The Chosen: A Tale of the Blood Breed

by A Tale of the Blood Breed (lit)

  “What?” Her voice raised, shock resonating within her. “He marked me like some dog pissing on a tree?”

  “I don’t know if I would have used an analogy like that. It’s his way of protecting you.”

  She wasn’t some piece of property he could just mark up. Who the hell did he think he was? Everyone was silent for several minutes, and her anger boiled more.

  “Where are you guys going?”

  “We’re going to the club. We still have a few hours before dawn.” Aniya walked toward a small shelf on the wall and opened it. She plucked off a set of car keys, one of the many that hung from gold hooks. “Aleksei will be there, so it’s not really a big deal.”

  “Does Alek know you’re taking her out of the house?”

  “Like I said, it’s not a big deal, Luca. Everything will be fine. The two of you can even follow us there if you want.”

  Luca, the one who frightened her in the hall earlier, turned his head and looked at her. She squared her shoulders, not about to let a stare rattle her. She made sure to stare at him dead in the eye as she spoke.

  “I’m a grown woman and standing right here. If I want to leave this place, then I will, and not even you will stop me.” Aniya and Milo burst out laughing, which embarrassed her. Even Luca had a small smile tugging at his lips.

  “Wow. Alek has his hands full with you. I’m going to love watching him try to handle you.”

  Milo pushed away from the wall and walked over to the key rack and took a set of keys off. The garage was bare save for a wraparound work area and a few shelves bolted into the walls. Milo pushed a button on the wall, and she heard a ticking noise and then a loud whirling noise. One of the walls opened up in the same fashion a garage door would. On the other side sat several shiny, expensive looking cars.

  “Milo, we’ll be taking the Aston.” Aniya walked over to her brothers and kissed them each on the cheek.

  Luca watched her the whole time, setting her nerves on edge. There was just something about him that made all of her instincts go on high alert. She stood by the door and watched as Aniya disappeared into the room full of cars. Lights flashed on, and the purr of an engine started. Seconds later, a sleek black car rolled out, Aniya sitting behind the wheel. The vehicle was like nothing she had ever seen before.

  “Hop in?” She looked at Lana and then at her brothers. “Well, are you boys following or not?” Both men walked to where the cars were and disappeared into the inky blackness. Once she saw lights flare to life, she hustled over to the passenger side door and slipped in. Cool leather and smooth suede greeted her back as she rested against the seat. It was only a two-seater but had a lot of room.

  “Nice, right?” Aniya pushed a small button attached to the visor and waited until the main garage door opened.

  “I’d say so. I’ve never seen a car like this before.”

  “Better buckle up.” Aniya pulled out of the garage, the wide driveway coming into view. “This is an Aston Martin Vanquish S V12. It’s Milo’s baby, although he does love his Gumpert.”

  “His what?”

  “His Gumpert Apollo, the car he’s driving behind us.”

  Lana turned in her seat and stared behind her. The car looked like it should be on a race track instead of the streets of Stone Brooke. “It looks like a space craft.”

  Aniya laughed, the noise soft and petite. “Yeah, well, don’t go saying that around him. Milo is always ranting and raving about his babies. I, on the other hand, will stick with my little Benz. I don’t know why he’s driving the Gumpert, though. He must be fishing tonight.”

  “Fishing? He goes fishing in a car like that?”

  Aniya burst out laughing and wiped a stray tear from under her eye. She patted Lana’s hand, and Lana felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

  “Don’t feel embarrassed. I’m sorry I laughed, really. What I meant was he must be fishing for women.”

  “Oh.”

  “Milo only brings out the big boys, meaning his cars, when he thinks he’s going to get laid. Although, I thought he already brought someone home tonight.” She brought a perfectly manicured fingernail to her mouth and tapped her lips. “Makes no difference, really. My brother’s appetite for women is insatiable.”

  The picture of Aleksei with a harem of women flashed into Lana’s mind. “Does Aleksei fall into that instable appetite category?”

