Marina's Awakening (Seduced By Shadows Book 2)

Chapter Sixteen

As we round the final bend, Emily”s house comes into view—a sprawling Victorian that”s well hidden behind a mass of towering trees. It”s an architectural masterpiece, the kind of home you only see in pictures or movies, the perfect representation of its owner: eccentric, theatrical, and impossible to miss. The place looks like something out of a fairytale. It even has turrets, which seem extraordinarily pointless in this day and age, but it gives the house character.

I park on the street beside one of many cars lined up along the circular driveway before I cut the engine and we sit there for a moment, absorbing the serenity that surrounds us. Then, taking a deep breath to steel myself for whatever comes next, I unbuckle my seatbelt and open the car door. Marina follows suit, stepping out onto the sidewalk and up the path to the front door. Before I can even raise my hand to knock, the door swings open, and Emily appears.

”Gabriel, Marina,” she greets us. ”Come in, quickly.”

We step inside, and the door closes behind us with a reassuring click, sealing us off from the outside world and all its chaos. Emily gestures for us to follow her, leading us through a grand foyer that”s filled with antique furniture, including an ornate chandelier. We pass into another room, one that looks more modern but still as ostentatious. As we walk, I can”t help but marvel at the house—the polished wooden floors, the rich tapestries on the walls, the plush rugs beneath our feet. It feels like entering a castle, or perhaps some kind of medieval theme park where everything is overstated, outsized, and overly gaudy.

Emily leads us into a spacious living room where several people are gathered. They all turn to look at us as we enter, and I swallow hard at the attention. Being in a room full of vampires is not high on my list of ideal situations. But they”re the only ones who know anything about what”s going on right now, so there”s no way around it.

”We have guests,” Emily announces. ”This is Marina and Gabriel.”

A tall, statuesque woman with raven-black hair stands up from where she was sitting and says, ”I”m Lindsey. Emily has filled us in a bit on what”s going on. It”s nice to meet you both, even if it is under such... extreme circumstances.”

A younger man with auburn hair and piercing blue eyes, nods at us from his place by the fireplace. ”I”m Dominic. I handle security here. If you need anything, just let me know.”

”Thanks, Dominic,” I mutter, trying to keep my voice steady. Marina gives him a nod and a smile that tells me that she doesn”t share in my fear of this situation—or if she does, she”s doing a damn good job of hiding it. Since she was a vampire, I guess it makes sense.

Lindsey points to an older man sitting beside her and says, ”That”s Daniel. He handles information and intel.”

Emily continues the introductions, pointing out a few more clan members, each with their own unique look and aura of power. I do my best to keep up, though it”s not easy when my brain is on overload. Everyone here seems friendly enough, which puts me at ease just a bit. At the very least, none of them look like they want to eat me, so there”s that.

”Why don”t we step into my office?” Emily suggests. ”There”s someone in there I know Marina will be happy to see.”

Emily leads us through a maze of hallways, each more lavish than the last, until we reach a set of double doors. She pushes them open to reveal an office that”s just as grandiose as the rest of the house—mahogany shelves filled with books line the walls, a massive desk sits at the center, and a fireplace crackles softly at one end of the room.

Seated behind the desk is a man who exudes authority even without saying a word. His black hair is neatly combed back, and his bright blue eyes, sharp and discerning, lock onto Marina the moment we step in.

”Marina,” he says, standing up and circling the desk to embrace her. ”Thank God you”re all right.” His voice is deep, filled with warmth and genuine affection.

The tension in Marina”s shoulders melts away as she hugs him back, burying her face in his shoulder. ”Drake! What are you doing here?”

”Emily reached out to me. She”s filled me on... what they did to you. It”s horrible, but we can fix it. I don”t know how, but we”re going to. I promise you.”

”I... I didn”t know if I”d ever see you again,” Marina confesses.

Drake”s embrace tightens, as if he”s afraid she”ll disappear if he lets go. When they break apart, Drake gazes down at her with a mixture of pride and concern, the corners of his lips pulled into a smile. ”My dear, you are too important to this clan to be lost in a world that wants nothing but your destruction. We will not let those monsters take you from us.”

Marina glances over at me, smiling warmly before turning her attention back to Drake. ”Drake, this is Gabriel, my...” She pauses for a moment, uncertain how to describe what we”re doing here. ”My companion,” she finishes with a grin.

I offer my hand to Drake in a gesture of respect and say, ”It”s nice to meet you, sir. I wish it were under better circumstances, though.”

”Emily tells me you”ve been keeping an eye on Marina. I”m told you”ve kept her alive. For that, you have my eternal gratitude.”

”Of course,” I reply. ”She is worth protecting.”

Drake nods before returning to his seat behind the desk. He steeples his fingers and presses them to his lips, staring thoughtfully at us as we settle in across from him. I feel like a bug beneath his microscope, one who could easily be squished by the slightest pressure from those capable hands. But Marina doesn”t seem worried. In fact, she seems more at ease than I”ve ever seen her. I don”t think I realized until this moment just how important a clan is to a vampire. It”s more than a family; it”s part of who they are. A home. A safe place to find themselves when everything around them feels like chaos.

