Red Awakening: (Red Knight #2) (27 page)

Liz

This force inside me has been growing, but I haven’t told a soul. It gave me the ability to find my son. To know he was in danger. Everything around me is so alive, full of a veracious earthly energy that soaks through every pour on my skin. Each new blood here. Each conspirator. Each evil traitor who goes against The Order, I sense. I look through the darkness to see my son in Selene’s arms, like my dream, but different. I know this is the only way to help him.

I am not Sang, nor Vigore. I’ve been created for this purpose only, to wield Selene’s plan. It’s as though I’m fading away, becoming an object. An incubator for a weapon of war. My mind is made. My existence in exchange for Daniel’s is the only thing that matters.

“Elizabeth,” Adrien steps in front of me. “Please.” He takes my hand in his, and a flare of emotions wash over me. “You can’t do this. I won’t let you.”

I close my eyes then look at Selene. “Give me my son. I swear, I’ll come with you.”

“Boys,” Selene calls out in a mothering tone.

I look around to see Vigore and New bloods surrounding us. There are many, and Adrien and the coven are outnumbered at least five-to-one. He can’t fight his way out of this. He can’t save me. All I want is for him and Daniel to be safe. He’s given me the most unusual soul-filled love I could have ever wished for. Now it’s my turn to call the shots.

I reach up to his face and run my fingers over his tensing jawline. His head dips as desperate deep grunts exit his mouth. He drops down onto his knees and gazes up with this rare distraught glaze over his pupils.

“We’ll find another way.” His hand squeezes mine.

I drop down to the same level, getting as close to him as I can on my knees. I can hear the coven grappling against those holding them back. I peer around as Adrien’s head falls into my chest. Nathan yanks his arms, hissing and spitting to get free. I swallow down and faintly smile at him, silently telling him that I have to do this.

“Are you crazy Liz?” he yells. “Don’t you fuckin dare look at me like that!”

I have to look away before he changes my mind with those angry puppy eyes of his. I’m doing this for my family. For Adrien.

I sweep my hands down Adrien’s neck and pull his eyes up to mine. I now realise I’m no normal vampire, as a tear trickles down over my cheek. Real vampire eyes will glass over with sadness, but true tears are so rare, they are precious. Adrien wipes it away with his thumb.

“I won’t go on without you,” he says.

“Adrien, she’s making the right decision,” Selene says. “You will have her back when I have what I need.”

“I can hear your lies, Selene,” Adrien yells. “You’re full of bullshit.”

Even I can sense the falsehood of her words. What is inside me, will kill me eventually. I’m a vessel, and if my vessel is empty, then I’m not needed. So if I am to die, I’m going to make damn sure I go, knowing what I leave behind is protected.

Another tear rolls over my eyelid as I rest my head on Adrien’s. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“No,” Adrien’s voice tremors. “No sorry. No goodbye. Nothing.” His fingers fondle the back of my neck firmly. “Because you’re not going anywhere, Elizabeth.”

“Bossy as always,” I smile and sniff. “Look at our son.” I manipulate his head to face Daniel. “He’s perfect, and he needs you.”

Selene comes to stand at our side. She lowers Daniel into Adrien’s arms. He looks down with loving eyes as Daniel grips his collar, gurgling. I smile weakly, placing my hand on Daniel’s soft, warm, baby skin.

“Elizabeth,” Selene says. “It’s time.”

“No,” Adrien snaps, his eyes turning dark with rage.

With one hand on Adrien, and the other on Daniel, I shuffle closer to them both.

“Selene said I’ll be back.” I gaze at my beautiful boys, knowing I’m giving him false hope. “I love you… Always.”

I lean and softly lie my salty tear coated lips on Adrien’s, then rise to my feet, listening to Nathan screaming at the back of me. Selene takes my arm and leads me toward a black Hummer with tinted windows.

“Wait!” Adrien gives Daniel to Ben, and races over to me.

He takes my face in his hands with a firm affectionate grip. He’s staring deep down into what soul I have left, with that ruthless look in his eyes. He has his forehead against mine, and it’s as though he has created a shield around us.

“I’m coming for you. Remember Elizabeth, you are mine, every inch of you, and I will never, not even if this earth implodes, let you come to harm.” His words cause a torrent of tears to fall. “I love you. I loved you before I met you. I love you right now where we stand. I will love you, even when all time ends.” He kisses me for the final time. A kiss that breaks my dying heart.

