“Please give me back Vincent. We need to be calm now. Nicolae needs us,” I reasoned with him. Sharp, black tipped claws dug into the flesh of my waist and he let out a shuddering breath.
“That’s right. Thank you.” I ran my fingers down along his back and watched as Vincent’s form solidified back into my human looking mate. His horns receded and disappeared from his forehead. The claws digging into my body became normal fingers and his fangs returned to their usual size.
“Can someone calmly explain to me who Adriana is because I am clearly missing something?” I continued to caress Vincent’s back to soothe his volatile temper.
“You are such a good demon tamer,” he rested his forehead against mine for the briefest of moments before pulling away and composing himself.
“Adriana was the former leader of the Nightmare demon clan and Nicolae’s stepmother. A vicious and vile woman who once worked with Kristoff to gain power and control over the supernatural and human worlds.” Vincent sighed heavily and leaned into me, seeking my strength.
“She abused him when he was a child. Tortured him as he was a threat to her position after his father died during the war.”
“What happened to her?”
“Nicolae escaped and found his way to me,” Vincent began. “I had just taken power back over the Demon clans as I had come of age and finished my training with Damius. We exposed her corruption and together with Damius, Adreon and several powerful Nephilim, we were able to take her out. Nicolae doesn’t like to talk about it much, but that woman was the vilest creature on the planet. She makes Antionette look like a model citizen. How she escaped and is still alive baffles me.”
“I would guess one of the Nephilim that oversaw her execution was corrupt or that she corrupted them enough to set her free. She has to have been in hiding this whole time,” Kaniul added.
“How have you not seen her in the millennia since this happened?” Vincent bit out.
Kaniul shook his head, his face pinched as his black hair fell across his forehead. “She must have found a shield around Morgana and I. Neither of us saw any visions of her. It is rare, but not unheard of.”
Damius snorted. “This complicates things.”
“That would be an understatement of epic proportions,” Leo replied. “I would venture a guess that she has been a leading force behind The Syndicate ever since her supposed execution.”
My mind whirled from the information that I had just learned. Here was another major powerful player that I had no idea existed. And she was Nicolae’s sadistic torturing stepmother.
“She not only physically tortured him, but she used mental and memory manipulation as well. He wasn’t in a good frame of mind when we got him here. Adreon had to sedate him immediately. He was only lucid for a short time while they escaped,” Damius added sadly.
“We need to see him,” I said with conviction, knowing this was the right thing to do. The only thing to do. My gut pushed me forward and I laced my fingers through Vincent’s and pulled him along with me toward the stairs to the lab.
Chapter 18
Vincent
Lorelei’s fingers entwined with mine grounded me. Centered me. Made me focus on the task before us. Which was to get to Nicolae. My oldest friend and trusted second in command. I would give my life for him and he would give his for me. Our bond was that of brothers, regardless of our lack of blood relation.
Shortly after my parents were killed, a small boy visited me in my dreams. Even though I was only a teenager, I was a powerful Seraphim and Nicolae should not have been able to penetrate my dreams, but somehow the eight-year-old Nightmare demon did. He looked so small. Obviously abused and malnourished, but his turquoise eyes sparkled with mischief when he reached out to me and asked if we could be friends.
My dream self was dragged to the edge of a sprawling coastline. Waves crashed against the rocks and the saltwater splashed against my face as I breathed in the cool, damp air. How was I dragged out of my dreamless state and brought here? I had no knowledge of my arrival. No being was powerful enough to invade my dream state. What the hell was going on?
Then I spotted the boy. Huddled on the rocks. His skinny legs were drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees. Bright turquoise eyes snapped open as I approached, sparkling with intrigue. “You came,” he said simply as his mouth tilted into a weak smile.
“Who are you?” I asked, cocking my head to the side before lowering myself to sit on the rock next to him. The sun kissed my skin with warmth and the spray of the sea cooled me as the waves moved in and out. This was such a peaceful place. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back to take in the calming energy.
