Loud voices sounded close as the light grew brighter. At the mouth of the tunnel, he stayed in the shadows and watched the drunken show. They laughed and slammed their mugs against the table while they sang old Russian songs. Females passed among the vampires, their hands filled with goblets of alcohol and blood. All the women were naked with bite marks on their skin and smiles on their faces. The women were all Bloodless, their eyes black pits of lust and greed. The rogue males fondled and groped at the passing women. It was clear their senses had been dulled by the alcohol since they still hadn’t detected Aleksei or the three other males with him.
“I can cloak all of us long enough to slip past them if you want to skip the beat down.”
Aleksei didn’t bother replying to Osip’s statement. He itched for a fight, and he knew all of his warriors felt the same way. Osip raised his hands in surrender and bowed his head in understanding. Aleksei focused his attention to the four Bloodless males in the room and reached out with his mind to gain an advantage as to what they were thinking. The only thing that came through was that all of them were lusting over the females in front of them.
The rogue males were massive, their fangs huge and glinting off the light when they grinned. The bottomless black eyes roamed over the females’ naked bodies with desire and hunger. It was true all Blood Breeds looked like that when they changed, but when it was paired with the immoral sickness of what a Bloodless thought and did, it made them the monsters they truly were.
Aleksei turned to the other two Breed males and nodded to let them know it was time. Adrik and Garrik closed their eyes and let the change overtake them. Aleksei did the same, his body stretching and growing and priming for a fight. He looked into Adrik’s and Garrik’s bottomless black eyes and smiled. His fangs scraped against his bottom lip, and he couldn’t wait to sink them into his enemies’ flesh.
The three of them looked over at Osip in unison. He didn’t change—couldn’t change, but still, he was as muscular and large as they were now. He didn’t know too much about Seekers, but knew the bastards were deadly—they had to be in order to track and hunt their prey. In one swift move, the four of them charged through the tunnel’s opening and gave a deafening roar of the oncoming war.
* * * *
Lana’s eyes went wide at the man who stepped out from the shadows. His hair was dark as the night and fell to his broad shoulders. He stood well over six and a half feet tall, and she could tell under his expensive suit that his muscles were massive. There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. He smiled at her, his straight white teeth shining brightly in the dim lighting.
“Please, have a seat so that we may speak.” He swept his hand toward the table and chairs in front of the fireplace, his voice a soothing concoction to her ears. She eyed him hesitantly before slowly inching her way toward one of the seats. He hadn’t moved any closer to her, just stayed where he was and watched.
She sat down, the fireplace’s warmth seeping through the thin dress and into her skin. The neckline was obscenely low, and Lana felt exposed in front of this man. She brought her hands up to her neck and rubbed nervously, all the while watching the man watch her.
His eyes latched onto her neck, the area where she was rubbing, and she heard him swallow.
She cleared her throat before dropping her hand in her lap. “Who are you?”
He smiled and gestured toward the seat across from her. He didn’t speak, but his actions were clear. He wanted her permission before moving forward. She swallowed and nodded, her heart beating so fast and hard she could feel it in her throat. He moved forward and sat down, the chair groaning at the extra weight. A table lay in between them and gave Lana some measure of relief.
“Who are you, and why are you keeping me here?”
“My name is D. Well, you see, you might not like my answer.” He leaned forward and uncorked the wine bottle before pouring the red liquid into the glasses. He pushed the filled glass toward her and leaned back in the chair. His eyes never wavered from her face, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.
“So, you would like to know why I have kept you.”
Why did he seem so familiar?
“You see, my dear, you are very special…very special, indeed.” He rested his elbow on the chair arm and ran lazy circles over the red leather, all the while smiling at her.
“W-What do you mean?”
“I see he did not tell you. Well, that really doesn’t surprise me. You, my sweet, are the Prophesied Female and my future queen.”
Lana looked around the room as the conversation went from strange and awkward to horribly frightening. Had she heard right? The Prophesied Female? His future queen?
“Look at me, Lana.” His voice held no room for argument, and she looked him in the eyes.
Everything around her went fuzzy around the edges, the room blurring away so the only thing that was clear was him. His face was frightening in its intensity. An unforeseen force held her in her place and made her focus on this lone man, although he wasn’t a man at all.
She watched in horror as his eyes started to go black, the darkness slithering out of his pupils and moving toward the whites. He smiled at her, and she watched with mouth open as his flat canines grew to sharp points. His body grew as well, his already large form filling the chair and blocking out everything behind him.
“You see, my dear Lana, you were supposed to be mine. He got to you and corrupted you. Although I am but a male and will take you as I can get you.” He inhaled deeply, a distorted growl leaving his mouth. “It is truly a shame that he has already claimed you and left his mark within you.” He shrugged and smiled. “The child we will have will give me more power than anyone could imagine.” He reached out and ran a big finger down her cheek. “He will be raised and trained to fight next to me and overcome all of the Otherworld. Of course, you will be kept for my sole pleasure. Maybe I will let some of my minions sample you if they behave themselves.”
