Embrace The Dawning (The Covenant Series Book 1)

by Betty Shreffler

  A young dark-haired male and a fair-haired female were on the couch, making out, while a third dark-skinned vampire stood near the bar, filling a wineglass with the blood of his latest victim. The dark-skinned vampire noticed them immediately, but the two vampires making out took longer to realize Adrian and Vladimir had entered the living room. The dark-skinned one eyed them suspiciously but hadn’t decided if they were a threat yet.

  “What’s your business here, fellas?” he asked. “Looking for someone?”

  Adrian sized up the situation now that the two vampires that were making out were attentive and standing up. Without saying a word, Adrian and Vladimir nodded to one another and then moved across the room like lightning striking. Adrian beheaded the dark-haired male vampire before he could react. Blood spilled onto the floor, staining the plush tan carpet. Vladimir jumped over the bar and kicked the dark-skinned vampire in the chest. He slammed into the wall behind him. The wineglass slipped from his hand, spilling all over the carpet as he fell to the floor. The fair-haired female tried to run, but Adrian grabbed her from behind. She barely got a screech out of her mouth before Adrian beheaded her.

  Adrian looked back toward Vladimir, eyes a bright gold. Vladimir had finished off the dark-skinned vampire and now stood drinking blood from the wineglass he’d refilled. His gold eyes reflected under the pendant lights hanging above the bar. Adrian smirked at Vladimir. Vladimir shrugged his shoulders.

  “We’ve made enough of a ruckus. They’ll be more coming. Might as well refresh myself before they arrive.”

  “I’d prefer not to wait for them to come to us.” Adrian headed toward the hallway off the living room. Vladimir set the wineglass down and followed.

  Two more male vampires rushed down the hall once they saw Adrian and Vladimir. Adrian spun, increasing his force, and kicked the taller one in the gut. He buckled over and gritted his teeth.

  Vladimir rushed at the other and punched him in the jaw. The vampire tried to catch himself from falling by grabbing at the wall, but with nothing to hold on to, he fell backward.

  Adrian snapped the vampire’s neck that had buckled over from his kick as Vladimir beheaded the vampire he had socked.

  “How many more do you think there are?” Vladimir asked.

  “Not sure. So far these have all been fledgling vampires. She keeps the stronger vampires closer to her, and I’m sure there’s more out on the town that could come back at any time.”

  “I’d like to not be here when that happens.”

  “Then we better get moving,” Adrian insisted.

  They continued down the hall, listening for any signs of Elise or other vampires.

  ***

  Elise’s head and body drooped in the chair she was tied to. She had been there for several hours now and suffered through multiple bites from Danika and the other vampires. She felt weak, exhausted, and dehydrated. Every bite wound throbbed with pain. Dry blood covered her skin and stained her clothes. Her hope of surviving dwindled. The massive ball of fear in her gut swelled each time Danika stalked into the room to question her about Kayci.

  This time Elise didn’t whimper or sob. She was too exhausted, and it only fueled Danika’s cruelty.

  “You’re awfully quiet, blondie,” Danika taunted.

  Four vampires followed Danika into the room. Elise raised her head weakly to look at Danika and the others.

  Danika circled Elise. “Perhaps my earlier offer to be turned into a vampire doesn’t sound so bad, now does it?”

  Elise’s adrenaline began pumping…this time, Danika planned on killing her.

  “Just get it over with,” Elise demanded.

  “It would be my pleasure, honestly, but I’m giving you one last chance to tell me what I want to know about your half-breed vampire friend, and I’ll give you the benefit of dying quickly.”

  Elise pursed her lips. She was going to be killed anyway. She’d rather not die knowing she helped this monster.

  “Well then, I guess you’ve made your choice.”

  Danika reached toward Elise to grab her by the neck, only…she couldn’t touch her. She tried again. The same thing happened. Her hand couldn’t move any closer than a foot from Elise. Elise raised her head. Her gaping eyes watched Danika’s repeated attempt to seize her. Disbelief swept over her.

  “What is this?! Reece, grab her!”