“I’m Nicolae,” the boy said as he turned his face toward me. His body was still folded in on itself and I took in his frail appearance and aura. He was obviously a Nightmare demon with a very powerful dream connection, but he was not someone I had met before. Yet, something about his eyes and the structure of his face tickled at my senses. Maybe I knew his parents.
Then it hit me.
Konstantine.
Former leader of the Nightmare clan who had been killed three years ago, just months before my parents.
“You are Konstantine’s son.” It was a statement rather than a question. Only a Nightmare of a royal lineage such as Konstantine’s would be able to enter my dreams. I only vaguely recalled the man, even though he was my father’s best friend and second in command for centuries.
“And you are Vincent. Azazel and Sophia’s son.” He smiled, those aqua eyes sparkling.
“You know a lot for being so young,” I remarked, my own lips tilting up into a semblance of a smile. I didn’t smile much these days. My waking hours were filled with training and learning to control my growing powers. My demonic nature was hard enough to control, but the abilities that I inherited from my mother’s Nephilim bloodlines that centered in fire were volatile at best.
He shrugged. “I listen. I explore. Or at least I do as much as I can now.” His eyes turned dark as he reflected upon that statement.
If this boy was the prince of his clan and future leader, why did he appear to be so mistreated? Something wasn’t right here.
“Why haven’t you been feeding, Nicolae?” Nightmares were dream eaters. They absorbed energy from sleeping humans. It was what sustained their lifeforce and supernatural abilities.
“Stupid lady won’t let me out. Has me chained to the wall in the dungeon. This is the first time I’ve been able to connect with you after trying for months. I knew you would be my only hope.”
“Your stepmother? Adrianna?” I asked incredulously.
Nicolae’s irises flashed red as he lifted his head and spat on the rocks in front of him. “Don’t speak her name in my presence. I hate that bitch.”
So much pain and anger from such a small child. In my sixteen years, I had experienced my share of pain and devastation, but not to this degree. After the death of my parents, it was easy to focus on my anger and grief. Nicolae had to feel the same way after the tragic demise of his own father.
Sorrow rolled off Nicolae in waves, his aura pulsing with deep veins of agony of both the physical and mental variety. Yet, there was still an edge of wonder and curiosity about him. He hadn’t lost everything about himself.
I could save this child. Even though I wasn’t much more than a child myself, it was my duty as future commander of the demon horde to do right by my demons. Nicolae was in need of my protection. And what Adriana had done to the boy did not sit right with me. I would make this right.
“Are you being held in your home?” I asked, trying to formulate the plan in my mind. I would need to get Damius and Adreon on board, but once I explained to them how that bitch had treated her stepson, they would provide their assistance.
He shrugged. “I don’t even know. I’ve been trapped in this basement since my powers began manifesting over a year ago. At least that is how long I think it has been….” he trailed off,
his eyes going far away with his memories.
I placed my arm around the boy’s small frame. “Don’t worry, Nicolae. I will get you. You can trust me.”
His smile was warm as his eyes sparkled. “I knew you would. Please hurry, I don’t have much longer.”
My eyes adjusted to the dim lighting as we entered the exam room that had been converted to a triage center rather quickly. The hum and beeping of various monitors reached my ears as I took in Nicolae lying in the bed. His eyes were closed, the purple bruises that hadn’t healed stuck out against his waxy pale skin. His powers were seriously depleted. They were at critical levels if he couldn’t heal something as simple as a bruise on his face.
Lorelei gasped and covered her mouth, curling into my body as she saw our once vibrant and alive Nightmare demon lying in this bed hooked to various monitors to watch his vital signs in case of an emergency.
My feet carried me across the small room, Lorelei still tucked underneath my arm. When we reached his side, she collapsed into the chair stationed there and took his hand into hers. Adreon had cleaned the blood from Nicolae’s body, but the damage remained.