She wanted to slap his hand away, but she sat there frozen, her body no longer hers to control. He licked his lips, his body leaning forward so he was mere inches from her mouth. Why couldn’t she move? She screamed on the inside, needing to move away from the mental hold he had on her.
“I might want to keep you all for myself, though. You do smell incredibly delicious, and I bet you taste even sweeter.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Aleksei and the three males behind him moved with deadly focus as they charged through the tunnels. The four Bloodless males had been too easy to kill in their drunken stupors, and he was sorry it hadn’t lasted longer.
The other Breeds just came out of the other two tunnels, blood coating their clothing and smiles on their faces. They regrouped and made their way toward the main corridor that all three tunnels eventually led into. Before they even reached the entrance, Aleksei could hear guns being cocked and swords being drawn. He drew his own weapon of choice—his ancestral family sword. The sword fit nicely in his palm, and the shining silver moved through the air with clarity and precision.
The light of the main corridor broke through the tunnel as the Breed males rushed in and gave a war cry. The main room was filled with Bloodless either lounging or fucking—typical behavior of the lazy bastards. There were ten male rogues that filled the room, and at the Breeds’ roar, they jumped up and took fighting stances.
They stared at each other—the Breeds on one side and the rogues on the other. The room was filled with tension and anger that pulsed like a living entity. A male stood out in front of the others, the leader of the pack. He smiled the widest and had the most blood covering his mouth. He looked around and started to laugh, causing all the vampires behind him to do the same.
“Boys, it looks like we have a dance tonight.” He dragged his tongue over his lips and licked off the blood. “You just missed one hell of meal, brothers.”
Aleksei growled, causing the males next to him to do the same. “I am not you
r brother.”
“Slice his head clean off, Stefan.” The rogue held his hand up for the other Bloodless to be silent, his smile big as he stared at Aleksei. “Silence. These fine warriors are our guests. Tell me, fine warrior, did you lose something and have come here to retrieve it?”
Aleksei knew he was being goaded, and it was working. It took all his control to stay where he was and not charge them.
“I don’t blame you for wanting her back.” He licked his lips again. “I bet she tastes real good. I bet her pussy feels real good, too.”
Just as Aleksei was about rip the little fucker’s head off, a tray clattered to the floor. All heads turned to stare at the same female Aleksei saw earlier…Kasia. Her green eyes were wide and she gasped. She quickly covered her mouth and stared at a room full of fully changed vampires.
“Fuck! Kasia get out of here now!” The leader, Stefan, looked panicked to see her. She held her hands up, and that was when Aleksei formed an idea.
“Youri, step forward.” Aleksei called to one of the Breed males who had a gift, one that would be useful at this moment. He kept his eyes on Stefan as the male looked around frantically, eyes wild.
“Bring her here.” Aleksei smiled at Stefan, who bared his fangs and crouched forward.
“You don’t touch her! Kasia, stay the fuck where you are.” The female looked around, her hands in front of her like a shield.
* * * *
Kasia was in a far worse hell than she could have ever imagined. Not only were there ten of those monsters in the same room with her, but to top it off, the ones she saw in the tunnels earlier, the ones who looked like men, were no more than the same crazed monsters she lived with. She looked around frantically, wanting to listen to Stefan, but at the same time wanting to run. She despised Stefan, but he always made sure none of the other monsters touched her.
She stared at Stefan, who looked scarier than she had ever seen. As one of the men called forth someone, she whipped her head around and stared at hollow black eyes. His head was shaved to his skull, and his eyebrow was pierced. He was the same as everyone else in the room—massive body and scary eyes. He smiled down at her and held his hand out to her. She could vaguely hear Stefan issuing a command for her to leave at once, but staring into the stranger’s eyes had become paramount at the moment.
His eyes started to swirl in color, white twisting with black until she felt like she was in a dream. She could hear a male voice in her head, a voice urging her to come to him, and she was helpless to stop it. She couldn’t hear anything other than his voice in her head, and she was filled with such a peace from it. He stood in front of her and smiled down at her as she stared in a daze. She placed her hand in the warmth of his much larger one. Her eyelids grew so heavy the act of keeping them open seeming like an impossible act. She was so tired of everything that all she wanted to do was lie down and sleep.
The world went dark around her, and she welcomed it with relish. She wished she could stay in this peaceful dream forever…hoped she would never wake up.
* * * *
Aleksei smiled as Stefan became frantic when Kasia moved toward Youri. How he wished he could mesmerize like Youri could. Stefan yelled at Kasia to leave, but she was too far gone to hear. The other rogues stared at Stefan as he became a shaking mess. It was clear this one had feelings for the human female, and Aleksei planned to use it against him.
Just as Aleksei thought, Stefan charged after Youri in an unorganized way. His movements were sloppy and uncoordinated, exactly what he hoped for. The males behind him took the cue to charge forward. Metal clashed and bullets flew as Breed males came up against Bloodless males. Aleksei charged for Stefan just as he was about to wrap his hand around the female. He brought his sword down and smiled when the silver sank into Stefan’s forearm. Stefan roared and stumbled back, gripping his flesh as blood poured from the wound. He stared at Aleksei with murderous intent and stalked forward.
