What was the truth of this situation? Why was she here? What had gotten her here? Why was she trapped in a way that prevented her from helping either her son or the man she loved?
From the time of her husband’s and daughter’s deaths, grief had dominated her life, a pain so deep that for a long time, until she’d been contacted with news that Josh was alive, she’d felt nothing but a numbing pain without end. She had lived that pain and it had ridden her hard, for months turned to years.
Meeting Adrien had been like setting a lit match to a gasoline-soaked bonfire of sexual and emotional need. Her relationship with him had simply exploded until now that bonfire burned in her heart.
She loved him, a new love born out of this impossible situation.
Grief was still with her and she knew, in her heart of hearts, that she would grieve for those she’d lost until she drew her last breath.
But the chains had birthed something new in her. She’d come alive in the course of the past few nights, alive in ways never before imagined, bursting with strength and passion, and the awareness that she was bound to a vampire in a way that gave her unexpected powers and the ability to live in a secret vampire world.
In a sudden revelation, she understood the lesson of the chains, of her bondage to Adrien, of what they’d become over the past three nights: Their real power came from working together, back and forth, functioning as a team.
But in what way could she work with him now?
She glanced down at the double-chain wrapped around her wrist and began to loosen and unfurl it until it hung in a long loop from her hand. Time seemed to slow. The double-chain, once she put it on, would mean a final commitment to Adrien, to being with him forever, inseparable. There would be no way to remove this chain, to leave Adrien behind, and she’d never be able to return to the human world in any normal sense.
Yet as she stared at the chain and heard the crowd as through a fog calling for her death, she knew this was where she wanted to be, with Adrien, nothing held back. From her right, she saw a manacle lifted in her direction as the guard prepared to bind her and secure her to the granite table.
In a swift move she flipped the double-chain over her head and felt it fall around her neck, as the guard seized her wrist and secured her with the heavy wrought iron.
Immediately the chain began to vibrate. Power swirled around her.
“Lily, what have you done?”
She met Adrien’s gaze and smiled. What I should have done the moment Gabriel gave me the chain.
But you’ll be bound to me permanently.
She smiled. I don’t want to be anywhere else.
In that moment she opened her heart to Adrien as she never had before. She let all her grief go as she focused her thoughts on him, letting her love flow in his direction, letting him know that she loved him more than life itself.
All this she sent through the chains that bound them.
* * *
Adrien shifted as best he could so that he could see Lily, to watch her as the double-chain came to life between them, a sealing of their fates together, now and forever.
But mostly he felt her love, her eyes glowing with emotion, with all that she felt for him. It meant more to him than words could ever express that she would have donned a chain that bound her to him. Even if this was to be the last moment of his life, and hers, that she had done this thing filled his heart with joy.
“I love you,” she called to him. “And I always will.”
“I love you, too.”
“Silence,” Daniel shouted.
Adrien felt the weight of the chains on his body, chains he had known ever since he could remember, maybe even since birth. Yes, he’d been born in chains and lived chained up, whether mentally or more recently chained in a cavern and tortured with whips and clubs.
Now he felt the chains again, so heavy that they pressed into his soul and mired him in the moment, sank him deep. He couldn’t believe he was here again, knowing not only that he would die soon, but that the woman he had come to love over the past several days would also die—along with the boy she’d given birth to ten years ago, her beloved son, the remnant of her family.
Adrien turned to look at his sire, at the man who had spawned him, who had given him life, standing in his arrogance beside the boy.
Daniel looked back, his eyes glittering, his desire to inflict pain rising once more.
Adrien knew that look well.
Pain always followed.
He closed his eyes, unwilling to let Daniel feed off his suffering and pain. Instead, he focused on Lily and her love, and on the chains vibrating powerfully at his neck. He opened himself to experiencing what she felt right now. What came to him was her love, that she found him worthy and noble, that in this moment nothing else mattered. He felt her strength as well, that despite the horror of the Pit she could reach out to him, willing him to know that she loved him, though she would soon die.
That love, which she gave so easily, which was just who she was, began to move through his soul like a healing river.
For the first time in his life, he let his rage go, all that horrible anger that had lived in him like a festering wound.
He allowed other feelings in, the better ones, the ones he’d learned from those vampires who lived in close-knit communities, like Alfonse and Giselle, and more recently from Lily, about love, about forgiveness, about opening his heart to another person and trusting that good things would follow.
Rage was all he had ever really known, a profound rage born at his birth and built with the fuel of every evil deed Daniel had committed against him and against his brothers.
Yes, he let that go, all of it, let it drain out of his body like the poison it was. He saw it sinking deeper and deeper into the granite altar he was chained to, deeper and deeper. He let love wash through him, a cleansing force that built a new strength in his body, fired his muscles as it cleansed his mind and soul.
The part of him that was now an Ancestral vampire responded, adding a new layer of power and intention. Light shone in his mind, another purifying force that wiped the slate clean, that took all his hatred, all his anger, and transformed it into … purpose.
That was what he felt, an intense, searing purpose.