Adreon entered the doorway behind us, his silent presence washing over us. “Dre, tell me, is he going to be alright?” Lorelei pleaded as she clung to my best friend’s hand. Her emotions were erratic as her eyes searched over Nicolae’s features. Searching for any signs of life in his broken body.
The doctor sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “He will need to replenish his energy. How we can accomplish that is the question. He isn’t responding to anything or anyone yet. His wounds are healing at just above the rate of a regular human’s. Unless we find a way to restore his spirit and get him to feed, I don’t know if he will wake.”
A sob wrenched from Lorelei’s throat and I lifted her into my arms and placed her down in my lap as I took over her spot in the chair. “Thank you, Adreon. I may have an idea. If you could leave us for a few minutes?” I spoke softly as I stroked Lorelei’s soft dark hair.
“Of course,” Adreon replied. “Please call me if you need me.” He bowed slightly and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.
“What are we going to do, Vincent?” Lorelei sobbed as she buried her face into my chest. The depth of love that she felt for my best friend—my brother—shook me to my core. This truly was the woman that the fates had made for me.
I swallowed harshly and tightened my arms around her. “He needs to restore his energy. Which means he needs an abundance of energy to feed from.” I tangled my fingers in her hair and pulled it to expose her neck to my wandering lips. “We need to create that energy for him to feed on, Theera.”
She gasped in my arms, her body going rigid. “You can’t be serious right now,” she groaned as her soft ass pushed into my rapidly hardening cock. My teeth nipped on her spiking pulse and she groaned my name. “Vincent, please. This isn’t the place for that.”
“He needs your energy to heal,” I rumbled against her skin. My hands ran up her jean clad thighs and up under her loose shirt. She hissed when my fingers touched the bare skin of her delicate waist. “Your energy is so powerful.” I pushed my hips forward and her head fell back against my shoulder.
“Why do you do this to me?” she said on a keening cry as I slipped open the button of her pants and slid the zipper down. I pushed the fabric down just a fraction of an inch, just enough for me to slip my hand beneath the fabric of her panties.
“I do this because I love you,” I breathed into her ear, my voice roughened with desire. “And I do this to get you so hot and wet for me that you explode beneath my fingers.” I slid my index finger through her soft folds, groaning at how wet her pussy was for me. “You are going to come so hard that he is going to have no choice but to wake up.” My fangs nipped her earlobe and I drew the small droplet of blood into my mouth and savored the tangy flavor on my tongue.
“I love you so much, Vincent,” she cried as I pushed a finger inside her hot channel. She bucked on my lap and I wrapped my other arm firmly around her waist to secure her in place. My Lorelei was so responsive in my grasp as I teased her clit with the pad of my thumb, circling the small nub as her breathing grew frantic.
Her aura sparkled and pulsed with raw power. My demon purred inside of my head, but I forced him back. I couldn’t feed from her. This energy was meant for Nicolae. He needed to wake up. To feed and heal his body.
As my fingers picked up a frantic rhythm, I added a second digit. Then a third and fucked her as fast as our position allowed. Her head was thrown back on my shoulder. Eyes squeezed together tightly, and that plump bottom lip drawn between her teeth. “That’s it, baby. Shatter for me,” I growled as I pressed my thumb into her clit.
Her scream was music to my ears as she convulsed in my arms. The raw energy that pulsed around her filled the room. As I eased her body through the aftershocks of her orgasm, I noticed Nicolae’s hand twitching at his side.
“You did it, baby.” I nuzzled her hair and withdrew my fingers to right her clothing. “Look at him.”
“Hmm?” Lorelei mumbled as her eyes fluttered open. Glowing blue irises shone at me in the dank treatment room. She blinked at me for several seconds before realization returned to her eyes. “Is he awake?” She jerked in my arms and sat up.
I groaned as she pressed painfully into my groin. “Not quite,” I bit out.
