army could protect you. The only option is to make you disappear of their radar completely, to hide you so they can't find their target.
"We could deal with it together," she tried again when he didn't speak, casting him a little smile. "I mean, we could-"
"There is no we. I can't stay, Cara."
Her face fell, those mesmerizing eyes switching back and forth between his, searching. "What?"
"I can't stay," he repeated, softer. "In a few months, I have to go back to where I came from."
"Do you have to...or do you want to?"
"I have to," he growled without a second thought. "I want to stay. With you. You have no idea how desperately I want that-"
"Then stay. Stay with me."
After everything I did, she still wants that? She still wants me to stay? She still wants me?
"Again," he growled, his heart breaking. "It's not-"
"-that simple?"
He nodded, shooting her an apologetic look. "Do you understand now why it's best for you to hate me, Cara? Why it's best to hurt now instead of further down the line, when I've let things get to far; when I've inevitable lost control around you? Believe me, saying goodbye will be so much harder when we've made memories together, when you've woken up beside me-"
"You don't know that," she whispered on a breeze.
"Yes, I do, because whenever we're together out there, I remember, Cara. I remember and it kills me."
"At least you know why you're hurting! I, on the other hand, have no clue as to why I feel so goddamned horrible all the time! I just fell asleep crying, for the first time ever, not understanding how I could let a bastard like you hurt me so badly; why I feel the way I do about you; how you got under my skin! I feel like I'm going crazy!"
"I know, sweetheart. I know, but if you've ever trusted me on anything, trust me on this. You can't miss what you don't remember."
"Is that what you think?"
"Adrianna-"
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
Hades nodded, a sad smile pulling at his lips.
"It was my twentieth birthday-" she said softly. "-and all of a sudden, when I closed my eyes at night, I was in this amazing mountaintop house in Florence and this handsome man told me he'd been waiting for me."
"I remember," he whispered, seeing her standing in that open window again, the soft light from the setting sun dancing on her deep blue dress. "God, Cara, I remember."
"That house doesn't exist, right?"
"No."
"But that mountain does."
"Yes. It's a mountain-"
"-a few miles away from the center of Florence," she finished for him, fresh tears making her eyes glisten. "I know. Do you know how I know that, Lucian? Because a few years ago, before I moved out of my parents' home, I took a backpack and started walking. I wanted to clear my head, find some peace, find myself…but instead, I found myself in Florence, climbing this ridiculously steep mountain for no apparent reason. The sun was cooking me, I didn't bring nearly enough water, I wore the worst shoes possibly for such an endeavor and yet, I had to get up there. I didn't know why, I didn't know that I was looking for you. All I knew was that I had to reach the top. And when I finally did, this terrible pain made my knees buckle. I didn't understand it, but it crippled me, Lucian. For the first time, I was overwhelmed by this longing; this awareness that I was missing…something. I slept there that night and when I woke, I decided it had just been exhaustion. I tried to forget about it, I tried really hard…but that longing never left. It's always there; this darkness, this hole…until a few weeks ago. Until I met you. All of a sudden, I can breath again. Even though you've been a bastard to me since day one, a part of me knows who you really are; who you really are to me. That's why I've been crying my eyes out all night; why, even though I hate you, I still secretly hoped you'd come after me tonight. So, don't tell me you're doing this to save me from heartbreak, Lucian. It's already too late for that. I might not consciously remember our dreams, but my heart remembers them; my soul remembers them; remembers you."
"God, baby, please," he growled, touching his forehead to hers. "Please, don't make this any harder than it already is."
"I'm not the one making it hard," she whispered, her warm breath feathering his lips. "Everything could be so easy, so right if you just let go."
"I can't," he gnarled. "Cara, trust me; your beautiful, kind heart will survive this. You're so strong, sweetheart. Stronger than I even realized until I actually met you. You will be okay without me...but not if I let this go any further; if I let us go any further. If you knew how I truly felt, how much I want you, it wouldn't be that easy-"
"Easy?!" she snarled, her blue eyes turning angry again.
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, I do!" she snapped, her chin raised stubbornly. "You mean you know better than me how I feel! That you know how much pain I'm in even though you have no way of knowing that!"
"Adrianna-"
"No!" she snarled, cutting him off. "You've said enough! I get it! You won't come near me in the real world again?! Fine! But then this has to end too, Lucian! If you refuse to be with me for real because of some ridiculous theory, then you don't get to have me in here, either! You can't have it both ways!"
"I know."
"No, I'm serious! If you don't get your ass to the real world and actively try to win me back; this is where it ends! You will never see me again! We're done!"
"I know, Cara," he whispered again, his heart shattering in his chest. "I understand."
She just frowned at him, her lips pressed shut tightly. His hands were itching to touch her, to take away all that anger and pain...but he feared his touch, which she so craved in the past, would no longer be welcome.
"I know you probably won't believe this after everything I did-" he rumbled, holding her blue depths. "-and you won't even remember me saying this to you, but you still need to hear it, Cara. I need you to hear it, just once-"
"Lucian, don't-"
"I love you, Adrianna Salvatore," he cut her off, watching those beautiful blue eyes tear up again. "I have loved you since the beginning of time and I will keep loving you until the fabric of this world is torn apart."
She swallowed hard, a tear trickling down her cheek.
God, he wanted to stay, to lay her down on the sand and make love to her, take away that pain…
"Goodbye, Cara," he growled, feeling his entire being protest this decision…but he still somehow managed to round her and walk away…
…at least, until she suddenly cut off his path, her eyes wide and fearful.
"You're leaving? You're actually leaving?"
"I have to, Cara," he frowned. "Besides, you just told me that you wanted me to go if I didn't-"
"I was bluffing!" she shrieked. "Lucian, tell me this isn't the last time I'll ever see you?!"
His eyes dropped, his silence giving her an answer. An answer she didn't like.
"No," she croaked, shaking her head. "It can't end like this!"
"Adrianna-"
"I love you," she breathed, making his eyes close. God, he loved hearing her say those three little words; words he didn't deserve.
"I love you, Lucian," she said again, igniting his blood. "And I want to be with you in the real world. I want to experience what it's like to love someone as deeply as I love you; to be loved by someone-"
"And when it's time for me to leave? Then what, Adrianna?" he growled, trying to sound stern even though everything she was saying made his heart sore. "Have you thought about that?"
"Can I come with you?"
"No," he snarled. "Someone like you doesn't belong where I'm going."
"I belong with you."
His jaw set painfully as she looked up at him with those baby blues. She was right. She did belong with him…but keeping her would be the most selfish thing he'd ever do.
"Okay," she croaked, no doubt reading the determination in his eyes. "Then I stand by what I said earlier. I want to be with you, Lucian. Even if there's a ticking clock on our time together. I want to be with you for as long as I can be. Whether it's for a week or a lifetime, I want you."
He wanted to protest again...but before he could, she raised on her tiptoes, pressing her curves against his hard edges, her plumb lips brushing softly over his as she whispered, "Can you remember what I tasted like, Lucian?"
She kissed him before he could answer, her tongue brushing over his until she pulled back and breathed, "It's not the same down here, is it?"
"No," he growled, his mind clouded by her seduction.
"No," she repeated, fisting his shirt as her hips ground against his. "In reality, I taste better, don't I? Richer. Sweeter."
"Yes. God, yes."
She dropped her face to his neck, her nose brushing over his skin. "Do you remember what it felt like to have my lips on you here?"
He just growled, his pants tightening painfully as dark lust crept through his veins.
"Or what it felt like to have my legs wrapped around you, to feel me pressed against you here-" Her hand brushed over the thick bulge that ached for her.
"Can you imagine what it would be like to make love to me, Lucian? To actually make love to me?"
He moaned, his mind flooding with fantasies.
"If a kiss or a touch is already so much more intense out there, can you imagine what it would feel like to be inside me? How much warmer? How much wetter?"
He swallowed hard…and the seductress kissed his Adam's apple, brushing her tongue over the bump.
"Tell me you don't want to feel that," she whispered. "Tell me you don't want to feel me."
"Off course I do," he gnarled, his hands fisting by his side.
"Then feel me. I'm right there, Lucian, for the taking. Just wake up-" Her fingers slipped down his chest, to the muscles that disappeared in his pants. "-and feel me."
"I can't," he groaned.
"Yes, you can. Feel me, take me…before someone else does."
His blood suddenly boiling, he grabbed her hips and pressed her back against the cliffs, his eyes as dark as his soul. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Come on," she whispered. "You must've thought about it; about another's hands touching me; his lips tasting me, exploring me-"
His fingers sank deeper into her hips.
"You know it will happen at some point," she continued, torturing him. "Maybe I'll turn to Gabriel."
He growled, jealousy and fury crawling through his veins at the mere idea of that fucking P.I. touching his woman…
"I mean, with you gone-" she breathed. "-I'll probably ask him to help me with Rodchenko again; working long, dark nights alongside him; crammed together in his tiny, hot apartment-"
"Stop it," he barked, his nose turning up in disgust.
"Or maybe I'll go back to Henry's bar and let Scott fuck me in the stockroom, making me scream, making me-" She broke off her torture when Hades' fist slammed into the cliffs beside her head, cracking the stone and more than a few of his bones…but he felt no pain. His mind was too busy torturing him, flooding with images of his woman and those fuckers…
"It's going to happen, Lucian. Not with Scott or Gabriel, but with someone at some point. I am going to lose my virginity…and I want to lose it to you, to the man I love; even if that man can only be in my life for a little while."
Give in, the monster inside growled. She knows you can't stay with her and yet, she's choosing you. So, be with her, find a way to keep her safe and leave. She just told you she'll be okay-
She's okay now! Without me!
"Cara," he growled, tracing her soft lips with his thumb. "It kills me to think of you being with anyone else...but I can't be selfish. Not with you. It breaks me to say this...but you would be better off with someone like fucking Gabriel, someone normal-"
"But I'm not normal! I'm The Crescător, my family is made up of vampires and Originals, I always feel out of place...except when I'm with you. Please, don't take that away from me!"
He ground his teeth, feeling his heart break in his chest...but he couldn't give in. For her own good. "Sweetheart, I promise that when you wake, you'll be okay-"
"No," she croaked, welling up again. "I'll tell everyone that I'm fine, sure...but I won't be! I was raised to be strong, independent, but I won't be okay! I won't be!"
"Yes, you will, Cara. I'll never come back here, you'll never have to feel this way again, you'll never have to remember us again-"
She shook her head, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Please, don't say that! Please! You have no right to take this away from me; to take my memories!"
"Adria-"
Her lips crashed into his again, kissing him deeply as her fingers threaded in his hair. He let himself drown in her for just a moment, his arms wrapping around her, holding her close as a sharp pain stabbed Hades' heart. This would be their last kiss. This would be the last time he'd hold her. After tonight, he would never have her like this again. She would hate him in the real world, as she should…and he would never be able to slip into her dreams again, either. Once his brothers found out about his betrayal, they would make sure he never got his hands on the potion to come back here again…
"Please, Lucian," she groaned in his mouth, her tears dripping onto his lips. "I can't lose you! I can't! Please! I love you! I love you so-"
"ADRIANNA?!"
Adrianna woke with a gasp, her heart hammering in her chest at the sound of her brother's panicked voice. Immediately, she was on high alert, her muscles tensing, her senses heightened.
"What?!" she croaked, frowning at Asher who was clutching her shoulders painfully. "What is it?"
Her brother let out a relieved sigh, letting go of her as he sank down on the bed beside her.
"I should be asking you that question," he grumbled, clearly annoyed. "The second I walked through the door, I heard you crying. By the way, how did you soundproof your apartment so well? That must've costed you a-"
"Wait," she cut him off, sitting up straighter. "You heard me what?"
Asher's soft brown eyes fell to her cheeks only a split second before his hands followed and brushed over her skin. When he showed her his wet fingers, she ran her own hand over her cheek, staring at it in horror when it came back stained with tears, too.
Rubbing her damp forehead, she tried to remember her dream...but there was nothing but darkness. "I must've had a nightmare."
"I don't think so, sis," Asher said, flicking a few used tissues from her mattress. "It looks like you were crying before you fell asleep, too."
For a wonderful split second, she didn't know what he was talking about...and then, her heart and mind caught up with reality and she remembered the night before.
She remembered Lucian.
Rejecting her.
I don't do virgins.
She could feel her throat close, but before she started crying again, she jumped up and grabbed the tissues, shoving them in the nearest trashcan and shutting the lid roughly, hiding the evidence of her weakness. She didn't want to think about last night, about breaking down the way she'd done. She never broke.
Not ever.
"Sis?" Asher whispered, his voice worried.
She turned in a swirl, a forced smile plastered on her lips. "I'm fine. I just had a little cold yesterday."
"A cold?"
"I'm not Immortal like you. I can get a common cold."
"Oh please," he rumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched her closely. "Adrianna, you haven't been sick a day in your life. It comes with being a Salvatore. And a good thing too since we can't heal you. Your strange Crescător-body doesn't allow you to consume any vampire blood before your twenty-fifth birthday, remember?"
My strange Crescător-body? she thought, shooting her brother a glare. That's just what I needed; another man criticizing my body. These last couple of hours have done wonders for my self-esteem.
"You can talk to me. You know that, right?" Asher said. It was the first time she noticed how much he sounded like Killian when he was being serious.
Speaking off-
"Isn't Killian with you?"
Asher understood her subtle change in subject and forced a smile on his face as he stood up. "No. I never take him out with me. He's not very good company to keep when you're trying to get laid."
"Ugh, TMI," she groaned, her lips twitching when she thought of Killian Salvatore being anyone's wingman. Her eldest brother had terrible social skills and no interest in the opposite sex...or the same sex...or just sex in general. In short, he would make the worst wingman ever.
Maybe you should take note, an annoyed voice hissed in her mind. Killian would never get hurt the way you just got hurt! He knows better than to fall for someone he barely knows!
Fall for?! I didn't fall for him! I just-
Oh, please!
