Page 50 of Deadly Alliances

“But the Dracul’s are nobodies, aren’t they? Just haughty dragons who think they’re better than the other shifters.” He aimed a smirk at the blue light.

Was he trying to start some mutiny?Did he have any idea about the Dracul’s at all? Sure, I abhorred the deference I often received for being a Dracul, but we’d been instrumental in the defense of shifters for centuries. Was Hadrian trying to drag the name through the mud?

“Dracul Royaltyis a delusion. You aren’troyalty.” He paused for effect. “You’re all nothing more than a bunch of fire-breathing lizards.”

I arched a bored eyebrow at him. Was I supposed to be offended?

Hadrian stared at me for a handful of seconds but didn’t allow emotion to give away his thoughts.

“Do the other shifters realize that they’ve allowed the Dracul’s to throw their name around as if they’regodsfor long enough? Someday I hope they wizen up and realize that they don’t need the likes of Arthur Dracul dictating them.”

I refused to comment on that. I could see what Hadrian was trying to do, and most of it had nothing to do with me other than being a Dracul myself and the son of Arthur. But Hadrian clearly didn’t know I hated being treated like royalty. He was poking at a family pride that wasn’t there.

He stared at me again, as if searching for the right buttons to push. And I couldn’t help but smirk at his frustration over failing.

With clenched teeth, he leaned forward and gripped my good hand. “I will make an example of you,prince,” he promised menacingly. Then, in one swift motion, he snapped my other arm.

A shriek of pain forced its way up my throat, and I doubled over, causing Char to lurch toward me before realizing what she’d done—reminding Hadrian that she existed at all.

Hadrian gave her one knowing glance before turning back to his blue light. “I assure you my friends, I will make an example of thispretender. Many of you remember the actions of Vlad, and you will finally get your revenge.” Without taking a breath, but shifting his expression to one of malice, he continued. “And to the shifters… I would advise you to surrender now. You have lost.”

The blue light blinked off. And I blacked out.

Chapter 19

Arya

I continued to stare at the TV screen in Alex’s room for several minutes after the broadcast ended. The same terror I’d felt on my first day here welled inside me again, threatening to overflow.

The booms and blasts had startled me awake, and when I saw my walls melting, I thought for sure that I was still sleeping, stuck in the thrall of some terrible nightmare. Even when my door flew open and I watched that vampire sizzle to death, the unholy stench of undead flesh burning, I willed myself to wake up, huddled in a ball beside my bed.

Then the man in my room turned around, and it was Tobias, battered and bleeding and looking like some kind of warrior god in the beautiful sunlight, and though my eyes couldn’t believe it, my heart knew: it wasn’t a dream.

But I’d realized too late, and now Hadrian had him locked up in the dungeon with the dragon girl he’d come here with—to save me.

After watching Hadrian’s video stunt, I shuddered to think of what Tobias was going through down there. Why wouldn’t they just shift and fight their way out? Tobias could use his invisibility trick and get out without detection. Hell, why hadn’t he just shifted in my room and escaped while he still had the chance?

But I already knew why. He’d come for me, and he would never have left without me.

And the terrible truth was…I wasn’t sure I would’ve gone withhim. After spending the last week in this castle, I’d come to believe that I was meant to do something here. Alex needed me. And maybe I could change things for the better for everyone.

“Arya?”

I turned to Alex, only just realizing he’d been talking to me. “Huh?”

He sighed, the gesture seeming adorable coming from him. “I was saying you can stay with me until Father gets you a new room.” He cocked his head at me curiously. “Are you okay?”

I chewed on my lip for a moment, finally finding the courage to do what I’d been aching to since the capture.

“Yeah, there’s just something I have to do.” I pushed away from the table and stood up. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

He shrugged, and I hurried to the door and out into the hall. This floor was largely untouched, and whatever holes had opened up in the walls were now mostly covered by thick black tarps, save for small slivers of sunlight that snuck in.

My guards were waiting outside as always. I pulled an Alex and raced ahead of them down the stairs, hopping in the elevator and forcing the doors closed, descending before they had a chance to catch up. That should buy me some time.

When I reached the lobby, a shockingly familiar face made me freeze just past the elevator doors. Shea, being escorted by one of the Initiate organizers. I wasn’t sure whether to be excited or angry to see her. I hadn’t forgotten the dirty little secret she’d been keeping from me, though I guess I understood why, if I was being honest. If I was sleeping with my friend’s teacher, I probably wouldn’t have told her either.

But seriously, what the hell was she doing here? And helpingHadrian?

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