Selene opens the back door of the Hummer.

“Elizabeth,” she hurries me.

I quickly rip my eyes and body away from Adrien, and step inside the Hummer. Selene slams the door as I listen to Nathan yelling. I reluctantly look outside to see Adrien, my love, standing lost. Selene gets into the back with me and the Hummer rolls over the dirt track. I watch the new bloods swiftly vanish into the trees, as Nathan tries to break free of Gerrard. I turn to the front, unable to look anymore.

“You’re doing the right thing,” Selene says.

My eyes land on hers. I’m not frightened of her. I hate her. I hate what she has done to Adrien, using him all those years. Turning men into her pet project, calling them Executives.

“Why?” I ask.

She smiles at me. A superior grin I want to wipe off her face.

“You think I live in a cave, sleep upside-down hanging from the roof, or better still, in a coffin?” she asks. “No, I’m in charge of regenerating new ideas to make us better in this society. The Order is old-school… lost. When they see what I’ve done, then they’ll reap the rewards. The Voax will one day replace The Order.”

“So, you want to make babies so you can feed from them. You’re sick in the head,” I snap.

She laughs. “Oh my-my-my. Temper-temper.” Her laugh stops, sharply. “No Elizabeth, I have better things to do than drink the blood of children.”

I frown, deep. “Then why?”

“My father and his precious order are quite happy to walk this world for eternity under the radar. The fake names. The false appearances. The darkness. But I am not,” she says. “Dhampir children are special, powerful, yet more human than Pure, Sang, and Vigore. I want the same as any human, equality. Your love for Adrien is the key. Human and vampire in love. Both equals. Both accepting each other for who they are. We have as much right as any living creature, and you should understand that most of all.”

I smirk. “Living creature.”

“We have been here longer than you. So why do you believe my actions to create a freer world, are wrong?” She tilts her view on me. “You have a multi-cultural society, so why can’t we. The infertility we suffered was a sickness, and you are the cure.”

I stare undaunted, right into her sinister eyes. “First human rule: don’t fix what is not broken. You want to come out of the closet, but doing that will start a war.”

“That’s why it will be done gradually. Imagine Dhampir children brought up by real families. Walking in the sun. Going to school. Being successful. A better species, one that we vampire can walk beside.”

“So you used voodoo to turn my insides into an incubator for your project,” I snarl.

“It’s just science, Elizabeth.” She glances out of her window for a second. “Trial and error. It seems love was the key to cracking the code. I have allowed my Executives the pleasure of taking a human Red. But each Red has failed, until you came along. Your blood and body are the most fertile things on this planet right now.”

I fall into silence, watching as woodland turns into urban concrete buildings and roads. My stomach burns with a nausea. I’m disgusted she has used women in her evil scheme. God knows how many she has murdered, or those like Sara, who have been turned.

“Duncan, when we arrive at the lab, I want Vincent’s seed ready,” she says to the driver.

I whip my head around to face her, snapping my jaw shut. “Lab… Vincent’s seed. What the hell?”

“Oh Elizabeth, the couples out there willing to go to the very ends of the earth for a child are many.” She smiles, a screwed up evil bitch kind of smile. “You have been blessed, so has Adrien. But I need a more compliant Executive as my seed, and Vincent has the perfect attributes for the role, now he’s fertile from your blood.” 

“What, so you’re going to implant my eggs into human women?” I anger, a rage that takes a hold of my senses. “You’re going to kill them!”

“Some may die for the cause,” she says, unconcerned.

An icy feeling zips through my veins. It’s anger, not hot, but a cutting chill. I feel my body turning, twisting toward the darkness.

“I’ll. Kill. You,” I wheeze out.

“Calm down Elizabeth. You must control your awakening,” she warns. “You may have been gifted, but it is only temporary. The love you feel for your son is strong isn’t it? You work with me, or he will pay.”

Panting, I slump my back into the seat, digging my fingernails so hard into my thighs, blood seeps through my jeans.

“Here, put this on Elizabeth.” I turn to see Selene holding out a black cloth bag. “Over your head,” she adds.