"Any idea where he is," she asked, trying to distract herself from her inner conflict.
"Nope, I never do with that guy. But he'll show up."
"He knows Maggie's party's tonight, right?"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Asher said, a strange twinkle in his eye. "He knows."
Normally, Adrianna would've tried to figure out why Asher had sounded so sly, but the truth was she felt like crap, so more than anything she just wanted to be left alone. She would already have to be Happy-Go-Lucky all night for Maggie.
"You know I can smell him on you, right?"
Adrianna froze, her chest clenching. "What?"
"I can smell him on you," Asher repeated, those brown eyes once again worried. "That Nox-guy."
The second Asher spoke his name, it felt like someone punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind right out of her. She tried her best to hide it, but there was no way her brother hadn't noticed.
"Did he do something to you?" he asked, the danger thick in his voice.
A part of her wanted to tell him what had happened...but that was probably a story best not shared with your brother.
"Adrianna?" Asher hissed when she didn't answer fast enough. "Did that fucker-"
"He didn't do anything, Asher," she cut him off, casting him a comforting smile. "We just worked late last night on a case. That's why you smell him on me."
Her brother cocked an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
"I'm going to take a shower," she said before he could grill her anymore on the subject. "I can make you breakfast after."
Asher watched her in silence for a moment, longer, clearly debating whether he should push her into telling him the truth about last night or just drop it.
Luckily, he chose the latter.
"It's not morning yet, sis," he said, his voice lighthearted again. "Besides, I just came over to change my shirt."
Adrianna rolled her eyes, grabbing fresh clothes from her dresser. "Don't screw your way through my town, Asher. I have to live here, remember."
"Not making any promises."
She almost laughed...but she couldn't quite get there.
Closing the bathroom door behind her, she let out a deep sigh as she flipped on the light and saw herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, her eyes red, her hair dull and lifeless. She looked the way she felt. Drained. Somehow, Lucian had taken something from her; broken something...but she would fix it. She wouldn't let Lucian Nox have this much power over her.
Stepping underneath the shower, she let the hot water envelop her, trying to sooth her body, but it didn't help. Her nerves were so on edge, her skin still burning where he'd touched her, her lips still tingling, her tongue still tasting him...
Clutching her hair with one hand, she cursed as she let her other hand slip down, to the darkness between her legs. There was only one way to sooth this ache...and she hated the fact that when she came, his name softly slipped from her lips.
"We are running so late!"
Damon grinned, propping up on his elbow as he watched his wife scramble out of bed, searching the floor for her clothes. Her hair was still a mess from making love, that curvy body covered in a thin layer of sweat, those brown eyes sparkling when they touched his again.
"Damon, don't look at me like that," Elena giggled. "That look made us miss our plane from Brazil! We have to go now or we'll never make it to the party!"
"I thought we already were at the party," he rumbled, wiggling his eyebrows.
Elena laughed, throwing a pillow at him. "You know I mean Maggie's party! Now, get up!"
"Oh, we're bossy today," Damon rumbled, throwing off the blankets and slipping out of the bed, immediately wrapping his arms around his wife. "I like it."
"No, no, no," she laughed, untangling from his embrace. "We both know where hugging is going to end up, mister Salvatore! We need to get ready!"
"So, I can't even kiss my wife after making love to her?"
She smiled, shaking her head. "You are such an idiot."
"An idiot that really wants to kiss his wife."
She laughed again, biting that lip...and she knew damned well where biting that lip would lead to.
Growling, Damon grabbed Elena's arm and pulled her against him, his lips immediately finding hers. She kissed him back without missing a beat and as always, his heart sped up. Twenty-seven years had come and gone and kissing her still felt exactly the same as it had the first time they'd locked lips, out in the pouring rain, by the side of the road...and yet, everything had changed. Even his love for her. It had grown deeper, if such a thing was even possible. Elena wasn't just the girl he loved more than anything in this world; she was his partner, his lover, his wife and the mother of his children. If you had told him thirty years ago that he would have all of that, he would've never believed you; he wouldn't have dared to. She was just too good to be true. And yet, here she was, in his arms, kissing him.
Her fingers threaded through his hair as he deepened their kiss, his hands cupping her soft behind, making her moan into his mouth.
"Damon," she groaned against his lips. "Baby-"
"Don't say it. Please, don't say it, Love."
She laughed, running her fingers through his hair. "We have to go, sweetheart. We still have to pack, check out, pick up Maggie's present and then we still have a long drive ahead, plus-"
"-we still have to come up with a game plan to convince Adrianna to come back to Italy with us?"
Elena sighed, cocking an eyebrow. "Sweetheart, you've tried every game plan in the book. She's not coming home until her birthday. She wants to be independent."
"And if it gets her killed?"
Adrianna swallowed hard, her eyes suddenly full of fear and pain.
"Hey," Damon growled, cupping her cheek sweetly. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant that. That's not going to happen. I would never let anything hurt our girl. I'm just being-"
"-a good dad?"
He smiled warmly, kissing her nose.
"She has Margaret to keep her safe," Elena said, hooking her arms behind his neck. "And we've been training her since she was sixteen. She can take care of herself. Not to mention that no one's dumb enough to go after a Salvatore."
"Like no one was dumb enough to go after a Mikaelson?"
She cocked an eyebrow, grinning. "Are you calling me dumb, husband?"
"Never, wife," he growled, his nails teasingly scraping over her back.
"Look," Elena said, brushing her nose against his. "Adrianna is our daughter, which means she's not going to sit by a fireplace and be a good little girl."
"No," Damon sighed dramatically. "She gets that from me. I myself have always refused to be a good little girl, too."
She laughed, her body shaking against his, making his fingers dig even deeper into her back.
"You know what I mean," she sang. "It's not in her genes to play it safe."
"True," he rumbled. "Her mom has always been a handful, too."
"Oh, really?" Elena laughed. "Like you're low maintenance!"
Damon grinned.
"She just wants to be her own person," Elena continued, playing with a strand of hair in his neck. "Make a difference. I'm proud at her for it."
His embrace tightening. "Yeah, yeah, so am I. I just wished she'd be her own person and make a difference while being immortal."
"I know sweetheart, but just count your blessings that she can't wait to turn in a few months. Remember how worried we were when she found her career? How scared we were that she would want to stay human because of it?"
"Mmmmmm," he agreed. "Honestly, I don't get why anyone would not choose immortality. I mean, being an Immortal comes with so many benefits." He traced her lips with his thumb, feeling them trembling. "Strength. Speed-"
"-stamina," she whispered, briefly drawing his thumb into her mouth, tripping a growl from his chest.
His blue eyes grew heavy lidded, that sultry look making Elena's knees tremble.
"You said we need to get ready, right?" he growled.
"Mmmmmm," she murmured, biting that lip again. "We do."
"I agree. Let's start with a shower, shall we?"
"See," she breathed, hooking her arms around his neck. "That's why I married you, mister Salvatore. You always have the best ideas. Well, that and the Camero."
Damon laughed as he lifted her up, her slender legs immediately wrapping themselves around him. "I knew you only wanted me for my car."
"Why else?" she sang teasingly.
"Why else?" he growled as he carried her to the bathroom. "I'll show you why else, woman."
Elena laughed as he slammed the door shut behind them and let the water envelop them both as they became one again.
The world had barely woken up; the sun still hiding behind a wall of dark clouds as harsh rain fell from the sky and a rough wind cut its way through the streets. Not a living soul would ever even consider going out in this weather...
Well, except maybe one.
Adrianna's running shoes hit the wet pavement at a rapid pace, water splashing up against her grey jogging. The hoody she wore was already drenched, but she was long past the point of caring. She was transfixed; in another world; a world where nothing existed besides herself and the road. Her breathing was labored, her muscles aching, but she kept going, embracing the pain. At least physical pain, she could handle; she knew how to deal with. It was that other pain, the pain that had driven her out into this storm in the first place, that tore her apart. Even after running for hours, she could still feel it pushing against her chest, against her heart and she knew that the second she stopped and gave her body a break, that hurt would be back with a vengeance.
And she still didn't understand why.
She'd met that man only a few weeks ago and its not like they'd even gotten along most of the time. So why did it feel like she was being ripped apart from the inside out?
Picking up her tempo even more, she turned into the main street, heading straight for Maggie's shop. She'd planned on making a stop there right before her friend's party, but since she was already here, she might as well get what she needed now.
Grabbing her keys from her pocket, she opened the door, careful not to ring the bell that hung above it.
Turning on the warm light, she flipped her hood back, wiping the sleeve over her sweaty forehead as she caught her breath. Luckily, she was in excellent shape, so it didn't take her heart very long to return to its normal pace...nor did it take long before she felt it break again.
"God, stop it," she hissed under her breath, her palm pressed against her chest. "He's just some asshole who-"
A loud creak coming from above shut her up, making her frown at the ceiling.
Is Maggie up already?
Another creak...one that was too loud for it to have been made by tiny, frail Maggie.
Instinctively, Adrianna reached for her gun...but obviously, she hadn't taken her weapon with her when she'd left for her run.
Checking the room, Adrianna grabbed some rusty old dagger that was displayed on one of the shelves and made her way to the beaded curtain and up the stairs behind it.
"Maggie?!" she yelled as a warning when she was halfway up the stairs. A burglar was more likely to run as soon as they heard someone coming than stay and fight.
But there were no hurried footsteps, no sign of anyone getting their ass out of there.
In fact, for a long moment, it was completely silent...and then, the sound of much tinier feet rushing towards her made her sigh in relief. That, was definitely Maggie.
As soon as the door on top of the stairs opened, Maggie's eyes met hers...before they widened in surprise. "You look like crap."
Adrianna laughed, taking another step up...as Maggie took one down, cutting off her path.
Cocking an eyebrow, Adrianna tried to look over her friend's shoulder, but the blonde moved in her line of sight whenever she tried to sneak a peak into her apartment.
"Is someone up there with you?" she whispered, her lips twitching.
Maggie's cheeks flushed with blood, making Adrianna smile for the first time since him. Maggie never blushed.
Closing the door, her friend gestured for her to get back to the store and Adrianna did what she wanted, retreating from whoever she was holding a secret.
"Having a little pre-birthday party, are we?" she teased when Maggie grabbed the dagger from her and put it back in it's rightful place.
She ignored her remark...which was strange, since Maggie was always too happy to share her...adventures. Then again, maybe she should be grateful. Maggie's sex-stories would probably not help with that ache in her chest.
"Are you okay?"
Something on her face must've betrayed where her thoughts had gone and she quickly tried to pull herself together, plastering a fake smile on her lips. "Yes, why wouldn't I be?"
Maggie cocked a tweezed eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched her closely. "There's something in your eyes."
"Something in my eyes?" she repeated, sniffing. "Something like what?"
"I don't know," she said, tipping her head to the side.
Adrianna made another attempt at smiling. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine."
"It's four in the morning and from the looks of you, you've been out running in this weather for hours."
"I just want to stay in shape so that I'm ready when this ridiculous suspension gets lifted and I can get back out in the field."
"Mmmm," Maggie murmured, unconvinced. "I still say you're acting strange."
Adrianna sniffed, trying not to show how damned right she was. She didn't want to tell Maggie what had happened. It was too embarrassing. Here she was, a powerful Salvatore, and she'd been brought to her knees by a man. Nox had gotten inside of her, rattled her...and when she'd given in to those feelings, when she'd let go, he'd crushed her...
"I'm acting strange?" Adrianna said, trying to steer the focus away from her. "You're the one who's being all close-lipped about the conquest in your apartment."
"He's not a conquest. He's-" she trailed off, a blush coloring her cheeks and neck again. "I don't know what he is, but nothing's going on."
Adrianna frowned, a suspicion making her stomach turn. The last time she'd seen Maggie acting this strange was after the bastard she'd lost her virginity to had show up with a sex tape in tow and a list of demands.
"Please tell me Steven isn't up there," Adrianna snarled, her pulse already racing. "If he's up there, I swear to God-"
"Steven is not up there," Maggie cut her off, hugging herself defensively, rubbing her arms. She always did that when the subject of Steven came up, as if she tried to rub the memory off her body. "Why would you even think that?"
"Because you're never secretive. Me, sure, but you...never. In fact, you overshare most of the time. It's pretty disgusting."
A little smile pulled at Maggie's lips again, that shame that had crawled into her eyes fading...but not completely disappearing just yet. And Adrianna couldn't help but wonder if that was her faith, too. It had been three years since Steven had humiliated her friend and Maggie still couldn't hear his name without her entire being flooding with embarrassment. Would it be like that for her, too? Would she never be able to think about him without feeling humiliated to her core? Without her heart shattering in her chest? God, she hoped not.
"Besides," Maggie added, her lips curling even more. "I don't think Steven would be stupid enough to come back here. Not after what you did."
"What I did?" Adrianna said innocently. "What did I do?"
Maggie just cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh, you know about that, huh?" Adrianna said, biting her lip.
"About you breaking into his apartment and waiting for him in the dark with your loaded gun on your lap?"
"The gun wasn't loaded."
"Loaded or not, it made an impression," Maggie snickered. "I don't know what you said to him, but he was gone the next day and I never heard from him again."
Adrianna shrugged casually. "I might've mentioned the fact that I could make him disappear. And I might've painted a pretty vivid picture of how I would do it."
Her friend laughed, shaking her head, her blond curls bouncing.
"How did you find out?" she asked, frowning. "No one knew about that."
"I didn't know he was gone, so I went to his apartment the next day to try and convince him to leave. When it was empty and I noticed he'd left in a hurry, I got curious and I did a little spell to see what had happened. I only got shreds of images, but it was clear you'd scared him off."
"He was easily scared."
Maggie shot her a grateful smile. "I never thanked you for that."
"And you'll never have to. That's what friends are for. Besides, it was fun as hell. You know I never liked that guy."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I should listen to you when it comes to men. You have surprisingly good instincts for a girl who's last date was so long ago you had to use a fake ID to get into the bar."
