by L. J. Red
No, he would not kill the ten yet. He had no need of their power. They could serve a greater purpose. Deep in the heart of the Sanctuary, they were perfectly placed to strike. He just needed to find a way to firm his grip on their minds, perhaps force them into a blood craze, just like he had attempted to do with the weak male. That was until the damn female had turned up and stopped him from killing the vassal. There was something about her. Some slipperiness to her he couldn’t catch. Every time she spoke with the others, it left his hold on them a little weaker. It didn’t make any sense; how could she have an edge over him? She was nothing. No, he would break her; he needed more practice, that was all. They were so far away, and he was forced to hide in this damn building, the Shadows and their people crawling the city for him. Well, no matter. He would keep practicing, keep reaching out to them in their dreams, and eventually his grip on them would be unbreakable.
Soon he would launch his attack on the Shadows, but this time it would not be through sheer force of numbers like before. No, this time he would strike at the heart of their Bloodline. He would find out exactly what Lucian was up to, unravel his plots, and once he had discovered his most innermost secrets, then he would bring him down once and for all. And when his little Radiance fledglings had served their purpose and been the tool that brought the Shadows down, he would kill them and take all the power in their souls for himself.
Chapter 9
“This is the gym,” May said, pushing open the doors and leading the group of them inside.
Sparrow traded a smile with Alex; he seemed steadier today she was glad to see. Amelia, one of the other rescued vampires, pushed past her and the door almost smacked Sparrow in the face. She frowned at the back of Amelia’s blonde head. She didn’t understand the other woman’s deal. She knew everyone dealt with trauma in different ways, but Amelia seemed not to care about anyone in the group, anyone at all really, except for herself. She knew they were all loners—hell, even if Sparrow was the unofficial leader she still kept to herself most of the time—but still, you could be a loner and still be a nice person.
They spread along the wall of the gym, peering around. The Shadows had decided they ought to give the rescued vampires a proper tour of the Sanctuary now they were all out of the medical rooms and installed in their own rooms. So, May had offered to show them the main building. Since she had worked as a vassal here in the Sanctuary before becoming a vampire, she knew the space better than anyone. They had begun with a brief tour of the upper rooms, private and turned over to the Shadows’ sleeping spaces and offices. Sparrow had felt vaguely uneasy, noting the stairs she had found herself nearby a couple of days ago when her brain had blanked out, full of white fog.
May had led them through the public rooms on the first floor, like the grand ballroom, which had taken Sparrow’s breath away by its grandeur, and also the various receiving rooms for vampire and human officials. The lower floors were mostly for the vassals, kitchens, break rooms and so on. Below them, the basement housed the gym, which was much larger than Sparrow had realized.
“We have all the equipment you could possibly need”—May grinned—“and enough for three times as many people as are living here. The Sanctuary was made for more people than just the Shadows, so there’s lots of space.”
Understatement. Half of the room was empty, gleaming equipment lying still under the lights, but on the side closer to them, Neal was leading some of the vampire guards through an exercise routine. Muscles rippling, sweat shining over their bodies. A few of the guards turned to look as the group approached, and she saw a few traded grins as they flexed and stretched, showing off to their audience. Sparrow wasn’t sure why, but despite the eye-candy on display, the guards’ over-the-top showing off just didn’t catch her interest. Amelia stalked to the front of their little group and started oohing and aahing appreciatively. Sparrow rolled her eyes, looking beyond the group, past Neal to where a dark shape blurred, moving too fast for her to focus. It was Talon, moving with a lethal grace. He was sparring with two vampires, one with short black spiky hair, the other a blonde, and to her surprise, they both almost moved with the same fluid strength as Talon. They were paying the group zero attention whatsoever, and Sparrow didn’t blame them. Talon was a formidable enemy, keeping up with the two of them without breaking a sweat.
“So, are you guys all Shadows?”
Sparrow tore her attention away from the brutal dance and focused on Amelia.