A chemical reaction, rather similar to adrenalin, but blacker, whizzes around inside my skull. I can’t allow this evil bitch near what’s inside me. I’ve been trying to use this force to read her. But she’s Pure. Powerful. More powerful than I.

I feel the change come across my eyes. It’s like a heat and x-ray vision. I focus on the driver, Duncan’s blue aura, and spring out of my seat to claw at his throat. The Hummer swerves, as cool runny blood pours over my hands.

“Elizabeth!” Selene’s strong grip rips me away from Duncan.

Her eyes are piercing white, striking me with a fear. Her skin is greying, and her fangs are displayed.

“You have given me no choice.”

She swings her hand toward me. In it is a syringe. She plunges the needle hard into the side of my neck, just below my ear. I cringe as a burning sensation travels down my spine, replacing that cold in me.

“It won’t kill you, just make you more obedient.” She pulls out the needle.

“What… what…” I struggle to say.

“Just a cocktail of drugs aided into your system by concentrated blood serum. You better pray it doesn’t harm my harvest.” My vision spirals into a haze, as my heavy head falls forward. “You will sleep now,” Selene’s distant voice says, as the black bag is tugged down over my head.

Nathan

Sara races to me, heaving my body into her arms, desperate to touch me. But I’m way too angry to hold her back. Ben chases a group of new bloods into the woods, and Adrien is still standing on the same spot like a useless lump of meat, with Daniel in his arms. I push Sara aside, and stride to his back.

“How could you let them take her?” I prod his shoulder.

Sara quickly scoops Daniel out of Adrien’s arms, so he doesn’t witness this, and takes him inside the house.

I prod him again. “Are you fuckin listening to me!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

He takes his cell phone out of his pocket, turning his back to walk toward the house. I jog after him as he holds his iPhone to his ear. He wants to ignore me, then that’s fine. But I won’t let him ignore the fact he has just sent Liz away with Selene. Why wouldn’t he fight? So what if we were outnumbered. If you have something worth fighting for, the odds are well in your favour.

I reach out and grab his arm to pull the cell phone away from his ear, only to find myself flying ten feet in the air. I land hard, but immediately spring back up to my feet to chase after him.

“Leanna,” he says with his vamp eyes fixed on me.

I hold back. He’s up to something, and I want to know what it is.

“It’s too late,” he says. “You have Demetrius and Gwen with you?” He listens briefly. “Well you have thirty minutes. If you’re not here, tell Demetrius, I will blow up everything, and I’ll mail him Selene’s head in a goddamn box.” He hangs up and marches into the house.

Dom lies on the sofa with several empty blood bags on his chest. He’s battered and bruised, but healing quickly. He raises his hand to wave weakly at me, but I don’t wave back. I walk on, and follow Adrien into the kitchen.

Sara changes Daniel’s diaper on the kitchen table, as Adrien pulls a long holdall out from under the counter. He slams it down on the work surface, oblivious to anything around him. I push my hands down on the edge of the worktop, arching over as he unzips the bag. He pulls out a blade: solid silver with a black leather bound handle.

Ben enters, his face pale, covered with dirt and dry blood. He takes a handful of kitchen roll, wets it under the tap, and rubs the back of his neck with it. I examine his face. The blood on his skin is not his own. It’s on his hands, shirt, it’s even in his hair.

“Gerrard’s gone,” he says. “I took out a few new bloods and Vigore, but too many got away.” He looks directly at me. “Could have done with some help out there.”

“I’m not here to chase around new bloods, cleaning up your mess,” I sneer. “I’m here for Liz. The one,” I look at Adrien. “You let go. The one you turned. The one you were supposed to take care of. I should have took her hand at your wedding, and dragged her far away from you.” He’s still playing with his toy sword. Like it’s far more important than his own wife. “You are no better than Selene. You’re a…”

Before I can call him a dick, the edge of the blade is against my throat. I should be wary, but I’m not. He’s staring, biting down on those fangs of his. I however, feel strangely calm. Mr Prick needs to know the truth.

“Adrien,” Ben says. “Don’t you think this idiot is the last thing we should be worried about? Lower the blade.”

Adrien grumbles under his breath, doing as Ben asked, slamming the blade down on the worktop.

“Sara, take Daniel into the lounge please,” Adrien orders, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and finger. “I think we men need a little chat.”