  Reece reached toward Elise and hit the same invisible barrier. “I can’t.” He sounded confused and irritated.

  Danika snarled. “It seems your friend has found herself a witch to help her.”

  “It’s the half-breed herself,” Reece informed her between gritted teeth. “She burned my flesh with nothing but her fingertips.”

  Danika’s eyes widened, her expression full of rage.

  A splurge of hope exploded from Elise’s core. Kayci had put some kind of spell around her. They couldn’t touch her. Her instincts immediately kicked in, and she began screaming.

  “Help! I’m in here! Someone help me!”

  “There!” Vladimir pointed to a door at the end of the hall. “She’s in there.”

  “Be prepared for anything,” Adrian cautioned as he led the way to the door the screams were coming from.

  Adrian motioned for Vladimir to stay against the wall. Adrian opened the door and stayed hidden behind it, listening to the commotion inside. He heard Danika ask Able to check out the door.

  Able leaned through the doorway and peered into the hallway. Vladimir was ready. Before Able could say anything, Vladimir yanked him into the hallway and slammed him against the wall. Able brought his arms up and threw off Vladimir’s fist-tight grip on his clothes. Able shoved Vladimir against the wall and swiftly leaned in to take a chunk out of Vladimir’s neck with his fangs. Before he had the chance, Adrian grabbed hold of Able by the neck and lifted him off his feet. Vladimir reached inside his sleeve, pulled a knife from a sheath on his forearm, and slit the vampire’s neck as Adrian held him steady. The vampire dropped to the floor in a puddle of blood.

  “Definitely not a fledgling,” Vladimir said.

  Adrian kicked the next vampire making his way through the doorway. The vampire fell back, giving room for Adrian and Vladimir to enter. Adrian sized up the situation. Three vampires, including Danika, and none of them fledglings. He recognized the scent of two of them instantly. Reece and another that were responsible for the attack on Kayci and Elise at the parking garage. He looked Elise over. Her misery was apparent. She had bite marks and blood covering every limb and was barely holding herself up in the chair.

  “Adrian,” she murmured. “Please help me.”

  “Always there to rescue the weak, aren’t you, Adrian?” Danika seethed.

  “If you weren’t always trying to kill them, I wouldn’t have to, now would I?”

  “We’re vampires, Adrian! It’s what we do. We’re all killers!”

  “We don’t have to kill anyone. We’re not all like you, Danika. You do it for pleasure.” His tone condemned her.

  “Is that why you’re so hot on this half-breed twit? Do you feel like she’s your savior? Your distraction from what you really are? A killer!”

  “That’s what you tried to turn me into. That’s not who I am!” Adrian’s voice reverberated through the room. Every vampire tensed.

  Reece came at Adrian from behind. The two others surrounded Vladimir before rushing in to attack him. Both thrashed and clawed at him as he tried to hold them off.

  Reece wrapped his arms around Adrian, offering Danika the opportunity to attack him. Danika punched Adrian in the gut, then sliced his lip open when she clocked him in the mouth. Adrian’s eyes flashed their vampire gold, and his fangs extracted. His temper flared. He swiftly head-butted Reece, and as Reece dropped his arms, Adrian spun behind Danika and grabbed her by the throat.

  “All of you back off, or I’ll kill her!” he shouted.

  Adrian pulled Danika’s shirt away from her neck, making her vulnerable to his bite. He brought his fangs d
own and ripped away the flesh below. The blood poured over her shoulder and chest, saturating the shirt and skin beneath it.

  Danika’s eyes widened. She howled from the pain.

  “Listen to him!” she demanded.

  The other three stepped back and stood still. Vladimir, bruised and bloody, was now healing. He turned toward Elise and untied the ropes that bound her to the chair. With ease, he lifted her up under her knees and her back. Her head leaned against his chest, and her arms hung loosely to her sides. He walked out of the room with her and headed toward the balcony.

  The other three vampires glared at Adrian with fangs extracted. They stayed still only for a moment longer, then charged at Adrian and Danika. Adrian shoved Danika into them, knocking them off balance. He rushed out of the room. He disappeared before the other vampires reached the balcony.

