In spite of the cold, I shrugged out of my coat and kicked my boots off, then jumped under the covers, ready to act against my better judgement and get some sleep. Aidan's image appeared before my eyes. He looked worried but safe. That surely made my current predicament worth it.
Eager to get some sleep, I closed my eyes, but I couldn't stop fretting for a long time, tossing and turning as I kept asking myself the same question: how would Aidan be able to find me here?
***
Dim light seeped through the muddy window. The sun stood high on the horizon, but the morning rays were almost as chil y as the wind. The heavy blanket felt like cold iron, squeezing the air out of my lungs. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear I was in Antarctica, and penguins and polar bears would be peeking through the door any minute now. The memories of my giant, fancy room, lavender sheets and warm bedspread hit me ful force. Talk about going from riches to rags. Okay, technical y it was Aidan's riches, but stil . I wished he were here to snuggle up and keep me warm. But he wasn't. Taking a deep breath, I kicked the sheets aside.
A narrow strip of light fel on my black coat, which I had draped over the back of a chair after my arrival. I squeezed into it, buttoning it up at the front, and tried the door. It was unlocked. The girl from last night—Angel—dressed in tight jeans and a thick, cream cardigan, black hair slicked back in a ponytail, leaned against the wal . As soon as she noticed me, she smiled. "Slept wel ?" In the glaring brightness, I realised she looked barely older than fifteen.
I nodded and examined the corridor to both sides. My spirits dropped. The air smel ed stale. The passages looked al the same: grey, smooth stone everywhere with naked light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Nothing stood out. Even if Aidan managed to find this place, he'd never find his way out once he entered.
Angel fol owed my gaze. "If I were you I wouldn't try running. You wouldn't get far." She sounded factual, as if it wasn't the first time she dished out this advice.
I raised my brows. "Real y? Why's that?"
"The perimeter's heavily guarded." Hesitation crossed Angel's face. She clearly kept something to herself.
"It's not just Shadows guarding this place, is it?"
Angel shook her head, avoiding my gaze. "You got that part right. Come on. We'l get you breakfast before the meeting." I nodded, sensing she wouldn't tel me more, even if I insisted.
We passed several stone corridors until we reached an open space with whitewashed wal s, tables and chairs, and huge flower arrangements lined up along one wal . Several Shadows stopped their chatter and peered at us, brows drawn, the plates in front of them now forgotten. My stomach churned at the aroma of toast and freshly brewed coffee.
"I've saved us the best view in the house. Why don't you take a seat?" Angel pointed at a table near a high bay window with spectacular scenery of the woods below. "I'l get us breakfast."
We were hundreds of feet above ground, but how could anyone build a place like this inside a mountain? I sat down and scanned the room. Ivy grew out of the cracked sandstone wal s. Several pil ars of dark marble supported the high ceiling. A fresco painting representing a sundial hung from one of the wal s next to hip-high stone gargoyles covered in ancient symbols, pictures of battles and dragons. I realised I had been kidnapped by a civilization that had been kept secret for thousands of years. My fate was sealed. Where was Aidan when I needed him the most? Probably getting a good day's sleep in his comfortable vampire dungeon.
Angel returned carrying a breakfast tray with croissants, butter and cream, then disappeared again to get the coffee. "Hope it's what you usual y have," she said as soon as she sat down, pushing a plate across the table.
"Is this stuff safe to eat? No poison in that jel y?" I took a tentative sip of my coffee, eyeing the croissant careful y.
"Would you like to switch trays?" Angel pushed her plate toward me.
I shook my head. "No, thanks. Sorry, my nerves are on edge."
Angel took a bite of her bagel and pointed at the mountain below. "Beautiful, isn't it? Do you like it here?"
Was she kidding? "I froze al night. My back's kil ing me. I want home, and I'm scared to death. But I guess the view makes it al worth it."
"You're funny," Angel said.
Smiling, I took another sip of my coffee. "I wasn't actual y joking, but yeah, it's nice. It's very different from anything I've ever seen."
"Living with the same people loses its appeal after a while." Her voice quivered. "It's strange."