”I have a confession to make,” Drake starts. ”I”ve been tracking the Shadow Extractors for years. Charles being the head of it doesn”t surprise me. His hatred for our kind has always been... fervent, to say the least.”

Marina”s eyes widen. ”You knew about Charles? Why didn”t you ever tell me?”

Drake sighs, his gaze shifting to the flickering flames in the fireplace before returning to Marina. ”I didn”t think they”d escalate to this level of violence, even with their disdain for vampires. I thought they were all bark and no bite, so to speak. I was wrong.”

Emily chimes in, ”So what”s our next move, Drake? We need to hit them where it hurts.”

”I have valuable intel on their operations, their leaders, and their resources. We need to exploit their weaknesses, dismantle their operations, and expose them for what they truly are. I”ve managed to infiltrate some of their lower-level operations. They have multiple bases of operation across the country, but their main hub is located in an old industrial complex on the outskirts of the city.”

I lean in, intrigued. ”And their leadership? Besides Charles?”

Drake”s eyes darken. ”There are a handful of key figures, but Charles is the linchpin. Without him, the group would lose its cohesion and direction.”

”So, what”s our plan?” Marina inquires. ”How do we dismantle them?”

Drake taps the desk in front of him. ”First, we need to gather more detailed intel on their operations, their schedules, and their security measures. We”ll then plan targeted strikes to disrupt their activities and seize control of their assets.”

”We”ll also need to gather evidence of their criminal activities,” Emily adds. ”Proof that we can present to the authorities to ensure they”re held accountable. If we have enough information, we can bring in all the clans and deal with the threat together.”

Drake continues, ”Additionally, we should work on turning their allies against them. Many of their supporters are misinformed or manipulated. By exposing the truth, we can weaken their support base and isolate them further.”

As I listen to Drake”s plan unfold, a sense of clarity begins to emerge. This isn”t just about stopping the Shadow Extractors; it”s about dismantling their entire operation, from the ground up. It”s a daunting task, but with the resources, intelligence, and determination in this room, it suddenly feels achievable. But there”s still one major piece of the puzzle that needs to be addressed...

”What about Marina? Can we find a way to turn her back into a vampire safely?”

There”s a moment of stunned silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire in the hearth. Emily”s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, while everyone else looks like they were struck dumb. I can tell none of them expected me to ask such a question. Or maybe it”s just that they don”t think about it because it seems so out of reach. But my feelings for Marina have become deeper than mere physical attraction or simple desire.

”I just want her to be happy,” I clarify, ”and right now, it seems as if that can”t happen unless she returns to what she was.”

”That very progressive of you, Gabriel,” Emily begins, her voice cautious. ”And I appreciate that you”d be on board with something like that. But turning Marina back into a vampire is... risky, to say the least. We don”t know how her body will react after whatever ritual they performed to change her back to human.”

”There could be unforeseen consequences, both physically and mentally,” Drake adds. ”It”s a complicated matter, one that would require careful planning and expert knowledge. We”d need to consult with our most skilled practitioners to determine the safest approach.”

Emily adds, ”And we”d need to consider the potential consequences, both magical and physiological. This isn”t something we should do without weighing all the risks and benefits.”

I turn to Marina, trying to gauge her reaction, but she stares at me with this smile that seems filled with wonder—and maybe even a touch of pride. She looks so happy and relieved to have someone willing to accept her, no matter if she”s human or vampire. But I can also see that there”s some hesitancy in her eyes, the kind that comes from knowing something could go wrong. That the future isn”t always certain and that everything is up in the air right now.

”We”ll address that once we”ve dealt with the Extractors,” Drake concludes. ”In the meantime, let”s focus on what we know and what needs to be done. We should get started planning our attack against them.” He stands and pulls out a pen and notepad, then gestures to everyone else in the room as he begins writing notes on the pad. ”Does anyone have any ideas?”

We toss ideas back and forth as he takes notes, each one better than the last. Everyone seems passionate about the plan to take down the Shadow Extractors, and it feels amazing to finally feel like we”re actually doing something instead of just sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves or trapped in our own heads. Just as we”re diving into the details, the door bursts open, and Dominic rushes in.

”Emily! Drake! We”ve got company,” he exclaims, barely catching his breath.

Drake exchanges a glance with Emily before asking, ”What do you mean?”

Dominic replies, ”The extractors just pulled up. A shit ton of them.”

”How the hell did they track her already?” Emily asks. She looks like she”s about ready to fight off every single one of those bastards herself.

Drake rises from his seat, his posture commanding. ”It doesn”t matter. All that matters is we protect what”s ours at all costs.” His gaze falls on Marina and me. ”I want you two to find a spot somewhere out of sight until the coast is clear.”

”I”m not hiding,” Marina challenges. ”I may not be a vampire anymore, but I can handle a few assholes just as well as anyone else in this room.”

Before Drake can protest, Emily adds, ”She”s got a point, Drake. We need everyone fighting together, and that means Marina, too. It”s time she gets some payback for all they”ve done to her.”

