71LUCIEN’S POVI stood there breathing heavily, fingers dipping with Monica’s blood, staring at her lifeless body. There was nothing more I could do. She was gone and nothing I did would bring her back. I had killed her and she had deserved it. Adria’s death was all on her, and so she had to die, and she had.I trudged lifelessly to Adria who was laying on the ground, bleeding uncontrollably. Tears filled my eyes as I knelt and touched her. She was cold, and my heart ached. Killing Monica had not been enough, it had not been enough to quench the burning feeling inside of me. Everything had suddenly seemed like a waste. Why hadn’t I thought of trailing Monica?“Mummy…” A faint voice whispered, and my head whipped all around, wondering if someone had seen what had happened. “Mum.” The voice whispered breathily and in shock I realized it was from Adria. She wasn’t dead!“Adria!” I called as I picked her up into my arms. Her lids fluttered open slowly and weakly and I held her close to m
72ADRIA’S POVI didn’t know if that was what dying felt like but I did know that it was peaceful and at that moment, dying didn’t seem so bad. I had seen everyone. My mum, Lucien, my best friends and Monica was dead and I hated the feeling that made me feel I was going to be weak forever.Just when I let go completely something burning hot was poured through my lips. It was so hot that it spread around my tongue with an intense, burning heat and traveled down my throat spreading the heat there.My eyes flew open and I started to cough hard. I saw my mummy with one of her little herb bottles in her hand, staring at me with the definition of worry on her face. She dropped the bottle hastily and placed both hands on my cheeks.“You are not going anywhere! You will survive this. You weren’t found just so you could die on me! So, listen up Adria. You will go through it all. You will come out victorious, do you hear me? You’re not allowed to die.” She said, holding my cheeks tight and I wa
73LUCIEN’S POVI sat at my dining table staring into blank space. For days on end, after my classes, I had become someone who was buried deep in thoughts. The events of the last few days were just so haunting and I couldn’t get rid of the no matter how I tried. Adria laying there alone was one of the major cause of my distress. Zayne, on the other hand, was preparing to leave and as I saw him prepare, it suddenly made me feel I was going to be all alone. He hadn’t spent much time with me but I couldn’t help feeling my house would not be the same.I had found Adria but was plunged with deep sadness. A lot of things had happened to her with Monica and nothing I could do would change that. The memories would get stuck in her brain.As each day passed, Adria seemed to be getting worse. She had a lot of bones peeking out and her lips were always pale and cracked. Her eyes seemed deep-rooted in their sockets and her voice grew fainter and weaker by the day.I could see that she was going.
74LUCIEN’S POVI was stunned to the core. Adria was a… My hand which was about to stroke her cheek, went down slowly. How had I not seen the evident signs? How had I been so oblivious to them? Her pale skin was akin to a vampires, her bony structure… it was all because her body had been fighting with the vampire in her.Her sickness, the dreams she told me she had been having. Her vampire had awakened and was trying to take over. I couldn’t believe it. Adria a vampire? My mate?It meant Monica’s bite had triggered everything. I blinked helplessly as I watched her scream and jerk on the bed.“Adria…” her mum called, already with another herbal mix but the little ceramic dish fell to the floor spilling the mixture and shattering into pieces as she saw Adria’s eyes which were a bloodshot red. Her hands flew to her mouth and she looked at me.“You must leave.” She said hastily as she bent to move closer to Adria but Adria lunged for her, willing to harm her for coming close but I stopped
75LUCIEN’S POVAs much as I loved Adria, I knew it would not be accepted. Our love was forbidden. How could Adria have been a vampire? It was very evident that she was a pure breed vampire because there were no punctures on her skin, and she had been too strong for a human turned vampire.Why had the moon goddess given me a vampire as a mate? Getting a human was acceptable, but a vampire? What was I to do? Vampires were sworn enemies of the wolves. There was no future for them both.I lamented about the whole thing as I walked back to my house. I didn’t even take a cab because I needed to think. Adria herself wasn’t aware because if she was, I’d have been able to tell because she’d be uncomfortable with me saying stuff about vampires and wolves being the worst enemies to each other.Why did it have to be when we’d gone too far that this discovery was made? I had fallen too deep—too deep, to start to wonder how I’d redeem myself.On my front porch, I sat and dialed Zayne’s number. He
76ADRIA’S POVI couldn’t have heard my mother right, and I had to stare into blank space to try to process everything, and thankfully, she didn’t say a word. She gave me time to think. My heart pounded in my chest as I couldn’t bring myself to believe what she had said.Even though I knew I had fought with Lucien the other day and something in me had wanted to bite his neck and taste his blood, I couldn’t bring myself to believe I was a vampire of all creatures.A vampire? A vampire? No, that couldn’t be. All my life, I had seen blood, come into contact with blood, even tasted it. When I was younger, anytime a friend got a cut on their finger, I always put it into my mouth to stop the blood from pooling out, and it had never tasted sweet nor had I ever longed for it.“The vampire side of you was stirred recently. A shocking exposure to the reality of supernatural beings.” I heard my mum say, and I couldn’t help think of when Monica had washed the blood of the rats before feeding it t