Adrianna laughed, remembering the night Maggie was talking about. "And it was a disaster, by the way, so you really shouldn't rely on my instincts." Her smile dropped, his face popping up in her mind again. "You really shouldn't."
She laughed, frowning again when Adrianna started rummaging through the shelves. "Hey, not that you're not welcome, but...why are you here?"
Adrianna crouched down, pushing aside a few books. "I'm looking for some sort of hiding-potion."
"What are you trying to hide?"
"My smell."
Maggie let out a little laugh, crouching down beside her. "Your smell?"
She nodded. "Another fun Crescător side-effect. Apparently, I smell like every Supernatural's favorite thing."
"I don't smell anything."
"Yes, well, you're not the right kind of Supernatural. Witches have nothing to gain from a Crescător. It's more meant for those who can't have offspring any other way."
"Interesting."
"That's one way of putting it," Adrianna mumbled. "I'd go for strange or disturbing or even disgusting, but the point is, I really don't like the idea of being Supernatural catnip and more importantly, I really don't want my parents to find out this new development. They're already worried enough. And since they're coming to your party, I think it's best to take precautions."
"Mmmmm, good point," Maggie sang, raising again and disappearing behind the shelves.
When Adrianna followed, she was already pulling a purple vail from a drawer.
"Here," she said, handing her the potion. "One drop every day and you should be good."
"What's in it?" she asked, holding it up to the light. "Mostly Rosemary and then some magical components that make it infuse with your blood."
Adrianna shot her a worried look.
"It's harmless," the witch said, putting her at ease."Trust me."
She did. Maggie was one of the few people she trusted with her life.
You trusted him, too.
Adrianna swallowed hard, ignoring that voice as she shoved the vail in her pocket. "Thanks, Maggie."
"Any time. I'll see you tonight, right?"
"Seven p.m. sharp."
"Is Lucian coming?"
Adrianna stop breathing for a moment...and Maggie noticed. But before her friend could comment on her slip-up, Adrianna said, "No. My business with Lucian is over. Turns out, he couldn't help me with Rodchenko after all. Besides, even if he was still in the picture, I still wouldn't take him to my best friend's party. He's just someone I worked with."
Maggie's eyes turned softer then, betraying her lie hadn't worked...and that she now knew that whatever was going on with her, it had to do with Lucian Nox.
"I have to go," she rushed before Maggie would start questioning her. "I still have to buy your present."
"Adrianna-"
"Please," she sighed, shaking her head softly. "Don't."'
Her friend just stared at her for another long moment...and then nodded and said, "See you tonight."
Adrianna shot her a grateful smile before rushing out of the warm store, back into the storm, immediately breaking into a run, scolding herself over the fact that Maggie had needed mere minutes to see right though her. She would have to pick up her game if she wanted to get through the night without a million questions from her family. They couldn't know about Lucian. They'd kill him if they knew what he'd done to her. Okay, maybe not kill, but definitely hurt. That idea should thrill her...but it didn't. The thought of him getting hurt still felt like a punch to the kidneys...
God...why couldn't she hate him?
Forget about that now, she thought, picking up her pace. Just focus on getting through tonight, on acting normal.
No one can know what happened.
No one can know something's wrong.
"Something's wrong."
Elena's lips curled as she handed her handsome husband a fresh glass of champagne before kissing his cheek lovingly.
"The only thing that's wrong, is the fact that we were three hours late," she said, feeling herself blush as she added on a whisper, "Although it was time well spend."
Damon wiggled his eyebrows as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer against him. Even after twenty-seven years, he still did that whenever they were together, holding her as if he was afraid she would slip away if he didn't; as if he couldn't not touch her.
"That's a really nice dress," Damon said, his lips brushing over her ear. "I can't wait to rip it of you later."
She took in a sharp breath, slapping his chest. "We're at a party, mister Salvatore. Your children are here. Behave...At least for a few hours."
He laughed, softly biting her neck, making her entire being tingle as her mind flooded with memories. A few years ago, she never would've dared dream that Damon would ever bite her. Since that night on the road many years ago, when he'd almost accidentally drained her, he'd vowed never to bite her again...but then she'd become a vampire and she'd been able to show him just how amazing a bite could feel. Ever since then, not biting each other when they made love had become an exception.
"Are you wearing that lace Body I bought you in Venice?" he whispered against her skin.
She felt her cheeks heat as she turned in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. "No, they're still in the house in Paris, where you left them underneath the stairs."
His eyes twinkled mischievously at the memory, his hands finding that dip right above her behind.
"But I promise you'll like what I have on underneath this," she whispered back, bringing her lips to his ear before she breathed, "Nothing whatsoever."
"Oh for the love of God," a familiar voice suddenly broke through her lust, making her cheeks flush even more, this time in embarrassment. "Mom, dad, seriously, when will you two learn your sons are vampires and can hear every word you're saying?!"
Mortified, Elena glanced back over her shoulder and found their youngest son leaning back against a tree on the other side of the decorated garden, glaring at them.
"Sorry, Ash," Damon said as Elena buried her red face in his neck. "It's all your mom's fault, though. She has such a depraved mind I-"
Elena covered her husband's mouth, giggling as she heard Asher whisper, "Incorrigible."
When Asher struck up a conversation with another guest, Elena pulled back from Damon's neck, biting her lip. "I think we might've scarred our children."
Damon cast her a warm smile, tucking a curl behind her ear. "They grew up with two parents who love each other. They're fine."
"Maybe we should've fought more," Elena teased. "You know, scream at each other every once in a while."
"If memory serves, there was-and still is-plenty of screaming," he rumbled, making her blush deepen. "We just soundproofed our houses well enough so the kids wouldn't hear."
Elena laughed again, pressing a sweet kiss to her husband's lips. He always made her laugh, every single day...and she never took that for granted. There had been a time when she never laughed, when there was no joy in her life, when all she did was run and hide from Niklaus Mikaelson...and then, Damon Salvatore had come along and he'd changed everything.
"Now," Damon said, glancing over her shoulder. "Speaking of our gorgeous kids, I swear, Adrianna is acting strange."
Elena followed his eyes to Adrianna, who was standing by a table stacked with presents, talking to Maggie's mom, sipping from her glass.
"The only thing I see is proof of our dazzling genes." When she kissed his jaw and he didn't react, she sighed and added in a serious voice, "Okay, I'm listening. Why do you think something's wrong with our daughter?
"That's her fourth drink since we got here. Who knows how many she had before that."
"It's a party, sweetie."
"I know that, but Adrianna never drinks that much. You know how she feels about losing control."
"I wonder who she got that from."
Damon pinched her hip, shooting her a little smile. "I'm just saying, it's unlike her, Love. And there's something about her smile, too. It's-"
"-a little forced?"
His lips twitched. "So, you've noticed something's wrong too, huh?"
"Off course, I have. I was planning on getting her alone at some point tonight and ask her about it, but I haven't had a change yet."
"Well," Damon rumbled, grabbing her hand. "Until you do, how about a dance, misses Salvatore?"
She sighed dramatically. "If I must."
He laughed as he pressed his wife against his chest, moving to the beat of the slow song that blasted through the speakers in the trees. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, her eyes landed on her wedding band and matching Daylight-ring, making her heart jump. Whenever she looked at those two pieces of jewelry, she saw Damon in that amazing tuxedo, waiting for her down the aisle with their newborn son in his arms. Their little Killian. She remembered walking towards her two boys, thinking back on everything they'd been through to get there. There had been so many close calls; moments when one of them had lost the other and yet, somehow, they'd made it. She was married to Damon Salvatore; had his children; and would spend eternity in his arms.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?" she whispered.
"A few times," he growled, dipping her, his blue eyes glistening on hers. "But I could always hear it again."
She smiled as he pressed her back against his chest, her lips only inches from his as she breathed, "I love you, Damon Salvatore."
"You better-" he rumbled, pressing his forehead to hers. "-because I honestly can't imagine a world without you in it. You know that, don't you?"
She nodded, brushing her fingers through his raven hair. "I know. And you'll never have to. I'm here, Damon Salvatore. You're stuck with me. Forever."
He smiled, his arms tightening around her. "I can live with that."
"Oh, can you?" she snickered. "How very benevolent off-"
He kissed the words from her lips and she drowned in his kiss, in his touch, in the warmth that seeped from his every pore. It was an amazing feeling to be held like her husband held her; touched like he touched her; to feel just how deeply she was loved. She could only pray he felt like that too whenever she held him, kissed him. She could only pray he knew how deeply he was loved in return. She told him every day, but no words could truly express the depth of her love for the man in her arms. Not that this would stop her from telling him.
Repeatedly.
Every day.
For the rest of their immortal lives together.
Adrianna finished off another glass of champagne, feeling the alcohol taking effect. She really shouldn't drink so much, she knew this...but she feared it was the only thing that was going to get her through this night. Not that she wasn't happy to see her parents again, to spend time with her brothers...but her mind still always wandered back to him. Everything reminded her off him in some way. Like, right now, she really tried to focus on the story Asher was telling, but her eyes kept finding her parents, dancing in the middle of the garden, holding each other close...and in an instant, her mind flashed back to her own dance with him. How was it possible that only a few hours ago, everything had still been so perfect. Being in his arms, breathing him in...It had felt so right.
Nothing had prepared her for what would follow.
"I need another drink," she said, seeing herself stand in his loft again, half naked, rejected and hurt. "I'll be right back."
Asher just shot her a worried look, but continued telling his story to the other bystanders.
As she made her way to the house, she didn't fail to notice that there were still plenty of perfectly good bottles of champagne outside, but she had to get out of there, away from the crowd. She needed a moment to stop acting, a moment to pull herself together.
Drinking was a bad idea, a voice scolded in her head as she flipped on the light in the kitchen and almost lost her balance. She hated this; this feeling of not being in control of her own body, which was strange, since she hadn't been in control of it for a while now. Lucian was her own personal brand of alcohol, making her knees wobble; making her lose her head.
"Stop thinking about him," she hissed softly, running her hands over her black dress. "Please. Just stop. Just-"
Another door in the kitchen slammed open, giving way to Killian...although she had to look twice to make sure it was actually her eldest brother. Normally, Killian was always spotless; his suit was always neat, his dark hair gelled back, his face perfectly groomed and stoic. But now...
"You okay, Killian?" Adrianna asked, frowning at his unbottoned jacket and the black tie he'd messily loosened to pop the top button of his shirt.
He actually looked startled for a second, as if he hadn't noticed her until then, which was odd since Kilian was always on high alert.
Always.
"I'm fine," he growled, running his palms over his dark hair, trying to force the raven mess back.
Without avail.
She wasn't used to seeing Killian so ruffled. It was actually a pretty disturbing sight.
"You don't smell anymore," he suddenly growled.
Adrianna sniffed. "I didn't want mom and dad to worry, so I asked Maggie for help."
"Right," he rumbled, his Adam's apple bouncing. "Good idea."
Adrianna leaned back against the counter, her eyebrows pulled together as she noticed Killian's hands fist by his thighs, his eyes everywhere but on her.
"Are you sure you're okay? You're not acting like yourself."
"Neither are you," he shot back, a silent warning in his eyes. He wouldn't ask her about her behavior if she didn't ask him about his.
She could live with that deal.
For now.
"I have to go," Killian said, buttoning up his jacket again.
"Fine. Breakfast tomorrow?"
"No, I mean I'm leaving town."
"Right now?!" she huffed. "You just got here."
"I know," he growled. "But-"
"And we didn't even get to spend any time-"
"I know, Adrianna," He cut her off, his jaw setting. "But I'll see you soon anyway. Your birthday's coming up."
"That's still months away! Can't you just stay and-"
"No!" he barked, pinching his nose. "Damn it, I can't-"
"Are you two hiding in here?"
Killian trailed off when their mother walked into the room, casting them both one of her sweet smiles.
"We're not hiding," her brother said, kissing his mother on the cheek. "In fact, I'm leaving."
"Now?"
"I just heard about a group of Forsaken kicking up trouble in Amsterdam."
That's a lie.
Adrianna didn't know how she knew that. She just did. Maybe she'd been lying herself so much lately that she could now spot a liar from a mile away.
"You shouldn't go alone," her mom said, worried. "We'll come with you-"
"No", he cut her off. "It's just a rumor. I'll go check it out and if there's any truth to it, I'll call."
He shot them both a little smile that never reached his eyes and then walked away without another word.
"I should probably go, too," Adrianna said, pushing the glass of champagne she'd poured away. "I'm feeling a little light-headed and I should really hit the sack if I want to wake up not feeling like someone took a sledgehammer to my head."
"Nonsense," her mom said, waving her hand dismissively. "You're a Salvatore. We don't get hangovers."
"Maybe not the vampires, but the human isn't so lucky. Goodnight, mom." She kissed her mother on the cheek before making a break for the exit. Being around her mother made her guards come down...and she couldn't have that. Those guard were the only thing that stood between her and a breakdown...
"Are you sure that's why you're leaving?"
Adrianna stopped in her tracks, swallowing hard, feeling how sore her throat still was. Her heart racing, she quickly checked if the red silk scarf was still firmly in place, hiding the purple bruises. Her mom couldn't see the damage to her throat. It was pretty obvious how she'd gotten them and if she found out she'd almost been chocked to death by someone, she would want to know the whole story...and that story included Lucian.
Putting on her most convincing smile, she turned back to face her mother, singing, "Off course. Why else would I leave?"
Her mom shrugged, watching her closely. "You tell me."
Don't.
"Are you getting nervous about turning twenty-five?" she asked, fishing. "About becoming Immortal."
"God, no. Not at all. I want to be part of the family."
"You are part of the family."
"I know," she rushed. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant there's not a doubt in my mind that I will become a vampire, like you guys. I'm not nervous about that."
"Than what is wrong, sweetheart?"
She huffed, opening her mouth to say she was fine, but before she could, her mom continued,
"And don't tell me nothing's wrong. You're my daughter. I can tell. And so can your father."