  Chapter 19

  Kayci sat silently in the dim light of the hospital room. She listened to the rhythmic beeping of the machines and stared at the bandages covering Elise’s body. A ball of guilt sat firmly in the center of her gut. She didn’t look up but knew Adrian stood in the shadows of the doorway. Kayci spoke to him, her voice low and unusually composed, her gaze still on Elise.

  “The doctor gave her pain medication to help her sleep. He said she arrived in terrible shape. They gave her a couple pints of blood and an IV. She was dehydrated. He asked me what happened to her. I couldn’t tell him vampires drank her blood over and over, so I said the only thing I could think of…that she was attacked by feral dogs. I’m pretty sure he didn’t believe me, but I don’t think he could think of a better explanation.”

  Kayci finally looked up at Adrian. Tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you for saving her. I can’t express how much it means to me.”

  Adrian quickly made his way across the room to reach Kayci. She stood up as he came near. Kayci moved into Adrian’s arms, as they wrapped around her. He kissed her forehead gently, then softly on her lips. Kayci closed her eyes and felt the usual warmth from his touch. She clung to that peaceful moment until it was disrupted by the beep of the machine monitoring Elise’s heart rate. With it came the reminder of her guilt.

  “I never should have gone out to dinner with her. My instincts told me it wasn’t safe, but I ignored them, and now she’s…”

  Adrian cut her off before she could blame herself any more. “It’s not your fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine.” Adrian put his hand below Kayci’s chin and raised her head so she looked into his eyes. Kayci watched his eyes transition back and forth between the vampire gold color and his natural green.

  “I brought this on you. I’ve been entranced with you since I first saw you. I never should have revealed myself to you, but I couldn’t help myself. I sensed something different about you, and I was right. I’ve been waiting for someone like you for a very long time, Kayci.”

  Kayci sensed their energy mingling. It felt like a gentle humming. She basked in the feeling as she leaned up and pressed her lips against Adrian’s. As their lips moved, the humming grew stronger. It spread throughout her body, giving her a light-headed, dizzying sensation. Her body yearned to be touched more intimately. A low groan escaped him. She lessened their kiss in response. As she put space between them, she saw what she expected. His eyes had fully transitioned to their golden color.

  Adrian grinned. “I’m pleased to know you feel the same.” He admired her bright-gold eyes staring back at him.

  Kayci stepped back farther to compose herself. The dizzying sensation subsided. She smiled back at him. “Not sure when I’ll get used to my emotions being exposed.”

  Adrian half smiled and gave an understanding nod, then looked out the window at the lightening sky.

  “Morning is coming. I need to go, but I want you to know this before I do.”

  Kayci moved in closer now that she felt more herself. Adrian reached out and took her hand in his.

  “I won’t have you living in fear. I will stop Danika from ever hurting you again.”

  Adrian and Kayci touched foreheads. Adrian lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her hand.

  “Take care of her.” He motioned toward Elise.

  Kayci smiled and let her hand fall away from Adrian’s grasp.

  As he headed toward the door, Elise’s doctor walked in. He stared at Adrian with a look of obvious curiosity. With his emotions heightened, Adrian had no doubt he appeared more like a vampire than human, especially with his brightened eyes. He wasn’t surprised by the doctor’s uneasiness, especially with the bite marks all over Elise. It didn’t take much for the mind to put puzzle pieces together. Adrian politely nodded at the doctor in an attempt to lessen the doctor’s concern and then made for a quick exit.

  The doctor cleared his throat nervously. “Miss Pierce.”

  Kayci half smiled at him. “Yes?”

  “I’m going to wake Miss Stephens and see how she’s doing. You may be able to take her home soon.”

  Hearing him say that was a relief. “I hope so.”

  The doctor went to Elise’s bedside, pressed a tab on her IV tube, and then leaned in toward her. He spoke louder than he had to Kayci and more steadily.

  “Miss Stephens.”