“You wish to take what’s mine? Never!” Stefan reached behind his back and brought his own sword down. Aleksei moved to the side, just barely missing the blade as it struck right by his thigh. Aleksei jumped up as Stefan circled him. All were engaged in the fight, and Aleksei felt the adrenaline race through his blood. Stefan laughed and lunged forward again. Their swords clanged together, and Aleksei smiled at how uncoordinated Stefan was. Stefan’s moves were predictable, sloppy in their appearance, and gave everything away.
They continued to circle each other, Stefan swinging his blade around and taking slices in the air. In Stefan’s sloppy attempt to slice at a body part, he finally succeeded in sinking the blade into Aleksei’s thigh. Stefan’s distorted laugh echoed around him, and Aleksei moved as Stefan’s blade came in for the head shot. Aleksei ducked and pushed his blade into Stefan’s stomach. The rogue’s eyes went big as he fell back, the blade never leaving as he hit the dirt ground. Aleksei twisted the blade for good measure and watched as bright red blood seeped from the wound. He brought his sword up and intended to bring it across his neck when Stefan’s words stopped him.
“You will never find her without me!”
His blade was mere inches from Stefan’s throat when his words brought him to a dead stop. “She is my Chosen! There is no place in here that I won’t be able to find her.”
“Oh, no? You wouldn’t have been able to find this place without the traitor’s help.” Stefan coughed up blood, the wound most assuredly painful but not fatal. “The female is hidden within these walls, and the black arts surround us. So I mean it when I say you won’t be able to find her without me.” He spit a mouthful of blood out and stared at Aleksei.
He weighed his options. He could either attempt to use his instincts and find Lana without the vampire’s help, or he could use him while he could and then cut his head off later. Looking around, he scanned the fallen Bloodless that littered the ground. The only ones left standing were the Breed males and Osip.
“Get up.” Aleksei’s voice held no emotion as he watched Stefan pull his body off the ground. “What do you want in return?” Aleksei knew the male wouldn’t do this for nothing, and in his head, he already knew what he would want.
“I want freedom, and I want Kasia.”
He knew he would want to be released, but he hadn’t actually thought Stefan would want to keep the human. Youri came to stand next to him, the female in his arms and passed out. Youri temporarily immobilized her, and until Aleksei gave the order to undo it, she would stay that way. Stefan growled deep and low, the sound reflecting the possessiveness he felt toward the female. If Aleksei didn’t know better, he would think the male found his Chosen.
“Is she your Chosen?”
At the question, Stefan bared his fangs and hissed. “What she is doesn’t concern you. All you need to worry about is finding your sweet little Lana.”
“You do not speak her name, or I will tear your throat out with my teeth right here.”
“No, you won’t. If you do, then you’ll never see your little Chosen.”
He rushed toward Stefan and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off his feet. “If you say her name one more time, I swear I will snap your back in half and haul you with me until you show me were she is. You can either keep your mouth shut and show me where she is, or you can keep talking and be dragged behind us with a broken back.” He leaned in so they were nose-to-nose. “So, what will it be?” He sensed the anger radiating off the male, but he kept his mouth shut and nodded. “Good. Now get up and show me where she is!”
* * * *
Just as his mouth started to descend on her lips loud voices sounded outside the room. Metal clanged together, and in that instant Lana felt that invisible hold on her vanish as his attention was drawn to the door. He let out a string of vile curses and got up so fast the chair flew backward and broke against the wall. He reached out and grabbed her, placing her body in front of his like a shield. Her back pressed tightly against his chest as his hand snaked up and gripped the side of her neck.
He tilted her head to the side, the angle awkward and uncomfortable.
The door burst open suddenly, shards of wood splintering forward and cutting her bare arms. An animalistic roar echoed throughout the room, causing everything to go eerily silent. She slowly opened her eyes, expecting to see a hundred more of those vile creatures, but what she saw shocked her and had her heart singing.
Aleksei stared at her, his breathing ragged and blood covering him—he truly was a frightening sight. He didn’t look at anything else in the room, just stared at her face with an almost pained expression. Other vampires stood behind him, all of them scary in their own right, but lacking the determination that poured out of Aleksei. Her heart skipped a beat at the realization that she was going to be saved. All of those happy thoughts were torn from her as her captor ran his finger back and forth over her neck. A deep growl shot out of Aleksei and had her eyes growing wide.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Aleksei stood in the doorway and stared at Lana, relief filling him that she was alive. Nothing else mattered at that moment, nothing even registered as he stared into her big blue eyes. His anger diffused as he stared into her face but soon came back full force when he saw the large hand stroking her neck—stroking the mark he gave her. A growl escaped his throat at the thought of a male daring to touch what was his, to be so blatant in touching his mark. His eyes snapped to the male holding her and his world truly tumbled into hell. He stumbled back as the Breed holding Lana smiled, showing elongated fangs.
“It can’t be.”
Curses and gasps sounded behind him, and he knew his warriors were just as shocked at who stood in front of them.
The Chosen: A Tale of the Blood Breed Page 18