77ADRIA’S POVI couldn’t believe what she had just said. Lucien not returning to see me when I was better didn’t look good.If they were still on good terms, then wouldn’t he be most happy to see me while I was healthy? Why would he tell my mother he’d stop coming once I was better?“And what did you tell him, mum?” I asked, frantically with wide eyes, and she sighed deeply.“I asked him why, and he told me I knew the reason.” She replied and I furrowed my brows.“You know the reason?” I asked her, and she gave another deep sigh.“I know Lucien is a wolf.”“What? How… how did you know that?” I was shocked. How had my mother known what Lucien was? I never let it slip, and I doubted Lucien showed her what he was.“At first, I didn’t know, but there was a day I had to make a potion that involved wolfsbane, and I ran into him on the road. My bag of wolfsbane fell, and he helped pick it up. He showed reactions to the wolfsbane and handed it to me quickly like he knew what would happen if
78ADRIA’S POVMy mouth fell as I stared at Stacy in shock. I had wanted to tell her. I really wanted to tell her, but… things just happened the way they did.“I asked a question, Adria.” She said, in a hurt whisper.“Stacy…” I started, but felt weak. So weak that I realized I really couldn’t start an argument. She walked to me, and dropped my phone next to me on my bed.It was the text I had sent Lucien. I hadn’t even left the messaging app because she had come into my room, seconds after I had sent the text and of course, she had seen it when she had tried to call the guys.“When did we become this way? First there’s the saga with Monica, then you start drifting away, and now I didn’t even know when you started dating Professor Lucien. It’s such a huge news, Adria. And there’s me and the guys making sure we tell you everything that’s going on in our lives. It’s just not fair. I meant to be easy on you because you’re still feeling weak, but I just… I just can’t help feeling bad, usel
127ADRIA’S POV.I took it out, and happiness flooded my heart. The happiness I had felt when I had received it.The fact that those memories could be happy memories that I wanted, brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t remember. Why? Why was I feeling so happy just by seeing a tumbler?Then, as I kept on studying it. The memory had become clear. Lucien had given me the tumbler. I turned to him wondering why he would give me a tumbler, smiling when we were enemies, and then, I recalled his name.With the recollection of his name, everything suddenly hit me like a blast. I recalled lots of faces, and everything about me. I became myself.How had I lost control, and killed those helpless humans? How?And why was I about to kill Lucien?“Lu… Lucien.” I called, but it was so hard to speak. My throat was dry, and unused. He looked at me with relief, and joy flooding his eyes, and I tried hard not to break down.“Lucien.” I called again, and my breath came out in hitches. My hand found his fa
126LUCIEN’S POV.With the speed of lightning, Adria appeared to me, staring at me, with lasers in her eyes. The wolves made to attack, but I held up my hand once more.“No interruption.” I instructed, and Adria struck, trying to slash my neck, but I dodged, and took hold of her hands, turning her the way I always turned her, whenever we fought.“Adria!” I called, but she easily broke out of the lock I had her in, and managed to slash my right arm.It was a deep gash, but that did nothing to me. I was already healing. She thrusted, and I parried. We carried on with that pattern for a long time because I didn’t wish to hurt her, but she became even more violent.“Adria!” I called once more, but she didn’t budge. She raised her claws to slash my neck, but I bent, and wound my leg around hers.She fell backwards, but made it to her feet quickly in a backward roll. “Adria!” I called again, trying to bring her to her senses, but she was too restless, and too fast.It was obvious she was st
125LUCIEN’S POV.I wasn’t the only one, who felt it. Everyone felt it. The wolves, Lycans, and the vampires too.The odd sensation that filled the air. Like something was coming.They all paused one after the other, looking around. So did the wolves, and the Lycans.And it felt like I already knew what was happening, but was too scared to admit it.The vampires on the right began to part, and about half of them bowed, while the other vampires looked irritated.Out of their midst, on the clear path formed, after they all separated, came Adria.The white dress she was wearing was tattered, and covered in blood, but that did nothing to diminish the aura around her, and it didn’t stop her from being beautiful.She walked confidently with her eyes red, and flaming.Her dark claws were out, and longer than I remembered. They looked like they could claw out the human heart in a matter of seconds.It felt like she commanded the air. It hung around everyone, with a feeling of doom. She had fi