Sara blows out, her apprehensive eyes falling onto me. I curl my lip a little, nodding my head to indicate I’ll be fine. I turn back to Adrien, his brow is puckered on Sara.

“You and him?” he says, like a father would at his daughter’s bad choice of boyfriend.

Sara holds Daniel on her hip and walks through the door, mumbling.

“You were right. You’ve always been right, Nathan,” Adrien says to me. “The right thing to do would have been for me to stay far away from Elizabeth. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t because regardless of what I am, the way I feel about her will always consume me. Staying away wasn’t an option. And I don’t think you understand this Nathan, but she feels the same. She is everything to me.”

I hold back a cynical smirk. “Well, how are you going to fix this?”

“I’ll get her back. I will fix this. And that is all you need to know.” His brow rises. “I need to talk to Ben alone. Do you think you can drop the immature jealousy now, and let me get the hell on with saving Elizabeth?”

He stares at me, waiting for me to refuse, or state how much I hate him. But it’s no use me blowing a fuse again. That won’t bring Liz back. He has nothing more to say to me, because the righteous asshole always knows best. I push myself off the worktop and turn my back on him.

Daniel is sleeping in his car seat next to the armchair. Dom sits up on the couch, groaning and rubbing his scruffy hair. He was pretty messed up when I saw him just ten minutes ago. Now he’s healed fully, he’s looking like his old-self again.

Sara places a blue blanket over Daniel’s legs, as Dom carries the empty blood bags he’s drank toward the kitchen. As I move closer to Sara, he tugs on my arm.

“Go easy,” he whispers. “She’s blaming herself, but there was nothing we could have done.”

The kitchen door closes behind him as I watch Sara. She’s messing; the kind of nervous messing humans do when they’re upset and anxious. I make my way to her, and take the coffee coaster out of her hand, dropping it onto the sofa behind me.

“Whatever happened, I know you would have done everything you could to stop it,” I say, lifting her chin so she looks at me. “Somethings you can’t stop. Even you Sara.”

“There were too many,” she murmurs. “I tried.”

I take her into my arms, inhaling her hair. “I know you did.”

A loud frantic knock on the front door forces me away from Sara. Adrien, Ben, and Dom march into the lounge. Adrien opens the front door wide to allow Leanna in first, then some middle age red-head, wearing shades. Now, probably one of the oldest and most feared vampires enters, Demetrius Valt, Selene’s Father.

Leanna walks by me. I reach out and grab her arm. Her fierce eyes scowl up as I bend to her face.

“You should have known Gerrard was playing you,” I hiss, my fingers digging harder into her arm. “You better hope Liz comes out of this unharmed, or you’re going to pay.”

She jerks her arm back, brushing down the sleeve of her leather jacket.

“Nathan, tread careful.” She goes to stand next to the red haired woman.

This is the first time I have ever been so close to a member of the Nemuritori, and I’m not going to sugar coat it, he makes me nervous. He’s wearing a black suit, white shirt, with a bowtie. His face is gaunt, with shadowing beneath his deep eye sockets, and under his cheekbones. His skin is thin, and the purple veins prominently pulse the black blood around his body. One pro about this walking dead character, he has this great retro hair: black and styled, with not a strand out of place. He makes no facial expression as he holds out his hand to Adrien.

“Demetrius,” Adrien greets, bending over to kiss a ruby medallion ring on Demetrius’s thumb. “Thank you for coming.”

“Leanna here told me this meeting was detrimental,” Demetrius says so low, I can barely hear. “About my Selene.”

“Yes.” Adrien takes a step back, cautious. “You don’t know where she is; what she has been doing?”

Demetrius’s creepy eyes land slowly on each and every one of us, then lower down onto Daniel. He studies the car seat with an eerie inquisitive intent. His beady view on Daniel has me on edge.

“You have a Dhampir child?” he asks.

“Yes,” Adrien says, shamefully. “The reason you are here.”

The red haired woman removes her shades to reveal her big white eyes. Not Pure blood vampire eyes, but human blind eyes. She steps closer to Demetrius, and reaches out with a shaky hand to touch his shoulder.

“The child is harmless to you, Demetrius,” she says. “It is what Selene plans to do with the mother, the one blessed with fertility, you should be concerned about.”

Demetrius spins in a blur and grips the woman’s throat. She chokes, her fingers clawing at his bony wrists.