Adrianna let out a deep breath. "Look, mom, you're right, okay. Something is going on...but I really don't want to talk about it."
Her mother smiled for some reason, a spark in her eyes she didn't understand.
"Did I say something funny?"
"No," her mom chimed, hopping up on the counter. "But now I know it's about a guy."
She felt her cheeks flush, giving her away. "What? No, it's not about-"
"You know I can hear your heartbeat, right?"
Adrianna sighed, leaning back against the fridge. "It's not what you think."
"What do I think?"
She cocked a meaningful eyebrow at her mother, making her smile widen.
"Lucian and I-"
"Lucian," her mom sang. "Strong name."
Adrianna mumbled in agreement.
"So, nothing romantic?"
Adrianna tucked a curl behind her ear, suddenly feeling his lips on hers again; his hands in her hair; his fingers-
"No," she said, trying to calm down her heart. "We worked together on a case, but I just ended the collaboration-"
"You did? Why?"
"Well, because he's a rude, annoying, arrogant, unpredictable Alpha-male assho-"
"So, you fell for him, huh?"
"Ha," she exclaimed, her cheeks turning even redder. "Did you not just hear me say he's basically the biggest bastard I've ever met? How could I possibly fall for someone like that?!"
"I asked myself that same question many years ago."
"You did?"
She nodded. "When I met your father, he and I didn't exactly hit it off right away, either."
"Really?"
Her parents were always together, always so in love... She couldn't imagine them not getting along.
"God no. That man could make my blood boil like no one else. He still can sometimes. But that's a good thing."
"It is?"
Her mom nodded, her eyes piercing hers. "You only argue with those you care enough about to argue with; those who get under your skin, behind your walls."
Adrianna huffed, hugging herself. "He didn't get under or behind anything. He's just someone I worked with."
"And yet, we're in Maggie's kitchen, talking about him."
"Because you insisted."
"Oh please, Adrianna," her mom laughed. "If you didn't want to talk about this, we wouldn't be talking. You're as stubborn as your father."
Adrianna sniffed, shaking her head. "You know he always says I'm as stubborn as you, right?"
Her mother smiled that endearing smile, hopping back off the counter. "The point is, I know you, sweetheart. If this Lucian got under your skin, you're probably doing everything in your power to push him away, but take it from someone who tried to do the same thing a long time ago-"
"You're wrong," Adrianna cut her off, swallowing hard. "That man means nothing to me. And I'm fine."
"You're fine?"
Adrianna nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. Honestly."
Her mother's eyebrows knotted together even tighter before she said, "Okay then. If you say so."
"I do."
"I just want you to be happy, baby."
"I know," she whispered, smiling. She wanted to tell her she was happy, reassure her...but she couldn't get the words passed her lips.
When Adrianna left that kitchen and joined the rest of her family back in the garden, she actually felt relieved. She thought she'd fooled her mother; she thought she'd successfully hidden what was going on with her.
Little did she know that later, after her parents had said goodbye to her and left, her mom would turn to her dad on their drive back home and say,
"We were right. Something's wrong with Adrianna and it's even worse than we thought...Our daughter's in love."
"I am so drunk."
Adrianna laughed, leaning into the tree Maggie and her were sitting against. Everyone had left and the yard was pretty much wrecked...but neither of them had the strength yet to get up and do something about it.
"I've noticed," Adrianna snickered. "I've never seen you drink that much."
"You should talk."
She rolled her eyes, taking another sip from the large glass of water she'd been nursing. "I know. I'm so going to regret this night in the morning."
"Yeah, you and me both."
"Hey," Adrianna whispered, frowning at the sudden sadness in Maggie's eyes. "Tonight was great, Mags. Everyone had fun, the music was great and the food was just amazing."
Her friend cast her a little smile, but there was still something off about it.
"I'm pretty sure Asher has taken one of your friends back to some hotel, though, for which I apologize."
She let out a little laugh, finishing her glass of champagne. "Don't worry about it. What do you expect when you invite the Salvatores to a party."
Adrianna nudged her side, huffing in feigned offense. "I beg your pardon, missy! Asher is the only slut in the family! I'm a virgin, remember! And Killian is always on the road, fighting Forsaken, so I don't think he has time to sleep around! I mean, he can't even come to a party without having to chase out of town in the middle and-"
"He left town?"
Adrianna nodded, putting her glass down on the ground. "He says he got a call about a group of Forsaken in Amsterdam."
"He went to Amsterdam?" Maggie snorted, shaking her head and Adrianna could've sworn she heard her mumble "unbelievable", but she couldn't be sure.
"God," Adrianna groaned, rubbing her eyes. "I should go and get some sleep. I have an appointment with my sergeant today."
"You do? Is he lifting your suspension?"
Adrianna shrugged, getting up. "I don't know. I don't want to get my hopes up, but I can't think of any other reason why he should want to talk to me."
"Maybe he found out you're still investigating Rodchenko."
"I wouldn't know how. I've been careful."
"Maybe-" Maggie trailed off, shaking her head.
"Maybe what?" Adrianna asked, frowning as she helped her friend pick up glasses that were scattered across the garden.
"Nothing," the blond said, waving her hand dismissively. "Never mind."
"Oh, come on, Mags. Since when do you hold back with me?"
She cast her a little warm smile, doubt still in her eyes.
"Spit it out, Maggie."
"I was just thinking that maybe...Lucian ratted you out."
Adrianna's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name. How was it possible that now that she was determined not to think about him, everyone around her felt the need to bring him up every five seconds?
"He wouldn't do that," Adrianna said with an irrational certainty. How could she possibly be so sure that Lucian wouldn't betray her? It's not like he was above hurting her.
I don't do virgins.
"Are you sure?" Maggie asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I mean, I've only met the man twice, but he didn't really seem like a trustworthy-"
"I'm sure," she snapped, hating herself for getting angry. She shouldn't care that Maggie was insulting him. If anything, she should join the party...but she couldn't.
"Okay, got it," her friend said, raising her hands defensively."Sorry."
"No, I'm sorry," Adrianna sighed after a tense minute of silence. "I didn't mean to bite your head off. I just...want to change the subject."
Maggie smiled again, handing her a trash bag before she asked in a kind voice, "Are you ever going to tell me what he did?"
Adrianna swallowed hard, her eyes dropping to the grass. "Probably. But not tonight."
"Okay, fine," Maggie said, winking. "Besides, it's me, remember. I never run out of things to talk about."
Adrianna laughed and spend the rest of their clean-up listening to Maggie ranting about the party and how much she enjoyed seeing the people they'd left in Italy again. She knew Maggie missed Italy, missed their home, but she never complained. She knew it would make Adrianna feel guilty. After all, it had been her idea to leave, to spread her wings for a few years.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" Maggie asked when they finally said their goodbyes. "I have a very comfortable couch."
"I know, but a walk will do me some good."
Maggie laughed, hugging her. "Next time, maybe switch to water a little sooner."
Adrianna sniffed, grabbing her purse. "I'm not that drunk."
She cocked a skeptical eyebrow. "Whatever you say. Just call me when you get home so I know you got there safe."
"Yes, mom."
She left then, the sound of Maggie's laughter echoing through the night.
"I'm serious, though! Call!"
Adrianna waved her hand without looking back, signaling she'd heard and then turned the corner, taking her usual route back to her apartment. It was a soft night out, perfect for a walk. The little black dress she'd worn to the party was a little too light for this weather, but with all the alcohol in her blood, she didn't feel the chill.
Three soft beeps floated up from her purse and when Adrianna finally dug up her phone, she saw she'd missed five calls. All from the same person.
Sighing, she stared at the letters on the little screen that formed the name Gabriel Vasquez. She knew it wasn't right of her to just ignore him like this, but it also didn't feel right to just go back to working with Vasquez after basically ditching him for...him. Besides, it was probably better to work alone from now on. She'd always known Gabriel had a little thing for her, but it was only now that she knew how much rejection could hurt and she didn't wish this kind of pain on anyone. Not that she would ever reject him as cruelly as he had rejected her...but rejection was rejection. She was doing Vasquez a favor, although he probably didn't see it that way.
You should call him, to at least let him know you're not going to be working with him again. You can't just ignore-
Adrianna's thoughts trailed off when she turned into the last alley before she was home...and she saw her.
A woman.
Lying on the cold stones.
The glow from the streetlights barely touched her...but Adrianna could see enough to know she was in serious trouble.
Dropping everything, she rushed over to the body, falling on her knees beside her, her pulse racing as she let her eyes take in the woman before her. Her blond hair was smeared with red, her body stabbed so many times her pink dress was barely still there. She had to have been wearing shoes at some point, but they were no longer on her feet and the material of her stockings was sliced so viciously it was hardly noticeable between the blood and lacerations.
"Oh God," she croaked, her hands hovering over the girl's body afraid to touch. "Oh, God. What-"
A loud, labored gasp cut her off, making Adrianna's heart stop.
She's alive.
For a short second, her mind couldn't process that the destroyed body in front of her still had a soul in it...but when she finally caught up, she sprung into action. Quickly looking over the girl's body, she tried to assess which wounds had to be seen to most urgently. Jerking the scarf from her neck, she tied it above the deepest cut in her thigh, trying to slow down the girl's blood loss...but she knew it wouldn't help for long. Whoever had done this to her, had sliced straight through the femoral artery, making sure his victim would bleed out in a matter of minutes.
A matter of minutes...
Her attacker couldn't have gotten far.
For a moment, she moved to get up...but then the woman's swollen, terrified eyes shot open, looking up at her through the cut and purple skin.
"It's okay," Adrianna said, turning back to her. "I'm right here. You're going to be fine. Just hold-" She trailed off when she felt something cold touch her legs, her eyes flickering down to the puddle of blood the girl was lying in. A puddle that grew bigger and bigger.
The scarf wasn't helping.
Switching gears, Adrianna moved her hands to her cut thigh, pressing them down on the gash, making the woman scream out.
"I know," Adrianna whimpered, feeling the warm liquid seep through her fingers. "I know it hurts. I'm sorry."
The girl kept crying softly, but Adrianna knew this was all she could do. Just like she knew it wouldn't be enough. The wound she was pressing down on was one of so many. This girl had been stabbed all over. It was a miracle that she still lived...
Somewhere in the back of Adrianna's mind, something was pushing to come to the surface, to make her see...but she was too focused on saving this girl to let it sink in. She couldn't think of anything but trying to stabilize her, trying to keep her alive...
A shadow moved passed the entrance of the alley and at once, Adrianna screamed at whoever was there to call 911. She could see the figure stop and then heard a female voice talking at a hurried pace.
"Help is coming," Adrianna said, hearing her voice tremble. "Do you hear me? Hold on. You'll be fine."
She could see in the girl's eyes that she didn't believe her.
And she was right not to. She was injured too severely.
You can't save her, a soft voice whispered in her mind, trying to prepare her.
But she refused to listen.
I don't have to safe her! I just have to keep her alive long enough for the ambulance to get here so they can save her.
"What's your name?" Adrianna asked, her arms trembling from the force she was using to keep the girl from bleeding out.
"Lana," the girl gurgled.
"Lana," Adrianna repeated. "Who did this to you, Lana?"
She parted her lips to speak again, but before she could, she started coughing, blood trickling down from her mouth. Whoever had stabbed her, had pierced her lungs.
She's drowning in her own blood.
Shut up!
"Who did this to you, Lana?!" she asked again, feeling a teardrop slip down her cheek. "Tell me so I can make him pay for this."
The girl's eyes found hers again, her lips trembling. Adrianna could see she was trying to speak, but she no longer had the strength...
Leaning in, she rested her ear right above the girl's mouth, closing her eyes, focusing every sense only on her faint voice.
And then, after a long heartbeat...she heard it.
The one name that haunted her.
"Dimitri."
Her blood running cold, Adrianna forgot how to breath, watching the girl with renewed eyes.
Her physical appearance.
The stab wounds.
The brutality.
How did she not make that connection earlier?
This was his M.O.
Rodchenko.
This was him to a tee.. Except...Adrianna had memorized that fucker's file and there was never any blood at the crime scene, which meant he never killed the girls where he dumped them. Until now. Why would he do that? Why would he change his M.O.? Why would he-
"Mom?"
Adrianna swallowed back tears as she heard Lana's faint voice call out for her mother.
"Where the hell is that ambulance?!" She screamed at the shadow who still stood in the entrance. "This woman needs-"
The words melted on her lips when she heard the faintest exhale of breath. No inhale followed.
"Lana?" Adrianna whispered, staring into the girl's vacant eyes. "Lana!"
The girl didn't react. She was...gone. Just like that.
Letting go of the her thigh, Adrianna just stared into the night. She'd never actually seen someone die; had never actually been there when their soul left their body. She'd seen victims in crime scenes, in morgues...but this was different. This was worse. She couldn't move. It felt as if her brain had short-circuited and needed to be rebooted...but she had no idea how to do that.
She felt far away from my body, far away from reality and what was happening around her. Information came in slow, but her reaction to it was dull. Around her, everything moved in fast-forward while she was motionless in the middle of it all. She heard the police come, watched as the ambulance took Lana away, but she just stayed on her knees, her bloody, trembling hands hovering into the air. It felt as though she'd been paralyzed by some unseen, mind numbing force. Thoughts flew discordantly through her mind as she tried and failed to comprehend what had just happened.
A cop crouched down before her and she could tell by his expression that she looked as distraught as she felt. He started to ask her questions and she answered them, but it was an automatism, something she'd done so many times in her line of work that she needn't think about it. She was acting on autopilot, talking while she saw that girl die over and over again; as she heard her whisper his name.
Dimitri.
She told the police about the name, but she knew it would make no difference. It wasn't enough evidence. There were many Dimitri's... But not in her world. In her world there was only one. And he'd just killed another girl. Because she didn't stop him in time. Lana's blood was on her hands and not just in the literal sense.