“They are being trained,” Neal replied, glaring at the guards who were distracted by the group. “Spar in groups,” he said, walking closer to May.
“Trained to become Shadows?” Alex asked from the back.
“No,” Neal said, “Trained to enter any bloodline. Some may petition to become Shadows.” He glanced back at the two fighting with Talon. “But the others may choose to stay, or travel to other bloodlines across the country. Some might even choose to leave the territories and live amongst humans. Not every vampire is part of an elite bloodline.”
“We are though, right?” Sparrow asked.
Neal frowned. “Yes,” he said slowly. “You are members of Bloodline Radiance, as it was Roman, the leader of the bloodline, who turned you.”
A shiver ran through the rescued vampires at the name. Roman. None of them had fond memories of him.
“Your case,” Neal said, noting the shiver, “is of course rather different.”
Different, Sparrow thought. Yeah, that was one way of putting it. Being turned against your will so that hunters could run hideous experiments on you wasn’t exactly the definition of becoming a vampire that people expected.
“So, you’re in charge of training these guys up, huh?” Amelia said, taking a step forward. “You must be really strong,” she added with a giggle. An honest to goodness giggle, like she was a little kid or something. Neal didn’t react, if anything his face became stonier, but Sparrow saw May stiffen, her eyes starting to glow. May might seem like a tiny little thing, it was easy to forget she was a vampire, and not a wannabe but an actual Shadow. Amelia was playing with fire.
Her hand reached stretched out toward Neal’s broad chest. Sparrow tensed, but suddenly Neal moved, faster than an eyeblink, and Amelia’s hand was caught, held up high enough that she had to stretch out painfully. “Don’t,” he warned, before dropping her and turning away, not back to the guards, but to May. Sparrow thought he was going to speak to her, but instead, he bent and kissed her deep, long and slow. When he finally lifted his lips from hers, her expression looked a little dazed. But the angry flash that had been in her eyes had disappeared.
Amelia was massaging her wrist surreptitiously. Served her right, Sparrow thought, chasing after another woman’s man.
“Right. Well.” May dragged herself away from Neal. She saw the way his eyes lingered, how her fingertips trailed against his like she couldn’t bear to let go of him. Sparrow felt a burst of longing again, like when Talon and Eden had been playfully arguing in the dining room. The couples at the Sanctuary were unlike any others; they shared a bond so strong they could get entirely lost in each other. It was breath-taking.
Sparrow realized May had started talking again while she had been lost in her thoughts, and she quickly tuned back in.
“We have self-defense classes every week,” May said as they walked over to the doors on the other side of the gym. “Dana and Brigit run them, and they are open to both vampires and humans. A lot of the vassals come too.” She turned to look at the group. “The Shadows are in charge of protecting the Sanctuary and everyone in it. But we believe in learning how to defend ourselves as well. If any of you want to come and try, we’re open to beginners and it’s a good way to meet some of the other people who live in this building. I know we don’t know exactly how long you guys are going to be staying here, but you are welcome to join in while you can.” Her gaze caught on Sparrow’s for a moment and she sent a genuine smile her way.
Sparrow found herself smiling back instinctivel
y. Self-defense. She wanted to have some control back over her life. Maybe learning how to punch an attacker in the face would be exactly the kind of lesson she needed.
“I can recommend them as a way to get used to your new vampire abilities and to reconnect with your body better,” May finished.
That sounded good. Her new-found strength sat uneasily in her muscles, and she’d torn enough shirts and smashed enough cups by accidentally using too much force over the past few weeks.
May led them through the next set of doors and pushed them open to reveal a massive Olympic swimming pool. The group slowed to a bottleneck as each of them gaped before walking in. Holy shit. Was there anything the Shadows didn’t have? The water reflected the lights above as they walked carefully along the side, avoiding the slick tiles.