And his purpose in this moment was simple: to save the one he loved and the one she loved.
Power flowed into his muscles, new power, Ancestral power. But there was something more, and this was Lily’s gift to him as the added power of her double-chain ripped through him. The base of the granite table began to vibrate—then the whole structure started to rise into the air.
“What the hell is this?” Daniel cried out. “You there! Guards! Secure that table.”
Guards surrounded Adrien, hands on the table, forcing it back to the stone floor.
“Let the executions commence,” Daniel shouted. “And begin with Adrien, the one who betrayed me repeatedly, his own flesh and blood.”
Adrien smiled because now he understood that his father feared him, feared what he could do to him, what he was becoming. He would never have ordered Adrien’s death first, not when he could have inflicted more suffering by killing Lily or even Josh first.
Father, he telepathed, pushing into Daniel’s head. Shall we find out what you’ve really created in me?
Did he hear shrieking in Daniel’s mind?
“Use the blade and take his head! Now!”
Adrien opened his eyes and embraced all that his life was, including all that Daniel had given him as his father.
Adrien saw the sharp edges of the blade rise high above his head, the executioner’s hand steady, the man ready to obey Daniel.
But as the blade fell, Adrien lifted his fingers, focused his power, then released. A stream of energy flowed down his shoulder, through his arm, and outward in a powerful thrust from his hand. The blade flew from the executioner’s grasp, sweeping in a high arc that took it out of the Pit and beyond the surrounding seats.
Cries from the spectators flooded the arena.
He focused the same power within his body: his chest, arms, and legs. He flexed his muscles and one by one the wrought-iron links snapped and the manacles on his wrists and legs fell away. He heard the whirring of a long battle chain ready to strike. A guard came at him swiftly, the chain spinning. He reached in and plucked the chain away from the guard. At almost the same second, he flipped the chain toward two other guards. The chain wrapped around both necks and bound them.
The remaining guards backed up.
Adrien moved in Daniel’s direction, but he called out, “Kill the woman and child! On pain of death, do as I say!” He threw Josh in the direction of the guards. His words carried enthrallment power, and once more the guards, now glassy-eyed, moved to obey.
Adrien had a decision to make. He could go after Daniel right now and slay him, removing the scourge of his life from his world for all time. But if he did both Lily and Josh would die.
Or he could save Lily and her son.
But he couldn’t do both.
There was no real choice to make. In the same way Lily had refused to turn the weapon over to Daniel, Adrien refused to follow Daniel and take his vengeance.
As Daniel switched to altered flight and vanished, Quill and Lev following in his wake, the blades descended on Lily and Josh.
Adrien split into his two selves and with the greater power and speed of his Ancestral status, he destroyed the guards in quick succession, flinging the killing blades away, breaking bones, snapping necks until he was alone in the Pit with the woman he loved and her son. He re-formed quickly.
The assembly of Ancestrals broke into an uproar of shouting, at least those who either believed Adrien and Lily guilty or served Daniel. But Adrien also heard a lot of cheering as he broke Lily’s manacles.
He knew that even as he released Lily’s chains, some of the guards would return to do their duty. He had to get out of the Pit and get away now.
He took Josh in one arm and Lily in the next.
With the barest thought, he set them flying with his greatest speed ever, to his most secure residence in South Africa.
Within seconds, he stood in the living room, his astonished housekeeper staring at him as he held Josh and Lily in a tight embrace, mother and son weeping, the son finally enfolded within his mother’s arms.
CHAPTER 16
Lily led her son to the couch in the living room, then sat down and took him into her arms once more. Adrien moved into the hallway and she heard him on the phone talking to Gabriel and making arrangements to add to the security of the South African system.
She could be at ease now, at least where their safety was concerned, so she turned all her attention to her son.
She tried not to weep, but her tears escaped anyway, and she felt Josh’s emotions give way at the same time. For the next hour she let herself grieve and let Josh do the same, until finally they were both spent.
She reminded herself that this would be a long road, especially for Josh, so she reined in her emotions and focused on him, on what she felt coming from him, on what he was feeling.
There was a kind of blankness, almost an emptiness, as though the years of separation had robbed him of part of his personality, of who he was. And why wouldn’t they have?
At last he drew back and looked at her, his large hazel eyes a mirror of her own, but his nose and strong jawline like his father’s. “You were gone so long, Mom. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“Two years, sweetheart. But during most of that time, I didn’t know what happened to you. I didn’t even know you were alive.”
“You weren’t there, the night they came.”
“I was visiting my sister, your aunt, in Oregon when it happened. Do you remember? Can you tell me?” She wasn’t sure if the questions and timing were even appropriate, but she had to ask, had to know what he remembered so that she could help him.
He nodded. “The vampires came. I heard screaming.”
“From inside the house?”
“And from other houses. The next thing I knew, the vampires were in my room. One of them said, ‘Is this the one?’ The other nodded. They took me away. When I asked about Dad and Jessie, Mr. Kiernan said they were dead. He said you were alive, though, and that one day, if I was very good, I’d get to see you again. I tried to be good. I did. I guess I was good enough because here you are.”