Swallowing hard, she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes until she saw nothing but sparkles, feeling the cold blood that stuck to her palms smear her face. But she didn't care.
The cop helped her on her feet, steadying her when her legs gave in for a second. She registered that he asked her to go with the ambulance, but she just dislodged from his grip and walked away in a daze. She had no idea where she was going, but her legs seemed to know, so she just followed. Inside, she felt...empty. Like someone had reached in and hollowed her out. She felt so much and yet, nothing at the same time; as if her mind and body had no idea how to deal with everything and instead had just decided to shut down. She could see the few people she passed watching her with wide eyes, but her legs never slowed down. She just kept going, not knowing where she was going or why she was going there...but she was beyond caring. Wherever her body was taking her, she didn't have the strength to fight.
So, she just...walked, following an instinct she didn't even know she had.
Hades laid in bed, staring up at his ceiling. It was almost three in the morning and as he'd expected, he hadn't slept a wink. His mind was too full.
Full of her.
Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw her; felt her; tasted her...
Cursing, Hades threw off the sheets, sitting up on the edge of his bed, clutching his hair.
Please, Lucian, I can't lose you! I can't! Please! I love you!
"She doesn't know what she's saying," he growled at the empty room. "She doesn't know how much it will hurt; to have memories of us together and having to say goodbye."
So it doesn't matter that given the choice, she chose to be with you; to make those memories even though you can't stay?
"I'm protecting her from herself!"
Maybe that's not your call.
Hades shook his head, trying to get rid of that ache in his chest that begged him to listen to his inner demon. He didn't like the fact that that fucking demon was starting to make more and more sense. He was just a month in his mission, for God's sake. And what was even worse, he wasn't even close to wrapping up. It was pretty clear by now that there was only one spell powerful enough to hide Adrianna from a handful of Gods and it just had to be the only fucking spell that was encrypted. He still had six and a half months left before his deadline, he knew this, but the thought of spending that much time here alone, with Adrianna only a flew blocks away from him and that demon in his head not giving up, made him fear he wouldn't be strong enough. He was already constantly one moment of weakness away from giving up and giving into her.
"You have to find the fucking key to that codex. Quickly. The quicker you find it, the quicker you can crawl back to the darkness you came from and the quicker-"
The sound of his front door slamming shut made Hades' thoughts halt, his senses on high alert again. Now that Adrianna wasn't living in the house anymore, he'd send the guards to her apartment building to keep a covert eye on her, which meant it couldn't be any of them entering.
Slipping on his pants, Hades left his room, seeing red.
Stalking down the staircase, he glared at the shadow that stood in the middle of his hallway, unmoving.
"You chose the wrong night to break into my home," he growled, balling his hands into tight fists. "I'm not in the mood to be fucked with and you-"
He stopped in his tracks, his heart hammering in his chest when he was finally close enough to see who the shadow was. The darkness still covered her, but he would recognize that silhouette anywhere.
"Adria-" he stopped himself, remembering he was supposed to be an asshole to her. "Detective. You better have a damned good reason to be breaking into my house in the middle of the night."
She didn't speak; didn't move. She just…stood there. And for some reason, that made a chill run up Hades' spine.
"If you're here as some sort of payback for last night-" he said, moving to switch on the light. "-you should know that-"
All words left him the second his chandelier flipped on and he got a good look at the woman standing underneath it.
"Jesus Christ," he exhaled, stalking over to her, his eyes wide as he took in the sight before him.
There was blood everywhere.
On her pale face, in her hair, on her arms and hands. Even on her legs.
"Jesus Christ," he gnarled again, his heart slamming against his ribs like a bird trying to get out of its cage. "Cara, what happened?!"
No answer.
"Did someone hurt you?!"
She didn't even look at him. She was just staring into nothing, her eyes vacant.
She's in shock.
Cupping her face, Hades tried to make her see him; tried to make her focus, but even when her eyes touched his, he could tell she wasn't there.
"Adrianna, baby, please!" he yelled. "I need you to answer me! Are you hurt?!"
Nothing.
Her hands shaking was the only sign that she was even still in there.
Cursing, Hades lifted her of the floor and cradled her in his arms, racing back up the stairs; back into his bedroom, only putting her down when they were in his bathroom. Without missing a beat, he took of her dress. Under any other circumstances, he would've relished in seeing her in that skimpy lingerie set, but not now. Now, all he was interested in, was getting her back to her normal self.
Picking her up again, he carried her into the shower, turning on the water as he put her back down. Ever drop that touched her turned crimson, washing away the blood that clung to her raven hair and cold skin.
Frantically, Hades ran his hands over every inch of her bare skin; checking everywhere for injuries…but there were none. There wasn't even any blood where her dress had been, which could only mean-
It's not her blood.
He knew it was wrong to feel relief over that fact, but that's what he felt anyway. It wasn't her blood. She was okay. At least, physically.
Brushing his hands over her face, he cleaned the last traces of blood from her cheeks and then waited until the water that fell from her skin and hair was once again clear instead of red. When it finally was, he carried her back out of the shower, grabbed two towels and a robe and then made his way back to his bedroom, where it was warmer.
Setting her back down on her feet, he wrapped the first towel around her to make sure she was warm and then used the other to dry her hair before using it to dry himself.
When he was done and he slipped the robe on her, a fresh wave of panic washed over him. She hadn't objected when he'd taken off her dress; her eyes were still glazed over and even though she was now dry, she was still shivering.
Something had broken his girl.
"Adrianna," he growled, cupping her cheeks. "Baby, come back to me."
Nothing.
"Cara, Tell me what happened. Tell me, so I can make whoever is responsible pay."
Finally, those blue eyes touched his and she actually saw him.
There she is, he thought, tucking a wet curl behind her ear.
"Cara-"
"I'm responsible," she whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek. "It's my fault."
He frowned, wiping away the salty drop. "What is your fault, baby?"
She took in a sharp breath, whispering, "I killed a girl."
His heart broke at the pain in her eyes. "What?"
"I killed her," she repeated, her eyes widening. "Oh God, I killed that girl. I-" She trailed off, her breath coming out in short, labored pant; her eyes flooding with tears; her eyebrows knotting together as she clutched her chest.
She's having a panic attack.
"Adrianna, calm down," he tried to sooth. "Whatever happened, I'm sure you had no choice!"
He reached out for her, but she backed away, hyperventilating. If she didn't get her breathing under control soon, she was going to pass out.
"Damn it," he growled, grabbing her hand and pressing it down over his heart. "Cara, do you feel that?"
She looked at him again, still struggling to breath.
"I'm here, Cara. I'm here with you. You're okay."
Her eyes softened on his as her pulse slowly returned to a normal pace.
"Keep breathing, baby," he whispered. "You're okay. Keep breathing."
She stared at him for another long minute, catching her breath and then, those tears returned, slipping down her skin.
"Ssssshhhhhhh," he soothed, holding her palm pressed against his chest as he brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. "You're okay."
"It's my fault," she croaked, softly shaking her head. "I should've stopped him sooner. I should've stopped him."
"Stopped who?" As soon as the question was out of his mouth, he knew the answer. "Rodchenko. Jesus fuck. He killed another girl. And you found her?"
"I couldn't save her," she whispered, not hearing him. "I tried...but there were too many wounds. I couldn't stop them all from bleeding."
"She was still alive when you found her? God, baby-"
"I killed her."
"No!" Hades gnarled, his eyes piercing hers. "This is not your fault. You did not kill her. Rodchenko did."
She opened her mouth to object, but no more words made it passed those beautiful lips.
"You should get some rest," he whispered, guiding her to his bed.
When he pulled the sheets back, she immediately slipped under them, curling into herself as he draped the covers over her.
Letting out a deep sigh, Hades pulled the chair, that stood in the corner, to the bed, sinking down in it.
"It really wasn't your fault, Adrianna," he rumbled. "Rodchenko is a psychopath."
She stared at him for another long moment and then closed her eyes without another word. It took her only a few minutes before she finally drifted to sleep and once she did, he tried to follow her lead...but he couldn't. Even in sleep, she had a profound and immediate effect on his body. He shouldn't have put her in his bed. He'd dreamt about her in there too many times; beneath him, on top of him, even simply falling asleep in his arms.
Groaning, he once again realized he would never be able to be around her and not feel this; this lust, this love. It was always there, crawling in his blood and it was even worse now that he'd tasted her.
She continued to sleep, curled in a ball, buried deep under the covers, her long hair spread out on the pillow beneath her. Even in the dim moonlight that reached across the room, her black locks gleamed. He wanted to gather them in his hands, bury his nose in it, breath her in. But he knew it wouldn't suffice; he knew it would only make him lose control. What he wanted to do; what he truly wanted to do, was a hell of a lot more than breath her in. He knew he should leave that room and spend another painful night thinking of her somewhere else. This was unnecessary torture.
But he didn't want her to be alone. Not while she was in this state.
So he stayed...like the masochist that he was.
Mom.
Adrianna woke with a soft gasp, her heart racing, her mind a jumble. It felt like she was waking for a deep sleep, even though she didn't remember ever even going to bed. The last thing she remembered, was-
She shook her head, trying to shake the memory of Lana dying in her arms...but something told her that was a memory she would never be able to shake.
Rubbing her damp forehead, Adrianna sat up straight, only then noticing she wasn't lying in her own bed. What the hell had happened after Lana had died? Had someone picked her up? Had the police brought her somewhere?
Confused, she peered into the dark room, trying to make anything out...and the second her eyes adjusted, her pulse sped up even more. She didn't recognize the room, but she sure as hell recognized the man sitting in the chair beside her.
Lucian? What is he doing here? What am I doing here? And where exactly is here?
He was sleeping soundly, his head resting against the hard back of the wooden chair. He couldn't possibly be comfortable sleeping like that...and yet, he was. She was lying in a bed and he was sitting in a rock hard chair beside her.
Why would he do that?
Even though she tried to fight it, her eyes slipped down from his face to his bare chest. And speaking of rock hard...
Shaking her head, she reminded herself of the night before, of what he'd done; what he'd said...but it didn't ease the fire in her. Even though she should hate him, she had to stop herself from waking him up and finishing what they'd started in his penthouse the night before. It would be so easy to let go, to surrender to him again-
And be turned down again? a voice snarled in her mind. Be humiliated? Be-
The voice was cut short when he moved in his sleep and a gleam of moonlight touched his chest; touched the crystal that still hung around his neck. She suspected he always wore that thing, even beneath his beautiful suits. Why was it so significant to him? Had he been that close to his great aunt? It seemed unlikely since he made it clear he wasn't exactly tight with his family. Or maybe it was a symbol of his heritage; of being a gypsy. Either way, it was strange that a rough man like him wore anything so sentimental. He never showed any emotion with her. At least, nothing so soft and sweet. He was always angry, rough, hard-
Mean.
Sighing softly, Adrianna's eyes stayed on the crystal and slowly, she felt herself falling into it. She only now realized she'd never really taken a good look at it and now that she was, she saw how exquisite the jewel actually was. It wasn't just solid black. It was...alive. The darkness in it swirled, pulling her in, hypnotizing her. She felt her fingers reach out, wanting to touch, to feel-
I love you, Adrianna Salvatore.
With a jolt, Adrianna pulled her hand back, her heart beating in her throat. His eyes were still closed, he was still sleeping...so why had she heard his voice so vividly, it was as if he'd actually said those three little words to her?
Because you're pathetic?
She shook her head, trying to push down everything she'd felt when she'd hallucinated him saying that to her. She shouldn't feel any of those things. She should hate him, not imagine him professing his love for her.
Scolding herself, she slid over to the other side of the bed and quietly tiptoed out of the room, making sure he didn't wake. She didn't want to speak with him, didn't want to see those captivating eyes.
Softly, she closed the door behind her...and then she finally recognized where she was.
What am I doing in his house?
She ran her fingers through her hair-her wet hair-and only then noticed the fluffy robe she was wearing...with nothing but her damp underwear on underneath.
Okay, what the hell happened here?
Confused, she decided to put as much distance between herself and Lucian, quietly making her way throught the hall and down the stairs, her mind aching, as if it tried to remember something, but couldn't quiet get there.
At least, not until she saw her purse and shoes lying forgotten by the front door, tiny smears of blood surrounding them.
That's when the memory finally came back, a memory of walking down the street in complete shock, not knowing where she was going; a memory of breaking into his house and then, Lucian, finding her, cradling her to his chest, washing away the blood she'd been covered in with such tenderness...all the while calling her baby and Cara.
She rubbed her forehead, her mind a jumble. It didn't have the capacity to deal with Lucian's fickle behavior right now. She was already one push away from breaking down completely and she feared that if she let herself hope anything could ever change between them and he would crush that hope again, she wouldn't come back it.
Grabbing her purse, she dug for her cellphone to check the time and noticed three missed calls from Maggie.
Crap, I promised to call when I got home, she remembered with a start, hitting redial. She's probably worried out of her-
"Adrianna?! Thank God!" her friend screamed in her ear. "Are you okay?!"
"I...don't really know," she answered honestly, glancing up the stairs. He was up there, sleeping... A few hours ago, she'd sworn that she was done with him and yet, when she was at her worst and most vulnerable, her subconscious had brought her here, back to him. She didn't want to get into what the hell that meant.
"God, Adrianna, I was so worried! I swear, I was about to call you parents-"
"You didn't!" she rushed.
"No, no, I didn't, but where are you, Adrianna?"
"I'm-" she trailed off, not wanting to say she was with Lucian. It would bring up too many questions she couldn't answer, even if she wanted to. "-safe. Sort of."
"Sort of?"
"It's a long story."
"I heard you found Lana."
"Yes," she whispered, that memory making her stomach drop. "I...Wait, how do you know that? It just happened. Don't tell me the media already pounced on this like a bunch of vultures-"
"No, they didn't. The police came by about an hour ago."
She frowned, confused. "The police came to you? Why?"