  She felt her face become red even before the question was out of her mouth. She quickly turned her head toward the passenger window and watched the trees pass by. In the distance, she could see the lights of Stone Brooke twinkle below. She turned around. The car that had been behind them now gone.

  “They took another way.”

  She stared at Aniya, the moon’s light illuminating her profile. She also noticed Aniya hadn’t answered her question. She wasn’t going to push it, though. “Aleksei told me that…your kind has special gifts. Can you read minds also?”

  “All Blood Breeds have their own special gift. Aleksei, for instance, can read minds. He can also see a person’s whole life, their memories, their fears, and their desires. I have the ability to read objects, Milo’s ability is pyrokinesis, and Luca is able to mist.”

  “What’s pyrokinesis and misting?”

  “Pyrokinesis is the ability to start fires with your mind. That is Milo’s gift, which I must say got him in a lot of trouble as a child. Luca can mist, which is the ability to…teleport I guess is the right word.”

  The car began to accelerate, the trees passing by in a blur. Lana’s heart sped up as she gripped the arm rest.

  Lana closed her eyes as Nine Inch Nails suddenly came through the speakers. “How fast are we going?” She opened her eyes and looked at Aniya, a smile covering the woman’s lips.

  “Fast.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Adrik walked the dark streets, blending into the shadows. Everyone checked in again, but so far no one had gotten into any activity. He walked more toward the city’s outer limits, the forest becoming thicker the farther he went. He inhaled, stopping in his tracks as the stench of Bloodless filled his senses. They were near, or at least had been in the area very recently. He inhaled deeply again, the scent of a Lyken also in the mix. That didn’t make any sense, though, since the Lykens tended to stay within the heavily guarded forest. He grabbed his cell and punched in Aleksei’s number.

  “Yeah?”

  “My lord, I was doing a sweep close to the city limits and scented rogues.”

  “Do you need back up?”

  “No, but that isn’t the only thing I sensed. I can also smell a Lyken, a female Lyken to be exact.”

  “Where are you?”

  Adrik gave him his coordinates and hung up, closing his eyes and opening up his senses to his surroundings. He walked slowly and quietly toward the scent of his mortal enemy. He stopped and pressed his body against the cold brick of a building. The Bloodless and Lyken scents were especially strong off to the left, which happened to be a darkened alley. He pulled out his gun and stayed with his back against the wall as he rounded the corner and walked slowly forward.

  All too soon, he heard low male laughter and a small feminine whimper. He kept to the shadows, hoping his enemy was too occupied to sense him. The closer he got, the stronger the smell of blood became. The alley was a dead end, and in the center stood three large rogues males. A small female lay in the center of the alley, the males circled around her as they laughed and taunted her. He couldn’t believe there was actually a female Lyken without protection from her clan. It was unheard of for them to let their females walk around alone. Her shirt was torn in several places and cuts marred her body.

  “Pretty little thing, aren’t you?”

  “Some would say you’re nothing but a dog, but I have to say I rather like the way you look and smell.”

  “I like when you put up a fight. It’ll make you that much sweeter.”

  They taunted her as they circled her, their elongated nails occasionall
y slicing through her skin. Stepping out of the shadows, he made his presence known by cocking his gun. “Hey there, boys, lovely night isn’t it?”

  The female whimpered, the fear pouring off of her.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart.” They moved away from her, their fangs protruding as they hissed. The female slowly moved away but didn’t get very far when one of them grabbed a chunk of her long blond hair and lifted her up.

  “Just leave now, and we’ll spare you, Breed.”

  “If you kill her, the Lykens will extract vengeance on her and hunt you down. On the other hand, if you leave her, I can make your deaths more merciful than what the Lykens will do.”

  The three of them laughed, and the one who held her pressed his sharp nail against her throat. Her big green eyes stared at him, pleading him to help her as tears streamed down her cheeks. His vision turned to red, the female in front of him no longer a Lyken, but his precious Kayla. It was Kayla who was being held, and Kayla who cried for his help. Adrik smiled and put his gun at the small of his back. He was going to kill these bastards with his bare hands. His teeth lengthened, and he felt his eyes change as his body primed itself for a fight.