May’s voice faded away to the back of Sparrow’s mind as she noticed a dark shape cutting through the water under the surface. A swimmer, their outline blurred by the water, coming closer and closer toward them. Her chest grew tight and anticipation rose. The water obscured their shape, but she knew exactly who it was. Part of her wanted to run back out in the gym, but the other part of her, stronger, impossible to control, drew her forward, step by step, leaving the group behind, stepping onto the tile. The swimmer, who had been going in a straight line toward the side of the pool, suddenly turned and began to head straight for her.
Sparrow’s heart thumped hard and she felt tingles running up and down her skin as the swimmer approached, still underwater. Didn’t he need to breathe? Then, finally, he was there, a surge of water spraying up as Jacob surfaced before her. Water sluiced away and droplets caught the light as they cascaded down his body. His muscles bunched as he braced against the side of the pool and then pulled taut as he launched himself up into a light crouch on the edge.
Sparrow’s throat was dry. She watched the trailing line of water droplets down the side of his shoulder and the muscles of his arm, falling from his elbow to his thick thighs. Sparrow gulped. She couldn’t take her eyes off him and he was staring back at her with the same intensity. Slowly, he straightened from his crouch, his muscles flexed. She could see him; she could see every inch of him. She licked suddenly dry lips, her eyes drawn directly to the tight line of his dark trunks. Oh, God. Was it hot in here? She felt hot. Maybe she had a fever. She tore her eyes away from Jacob’s glistening form and saw that somehow May and the rest of the vampires had crossed to the other side of the pool while she had been standing here, rooted to the spot. She was alone. Alone except for Jacob. He took a step toward her, leaving gleaming footprints on the tile behind him. Closer, closer. Impossible to hide from the look in his eyes.
Sparrow stumbled backward until she was pressed against the tiled wall, the cold ceramic freezing through her top. But the front of her, the part facing him felt hot, as if Jacob was a furnace pouring out heat that only she could feel. Fuck. What he did to her. She wanted him. She couldn’t hide from it. She wanted him with desire thick like honey, pouring down her throat. She needed to feel his hands on her. His bare wet, naked body pressed against her.
What was she thinking? No. There were people here. She wasn’t some exhibitionist. And anyway, he wasn’t doing anything, just standing there, watching her like he was undressing her with his eyes. Oh God, she wanted him to undress her with his hands. Her gaze slipped down to his long fingers, broad palms, those big thick hands on her body. No. Stop it, dammit. She’d never reacted like this to another person before. She’d never wanted someone else. Never needed anyone. She’d always been entirely self-sufficient. She’d always been alone. Or had she just been lonely?
Chapter 10
Sparrow was so close. Jacob ached to press his palm to her skin, barely an inch of space between them. Her voice wound through the air a second before he reached her.
“Why does it feel like this? Like the air is on fire. I don’t understand.”
Fuck. Of course, she didn’t understand. He hadn’t fucking told her about soulmates. His muscles locked. His mind was screaming at him. She didn’t know what was happening. He needed to hold back, to explain, but his jaw was locked, his body rigid. He needed her, needed to taste. He inhaled sharply, hoping to clear his head, but he breathed in her scent, the air run through with the tantalizing scent of her arousal. It went straight to his cock. He was suddenly rock-hard in his trunks. Oh fuck. She wanted him. He could smell it. This raging desire burning him up was running through her veins as well. His control was splintering. He wanted her, he needed her. She was his.
“Jacob?” May’s voice was a gentle pull through the bloodline bond and he latched on to it desperately, using it to try and untangle himself from the raging feelings. His awareness gradually came back. Shit. He was practically naked and the massive erection he was sporting wasn’t going to go unnoticed for long. He reached forward, coming so close to Sparrow he could feel her tremble. He could see the tiny hairs on her arms raise at his proximity, and then, at the last moment, he reached on past her and snatched up one of the towels from the bench beside her and tied it securely around his waist.