“Oh, Josh.” She drew in another deep and much-needed breath. “Did you cry?”
“Yes,” he said slowly. “A lot at first. I don’t cry much anymore, except tonight, with you.”
He seemed so serious and maybe a thousand years old as he looked at her. “Did you cry, Mom?”
Tears filled her eyes. “Yes. Often. Every night for months and months. Oh, Josh, I can’t believe you’re here and I’m trying not to cry all over again.”
He put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m here, Mom. And I’m not going away. I’m here.”
Oh, God, her son was comforting her when she should be comforting him. She turned more fully toward him, so that she could pull her boy back into her arms. She held him for a long, long time, his thin arms holding her as well.
When Adrien appeared in the doorway, his expression solemn, she shifted to telepathy. Will Daniel come for us? Are we safe here? She had her son back and didn’t want to lose him again.
Daniel doesn’t matter now. He may come after us and if we have to, we’ll go into hiding as several of the Ancestrals have done. But Lily, I promise you, I’ll do whatever I need to do to protect you both.
Josh’s gaze shifted to look at Adrien as well. “Is this your home?”
Adrien nodded. “And yours and your mother’s as long as you need.”
Josh looked back at Lily. “I had someone with me, Mom, someone who took care of me. I think she might be in trouble, too.”
Lily smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “Tell us.”
“Her name is Claire. Mr. Kiernan called her my caregiver and she helped me a lot. We lived in a small house at the back of Mr. Kiernan’s property. I just hope she got away okay.”
“What do you mean?”
“She said she was going after a vampire named Lucian. She told me to be brave, then she left the house. I heard the dogs go after her, but I think she got away. She said she was going all the way to India to find this vampire.”
Lily stared at Adrien once more. Adrien opened his hands and shook his head. I have no idea what this means.
Josh put his finger on Lily’s single-chain beneath the double one. “Claire had a chain like this. She was wearing it when she left.”
“You mean it looked just like this one?” Lily held it up and Josh peered closely, examining it.
“Just like it. She said she got it from Mr. Kiernan’s safe.”
Lily’s brows rose. “Then she must be one clever young woman.”
“She is,” Josh said, smiling. “She’s a lot like you, Mom. You’d like her.”
“Oh, I have no doubt of that. She took care of you. For that, I owe her everything.”
He glanced at Adrien. “Do you think you could help her? I saw what you did when they tried to kill you. Claire told me a lot of things about vampires because she said she’s been around them for years. You have a lot of power. Could you help her?”
Adrien nodded. “I think I know where’s she’s headed. You see, Lucian, the one she’s after, is my brother.”
Josh’s eyes brightened. “He is? Then you can help her.”
“I’ll do what I can. I have powerful friends who can go to India and watch for her.”
Josh released a deep breath. “That would be great. I’m really worried.”
“I can see that.”
Lily understood then that her son had formed a critical bond with Claire, another mother–son relationship. She gave his shoulder another squeeze. “We’ll both do what we can to see that she’s watched over, to find out what happened to her.”
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Tears filled his eyes. “Good.” He pressed his fingers to his eyelids. “She took care of me.”
“I know.”
Lily had to work all over again not to become enraged by all these circumstances that had brought so much pain into her son’s life. But once more, she took her emotions in hand. She could give vent to her feelings about the situation later. Right now, however, Josh needed her just to be his mother, to be there for him, to make him her priority for as long as needed.
She remained quiet, therefore, and let him deal with what he was feeling, in whatever way was necessary. That he wept again, this time probably for having lost Claire, didn’t surprise her.
After at least another hour, with Josh leaning against her shoulder, he said, “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“I can’t, either, but somehow we made it, and now you’re here, too.”
Josh sat up, pulling away from her as he looked around. “What is this place? This must be one of the cavern systems that Claire told me about. It is, isn’t it?” He shifted toward Adrien.
“Yes, in South Africa.”
Josh nodded. “I’d like to know more about your world.” How old he sounded, but then he’d lived a lifetime and if anyone understood what that was like it was Adrien.
Lily watched as Adrien pulled up an ottoman and sat down in front of her son, answering question after question, anything Josh wanted to know, leaving very little out. Josh often referred to Claire and all that she’d done for him and told him during his time at Kiernan’s home.
One day she’d want to thank the woman for what she’d done for Josh, because it seemed to Lily that single-handedly Claire had saved her son.
When Josh’s questions finally stopped, at least for now, Adrien had his housekeeper prepare a light meal of one of her fine soups and homemade breads.
Lily ate as well, as did Adrien since it seemed to them both that otherwise Josh wouldn’t have eaten. The housekeeper had prepared him a room, and when Josh’s eyelids grew heavy and he was weaving in his seat at the dining table, Lily finally agreed it was time for bed.
But she hated to let him go. Now that she had him back, she didn’t want him out of her sight. She tucked him in and sat in the chair next to his bed until he was sound asleep. She would have stayed there as well, but she needed to be with Adrien as well, to talk everything over with him and plan their next steps.