  The rogue dug his nail into her flesh and broke her skin, blood making a slow trail down her pale skin. Blood weld up and slid down her throat, disappearing below her shirt. The rogue let out a roar as Adrik charged the one holding her and pried his hands back from her neck. Bones crunched as he bent the rouge’s hands at an unnatural angle, causing the bone to tear through the skin. He pushed the female toward the wall and barked the order for her to stay down. In a swift move, he twisted the rogue’s neck and snapped the bone in half. A broken neck wouldn’t kill a Bloodless, but it would render him immobile for a while.

  He turned toward the others and saw they took fighters’ stances. Charging toward them, Adrik ducked as they both came at him. Sweeping his leg under their feet, he sent them both down to the ground. He bounced back up and slammed his fist into the closest rogue he could touch. Ribs cracked under his blow, and a howl of pain brought a triumphant smile to his face. The other one jumped up and charged him, slamming his fist into Adrik’s face. Blood poured into his mouth, and he relished the flavor. Fire burned through his body as he grabbed his enemy by his neck and lifted him.

  Smiling at his captive, he made sure to display his elongated fangs. He knew he should keep one alive for questioning, but this one he held wasn’t the lucky one. The male struggled in Adrik’s grasp. With a flick of his wrist, Adrik broke the rogue’s neck and tossed him to the ground. The Bloodless would heal before dawn if they weren’t disposed of soon. He would have to have one of the boys come out and clean up his mess. Tossing the body to the ground, he was pleased at the lifeless thump it made as it hit the cement.

  “Thank you.”

  The small female voice helped aid him in calming down. The adrenaline still pumped through his veins, Kayla’s face still in his mind. He turned and saw her body huddled up against the wall. Her knees were to her chest, and she slowly rocked back and forth. Pulling out his cell, he punched in Garrik’s number.

  “Where are you?”

  He gave his location and hung up before punching in Aleksei’s number.

  “Where the fuck are you?”

  “Three Bloodless, one Lyken female, all still living.” He shut his phone and looked back at the female. The Lykens were going to go ape shit over this, and he hoped he wasn’t around when they were told. A Blood Breed wasn’t afraid of anything, but a fully grown, pissed off Lyken male was one scary motherfucker.

  * * * *

  Aleksei stood with feet braced apart and arms hanging loosely at his sides. Three Bloodless males lay on the dirty, stained ground, none of them moving.

  “Adrik, which one hurt the female?” Aleksei was barley containing his anger at the fact that the female still huddled in the corner was scared and injured. Adrik walked over to a badly mangled body on the ground and kicked it.

  “Take him to the club and have one of the boys finish off the other two. I want the female taken to my office—I’ll contact her clan.” He walked over to the female and crouched. “What’s your name, little one?”

  She brought her red-rimmed eyes up and met his. “Joslyn.” Her small voice was barely a whisper.

  “How old are you?” She couldn’t be more than twenty, if that. She was just too tiny and childlike in her features.

  “I’m seventeen. Please don’t call my family. They’ll be so angry with me for sneaking off. Look at all of the trouble I’ve gotten into.” She rested her head on her knees and softly started to weep. Her family’s anger was the least of her worries.

  “You could have been killed tonight. Do you know what those creatures were?”

  She sniffled as she brought her tear-filled eyes up and met his gaze head on. “I know what they are…were. I am forever grateful that you saved me. I will forever be in your debt.”

  “Joslyn, this is Adrik. He will take you to my office where you can wait comfortably for your family to arrive. Will that be okay?”

  She nodded as she slowly rose and brushed off her pants. Cuts covered her small body, and he gritted his teeth in anger. She slid into the waiting car, turning around and giving him a tortured look before she slipped inside.

  “Shit.” He ran a hand over his face and over his hair.

  Garrik stepped in front of him and pulled out a sword from behind his back. He nodded once, giving him the all clear to finish up the mess. He dreaded what he was about to do…calling her family…the Lykens.

