Page 96 of Deadly Alliances

Kendall yawned loudly, turned around, and climbed into his bed. I watched with remorse as he quickly settled into slumber.

I could’ve done to him what I did to Alex. I could’ve forced him to come with me. But I hated doing that to Alex as it was. No one should be forced to do anything against their will. Kendall was old enough to make his own choices, and he chose to stay with Hadrian. I had to accept that this was goodbye.

I cracked open his door to look into the hall, and after making sure it was empty, I crept out and quickly ascended the stairs. I peeked out the entrance of the Initiate quarters into the lobby. To my immense gratitude, the space was empty as well. All I had to do was get across the room without being seen and pass through the kitchen to the servant’s door, and then I was home free.

I slunk into the lobby and darted across the lobby toward the kitchen.

“Begin working on this right away.” The sound of Hadrian’s voice made me freeze on the spot, panic momentarily seizing my muscles.

I cautiously looked over my shoulder, and my body relaxed when I saw the lobby was still empty behind me. My sweeping gaze fell on the door of Hadrian’s office, which was left slightly open. He’d never let me go in there, and damn if curiosity wasn’t burning inside me to see what he was hiding.

No, I just need to get to my room. Who cares what he’s got in there. It doesn’t matter anymore.

“I’m surprised Arya gave it to you so quickly,” said a voice I didn’t recognize. “I really thought it would’ve taken her more time to come around to our way of thinking.”

The mention of my name emblazoned my curiosity to a fever pitch.Ah, dammit!

I tiptoed backward and hovered behind the door, daring to steal a glimpse through the small gap in the door—and instantly pressing my hand over my mouth to stifle my gasp of horror.

The adjacent wall was adorned with plaques and racks of various, well-preserved shifter body parts. A pair of harpy wings, a naga tail, dragon claws. This was worse than I could’ve ever imagined!

Hadrian was truly diabolical. These were pieces of actual people, and Hadrian had stuffed them and lacquered them like they were kills from hunts. Tears spilled down my face as I could practically see the ghost of the person still attached to every appendage. A sweet young harpy girl, hanging dead from her racked wings. The dragon claws conjured images of Tobias’sface. Is this what Hadrian planned to do with him when he was done torturing him?

My heart swelled with sorrow, slitting in a million places and seeping blood for the pain these poor creatures must have suffered. What kind of monster could not only do something so horrible but then enjoy sitting amongst these reminders of those acts every day? It was beyond deplorable.

I’d seen enough. I wanted to go back to my room and try to remove these images that were undoubtedly carved into my mind for all time.

“In fact, she did not give it willingly,” Hadrian said with a sigh, and I remembered the reason I’d been drawn here in the first place. I closed my eyes and just listened. “Despite all the goodwill I’ve showered upon her, she remains loyal to the shifters. She’s very strong-willed, just like her mother. She needs to be broken, but that will take time—too much time. I took it from her this evening after she confessed to visiting the Dracul boy without my consent. She doesn’t even know I did it.”

Cracking open my eyelids, I glanced down at my arm, rubbing at the mound that I’d assumed was a bug bite. Now that I knew better, I saw it for what it was, saw the little pinprick that was just the size of the tip of a needle.

Omigod.Violation rotted through my insides, making me nauseous and disgustingly chilled. He’d taken my blood without my consent, without me even knowing.

“How long until you can create a serum from her blood?” Hadrian asked.

“Give my team a day. Maybe two. But you’ll have it, I promise. And you’ll be the world’s first hybrid.”

“I made the right choice turning you, Adam. You’re invaluable toour cause.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Footsteps grew louder on the other side of the door, and I spurred into action, rushing on swift feet into the kitchen. I didn’t so much as look back or slow down until I was through the small corridor and safely inside the elevator.

My stomach twisted with disgust, fury, and panic. Hadrian had the one thing he wanted most: my blood. And once his lackeys converted it into a serum, he’d become a hybrid. He wouldn’t need me anymore, and there’d be no reason for him to maintain his fatherly facade.

The escape had to go perfectly tomorrow. If it didn’t—and maybe even if it did—we were all doomed.

Chapter 36

Ashlyn

I was in the middle of a hot and heavy dream about having Niko to myself in our secret spot in the library when a hand shook my shoulder. I snorted to consciousness, finding myself at my desk in History of Warfare with Miss Blake scowling over me.

“Huh?” I asked, blinking myself into further awareness.

“You’re being called to Director Dracul’s office,” she informed me in a clipped tone.

DirectorDracul. How ludicrous.

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