“Witch, if I need your words, I would ask for them,” he says, tilting his head.

“Let her go Demetrius,” Adrien yells. “We may need her.”

Bit by bit, Demetrius unlocks his grip, letting her drop to the floor, spluttering. Leanna crouch’s down to help her to her feet. My eyes follow as Leanna leads her into the kitchen.

“It’s okay Gwen,” Leanna says to her.

So, she’s the witch Adrien used to foresee all this shit. Not a good one. I guess she must have had her crystal ball upside-down that day.

“I need your help Demetrius,” Adrien says as Sara subtly creeps through the room, carrying Daniel.

“Hold,” Demetrius commands. Sara freezes then slowly turns. “The child stays.”

“Let them go.” I take a step forward. “This has nothing to do with them.”

“A Vigore.” His freaky-ass eyes are on me.

“Demetrius!” Adrien calls for attention in a pissed tone. “Selene has my wife.”

“You called me here, because of some Red you married?” Demetrius stares at Adrien. “Only for me to find you have broken our codes to give her a child.” His flat tone heightens. “An abomination for our kind. If Selene is punishing her for your actions, then I have no business here. You know she is in charge.”

Demetrius turns to the door, but Adrien flits to stand before him, blocking his way. I give him this, he has balls for standing up to a Pure.

Ben and Dom position themselves a little closer, ready to fight if need be. I however, hold back, waiting to see how this unfolds.

“Executive, you think you are higher than I?”

“No, I have given The Order my all,” Adrien says, his body backed up against the door. “This is about your daughter, going behind The Orders back. Using dark arts to bring our whole society down. Selene tricked us. She used unsanctioned craft.”

“It’s true, Sir,” Ben speaks up.

Demetrius’s rigid body hunches slightly; a maternal disappointment with a rebellious child.

“She has taken Elizabeth to harvest her.” Adrien moves away from the door. “She’s going to destroy everything you and The Order have achieved. I’m sorry, but this is the Voax all over again, and Selene is running the show.”

Demetrius walks into the centre of the room, and stands deep in thought with his head down.

“Please, help me find Elizabeth,” Adrien begs. “If the other order members find out about this, we are all done… including you.”

“Is that a threat?” Demetrius’s jaw throbs, his fangs fighting to break out.

“No,” Adrien approaches him. “It’s the truth. None of us knew what she was planning, and you are responsible for giving her the freedom to do it.”

Demetrius lifts his head. “You fool. You, our most valued Executive did not see. Your role is to protect and preserve our ways. Why did you not call on The Order; explain this?”

“I am sorry,” Adrien snaps. “But I didn’t know who to trust.”

“The fault lies with you,” Demetrius paces. “You know the punishment for failure… disloyalty.”

“Yes. But now I’m begging you. You can do what you want with me, but first, help me stop Selene.”

“Oh, I will stop Selene,” Demetrius states firmly. “But I care not for what happens to your Red. She is fertile with something that could start a war between man and vampire. What is inside her, has to be destroyed.” He looks down at Daniel.

I anger with a protective fire flaming beneath my cold skin. There are many sick things I’ve seen and done since being turned. But I’m not going to stand here as he harms an innocent baby.

I march to Sara and snatch the handle of the car seat. “You touch him, then I’ll kill you.”

“A brave Vigore.” He smirks, showing his yellow teeth. “Maybe he should take your role Adrien.”

“You stay away from him,” I warn, with no fear at all.

“You can stand easy,” he says. “I’m not in the habit of murdering children. But he needs to be hidden far away, preferably for an eternity.”

My shoulders un-scrunch with a little relief, as Demetrius walks away from the car seat, almost floating back to Adrien.

“Your wife.” Demetrius comes to a stop. “If my daughter somehow removes what is inside her… she will die.”

Adrien shakes his head as I swallow down a lump of fear.

“I have to try,” Adrien utters.

“Love annihilates us all.” Demetrius turns to me. “Go bring me the witch. My daughter has become somewhat powerful at shutting me out. I need to locate her.”

I give Sara the car seat, running my finger over her hand, affectionately.

“Adrien, we must destroy everything that could put our existence at risk,” Demetrius states. “I will deal with Selene, but The Order, they must never hear of this. Do you understand me?”

I push open the kitchen door, listening to Adrien agree.