  * * * *

  Lana walked behind Milo and Luca as they made their way through the club. The club was bouncing again tonight, bodies grinding against each other to the latest hits.

  “Are you hungry?”

  It was hard to hear Aniya as she practically yelled over the music. She nodded, the banana she ate earlier doing nothing for her now. They walked over to a set of red carpeted stairs, the huge bouncers in front bowing their heads and stepping to the side. She looked them up and down as she made her way up the stairs—their gazes trained straight ahead, their bodies like statues.

  At the top of the stairs, they pushed open two double tinted glass doors. As the doors shut behind her, the music from the club below disappeared. She looked around the posh interior, the scene completely different than the previous floor. Shining stainless steel and black leather were the main décor of the place, along with elegantly dressed patrons. A willowy blonde slinked over toward Milo, practically rubbing herself all over him.

  “Oh, my dear Nadia, how are you this fine evening?” Milo groped the woman, his hands leaving no part of her body untouched. “Ya skhazshu po tebe s uma.”

  Whatever was happening between the two of them made Lana feel fully out of place and slightly uncomfortable.

  “We’ll be back shortly. Go relax and order whatever you like.” Aniya said the words as she and Luca walked off.

  She stood there next to Milo but soon excused herself when he started to make out with the woman. She found an empty table and sat down, a waiter coming over immediately. She was hungry, but her stomach had started to grow a little upset. She decided on a light soup and salad, hoping she just needed something substantial in her belly.

  As she waited for her food, she thought about her home. She was going to need to go back sooner or later, and she wasn’t about to wait until Aleksei thought it was the right time. Her frustration was starting to mount at the thought of not being able to do what she wanted. As she sat there and thought, her anger and frustration mounted. She ate in silence, her emotions making the food taste bland when she was sure it was fabulous.

  “Will you need anything else, miss?”

  The waiter didn’t look at her but at her neck. Her face flushed, and she cleared her throat, knowing exactly what he was staring at. She made a point of flipping her hair over her shoulder. His gaze snapped to her face, and a polite smile played on his lips. What was she supposed to do now?
She didn’t want to just leave. Well she did, but not without telling anyone, and no one was to be seen. Milo walked off with that woman, and Aniya and Luca hadn’t returned. She signaled the waiter over, deciding she would have a drink while she waited. If everything was “on the house” then she was going to take advantage of it.

  “Can you please bring me a drink? A strong drink.”

  “Do you have a preference, miss?”

  “I don’t really care as long as it’s strong.” She leaned back in her chair and watched the people mill around. They spoke in hushed tones as soft music played overhead. The waiter placed a drink in front of her, but before he could leave she caught his arm. “Keep them coming.”

  He stared at her for a second and then nodded.

  * * * *

  Aleksei paced one of the lower chambers in the club as he waited for the Lykens to show. He kept everyone out patrolling and only brought in Adrik, Dimitri, and Luca. The three Breeds stood against the wall, watching him as they all waited for the Lykens.

  The little Lyken female sat in an overstuffed leather chair that seemed to engulf her. He had a Breed female bring her a change of clothes since hers had been torn and covered in blood. She flipped through a fashion magazine, looking up at the door every so often.

  He could hear her heart beat quickly, and he could see the beads of sweat that dotted her forehead—yup, she was just as nervous as they all were. She admitted to sneaking off even though she knew the dangers of leaving her clan’s protection. She confessed she just wanted to see the bright lights of the city up close, the ones she always saw from a distance. The Lyken clan was very protective and territorial of their females and rarely did they allow them to travel into the city alone. Aleksei could understand their reasoning, but then again, he had always thought that kind of reasoning seemed a little outdated.

  He thought about Lana and how he felt now. He was very territorial and possessive of her, and he knew now that he found his Chosen he shared the Lykens’ beliefs about their females. He would do anything to protect her, even if that meant laying down his own life. He continued to pace back and forth until everyone in the room stopped and stared at the door.