  Kayci watched as Elise’s eyelids gave way to a small opening, revealing a little of her eyes. Elise’s limbs twitched as if coming out of a deep sleep. She mumbled a few unclear words before opening her eyes completely. She focused on Kayci. Her expression went from confusion to a better understanding of where she was.

  “Miss Stephens, how do you feel?”

  Elise looked at the doctor. “Tired,” she replied wearily.

  “That’s expected. We had to give you almost three pints of blood and help you get fully hydrated. You were in pretty bad shape when you were brought here. How’s the pain? Did the medication help?”

  “Yes,” she replied softly.

  “Your lab results were all negative, and your stats are stable, so if you’re up to it, Miss Stephens, we can release you into the care of Miss Pierce.”

  Elise slowly nodded her head yes. “Okay,” she replied softly.

  The doctor smiled and nodded at Kayci. “I’ll get the paperwork prepared.”

  After the doctor walked out, Kayci shut the door to Elise’s room, then came to her bedside.

  “Elise, I’m so sorry you had to go through this.”

  Elise gave Kayci a reassuring expression shrouded by fatigue. “I don’t blame you for this.”

  A frown settled on Kayci’s face. “I do. I never should have agreed to have dinner. It’s not safe for you to be around me.”

  Elise didn’t argue with Kayci’s comment but said meekly, “I thought you were dead in the parking garage. I saw you collapse on the ground after the vampire stopped drinking your blood. I realized later that you must be alive, because that wretched vampire woman kept asking me questions about you. She’s crazy, Kayc.” Her last few words were said with more zeal.

  Kayci sighed. “Yes, she is, and now I know not to underestimate her. She’s Adrian’s ex. Apparently, she sired him. In vampire language, that means she turned him into a vampire.”

  Elise’s expression displayed her surprise.

  Kayci’s frown returned. “Yeah, my thoughts exactly. What kind of questions did she ask you about me?”

  “She asked where you came from, when you were born, your strengths and weaknesses. Questions about your relationship with Adrian. Even questions I didn’t know the answers to. That’s how I got all these.” Elise waived her hand over the bandages.

  “I didn’t answer any of them, but I’m pretty sure she knows you’re part witch now too. One of the other vampires said it was you that created the spell that kept her from being able to touch me. And thank you for that. It saved my life.”

  Kayci took Elise’s hand into hers as she smiled at her. “Once we get you back to my place, I can take care of those.” Kayci pointed to the bite wounds. “I can do a healing spell for you.”
/>
  Elise sighed with relief. “Good, they hurt like hell. Do you think they’ll leave scars?” Elise sounded worried as she scanned her body.

  “No, I don’t think they will,” Kayci reassured her.

  “I do want you to know something though…before I take you back to my house.”

  Elise looked at her.

  “You’re right. I was left in bad shape. The vampire I fought hurt me pretty badly. He broke a couple ribs, cut my head open, and gave me a concussion. Not to mention the blood he drank from me and the puddle of blood he left me in. Thankfully, I received some help from a vampire that I thought Adrian had sent. That vampire ended up being my father, Thorne.”

  “What?!” Elise used her hand to push herself up in the bed. “Your real father is alive? How did he find you?!”

  “We’re connected somehow through our blood, and he can sense what I’m feeling, so he came when he felt I needed him.”

  “Wow! That’s all I can think of to say. Wow! Your father’s…a vampire.” Her eyes brightened. “It’s wonderful that you’ve had a chance to meet your real father and that he’s alive.” Elise leaned against the pillow. Her brows furrowed. “So your family is all vampires?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

  Kayci laughed. “I think someone is starting to feel better.”

  Their conversation was interrupted as the door opened, followed by a stout nurse with a kind face, carrying paperwork.

  “Miss Stephens?”

  Elise nodded.

  “Here is your release paperwork. The doctor has prescribed some pain medication for you to take as needed.” She handed the paperwork and prescription to Kayci. “He also would like for you to come back in a couple weeks for a checkup and to run a blood panel just to make sure everything is still okay.”

  Elise smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

  “No problem. How about I get those things off you.” She pointed to the IV tube and heart-rate monitor.