Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 83401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
And as I looked around the interior, I realized I could spot these Otherworld creatures. They were more ethereal, bigger, with this air of violence and danger that was just below the surface. I was shocked that I hadn’t ever noticed them before, that I hadn’t seen what was right in front of my eyes.
“She’s a force to be reckoned with, your female,” Adryan said, low and deep. “I can appreciate that quality in someone, especially a human female.” He was silent for a long moment after that before saying, “Odhran’s been AWOL for the past few days. But he did reach out the other night, anxious to have a go at Matteo and the Shepherd bastards.” Adryan turned around then, and although I could sense that Cian did as well so the two men were facing each other, I stayed facing forward.
I looked over the vampire leader, his hands clasped behind his back, his face that ever-present steely mask.
“Have ye found anything more out about the Assembly, the interior details of their whereabouts, any new information about the property yer soldiers located?” Cian asked.
Adryan didn’t speak for a long second, and I felt this weird, heavy presence come from him. He always had this strange, powerful energy that seemed to surround him, a sickness that made you uncomfortable and feel contaminated by it just by being in the same room with him.
“My men are looking at every possible point of reference. We’re not only looking at the property we found, but we’re going beyond that and seeing what turns up years, decades before that. In fact, we’ve located Assembly presence in Europe more than a century before, and I'm sure with more digging, we can find even more.” He smirked. “Technology… it’s a great fucking thing, even if I hate the shit.” He faced the club again. “But I think it’s safe to say these fuckers have been operating for a long time, and it’s due time we put a stop to that, yeah?” His voice was low, menacing.
“Dinna we assume as much?”
I could picture Cian’s face after he said that, an arrogant point that didn’t go unnoticed by Adryan, as the vampire turned and faced him once more and chuckled low.
“Yeah, we assumed as much.”
Cian nodded once and reached out to curl his hand around my waist, as if he needed my presence to ground him, or maybe to keep him in control. I could tell he didn’t like Adryan, and vice versa, and I knew it wouldn't take much for the two oversize Otherworld males to come to fists.
So I took Cian’s hand in mine and curled my fingers through his, giving him a gentle squeeze and hoping it delivered a little bit of calm in a raging storm of emotion and alpha supremacy.
“Ye know how tae contact me,” Cian said. “I’m calling in some of the Guard tae fly in tae help with this. I’ll take care of setting them up and ensure they have the gear and weapons needed, but we are working together on this.” There was no hesitance in Cian’s voice, no room for disagreement. “We need tae work together so let me kno’ what the next step is.”
Adryan tipped his chin down in a subtle nod, his gaze sliding over to me, but he didn’t wink, didn’t give me his trademark arrogant smirk. The smile he gave me… was empty. Frightening.
I could look at the vampire leader and know he was made up of many layers, ones he probably never allowed anyone to see, ones he probably didn’t even know existed.
And once again I questioned myself on if those layers had good or bad intentions, on if Adryan was the type of male who could think of others before himself without having an ulterior motive.
Because if he ever revealed those layers, I knew they’d either change him for the better, or it would literally be like opening Pandora’s box.
And God help whoever was in his path.
31
Adryan
I let the smile slip off my face as my office door closed and the wolf and his human mate left. Keeping up the facade that I gave a fuck was taxing, exhausting. There was a single knock on the door, and I knew it was Kane and Sebastian. I grunted for my cousins and righthand enforcers to enter before I turned away and walked back to the window that overlooked my domain.
The door swung open, and I sensed the two massive males step inside, not bothering to close the door.
“Everything go well with the Lycan?” Kane asked, and I grunted my affirmation. I continued to stare out at the crush of humans and curled my lip.
“The other wolf has been asking about dealing with the Shepherds we captured,” Sebastian was the one to say.
I turned around then and inclined my head. “So give him a few of the bastards. What he wants.” I held my hands out, palms upward. “Let him tear them up. What the fuck do I care if a few humans get destroyed?”