"I knew her," Maggie said on the other end of the line, sadness thick in her voice. "She was part of a coven of witches I consult every now and then. She was nice."
Adrianna sighed, rubbing her forehead. "God, I'm sorry, Mags. I still don't get why the cops would come to you so soon after it happened, though. They usually go straight for the next of kin-"
"Well, there was a mix-up. See, I was invited to a midnight gallery-opening a few months ago, but then I started planning my party and since I could only get everyone together on the same night as the opening, I gave my ticket to Lana. It was a invitation by name though, so she could only get in by pretending to be me. The invitation in the envelope with my address on it was the only ID Lana had on her, so the cops came to my place because they thought I was hers."
Adrianna sank back against the wall, numb as she let all of that new information sink in. Her friend had no idea what she'd just said; no idea what it meant...but Adrianna did. She knew exactly what it meant. And just like that, whatever emotions had been swirling through her before, were now all consumed by one emotion and one only.
Rage.
"Maggie," Adrianna snarled, straightening up again. "I need you to lock every door and every window. Do it now."
"What? Adria-"
"Do it now, Margaret!"
She could hear her friend listen to her instructions, heard windows being closed roughly; heard locks click into place as she hurried back upstairs as quietly as she could, this time heading for the room she used to stay in. When she pulled her old closet open and found it still stocked with clothes Lucian had bought for her-under protest-she let out a small sigh of relief.
"Adrianna, what's going on?"
"I can't explain right now. I'm sending someone your way. Don't open the door until he gets there."
"Until who-"
Adrianna hung up, quickly changing into jeans, a black top and a leather jacket before making a beeline for the front door, disappearing back into the darkness.
"Come on, pick up," she hissed into her phone as she speed walked through the night. "Come on, come-"
"Killian Salvatore."
"Killian!" Adrianna yelled, adrenaline and anger coursing through her veins.
"Adrianna?! What's wrong?!"
"Everything! I need you to do something for me!"
"Anything."
"I need you to come back and get Maggie as far away from this town as you possibly can!"
There was a long pause. Too long. She didn't have time to waste.
"Killian?!"
"Yeah, I'm still here," he said, his voice deeper than before. "Look, I'm already pretty far away. If she needs a ride somewhere-"
"She doesn't need a ride! She needs protection! She's in danger, Killian!"
"What?" His voice was so cold the hairs on the back of her neck actually stood up.
"Rodchenko," she explained. "He killed another girl tonight, but he didn't kill the one he intended to kill! He was after Maggie!"
"Are you sure?"
"The girl he killed was pretending to be Maggie to get into a gallery opening! And he changed his M.O! He killed this girl right before I found her! He never does that! He kills them somewhere else and then dumps them like trash! But not this time! I think he was keeping taps on me! He wanted me to find that girl, watch her die! But he meant for me to be holding my dying best friend, not a stranger! Maggie was his intended target and Rodchenko won't be pleased that he fucked up! There's a strong chance he'll go after her again, to get to me! I can't let that happen! I need you, big brother! I know you don't have the same relationship with Maggie as I do, but I love her and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her! I need you to keep her safe, Killian! You're the only one-"
Adrianna could hear tires squealing then, the angry sounds of other cars honking telling her Killian had just made a U-turn, heading back into their direction.
"Thank you," she said, right before she hung up and turned into another alley. There was a chance that by the time Killian got back into town, there wouldn't be anymore need to protect anyone from Rodchenko...but in case something went wrong, at least she knew Maggie would be safe.
Slipping her phone in her jacket, she shrugged the leather off and shoved it behind a dumpster. She would come back for it later, but she could 't risk her phone getting traced before she'd done what needed to be done. Not to mention that she would never get into Rodchenko's club wearing a jacket. The less clothes you wore, the better chance you had of getting in...and she had to get in.
After running her fingers through her-now dry-curls to undo any knots the shower had made, she tugged down the black top so the swell of her breasts were unclad. She didn't have any make-up at hand, but she knew that her anger was coloring her cheeks and lips enough to give them a glow and even though her feet were dying, she was now glad she'd worn high heels to Maggie's party. Every little thing helped at this point. She'd seen the women who frequented Rodchenko's club and even with the boobs and heels, she still worried about her chances of getting in. Those women wore thongs as skirts and bra's as tops. Even if they refused her entry, she would get in, though. It would just be a lot harder.
At four in the morning, the line leading up to Rodchenko's club was significantly shorter than in the beginning of the night, but it was still too long for her taste. The adrenaline pumping through her veins wouldn't let her stand in line for half an hour, at least not without blowing up.
And this is where endless nights of surveilling Rodchenko's club came in handy.
The second she spotted the man who acted as the bouncer this evening, she knew her way in. The man was as straight and butch as they got and she'd seen countless women simply walk up to him, lay a few well-placed touches on his arm and just like that, the velvet rope would open.
Taking in a deep breath, she puffed out her-too exposed-chest and walked straight passed the line of women, oozing confidence. The bouncer clocked her when she was halfway to him and she shot him a dazzling smile that felt wrong on so many levels. She didn't feel like smiling and she certainly didn't feel like smiling at anyone who had anything to do with Rodchenko...but this was what she had to do to finish this. She couldn't let another girl be butchered by that monster.
She wouldn't.
"Hi there," the broad man boomed when she came to a halt in front of him.
She bit her lip, flipping her hair over one shoulder. " Hi."
"I've never seen you here before," he rumbled, his eyes scanning her entire body, making her skin crawl. "I would've remembered."
"You're so sweet," she laughed, slapping his arm...and keeping her hand there, softening her eyes as she sang, "You wouldn't happen to feel like being even sweeter and helping a girl out, would you? My friends are already inside and they're going to kill me if I'm not there to buy the next round of shots."
The man shot her a smile that made her stomach turn, but she somehow managed to smile back, biting her lip again as she playfully rocked back and forth on her heels.
"How can I say no to a fox like you?" he boomed.
"You can't." At least, that's the plan.
Laughing again, he removed the black velvet rope.
"I get off in two hours-" he rumbled as she passed, his eyes lingering on her boobs. "-and if you wait for me, I'll make sure you do too."
Dont. Throw. Up.
Somehow, she managed to push back her gag reflex and smile, even though she felt like ripping his eyes out if they didn't move away from her chest soon.
When she finally made it inside, the music washed over her like a tidal wave, drowning her in sound. The place was packed, just as it was every night, bodies grinding against each other, people drinking overprized drinks...but she wasn't there for any of that. She was there for one reason and one reason alone.
Him.
When she spotted Rodchenko, her heart beat so fast she was sure it could be heard over the music. That blonde bastard was sitting in the VIP area at the very back of the club, drinking, laughing with yet another blond woman. He'd just killed a girl...and he was laughing?
Feeling her blood boil, she forced her way through the dancing crowd, heading straight for that monster.
Her palms were sweating, her heart racing, her-
A sharp tug on her arm made her twirl around, ready to cuss out the idiot who had stopped her-
-but when she saw him and it felt like someone had punched the breath straight out of her lungs, leaving her speechless. For a moment, she was convinced that she was hallucinating him-after all, why would he be there-but then, those grey eyes ignited on hers and she knew he was actually there.
Lucian?
The second she realized he was real, her first instinct was to curl into him and drown in his embrace, make him take away all the darkness and rage she felt blazing through her blood. She craved it, craved not feeling this destructive hate, craved his strength, his soothing touch. And that absolutely infuriated her. His kindness tonight shouldn't undo any of the hurt he'd caused her...and yet, that blinding anger she'd felt towards him only a few hours ago was now almost completely gone. How could she be this weak, this pathetic?
"What are you doing here?" she bit out, hoping the music drowned out the soft tremor in her voice.
"I'm here to stop you from making a mistake!"
She tsked at him, trying to hide how he was affecting her by shrugging his touch of her arm and shooting him the meanest glare she could muster up. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just here to dance."
He sniffed. "How stupid do you think I am?"
"You don't want me to answer that question right now."
His eyes narrowed a little and yet, they somehow never lost their warmth, "You're angry, Adrianna and I get that, but you can't do this."
"I'm not angry, Lucian," she spit out. "I'm just done! I'm done trying to do everything by the book while people die!"
"You feel that way now, but you won't in the morning! You'll hate yourself!"
"No, I won't!"
"Yes, you will! Trust me!"
There was something in his eyes then that made her shiver; something that betrayed he was no stranger to death...and maybe even taking lives.
"Besides, you told me yourself, remember," he continued. "That night in the library. "
When we almost kissed, her mind added, her cheeks flushing with heat. God, she missed his lips...
Stop it!
"You told me-" he continued, his voice deeper. "-that you were afraid of this very moment; of the day you would see no other outcome than to kill him."
"Yes, well, a lot has changed since then," she snapped, shooting him a meaningful glare. She wasn't just referring to Rodchenko...and she could see in his eyes that he'd picked up on that. "Besides, like I said, I'm just here for a good time. Drink, dance, maybe lose that pesky virginity that disgusts you so much."
His grip on her grew tighter, those eyes burning on hers. "Stop it. I know you're here to kill Rodchenko."
She frowned. Why did she get the feeling that he actually hoped she was there for Rodchenko and not to screw some random guy? Who hoped for murder?
"Just go away, Lucian! Whether I'm here to kill or fuck, it doesn't concern you! I appreciate what you did tonight, that you took care of me the way you did...but it doesn't undo what you did last night! It doesn't magically make us okay! You still said what you did and I can't forget that!"
She noticed him swallow hard, his eyes softening. "I know that! I-"
"When I walked away last night, I made it clear I wasn't coming back and you made it clear you didn't want me to! So, this-" she hissed. "-is none of your business! I am none of your business! I'm not your anything!"
She saw pain cross his face and damn her if it didn't hurt her, too. It shouldn't! She hadn't said anything wrong! He was the one who'd pushed her away! If he hadn't been so cruel, if he hadn't humiliated her, she might've been something to him...but he had fucked that up! He had no right to act all hurt because she pointed that out! And she had no reason to feel bad about pointing that out!
"You came to me, remember?" he growled after a tense moment.
"And if I'd been thinking straight, I wouldn't have!" She tried to turn away again, but before she could even take a single step, he jerked on her arm and started dragging her across the dance floor, away from the VIP-area.
"Damn it, Lucian! Let go of me!"
He ignored her, his hand still clutching her arm, still dragging her with him as if she weighed nothing. And it pissed her off. Who did he think he was, coming here, manhandling her?! Fuming, she dug her heels into the floor, almost twisting an ankle, but it was worth it. Mid-stride, Lucian stopped, suddenly turning to face her, almost making her bump into that hard chest of his. And that's when she noticed something she should not be noticing. She had other things on her mind that the fact that she'd never seen Lucian in jeans and a simple t-shirt before tonight. And she certainly shouldn't be noticing how mouthwatering he looked in casual-wear. For a split second, her mind wondered how he'd gotten in this club wearing jeans...but then she remembered he was Lucian Nox. The club-scene was his business. Only an idiot would deny him access.
"You can't kill him, Adrianna," Lucian growled as the people around them danced.
"Want to bet?"
"Taking a life will change you!"
"I don't care!"
"I care!"
She inhaled sharply, hating the way her heart and body reacted to his confession, but most of all hating the regret she'd seen in his eyes as soon as he'd said it. There was always regret.
"God, Lucian-" she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You can't keep-"
"Is there a problem here?"
Adrianna frowned at the tall, brown haired man who had interrupted her, not sure what he was talking about, until he said to Lucian,
"Let go of the girl, man."
That's when she realized that to an outsider, it had to look as if Lucian was trying to take her somewhere against her will. The iron grip on her arm, the angry looks, the raised voices... And to be fair, an outsider wouldn't be completely wrong. He was trying to take her somewhere against her will.
Lucian didn't listen to the man's warning, though. In fact, she could feel his fingers tighten even more on her arm as he shot the man a glare that was bound to make his blood curdle. And yet, the guy didn't move.
Impressive.
"This doesn't concern you," Lucian gnarled.
When Adrianna huffed, Lucian's glare turned to her.
"You don't see the irony?" she snapped, glaring right back. "It's not like you're minding your own business here! Just let go of me!"
"You heard the lady," the guy said, making Lucian's jaw set. "Let her go."
A cold, cruel smile crawled up Lucian's lips then, his fingers finally unwrapping from her arm as he turned to face the man, shooting him a mocking look. "Listen to me, misguided idiot. Walk away. This little show of force isn't going to make her leave with you-"
"Well, I don't know-" Adrianna mumbled, trying not to smile when Lucian shot her another glare. "What? He's cute."
She didn't know why she was trying to make him jealous. Or why she thought she could even make him jealous. Why would he possibly feel anything about her getting together with someone else? He had turned her down. Not the other way around. Was she supposed to stay alone, pining over him? Hell no!
"Look," she sang. "Why don't you two keep doing what you're doing and I'll just be on my way."
She turned towards the VIP-area again, but she hadn't even taken a single step before that big hand grabbed her elbow again, keeping her in place. She wanted to scream at Lucian, call him every name in the book...but before she could, the man who should get equal points for bravery and stupidity, put himself between them, shoving against Lucian's chest, making him release her. That poor, slim boy was clearly no match for the broad man he was picking a fight with and yet, he was doing just that. To help her out.
And he was about to pay for it.
Lucian looked absolutely feral. His eyes were blazing with rage, his still mangled hands balled up in fists, his nose turned up in disgust.
He's going to fight him, a voice warned in her head, making her heart drop. She didn't want that man to get hurt because he was trying to protect her...but then, she saw Rodchenko and his guards head for the door in the back, leading into an alley. And Rodchenko wasn't alone. The woman who'd been sitting with him was leaving with him too. The blond woman.
No.