Drake glares at me with murder in his eyes. He”s probably hoping that I”ll back him up, that I”ll drag Marina away and keep her out of harm”s way. But there”s no way I”m going to do that; it wouldn”t be right, nor would it be fair to Marina. This is her fight. The best thing I can do is watch her back and make sure nothing happens to her.

”You got any weapons?” I ask Emily.

Emily smiles proudly as she pulls back on the head of a statue holding an ax. It swings open to reveal a stash of swords, knives, spears, crossbows—just about every kind of weapon you could imagine. She grabs two swords from the display case before handing me one, and Marina snatches up the crossbow. I can”t say I”m the most experienced swordsman around, but I”ll do my best not to be a liability.

The sound of an explosion rocks the house, rattling the windows. We all freeze for a moment, wondering what the hell just happened before bolting out of the office into the hallway. A crash comes from somewhere close, followed by screams and shouts of alarm as more explosions rock the house. We dash down the hall, following the sounds of fighting, coming to an open door on the right. When we step inside, it looks like the front line of a war movie, with people in combat gear swarming every corner of the room.

Emily and Drake shout commands, organizing our defenses and rallying the clan members. Marina and I take our positions, readying ourselves for the onslaught. The first wave of Shadow Extractors charges toward us, brandishing silver spikes and wooden stakes. I grip my sword firmly, raising it into an attack stance, ready to fight. They make it about halfway across the room before we pounce, throwing ourselves at them with a viciousness that”s unlike any I”ve ever felt before. My heart is racing as I dodge blows, deflect strikes, and parry weapons on each side.

Marina engages the enemy with a ferocity that leaves me in awe. Her movements are fluid and precise, each strike calculated to disarm or incapacitate her opponents. She moves with grace, dodging attacks and countering with deadly accuracy.

I stand beside her, my focus sharp, every sense heightened. As a group of Shadow Extractors approaches, I swing my weapon, connecting with one of them and sending him sprawling to the ground. Marina dispatches another with a swift kick, then lunges at yet another, raising her crossbow and shooting two arrows in rapid succession. The bolts pierce his chest and abdomen, dropping him to the floor.

The battle rages on around us in a whirlwind of chaos and violence. The sound of steel meeting steel, the cries of the wounded, and the symphony of warfare surrounds me. But I don”t hear any of it. I feel as though I”m floating through an endless sea of blood and gore, my consciousness detached from my body, watching myself fight while still feeling fully engaged in the action.

The room is full of death, and bodies lie everywhere I turn. My blade drips with crimson liquid as it rises and falls, flashes of light gleaming off its surface in a macabre dance. Marina and I work together to fell one opponent after another, fighting side by side like a well-oiled machine. Our teamwork feels natural, as though we”ve fought like this for years. We stand back to back, using our swords and crossbow to defend ourselves.

As I move forward, my sword strikes the enemy in front of me. Blood sprays from the wound, showering the surrounding area in a bloody spray. The Shadow Extractors fall one by one, and while I never once envisioned myself in a place like this, the thrill of victory swells inside me as the tide begins to turn.

The Extractors are losing ground fast, which is great news for us. They don”t have much longer before they”re overpowered. If they can just hold out a little longer...

Lindsey launches herself at one of the men, latching onto his neck with her fangs, and it”s a grotesque sight. Dominic uses a baton to beat down on one man until he goes down hard, falling limp to the floor. Daniel pins another guy against the wall, crushing his windpipe before slamming him into the concrete surface, dropping him to the floor. Everyone seems to be doing their part, even me, and it feels damn good.

Emily swings her sword high over her head before driving it into an Extractor”s chest, knocking them backward, sending them to the ground. Drake charges forward, pouncing on one man and sinking his fangs deep into the victim”s jugular. Then Marina”s there, swinging her crossbow around and shooting a man in the shoulder with two more bolts before kicking him to the ground. I know she might have had a lot of anger pent up, but watching her like that is really fucking hot.

Another Extractor comes running at me from behind, so I duck down low, turning around in a quick circle as he runs past, then bring my blade upward into his stomach, cutting through his shirt and skin and punching deep. His body sways back and forth for a moment before toppling to the floor with a thud. I stand up straight, wipe the blood from my mouth, and turn to see Marina just finishing off another man. She looks like some kind of Amazon warrior, or perhaps one of Athena”s blessed heroes, using her sword and bow to fight. And fuck if she isn”t sexy as hell when she does it.

With a final, concerted effort, we repel the attackers, driving them back and securing Emily”s home. As the last enemy falls to the ground, Marina and I stand over him, weapons in hand, our chests heaving, covered in sweat and other people”s blood. Our eyes meet, and her face is flushed with exertion, but her eyes sparkle with triumph and relief. The world around us fades away as time slows to a stop—I feel as though I could reach out and touch that moment forever, trapped within an eternal instant.

I don”t care about the outcome, or what comes next. Right here, right now, this feels like a victory. The kind that lasts for years. In fact, if I could stay right here in this moment forever, it would be perfect. There”s nowhere else I”d rather be.