We fel silent as a tal , black-eyed guy approached to ignite a fire inside the marble fireplace. The flames started to leap greedily at the surrounding glass, gnawing at the logs. I resumed the conversation. "You don't seem happy."
Angel laughed. "What? What makes you say that? I had no one before coming here and am grateful for everything." She leaned forward and peeked over her shoulder, lowering her voice. "I know you're not like them. You're mortal."
"What's their deal?"
Angel shook her head, her huge, brown eyes fil ed with something I couldn't quite pinpoint. "I can't tel anyone. But I understand the fear you must be going through because I was in a similar situation years ago."
"You're mortal too?" I whispered, suddenly noticing the blue vein on her neck, and the freckles on her nose. She didn't have the same blemish-free skin like the others. There was no mistake: She was human.
Angel nodded. "Yes, just like you, minus the fancy abilities."
"You must've been convicted of, I don't know, robbing the local candy store. What did you get, twenty years to life?"
"I was chosen to live among them. I wasn't given an alternative because my—" Angel hesitated "—friend lives here." So, the girl hooked up with a Shadow. That was even freakier than hooking up with a vampire.
"Maybe we could break out of this joint together," I said. Even though I infused a cheerful tone into my voice, I hoped she'd take my suggestion seriously.
"You've laid eyes on a city only a handful of humans has ever seen in thousands of years. You're not going anywhere." Angel leaned forward, whispering, "I wish I could help you, but I can't let you escape." She drained the last of her cup and pointed at my untouched croissant. "You should eat up. It may take a while before anyone thinks of feeding you again."
"Even prisoners get bread and water."
"Not here. These people hardly ever eat. In a few days, they'l have forgotten you're mortal. You're stuck here with them forever."
I figured out that much, but the possibility of not seeing Dal as, my parents or Aidan again wasn't an appealing one. "I did al of this for somebody I truly care about. His name's Aidan." I felt myself blush just saying his name.
"I know al about him. Devon fil ed me in before I picked you up. Aidan must think you're a hero."
I smiled. "Or an idiot."
"So how long have you been into vampires?"
"What?" I snorted. "It's not like that. Not at al . I didn't go out one day looking for one, like some groupie. Aidan just kind of popped into my life.
And I had to screw everything up by taking the jewels and getting this stupid prize. I messed up big time."
Angel's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Was it love at first bite?"
I had a feeling I'd get that joke a lot. "He doesn't bite. Before you ask, he doesn't sleep in a coffin either. And yes, he can be a pain in the neck.
No pun intended."
Angel laughed. "You're pretty cool. I like you. I haven't been around a real mortal in years. I miss it."
"Thank you." I nodded, slightly uncomfortable. How long had the girl been living in captivity? "No one's ever said that to me before."
"Is it wicked of me to feel happy that you're here? I don't want to be alone."
I gave Angel's hand a squeeze. "No, it's not. And once rescue arrives, we'l take you with us."
Angel lowered her gaze, but she couldn't hide the scowl crossing her features. "No, you won't. I'd die if I ever left. I'd rather stay here because the Shadows aren
't what everyone makes them out to be. They're kind and generous and our queen's—" She broke off. I regarded her for a moment, searching for signs that betrayed she was lying. I didn't find any.
We finished our breakfast in silence, then got up to leave for what Angel cal ed the meeting while a tal guy started to clean our table. My heart pounded in my chest as we walked past another open space with hooded people cowered on the naked ground, murmuring the strange chants I'd heard the night before.
"Make sure you bow when you enter, and don't lift your gaze unless the elders tel you so." Angel continued her nervous chatter as she grabbed me in a hug and knocked on a door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped to the side to let me through.
Chapter 17
Aidan
The alpha dog bore his canines into my flesh, ripping through clothes and skin like knives. I bit down on the pain and pushed myself up from my cowering position, then kicked at the aggressive hound, knowing that if the alpha fled it'd unsettle the others. Under normal circumstances, they'd be no match for me, but the hounds were crazed by the scent of blood and my strength was weakened to the point where it'd take me weeks to recover. This was one fight I didn't want to have.
