Page 18 of Radiant Shadows

While it had been exhausting work, I knew there was no possible way any forensics team, vampire or not, would find proof that Solomon had ever encountered us.

That didn’t ease my suspicions of why Hadrian had sent for us with such priority.

“Julian,” Piper said, bringing me back to the present. “I want out.”

“What?”

Outside of her singular comment that night after she’d killed Solomon, she hadn’t voiced any further doubts since. I’d chalked it up to her just having been spooked and that she’d gotten over it.

“I thought I wanted this,” she went on, looking down at her lap. “Eternal life, power, heightened intelligence, resources to help the world…” She shook her head. “But I don’t. I don’t believe in it anymore. I don’t want to be a monster like them. I don’t want to treat other humans the way I’ve been treated.”

I merely nodded. I didn’t know what to tell her. Hadrian would not let her go so easily. He wasn’t in the business of letting Initiates leave the program with vampire secrets, except in a coffin. But Piper wasn’t just any Initiate. She was his lead genetics researcher. He wasn’t beyond chaining her to a lab desk and force-feeding her through a tube if he had to.

She crawled across the floor to kneel in front of me, where I sat in my wooden chair, clasping her hands up in a pleading gesture. “Please get me out. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

The terror and desperation in her eyes broke my heart, and I wondered how I’d come to care about this strange woman. “There might be a way. The man you met the other night, Caesar. He runs the shifter school, and he’s been my friend for many years. I might be able to convince him to give you sanctuary. He might find your scientific skills useful.”

The despair in her gaze brightened to hope, and she suddenly took my hand with both of hers. “Yes. Yes! I would love that!”

I held up my free hand. “Hold on, it’s not that simple. I need to discuss the matter with him, and that will take time.” Especially considering that he and I were at odds at the moment. “Time we don’t have right now. I’m afraid there’s no option that doesn’t see you coming back to Heritage Prep with me.”

Her shoulders sagged, her eyes darkening again as they misted over with tears.

“I promise I will do whatever I can to ensure your safe relocation,” I vowed. “But right now, we have a jet to catch.”

***

As Hadrian glared at me across the conference table in his trophy room, I couldn’t help noticing a few new prizes mounted to the wall. The vampire leader was stroking one of them—a long black tail that I could only assume had belonged to a mao. The tail reminded me of Rainbow, who I’d left behind in Chicago. I highly doubted Hadrian would be happy to discover such a creature, and I really didn’t want to explain its origins.

“I warned you what would happen if you failed me in snatching Arya,” Hadrian said casually as if he were talking about the weather.

“As I told you on the phone, the subway station is far too dangerous to be around,” I replied, keeping my eyes on Hadrian. “Human hunters are swarming like hornets at that staircase.”

A cruel smile formed on his face. “You know, most vampires would have died trying to complete their assigned mission. But not you.” He gently tapped a finger against my chest. “Some would say that’s cowardice. But you’re no coward. You’re a survivor. You always have been.”

I wished he’d just get on with it. If Hadrian wanted to sentence me to three years of drowning, then so be it. Perhaps by then, Shea might have moved on, found the resurrection spell for Alice.

If Shea survived the next three years, that is. Hadrian had yet to confront me about her, which made me think that Solomon and the Initiate, Adam, had not reported everything back to Heritage Prep. At least, that’s what I hoped.

Hadrian chuckled, and I shuffled my feet as I returned my attention back to the vampire leader.

“To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t turn into a fugitive after I requested you return.” Hadrian placed a hand on my shoulder. “And now that you’re here, I know I shouldn’t be shocked to find you unapologetic for your failures.” His smile disappeared, and his eyes narrowed, all humor erased from his features. “I’m used to begging and pleading for mercy when my followers are unsuccessful in their missions.”

I felt no fear at Hadrian’s words. If he intended to kill me, I’d already be dead.

He removed his hand and turned his back on me as he analyzed his trophies again.

“I have spent enough time around you to know you don’t dole out second chances,” I said. “But you allowed me to return once before, and for some reason, you’re letting me return again.”

Faster than a blur, Hadrian moved. He wasn’t the typical vampire—he was an inheritor of one of the ancient sire lines, which meant his abilities were even more enhanced.

I didn’t have time to react and felt my ribs crack as Hadrian’s palm slammed into my chest. The momentum lifted me into the air and flung me across the room. I went crashing hard into one of the stone walls, knocking a few shifter body parts off in the process.

I hurt all over, but the internal pain that burned within me was excruciating. I tried to inhale, but my body refused to let me. I guessed he’d punctured a lung.

Moments later, I felt relief flood in as my body mended itself. Bones snapped back into place, and flesh restitched like water rapidly freezing into ice.

Slowly, I rolled over and got to my feet.

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