124LUCIEN’S POV.“I’m thinking the same thing as you are.” Zayne said, confirming my suspicions.“You think Adria’s the one behind the missing people?” I asked, looking around for the remote controller.“Exactly what I think, and as for the rebel vampires… We’ve finally heard news of them.” He added, and I stopped my search for the remote controller.Watching news I had missed out on, was no longer important at the moment.“Tell me. What are they planning?” I asked.“They are creating an army large enough to defeat all the wolf clans, and humans, together.” He answered, extending the papers embodying his research.“How is that possible? How big would an army have to be to defeat the wolf clans, and humans alike?” I asked, taking out the papers, and skimming through.“A thorough investigation has been done. They’ve sought for vampires all over, and they’ve also turned some humans who have a strong will to kill. As we speak, they’re getting stronger in numbers, and enslaving the vampir
123ADRIA’S POV.I was being sincere. I was tired of fighting, and fighting endlessly. Before it ended in the death of one of us accidentally, I wanted him to close his eyes, and kill me.That was the solution we’d been ignoring. He didn’t want to kill me, with his hands, so he’d been avoiding it.“You’re someone I know as brave. It’ll be over very soon. I’ll rise again, and even if I forget you, my heart won’t forget the face it beats for. When I come to terms with who I am, and accept that I love you, things will be alright again, so please, Lucien. Please…” I begged, still holding his hand to my neck, but he withdrew it, and sighed.“How do you expect me to kill you with my hands…?”“Just do it! Do it! I’m sick of our clashes repeating itself over, and over. Aren’t you sick of it too?” I asked, getting to my feet, and looking at him straight in the eye.“Damn, Adria. We need to think.” He said, placing his hands on the wall next to him, and bowing his head.“We’ve done all the thin
122ADRIA’S POV.I felt sad, and distraught. What thick darkness was threatening to cover our light?Athena went back to tending to Lucien’s arm, and I watched her.“So, what have you come here for?” She asked softly, dabbing ointment on the wound.“Um… we keep on fighting each other. I’m a vampire, and he’s a werewolf.” I replied, watching her intently.“Of course, you keep on fighting each other more than the average wolf, and vampire would fight.” She replied, dropping the wool, and ointment.“Why?” I asked, and she got up from her stool, placing a hand on Lucien’s shoulder, and holding his arm with the other.“Because you both are the strongest of your species.” She replied, setting Lucien’s arm straight, in a single motion.Lucien didn’t make a noise, but the way he squeezed up his face, and looked away, suggested that it had hurt.“What a fine young man.” Athena replied, and moved to me, starting with my head. “You’re the daughter of the vampire Queen. A pure-blooded vampire, an
121ADRIA’S POV.Hope flooded my heart like never before, and we began to make our way, towards the shore. Lucien still couldn’t move his arm, so I had to take him all the way out of the water.Finally, I got out of the water, and pulled him out too.We panted hard, and looked at each other, with sparkling eyes.It had been done. We had survived it. At least that was if there were no more obstacles for us, on the way to Athena’s house.“I think we made it. Athena will grant us a safe path home, after she answers our questions. Lucien! We actually made it!” I squealed, and threw my arms around him.“It’s still too early to celebrate. Let’s get there first.” He replied, stiffly, and I immediately withdrew from him.His shoulder was swollen.“Lucien, did you…?” I was asking, and he began to walk away.“It’s not my first time having a dislocated shoulder. It’s fine. I’ll set it straight.” He replied, dragging himself, tiredly.“Hey. You… you shouldn’t have… you shouldn’t have covered for
120ADRIA’S POV.Fear gripped me hard in my chest, as I watched the large creature. Never, in my life, had I ever seen a creature as large as that.The worst thing about the giant octopus was that it seemed to have eyes everywhere on its body.“Damn.” Lucien muttered, and immediately turned around, pulling me with him. “Swim.”I began to swim, but it was hard. Already, my stomach hurt. The leaves, and cloth Lucien had used to cover my wounds had slipped off, and I wasn’t supposed to be in water, with such a would.Swimming forward was our only option because the water didn’t let us get anywhere near the shore.Just then, a large tentacle landed right between Lucien and me, with a large splash, and we were both driven apart by the force of it.I landed on another tentacle, and my heart threatened to burst out.“Adria! Use your claws!” Lucien said, as I began to rise out of his reach. I got up from the slowly rising tentacle, and tried to jump down, but another tentacle caught me, and w
119LUCIEN’S POV.Things were beginning to get worse. I didn’t know if we could outrun eagles when we were running at human speed, and I feared greatly for Adria who was injured.“Let’s run!” I whispered frantically, even though the eagles didn’t need to hear us to chase us.We began to run, and she winced continuously as she did. Honestly, I was also scared. Not just for myself, but for her. Even though I had promised her mother that I’d bring her back safely, the thing that scared me most was losing her.When she had been dying from my slash the other time, it had felt like the whole journey had ended, and I had lost her, but thankfully, I was able to save her.“Can you run? Will you get on my back?” I asked, holding her hand, tightly.“No, I would rather not slow you down. Besides, if those eagles sweep down low, I’ll be injured first.” She teased, and we continued to run. It was harder because we had to climb, though.Had it been on level ground, we could have been a bit faster. T