The snarls continued as I kicked the alpha again, this time in the gut, sending the whimpering hound flying against the wal . The others barked but kept their distance, unsure whether to attack or not. I snarled and made a dash for the warehouses, the muscles in my legs burning. With the dogs on my trail, I reached the first depot and snapped the lock off, then entered and pul ed the door shut behind me. For a moment I felt so weak I considered feeding from the hounds, but animal blood would make me sick for days. I wasn't that desperate just yet.
Wood pal ets, boxes and dusty crates lined the wal s. Computer screens whirred in the office to my right. In a few strides, I reached the far side and kicked the locked door open. An old-fashioned PC screen covered half of the smal desk. Buried beneath invoices and orders I found a phone and dial ed the mansion's landline number. It rang a few times before Clare answered.
"Where's Amber?" I roared.
"Aidan?" Clare sounded surprised. "I thought you were—"
I cut her off. "Get Amber now!"
"Sure. She's upstairs. Wait a second." Clare put down the receiver.
The dogs outside calmed down, probably forgetting about me. I knew I had to venture out eventual y to find a sleeping place for the day since I was too weak to teleport, but there were stil a few hours until sunrise. First, I'd make sure my mate was safe, guarded by the two immortals I trusted the most, and then I'd start thinking about my own wel being.
I heard static on the line. A moment later, Clare was back on. "Aidan, are you stil there?" She sounded agitated, frightened even. I knew instantly Amber was gone.
"Where is she?" I clenched my jaw, teeth gnashing.
"I've no idea. She was upstairs half an hour ago. I—" Clare's voice broke.
"I told you to watch her." Anger rose inside me. For a moment I saw Amber's injured body wandering aimlessly in the semi-darkness of the otherworld, searching for what we al wanted. Once there, she'd never find her way back. My blood raced through my veins, the wish to smash something grew stronger than my self-control.
Muffled voices echoed in the background before Kieran said, "Where are you?"
My head throbbed with rage that threatened to choke me. I had to tamp it down for my mate's sake. I blinked, pushing my anger aside. The Shadows wouldn't act in haste. Amber needed preparation and training before she could ful y use her new ability. I gathered I stil had at least a few days. But since I was forced to sleep during daylight, time wasn't my friend right now.
Cradling the phone between my shoulder and ear, I flicked through the papers until I found an invoice with an address. I compared it with the other invoices to make sure I had the right place.
"Al right, stay there," Kieran said before the line disconnected.
I put down the phone and lowered my forehead onto the desk, letting my fears take hold of me for a moment. What was the worst scenario? That the Shadows had taken Amber to their cursed place so I'd never find her. But Rebecca had found a way in, and if she could do it, then so would I.
If the Shadows hadn't broken our agreement, I'd have kept my word to lead Amber on the threshold of death, let her find the damn book and then return it to the elders. My mate was worth more than the ritual I once desperately wanted, but now I vowed to find Amber and kil one Shadow after another. The war had been going on for too long; it was time to win it.
Less than ten minutes later, the dogs barked again. The door opened and Kieran's voice cal ed out, "Hey, bro, you in here?"
"I can't believe the pests ripped my favourite purse to shreds," Clare said.
Forcing my aching body to move, I straightened and stood. "Was it the red one with the fancy sequins?" I asked. Clare nodded as she walked over. I grinned. "Cheers to that because I never liked the thing."
Clare slapped my back. "You look horrible."
"Sorry for the delay. This place didn't even show up on Google maps." Kieran shot me a crooked smile. "You should've told me about the poor puppies out there. I could've brought a few bones." His gaze wandered over my shredded clothes and dried blood, hesitating. He kept his thoughts to himself even though his expression betrayed his guilt.
I peered at the huge rip in my brother's jeans, caked blood covering his ankle. "Puppies, my butt."
"Okay, so he got the upper hand, but only for a few seconds," Kieran said.
"A few seconds?" Clare laughed. "You two were battling it out like sumo wrestlers. I didn't know who wanted the championship belt more, you or him."
"It wasn't wrestling, Clare. He surprised me. Just attacked my ankle out of nowhere and I lost my balance."