Lorelei didn’t acknowledge me as we watched the bruises and cuts fade from Nicolae’s face. “He was able to feed off my energy,” she said with awe in her voice.
“Of course, he was,” I scoffed. “Any demon within a five-mile radius would be able to absorb your energy. That is how powerful you are. And your sexual energy is the most potent food source for any demon alive.”
She rose to her feet to button and zip her jeans, her face still flushed from her climax. Her lips were deliciously plump from the way that she sucked on them in the throes of passion. She looked utterly perfect.
“Damn, that was seriously something to wake up to,” Nicolae croaked from his bed.
Lorelei spun as she gaped at him. “Nic!” she screamed and threw her arms around him.
“Ouch, love. I’m still a lot sore over here.”
Tears brimmed in her delicate blue eyes as she twirled and sat down on my knee to clutch at Nicolae’s hand. “We were so worried. I’m so sorry that you had to go through that.”
My arm wrapped around her middle and I laid my chin against her shoulder. My best friend’s once vibrant aquamarine eyes were dull and filled with pain as he looked at both of us. “Thank you, my friend,” he whispered to me, his voice hoarse with emotions.
He probably knew just how much it had taken for me to calm my demon to allow him to feed off Lorelei’s energy. As a mated male, I didn’t want to share. Hell, I barely wanted her to look at or touch another guy. But my oldest and dearest friend meant more to me than mere jealousy.
I nodded and reached out to lay my hand over Lorelei’s, which was clutching at his. “Always, my friend.”
“Nic, please tell me that you are going to be okay now.” Lorelei’s voice rose with panic. I felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest.
“I’ll be fine love. And I’ll be back to my normal smart-ass self in no time at all, so don’t fret over me.” His lips parted in a smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The things that he had experienced over the past few weeks would stay with him. They would haunt him. Just like the things that Adriana had done to him when he was a boy all those centuries ago.
“We should let Nicolae rest, Theera,” I said gently. “Adreon will take good care of him now that his physical injuries are all but healed.”
“Are Naomi and Nathan okay?” Nicolae rasped.
My teeth clenched together at the mention of the name. I would hate that Casanova until the end of my days. “I haven’t heard.”
“I did my best to get them out safely.” Nicolae swallowed deeply and laid his head back against the p
illow as he closed his eyes. “She fucked me up, Vincent.”
“I know, brother. But you are safe now. We will take good care of you.” I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Nothing is going to happen. We will get that bitch and this time I will make sure to cut her head from her body myself.”
Chapter 19
Lorelei
Vincent led me out of Nicolae’s room with a hand firmly at the small of my back. I couldn’t believe that he had made me come in the middle of an emotional crisis. To make my energy spike so that Nicolae could feed. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Nicolae was going to be okay. Physically he had healed. He was awake. Able to feed himself. That is what mattered.
Not my embarrassment over getting fingered in the middle of a hospital room in the basement of the council chambers with my mate’s best friend lying in a coma.
Laughter reached my ears as Vincent enveloped me in his arms and drew me against his chest. His body shook as laughter rolled through him. “You are so cute,” he rumbled against my neck.
I threw my elbow back and it connected with his firm abs. He grunted in pain but continued to laugh as I untangled myself from his arms. “Stop making fun of me!” I shouted at him, but I couldn’t contain the smile that spread across my lips.
“I would never make fun of you, my love.” He grinned and stalked toward me, his two-tone eyes blazing with heat.
“You two are just too much sometimes.” Damius appeared in the hall, shaking his head in disapproval, but there was a broad smile splitting his lips.
Vincent shrugged and turned to face the vampire. “You remember as well as I do that newly mated pairs typically spend weeks in isolation. We haven’t had isolation. We have had chaos, so we take every opportunity we get,” he said matter of factly.
“And it seems now is one of those times, huh? What about in there?” He jerked his chin toward the closed door leading to Nicolae’s room.
Out of The Shadows (Shadows Ascending Trilogy Book 2) Page 14