Over her head, he could see May and the group coming closer. Sparrow was stock-still. Fuck, she must be terrified; he’d just come out of the water right for her. Thank fuck she hadn’t noticed his body’s reaction. He didn’t want to think how terrified she would be if she knew exactly what he wanted to do to her. Bend her over the bench and take her right here. He didn’t care who saw; none of them mattered. Only her. It was a struggle to tear his thoughts away from how she would feel, how she would moan, naked, glorious. He needed to see her wild with desire. He needed to wring every inch of pleasure from her. He needed… He needed to back the fuck off.
A low growl began in his chest. He needed to control himself or put some distance between them because pretty soon his restraint was going to snap and that vision was going to become very real.
She wasn’t looking at him, but her body was angled toward him like she couldn’t hold back, like she wanted this.
Then the others were right there, clustering close, forcing him back. He caught concern in May’s eyes. Shit, he was practically salivating over Sparrow; he must look wild. He pressed his eyes shut and took a step away from Sparrow. He should just get back in the water. Cold water. Yes, perfect. Then have a shower. A cold shower. Or maybe just fill a bathtub with ice.
A blonde vampire stepped forward from the group, stepping between him and Sparrow. Jacob growled, but the blonde was unfazed and, to his horror, he saw Sparrow turn in on herself, shoulder hunched. Damn, had she thought the growl was directed at her?
“You’re one of the Shadows, right?” the blonde said, her eyes glittering as she looked him up and down like a piece of meat.
She needed to back the fuck off now. Jacob bared his teeth.
Behind her, Sparrow stepped back into the cluster of other vampires and Jacob felt the urge to reach out and tug her back toward him. He wanted to feel her all the way up his body. His towel slipped and his hand snapped to his hip, grip so hard he felt his claws scrape against his skin.
“Oops, let me help you.” The fucking blonde was reaching for the towel.
“Don’t. Fucking. Touch me,” he snarled.
She pouted. “What’s you guys’ problem?”
He looked over her head, but Sparrow wasn’t looking at him anymore. Fuck this. He strode past the blonde, ripped off the towel at the last minute and dived back into the pool. He sank down, water closing over his head. He needed to find a way to control his reactions to Sparrow long enough to explain to her what was going on—the bond, soulmates—it would all be new to her. He would have to ease her into it. Hell, they’d barely exchanged a handful of words. Every time he was near her his body turned traitor. Either he was desperate to tear those who had hurt her apart, or he was desperate to strip her down and take her. He needed to find a way to pull his lust back under control and fucking use his words. She was his and he would prove to her they were perfect for each other.
And if his words didn’t work, then maybe he would fucking give in to the desire riding him, shove her up against the nearest hard surface and let his body speak for him.
Chapter 11
A couple of days later Sparrow returned to the gym for the self-defense class. She sidled through the door and hugged the wall, surprised at the number of people who had turned up. It looked like almost everyone who lived in the Sanctuary. She’d actually started looking forward to the class the past couple of days. The weird flashes across her vision hadn’t let up, and every night was full of strange, uneasy dreams where she was back in the factory being chased by something she couldn’t see. She was hoping a good workout would exhaust her enough she could get some real sleep. She was sick of this tiredness pushing in on the edges of her mind, making her eyes grainy and her limbs heavy. She just wanted to get a full night’s sleep and wake feeling rested and a bit more human. She laughed softly under her breath. Human? That was one thing she would never be.
Dana walked forward to the center of the room, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Lots of new faces, awesome. Those of you who have done this before, you know the drill. Find your places. Newcomers, we’re gonna keep it simple today. Humans go with Brigit.” She waited for half the groups to shuffle off. “I’m taking the beginners class, so I’m guessing that will be most of you guys,” she said, picking out a few of the rescued vampires with her eyes and resting for a moment on Sparrow. “Anyone with more experience is going to be working with Neal. Okay, guys, let’s go to the back of the gym.” She pointed to where the mats were already laid out.