She could see the man who was standing up for her move when Lucian tried to get to her, cutting off his path and even though a minute ago she'd been about to diffuse the situation, things had now changed. She couldn't let that woman leave with Rodchenko. She fit his victim-profile and that monster hadn't gotten his fill tonight. He'd thought he was killing Maggie and it had solely been about revenge, about showing her his power, about cutting the right vein at the right time so Adrianna would hold her when she died. He hadn't played with his victim like he usually did; it hadn't been fun. It had been quick and unsatisfying, which meant he was frustrated...and he was going to work that frustration out on another woman.
Another victim.
No.
"Please," Adrianna sobbed, making her voice tremble for dramatic effect as she clutched the man's sleeve. "Don't let him hurt me again."
Lucian shot her a wide-eyed look...before his eyes shifted to the-now empty-VIP area and comprehension dawned on his face.
"No," he growled, taking a step forward. "Adrianna, don't even think-"
The man's fist knocked the words right out of Lucian's mouth as he sucker punched him...and even though Adrianna felt her stomach clutch at what she'd just caused, she didn't waste a second and ran outside, after Rodchenko, determined to do what she'd come to do.
Hades spit blood, his hands clutching as he noticed Adrianna slip out the back door.
"Stubborn woman!"
"Let her go, man!" that stupid fucker said as Hades rose again, glaring at him.
"Trust me," Hades snarled. "I've tried! Now, get the fuck out of my way!"
"She doesn't want to be with you!"
Hades' lips pulled back in a sneer, his entire body tensing painfully. He knew all too well that she didn't want him. He'd fucking done everything in his power to make sure of it...but that still didn't mean he liked hearing it out loud.
"Move out of my way, human."
"Human?" the guy sniffed. "You're crazy, man! You should-"
Hades' knuckles screamed out as he knocked the idiot to the ground. The guy didn't get back up, but he was alive, which he hoped could still be said for Rodchenko, too. Not that he cared a fuck whether that monster lived or died, but he couldn't allow Adrianna to be the one to pull the trigger.
Not her.
She would never come back from that.
The crowd parted for him like the Red Sea, watching him with shocked expressions as he headed for the door Adrianna had disappeared through. He shouldn't have drawn so much attention to him...but at that point, he didn't care about anything but getting to Adrianna before she lost herself in her anger.
When he finally made it through the door and the night air enveloped him, his brain needed a few seconds to process what he was seeing.
Three men in suits laid on the ground, knocked out. Rodchenko's guards.
A blond woman was crouched down against a wall, crying, her mascara running in streaks over her cheeks.
And Rodchenko was on his knees, glaring up at Adrianna who was pointing a gun at his head.
For a moment, he wondered where she'd gotten the nine millimeter since she didn't have a gun on her in the club...and then he realized it had to be one of the guards' weapons, which only made his anger worse. She'd attacked three armed men without a weapon? Was she trying to get herself killed?! How could she put herself at risk like that?!
"Adrianna," Hades growled, watching her tense the moment he spoke. "Don't."
"Ooooooh," Rodchenko chimed, his voice eeringly calm for a man who had a gun in his face. "You're detective Salvatore."
"Really?!" she hissed, her entire body trembling in rage. "You're seriously going to pretend you didn't know that?!"
Rodchenko just smiled, his green eyes sparkling...as if he was enjoying this. If there had been any doubt in Hades' mind that this guy was a psychopath, it was gone now.
"Adrianna," Hades tried again. "Put the gun down."
"Goddammit," she spit out, keeping her eyes locked on Rodchenko's. "Why are you still here, Lucian! Leave!"
"You know I can't do that."
"Yes, you can!" she fumed, adding to the blonde who was still crying. "And that goes for you, too! Go! Now!"
The woman didn't need to be asked twice. She got up and ran as fast as her stilleto's could carry her.
"Adrianna," Hades tried again, taking another step closer. "Let's look at this rationally. There are cameras everywhere inside his club, cameras that have caught you following Rodchenko outside. How exactly do you plan to get away with this?"
"Who says I'm planning to get away with it?"
Hades' stomach clenched. "You can't be serious?!" When she didn't speak, he snarled, "Adrianna, you can't just throw your life away-"
"I won't spend much time in jail," she cut him off. "My family will come and I'll be free in no time. I'll be fine."
That was true. If The Salvatores or Mikaelsons jumped in and compelled everyone involved, she would be out in a matter of hours...but that didn't mean she would be fine. Not by a long shot.
"And then what?" he gnarled. "Do you really think you can just move on with your life after ending his?"
Her eyes touched his for the first time since he'd come outside and even though those blue depths looked calm and confident on the outside, he could see the storm raging underneath the surface. She didn't want to be here. Deep down, she knew she would be crossing a line by killing him...but holding that girl in her arms as she'd died had pushed her over some sort of edge...and he would do everything in his power to pull her back to safety.
"You should listen to mister Nox. He seems to be the voice of reason in this relationship."
Hades cursed under his breath. The second Rodchenko had spoken, he'd seen her eyes harden even more, pushing her down deeper. If that fucker knew what was good for him, he would keep quiet.
"By the way," Rodchenko continued, casting Hades a smile. "It's a pleasure to finally meet-"
"Shut up!" Adrianna screamed, her hands tightening on the gun. "Don't talk to him! Don't even look at him!"
That moron laughed, cocking an amused eyebrow. "Feeling a tad protective, are we?"
"Hey!" Hades barked when her trigger finger twitched. "Adrianna, don't! I know it's tempting, but think about what you're doing!"
"Yes," Rodchenko jumped in again. "Think about what you're doing, detective. Are you really going to shoot an unarmed man?"
"No," she snarled. "I'm going to shoot a serial killer!"
Rodchenko sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "I am not this Carver, detective Salvatore and frankly, I don't know where you got this crazy notion that I-"
"Irina."
Rodchenko visibly tensed and even though he'd had a gun pointed at his head this entire time, this was the first time Hades actually saw fear in his eyes.
"See, that's the thing with you serial killers," she hissed, her eyes narrowing on Rodchenko's. "Your first victim gives you away every single time. It's the only victim that can be connected to you personally. The only one you let into your life. Like you let Irina in. You dated her for six whole months...up until the point you raped and killed her."
Rodchenko just watched her, not a single expression on his cold face.
"I know you did it. Just like I know you killed those women after her."
"But you don't have proof, do you?" he said calmly. "And I have airtight alibis-"
"Airtight alibis? Spare me! You have witnesses who you either bought or blackmailed and security tapes you had every opportunity to mess with before we got our hands on them!"
Rodchenko smiled again, his eyes piercing hers even more intensely as he leaned closer to her/and the weapon. That fucker had ice running through his veins...
"Okay, let's say for argument's sake that I did kill Irina. Let say she said something I didn't like and I snapped-"
Adrianna tensed even more, making Hades take another step forward.
"-what exactly would be my motive for killing all those women after her, detective?"
"Simple," she bit out. "You're a sick, sadistic fuck who got a taste of divine power; of death and liked it."
Rodchenko sighed, pulling up his nose. "Sounds a bit cliché, don't you think?"
"You want cliché?" she hissed. "How about the fact that your mother was blonde."
All amusement left Rodchenko's face again, anger taking over.
"How old were you when she walked out on you? Eight? Nine? See, I think she already saw the monster in you and-"
"Shut up, bitch!"
Hades growled at the same time Adrianna laughed. But it wasn't one of her warm laughs he loved so much. No, this was a cold laugh, one deprived of any actual amusement.
"There he is," she whispered, bringing the gun closer to his head. "There's the real you."
"Adrianna," Hades barked when he noticed the muscles in her arms preparing to fire. "Please, don't. You don't know what this will do to you."
She frowned, shaking her head at him. "You still don't get it, do you? It doesn't matter what it will do to me!"
"Off course it matters!"
"No it doesn't!"
"Adrianna-"
"He was after Maggie!"
Hades' chest clenched as he prayed he'd heard her wrong. If he hadn't...
"What?"
"He was after Maggie!" she said again, her determined blue eyes shattering all hope. "He wanted me to hold my best friend as she died! I can't just walk away after that! I can't...and I won't!"
No.
There was a fire blazing in Adrianna's belly, destroying everything on it's path, purging her body from any other emotion but the hate that roared inside of her. It felt terrible...and freeing. No conscience, no despair, no mercy. She was ready. Ready to end that miserable son of a bitch's life and make sure-
"I'll do it."
Her finger froze at Lucian's deep voice, her eyebrows knotting together confused. "Do what?"
"I'll kill him."
And just like that, that damned fire extinguished and all those feeling she couldn't be feeling right now returned with a vengeance. Had he really just said that?
What?
"What?" Rodchenko asked before she could.
"Adrianna, look at me."
She did, unable to stop herself.
"Give me the gun," he whispered, holding out his hand. "I will kill him for you."
"You just want me to give you the gun so you can save him!" she tried, her mind unable to grasp his offer. "You'll let him go!"
"No, I won't. I give you my word."
She could see in his deep grey eyes that he was serious, could hear it in his voice...
"Why would you do that?"
"Because I know you," he growled. "And if he went after Maggie, after someone you love, you won't drop it. Even if I stop you tonight, you'll try again tomorrow. That's who you are. You protect those you love, even if it means sacrificing a part of yourself you can never get back."
How does he know that?
"But I can't let you make that sacrifice. I can't let you darken your soul."
"But you'll darken your own? To kill a man I want dead?"
She saw his lips twitch sadly, those eyes piercing hers with suck an intensity she could feel her mouth go dry.
"My soul, if I even have one, is already as dark as souls get, Adrianna. But you-" his lips curled in such an endearing way Adrianna felt her heart respond. "-you are the purest soul I've ever met. I won't let you taint yourself, not in any way, no matter how much I want-"
He cut himself off, looking so hurt, so tormented that she felt herself falling into him, feeling everything she'd sworn she would never feel for him again.
"Ha!"
Lucian's eyes flung to Rodchenko at the same time hers did.
"Is something funny?" Lucian snarled.
"Yes," Rodchenko laughed. "You are. I mean, it all makes sense now."
"What does?" Adrianna hissed.
"The whole I don't do virgins-thing."
Adrianna felt like someone had just reached inside her chest and clutched her heart, squeezing it until she could no longer breath.
"What did you just say?" she breathed, her cheeks flushing with anger and embarassment. How the hell did he know about that?
Rodchenko smiled that arrogant smile again, making her finger itch to just squeeze that trigger and end him...but not before she got some answers.
"Come on," Rodchenko chimed. "You know what I'm talking about. Last night, when you two almost-" He wiggled his eyebrows.
"How the fuck do you know about that?"
When he didn't answer, Adrianna lost it and slammed the back of her gun into his temple before aiming it at him again with a firm grip. She would love to say she didn't take any pleasure in watching him touch his temple and seeing the blood on his fingers...but she did.
"How do you know about that?" she hissed again, his cold eyes touching hers angrily. "Tell me or so help me God-"
"I know about that the same way I know you listen to jazz every night before bed. Or opera, depending on your mood. I know about that the same way I know you talk in your sleep sometimes and-"
"You bugged her apartment?"
The manner in which Lucian spat out that accusation, his eyes as dark as the night surrounding them, made Rodchenko's eyes widen for just a split second.
"I did," he admitted. "But then you came along and she started spending all her time with you, so-"
"-you bugged his house, too," Adrianna finished for him. "And his loft."
His lips twitched.
Oh God... he heard. He heard everything we did; everything we said...
"How the hell did you do that?" Lucian growled. "I have security everywhere."
"Exactly."
His grey eyes narrowed. "One of my men placed the bugs?"
Rodchenko's lips pulled back in a grin. "Did you really think you could break a guard's wrist and keep his loyalty?"
Adrianna frowned, glancing at Lucian...but he didn't glance back. He kept his eyes glued to Rodchenko.
"Oh," Rodchenko smiled, cocking a mocking eyebrow at Adrianna. "You don't know about that?"
"Know about what?"
"Just ignore him," Lucian snarled. "It's no big deal."
"Well, I wouldn't call breaking a man's wrist in three places no big deal."
"What is he talking about?" Adrianna asked, her eyebrows knitting together as Lucian kept avoiding her gaze. She didn't like not knowing things, especially not if Rodchenko did know them. "Lucian, tell me what-"
"He had a guard at his house a while back," Rodchenko answered in Lucian's place. "Hector Brooks. He tried to stop you from leaving the house once, grabbed your wrist a little too tight for your boyfriend's taste."
Adrianna felt her stomach turn, remembering the blonde guard she'd fought with, whose motorcycle she'd stolen... Lucian had broken that guy's wrist? For simply bruising hers?
"You did that?" she whispered, frowning at Lucian.
When he finally met her eyes, she could see the answer, making her confusion grow even more. Why would he do that? Why would he care?
"Sweet, isn't it?" Rodchenko said mockingly, making her glare at him again. "He's so protective of you; of your...How did he put it? Ah yes...your pure soul."
Adrianna frowned, getting the eery feeling that asshole knew something she didn't...
"Strange choice of words, isn't it?" he said. "Pure. I mean, he could've said anything, but he chose to say pure."
"What's your point, Rodchenko?"
"He doesn't have a point" Lucian snarled, moving closer.
"Oh, I assure you I do," Rodchenko sang, his eyes sparkling on Lucian's. "And you know I do."
"I don't!" Adrianna snarled, her gaze switching back and forth between both men. "Someone better tell me or-"
"Come on, detective," Rodchenko cut her off. "Isn't solving cases your thing? Think about it. Why would this man-who breaks wrists for you, who destroyed his loft in a fit of rage the second you walked away last night, who is willing to literally kill to save your soul-say what he said? He clearly cares about you. So, why would he hurt you like that?"
"Rodchenko-" Lucian growled threateningly, making Adrianna's heart skip.
That Russian wasn't just making things up here. He was getting close to something, something Lucian didn't want her to know...
"Why?" she whispered.
She hated asking that bastard anything. She wasn't supposed to be talking to him. She was supposed to be killing him...but she had to know.
"Because, you, detective-" Rodchenko sang. "-are pure."