"Either that, or you two were making out. I swear I saw lots of tongue." She nodded at me, guilt glinting in her eyes. Their teasing was just a means to cheer me up.
"I could've easily smashed the poor pup into smithereens if I wanted to," Kieran said. "But I'm not like that. You know I have a special touch with animals."
Clare winked. "You sure do."
Kieran turned to me. "Point is, the pup bit my ankle before I made friends with him. Maybe I deserved it for screwing up big time. I'm so sorry, bro."
"We both are," Clare said, grabbing my hands.
"We'l talk about this later," I said. "Given how much you've always wanted a pet, I'm glad you enjoyed your cuddle, bro."
Kieran laughed. "You look like you had your fair share of those, too. Had fun with the succubi?"
"Save the wise cracks for home." Clare elbowed him in the ribs, regarding me. "I was worried sick about you."
Kieran placed an arm over my shoulder and squeezed. "Ready for the ride of your life?" Without a warning, he teleported. The next moment, we were in my library. Kieran let go and dropped onto the sofa, crossing his long legs, a smile playing on his lips.
"What's so funny?" My head reeled, bile rose in my throat. Teleporting wasn't my favourite means of transportation anyway, but weakened from the lack of blood I abhorred its side effects even more because they played havoc with my body.
"I've never seen you so wound up because of a girl, that's al ," Kieran said. "It's hilarious to watch you make a fool of yourself."
"I'm not wound up," I roared. I wasn't, was I?
"Whoa, take it easy, bro." Kieran smirked. "How much can a mortal handle anyway? Maybe she's had enough of the whole vampire stuff. I wouldn't blame her."
Clare nodded. "Maybe she's with her family. Let's face it. We drink blood. We sleep during the day. We're dead. And worst of al —we're dysfunctional."
"Not to mention she was almost kidnapped by a Shadow," Kieran said. "I bet she's total y freaked out and headed straight for the border."
"She doesn't know she's not safe out there with that big target on her back," Clare said.
They didn't see Amber like I did. She wouldn't just disappear. I
shook my head. "No, you don't understand. I'm positive the Shadows have her because they hinted at it."
Clare sat up, interested. "Start from the beginning. How did you get away from Layla?"
I recal ed my escape with the Shadows' help. "Devon had a smug look on his face when he told me I had Amber to thank for the jail break. She made some kind of deal behind your back."
"You think Amber made a deal with them? That's impossible." Kieran shot me a disbelieving look.
"I'm truly sorry," Clare said. "We were working so hard on a plan to rescue you because you know I'm not keen on mourning and wearing black.
It just doesn't suit me. But I swear I'l fix this. I'm cal ing Cass." She walked to the door, then turned. "Did you get her the ambassador position?" At my nod she left. At least some of us got what they wanted. I snorted and rubbed a hand over my face.
"Clare's right. We didn't mean to let Amber slip away," Kieran said. "We were so focused on you. If anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."
"I know that." My voice betrayed my irritation. It wasn't addressed toward my brother but toward myself. I should've locked Amber in her room when I had the chance.
Kieran didn't seem to hear me. "I was crazy with grief, man. I couldn't think straight. I couldn't imagine living the next mil ennium without you.
Who'd keep me in line? Who'd tel me to stop driving like a maniac?"
I smiled as Kieran jumped up from the sofa and grabbed me in a brief, awkward hug. "You have a good heart, even if it doesn't beat," I said.
"Okay, you can let go."
Kieran laughed and pushed me out the door. "Go take a shower. You look like crap, and smel even worse."
How could I indulge in the luxury of hot water when I didn't know what happened to Amber? She might be cold or hurt, my life-long enemies savouring the pain they could inflict on me by harming her.
"If your mate were hurt, you'd know it. You'd feel it," Kieran said. "Go on, take a shower, or I might end up pouring a bucket of water over your head."
Kieran was right. With a sigh, I retreated to the privacy of my bathroom and peeled off my torn clothes. In the bright light the wounds looked worse than I thought. They'd heal in a few days, but not if I didn't feed. Like on cue, a sudden pang of hunger washed over me, but I decided my immediate needs would have to wait, at least until I had scrubbed myself clean.