Page 80 of Deadly Alliances

It wasn’t my ursa that came out, but my harpy. Why? Was it because my ursa had been so closely under the surface that first time I’d been exposed to the gas?

I didn’t have much time to ponder, because an ear-splitting, pain-filled roar wracked the dungeon walls, and I knew it came from Tobias. Tears freely spilled down my face. The torture had begun. It was all I could do to keep myself from bursting in to come to his rescue. But this was a fight I couldn’t win. Not here in the heart of Hadrian’s dungeon with hundreds of vampires above that could be at his defense in a heartbeat.

No, I had to keep myself hidden andhearevery horrible second of it.

“Shift them back and cuff him,” Hadrian finally told his lackey after a bit more interrogation. “Also, attach the belt, the one that shoots out lead barbs whenever the wearer speaks. He’s too mouthy for my liking.” Then Hadrian sauntered down the hallway, walking at a human pace this time, no doubt so he could savor the screams as his minion tortured them further.

As he walked past my hiding place, he slowed, then paused.

I held my breath, willing my frantic heart to silence its panicked beat. Did he know I was here? Did he smell my harpy scent? Could he hear my pulse beating rapidly out of control? I was done for.

But after a moment of standing perfectly still, he lifted his foot and continued forward. I didn’t release the breath I was holding until I heard his footsteps fade down the hall and ascend the staircase, the door to the dungeon booming closed.

I got to my feet—or talons rather—and hovered in the shadows in indecision. Hadrian’s lackey was going to torture Tobias further, using some device that would once again force lead pellets into his body. I couldn’t bear the thought. Even though I couldn’t use my siren voice on Hadrian, I might be lucky enough to catch his lackey off guard and use my voice on him.

But I wasn’t ready to help them escape, yet. I had no plan. Sure, I could get them out of the cell right now, but not out of the fortress.

There was a hiss, and green vapors rolled around the corner and filled my nostrils. I welcomed the rapid shift back to my human form, though I dreaded it for Tobias and Char. At least in their dragon forms, they were more formidable. As humans, theywere completely at the vampire’s mercy.

Metal clanked, and Tobias groaned painfully.

That’s it!

I spun out of my hiding place and strode up behind the vampire with way too much hair gel. “Stop,” I ordered, my voice deep, melodious and resonating.

The vampire froze in the middle of locking the second lead cuff around Tobias’s still-free wrist.

Those were the first things that had to go.

“Remove those cuffs and slam them on the floor,” I commanded. “You will tell your master that the Dracul boy was stronger than you thought and broke them himself.”

As instructed, the vampire unshackled Tobias’s wrists and smashed the cuffs against the hard floor, breaking them beyond repair.

Tobias and Char gawked at me, their mouths hanging open.

I ignored them and kept my eyes trained on the vampire, not wanting to break my concentration. There was a strange looking object at his feet, a thick metal oval with bolts at both ends. That must be the belt Hadrian mentioned.

“Now, the belt,” I said, my voice still musical and compelling. “Break it in the most believable way possible and tell Hadrian it was already broken.”

Without hesitation, the vampire picked up the large belt and jammed his razor-like thumb nail into the edge of the control panel on the outer wall, making little sparks fly and sputter.

Satisfied with that, I commanded, “Leave and make yourself scarce until Hadrian calls for you, and only then will you reportto him.”

The vampire robotically stood up and marched down the hall and up the stairs.

The dungeon was silent after he left, and Tobias and Char continued to stare at me like I’d just turned water into wine.

“Arya,” Tobias said slowly. His arms still hung awkwardly at his sides, but I didn’t have the means to heal him, not with the little amount of light in this place.

“I’ll come back for you,” I said. “As soon as I can. Shea and I will get you both out.”

With a newfound determination, I stalked out of the dungeons to find Shea.

***

The Grand Hall was a circus of celebration. Vampires and humans were dancing about, rejoicing in the victory of Hadrian’s new status as a daywalker—the only one in existence, now that Julian’s ability had been stripped. Scattered throughout the frolic, there were vampires locked in intimate embraces with their Initiates for a twisted kind of toast. It made my stomach turn, and I wondered if I’d find Shea in the arms of one of them.

Scanning the crowd, I spotted Shea’s flowing brown hair, relieved to see that she was unaccompanied.

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