"Rochenko, I swear to God, if you don't shut up-"
"And he-" the Russian continued, unimpressed by Lucian's threat. "-is not. He just said it himself. He believes he has no soul, that he's evil, dark. How could someone like him ever have you without destroying everything pure inside of you? I mean, you're a virgin, for God's sake. That's as pure as a woman can get."
"Adrianna, don't listen to him," Lucian hissed as her mind raced, replaying everything that had happened the night before, seeing it all through new eyes. "He's trying to mess with your-"
"You stopped," Adrianna cut Lucian off, shifting her gaze to him.
"What?" he growled.
"You stopped," she said again, feeling light headed. "The second I told you I was a virgin, you stopped."
"You know why," he snarled, trying to sound harsh...but his eyes betrayed him, flashing with anger and pain, revealing a truth that changed everything. "I don't-"
"-do virgins. Yeah, you said so," she finished for him, the words that had broken her heart only minutes ago now no longer effecting her.
Because they were a lie.
How did I not see this? she thought, kicking herself over the head. He'd been a mess last night. After beating up the man who'd nearly strangled her, he'd been so convinced he was a monster that he'd practically chased her out of his loft. Had she really thought one kiss would make him change his mind about himself?
Lucian didn't admit to it, though. He just stood there, his eyes piercing hers. She could see him trying to find a way to spin this, to undo what Rodchenko had done...but no matter what he would come up with, it wouldn't work. Not anymore. Because she knew now why he'd been acting like a bastard since the very first moment they'd met and when she replayed their time together, she could see so much now. Everything she'd thought that he'd done out of cruelty or indifference had been to protect her...from him; from getting to close to him and the darkness he believed that surrounded him. How could he-
Adrianna's thoughts halted abruptly when a familiar sound broke through the night.
Sirens...
"Looks like someone called your colleagues," Rodchenko said, grinning at her rattled expression.
That woman, a voice hissed in her head. I save her from that monster and she calls the cops?!
"So, what are you going to do here, detective? There's still time to shoot me."
Adrianna could sense Lucian shift beside her...but that's not what stopped her from blowing Rodchenko's brains out on the spot. No, what stopped her was her dad calling her little girl; her mother hugging her as if she was the most precious thing in the world; her brothers chasing her around the woods, teasing her. They hadn't been on her mind a few minutes ago...but Lucian had softened her up again, broken down walls and now...she couldn't take a life. And that damned monster knew it.
Blue lights filled the alley and suddenly, she was the one being held at gunpoint. Two men in uniform came running into the alley, weapons drawn. Before she could even react, Lucian was in front of her, putting himself between her and the cops; or more specifically, between her and their guns. But there was no time to feel everything she felt at that, especially not when she saw a flicker of Damian, the rookie in the force. Rookies tended to panic too quickly, fire too quickly and since Lucian was now the first person he would hit, there was no time to waste.
Flipping on the safety, Adrianna dropped the gun for all too see and rounded Lucian again, moving in front of him with her hands raised.
"Damian," she said, recognizing the second cop now, too. "And Erik."
"Salvatore?" Erik said, frowning as he lowered his weapon. "What the hell is going on here? We got a call about an armed assault."
"Because there was an armed assault."
Adrianna froze as Rodchenko spoke, her mind racing. She hadn't lied when she'd said her family could get her out if push came to shove, but in all her years in the force, she'd never once turned to them for something like this...and she didn't like the idea of having them come and compel people to get her out of jail. It felt wrong.
"Okay," Adrianna started, sighing. "Look, Damian, Erik, I can explain-"
"Luckily, detective Salvatore and mister Nox were having a night out in my club and chased the guy away."
Adrianna tried to hide her surprise as Rodchenko pulled that lie out of his ass...and when she exchanged a subtle look with Lucian, she could see he hadn't expected it either.
"If you hurry you can probably still get him," Rodchenko added, pointing at the end of the alley. "He went that way."
"Okay, go back inside," Erik said, raising his weapon again. "To be safe. We'll find you to get your statement."
"Will do, officer," Rodchenko smiled charmingly as both cops ran off on a wild-goose chase.
The second they were out of earshot, Adrianna hissed, "Why would you do that?"
The Russian held her eyes for a long moment in silence and then whispered, "I have my reasons, detective. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going back inside to try and salvage the night."
"I swear to God," Adrianna gnarled. "If you even go near another blonde-"
"No," he cut her off, a strange twinkle in his eyes. "I think I'm done with blondes for a while. My taste has...changed." He reached for a lock of her black hair, but before he could touch her, Lucian slapped his hand away, shoving against Rodchenko's chest. The sound that came out of Lucian then even made her flinch for a moment, a growl so low and deep she felt it vibrate in the air...but Rodchenko just laughed.
"Well, this was fun," he said when he was all chuckled out. "Honestly. Life can get quite boring, but you two-" He shook his finger at them, still grinning. "-you two are a real blast."
Lucian took another threatening step forward, but before anything could be done, Erik and Damian emerged from the night.
"No sight of the guy," Damian said, breathing heavily. "We'll need you, mister Rodchenko, to give us a detailed description so we can put out a BOLO."
"No problem," Rodchenko said, straightening his jacket casually. "We're done here."
"We're not done," Adrianna hissed softly so only Rodchenko heard. "We will never be done. No until you're behind bars or six feet under."
Rodchenko's green eyes pierced hers for a moment longer until he winked and then disappeared back into his club with Damian.
"Salvatore, a moment?" Erik said as soon as the door closed behind Rodchenko.
Adrianna cast Lucian a quick look, but he didn't meet her eyes, making her heart drop.
"Salvatore?"
"Yeah," she rushed, moving away from Lucian to where Erik was waiting for her a few steps deeper into in the shadows. "What?"
"You still have an appointment with the sergeant tomorrow? Well, technically today?"
"Yes, at three."
"You know he'll hear about this, right?"
"About me saving Rodchenko?" she asked, feeling her palms sweat a little.
Erik sniffed. "Come on, Adrianna. You've been after Rodchenko for years and now I'm supposed to believe you saved him tonight?"
"What else would I have been doing?"
Erik didn't answer, but she could see in his eyes that he knew...and she should've know she couldn't fool him. Erik had known her from day one on the force. He knew how much she hated Dimitri Rodchenko...
"Come see me before you meet with the sergeant," Erik finally said. "I'll let you read Rodchenko's statement so you know what to say when you're asked what the hell happened here tonight."
"I already know. I was dancing and saw a shady figure follow Rodchenko outside. I got a bad feeling, followed him and got here just in time to save Rodchenko."
"Right," he said, cocking an eyebrow. "Two things: One, work on lying. And two, avoid the term 'shady figure'. We don't live in an Agatha Christie-novel."
She sniffed, running a hand through her hair. "I'll keep that in mind."
Erik just smiled, giving Adrianna's arm a little squeeze before he followed Damian and Rodchenko inside, leaving her alone with Lucian...
...or just alone.
With a sigh, she looked behind her and saw nothing but dumpsters and darkness. He'd left. He'd just...left. After everything they'd been through tonight, after everything she'd found out about him and why he'd done what he'd done, he'd just left?
The sky above rumbled and before Adrianna could so much as curse, the clouds burst and rain poured down from the heavens.
By the time she walked out of the alley, she was already stepping through small puddles, her hair clinging to her wherever it touched her skin, her clothes soaked through. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, picking up her pace as she hit the main road.
Just when her lips started to tremble, a car pulled up beside her, rolling down its window. Frowning, Adrianna leaned down, peering into the sleek machine...and then, she felt her entire body turn scolding hot again.
Lucian.
He didn't say anything. He didn't even look at her. But she knew what he wanted her to do.
The second she slipped in the car, the smell of leather and him overwhelmed her, made her her body light up.
Shifting in her seat, she tried to extinguish the fire that was building between her legs, but it was no good. She wanted him so badly...and she now knew he wanted her too.
"Lucian-"
The car spat out of its spot so fast she was pressed back against her seat. When he turned a corner with squeaking tires, she wanted to ask him to slow down...but then she took a good look at him and decided against it. His jaw was locked, his charcoal eyes blazing as they stared straight ahead. His broad chest was pushing against his shirt, his strong shoulders-
She looked away from him, trying to keep a level head. She couldn't drown in him again, not without having all the information. She had to know what exactly was going on before she opened up again. She couldn't take another rejection.
Within no time at all, they reached her apartment.
He parked right in front of her door, but he didn't turn of his engine. She knew that the second she got out of that car, he would be gone again...and she couldn't let that happen.
"Do you want to come up?" she whispered, keeping her eyes on the road. Here she was, a cop who risked her life on the street every day...and she'd never been as terrified as she was in that moment. She was putting everything on the line here; exposing herself, her desires...
When he didn't answer, she swallowed hard and then glanced his way. He was looking at the road too...as if it had done something horrible to him. He looked so furious. His biceps were flexing, his knuckles turning white from clutching the wheel.
"Lucian," she whispered again. "Do you want to-"
"Yes."
Her heart literally stopped beating for a second, adrenaline making her cheeks flush...until she realized he still hadn't moved.
If he wants to come up with me, why isn't he-
It hit her like a ton of bricks then, the answer to her own unfinished question.
"You want to-" she said, pressing her eyes shut for a moment before she sighed, "-but you won't, will you?"
He didn't answer...but that in itself was all the answer she needed. He wouldn't get out of that car, he wouldn't come inside with her, he wouldn't stay the night. Not now...and probably not ever.
"Lucian," she tried, her voice soft. "This idea you have of yourself, this notion that you're evil is the most ridiculous-"
"It's not ridiculous," he growled, a vein in his neck throbbing. "If you had any idea of what I am; what I think when I'm around you; what I want to do to-"
He inhaled a shaky breath, his head dropping as he shook it softly.
He looked so small suddenly, so fragile and broken. It made everything inside of her ache. She couldn't stand seeing him like this, especially since it he didn't have to be that way. He could be happy. She could make him happy. She had no idea why she was so certain of that, but she was.
"You feel something for me," she said, turning towards him in her seat. "I know you do. Just tell me the truth, for once. Please. Don't you understand that it would change-"
"-nothing!" he screamed, slamming his fist into the wheel. "It would change nothing, Adrianna! I'm still me and you're still you!"
She knew that show of force had been to scare her into getting out of that car...but instead, she whispered sweetly, "Lucian, you put me on a pedestal that I don't belong on. I'm not pure. I'm anything but pure. I'm the daughter of vampires, I'm The Crescător, I just held a gun to a man's head-"
"You think that is evil?" His eyes shot to her then, narrow and dark. "You have no idea what evil looks like. True evil."
"Maybe not, but I know it doesn't look like you, Lucian. You're the man who saved me from getting shot, from being strangled in an alley...and you just offered to kill a man to spare my soul the burden. How could that man be evil? How could he not have a soul?"
His eyes softened on hers for just a split second before they dropped to his lap again.
Gathering every ounce of courage she still had left, she took a deep breath and whispered, "Do you want me, Lucian?"
His chest froze for a moment, as if he held his breath. "I'm not good for you."
"That wasn't the question."
"It's the only answer you're getting."
That voice inside her head told her to stop, to get out of the car, to pick up the last remaining pieces of her pride and go back to hating him...but it wasn't her head that was calling the shots. Not anymore.
With a trembling hand, she reached out for him, threading her fingers through his dark hair. She could see his entire body tense even more, his jaw clenching so hard it had to hurt...but he didn't say anything and he didn't shrug of her touch. He just sat there, unmoving...until she softly started combing her fingers though his hair. That's when those dark, hard eyes drifted closed as a sigh escaped his lips.
"It doesn't have to be like this," she whispered. "If you just stop; if you just have a little more faith in yourself, we could-"
"We could what?" he cut her off in that cold voice again. "Have this happily ever after you women never shut up about?"
She felt her heart drop and when his eyes finally touched hers again, she saw what she'd feared she'd see.
Nothing.
No more emotion, no more warmth or even anger.
Just...nothing.
Slowly pulling her fingers back from his hair, Adrianna shook her head, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek. In her entire life put together, she'd never cried as much as she'd cried since she'd met Lucian Nox. She wanted to safe him so badly, to show him he was a good man...but in trying to do so, she now realized she would take herself down. Because it would always be like this. He would give her hope, she would open up...and then, he would destroy her. She couldn't keep feeling like this. She couldn't be devastated every single time. So, as much as she hated it, it was time for some self-preservation. She could still walk away now. She could still leave in one piece. If this went any further, she feared she would never get out alive.
"Look," he gnarled. "Detective-"
"Stop," she whispered, cutting off his cold voice. "Don't. I know you're about to say something mean, something cruel in the hopes that it will push me away. But there's no need."
Lucian's eyebrows pulled together for a split second before his expression turned stoic again.
She sighed, shrugging in a surrendering gesture. "I'm going to say three words I haven 't said in my entire life; words I hoped I would never say, but here goes... I give up. And I know we've been here before and we somehow never managed to stay apart for longer than a day...but this time it's different. I'm exhausted, Lucian. I -" she trailed off, tears closing up her throat. "God, I wish I could save you from the loneliness that surrounds you...but you won't let me, will you? You will never let me... and I can't keep doing this. I can't keep hoping only to be crushed. My heart won't survive."
She inhaled sharply, running her hands over her cheeks as tears fell. She wanted him to say something so badly; to stop her from walking away, from giving up...but he didn't. He just sat there, not a single expression on that beautiful face of his.
"Okay then," she whispered, her chest tightening painfully. "Goodbye, Lucian Nox."
And with that, she got out of that car and walked away, knowing full well that the memory of him would haunt her for the rest of her Immortal life.
I can't apologize enough for the amount of time you'd had to wait on this chapter! I'm working two jobs at the moment, so it's not always easy to find a moment to write... I hope you guys understand! I already have the next chapter worked out in my head though, so I'll try to rush it (maybe make it a little shorter). And, not to give anything away, but things might...heat up.
Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! Please, let me know what you thought!
As always, thanks for reading (and hopefully reviewing)! X LustAndLove ( LustAndLoveFF)
