Marina's Awakening (Seduced By Shadows Book 2)

Chapter Eighteen

Marina”s not herself today. I can see it in the way she moves, in the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes when she thinks I”m not looking. But I know better. I”ve seen her in battle, faced with danger and uncertainty, and she”s never shown a hint of doubt. Whatever”s bothering her must be serious.

I want to ask her what”s wrong, to offer whatever comfort or support she might need, but I can”t bring myself to voice my concerns. She”s been through so much already, and the last thing she needs is me adding to her burden. So instead, I listen as she lays out her plan to investigate the Extractors, her voice steady and determined despite the turmoil brewing beneath the surface.

”Gabriel, are you listening?” she asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

”Yeah, sorry,” I reply quickly, forcing a smile. ”I”m with you.”

She gives me a searching look, as if trying to gauge whether I”m being sincere or just going along with her plan to appease her. I meet her gaze head-on, hoping she can see the truth in my eyes. I may have my doubts about this whole idea, but I”ll follow her to the ends of the earth if that”s what she needs from me.

”All right then,” she says, nodding decisively. ”Let”s go.”

We”ve got a few hours before the vampires wake up, and we intend to use them wisely. We find a vantage point overlooking a café where, according to Drake”s intel, one of the Extractors is known to frequent. Marina pulls out a pair of binoculars, scanning the crowd until she spots him—a tall man with dark hair and pale skin, wearing a black turtleneck that seems out of place in the summer heat. He sits at the café”s outdoor patio, nursing a drink as he gazes absently at the people passing by on the sidewalk below.

”He”s here,” she whispers, handing the binoculars to me so I can see for myself.

I take a look, confirming her assessment. ”What”s our next move?”

Marina thinks for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she watches the Extractor. Then she spots it—a small interaction that gives her an idea. A woman approaches the Extractor, clearly not wanting to be seen with the woman. He dismisses her with a wave of his hand, but not before she slides him an envelope. The exchange is subtle, but Marina catches it. She quickly relays what she saw, and says, ”I”ve got an idea, but I”ll need your help.”

”Anything,” I reply, eager to support her plan.

Marina reaches into her bag, pulling out a small device. ”It”s a mini voice modulator. I”ll distract him by mimicking that woman”s voice, make him think she”s come back.”

I nod, impressed by her quick thinking. ”And while he”s distracted?”

”While he”s distracted,” she grins, ”you grab his phone. I noticed he left it on the table.”

I smile back, impressed by her ingenuity. ”All right, let”s do this.”

Marina sneaks closer, taking cover behind a large plant before she activates the voice modulator, mimicking the woman”s voice perfectly. The Extractor looks up, clearly startled, and begins to scan the café for the source of the voice. While he”s distracted, I move quickly, slipping into the café and grabbing his phone off the table before following Marina back out onto the street.

”Got it,” I tell her, handing her the phone.

”That went better than I expected.”

”Me too,” I agree. ”I didn”t think you were going to be able to pull it off like that.”

She snickers and nudges my shoulder with hers as she scrolls through the phone. ”Looks like we hit the jackpot,” Marina says, pointing at an address saved in the Extractor”s phone under the cryptic title ”Operation Nightshade.”

”Operation Nightshade?” I raise an eyebrow. ”Sounds like something big.”

”That”s what I was thinking,” she agrees, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. ”Let”s check it out.”

The address leads us to a quiet suburban street lined with neatly manicured lawns and cookie-cutter houses. Not exactly what one thinks when they hear the word ”Extractors,” but then again, maybe that”s the point. They”re trying to blend in. The one we”re interested in is a nondescript two-story home, its windows covered by heavy curtains. The walls are peeling, the paint is flaking off in clumps, and there are cracks in the foundation. This house has been empty for some time.

”We”re really doing this, huh?” I ask, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension.

”We are,” Marina confirms, her voice steady. ”Let”s see what they”re hiding.”

We approach the front door cautiously, checking for any signs of security or alarms. Finding none, I move into position beside her, covering our backs while she pulls out a lockpick set from her pocket. It only takes a few moments before the lock clicks open, and she swings the door inward. We step inside quietly, carefully surveying the space. The interior is sparsely furnished, with sheets draped over the furniture. But what catches our attention are the boxes stacked against the walls, filled to the brim with papers, records, and folders marked with various dates and codes.

”Looks like someone”s been busy,” Marina murmurs, crouching down to sift through one of the boxes.

”Seems so,” I agree, joining her.

We pull out a few folders at random, flipping through pages filled with what appears to be surveillance photos, financial records, and detailed dossiers on individuals. It”s clear that whoever owns this place has been gathering information on a massive scale. ”Hey, check this out,” I say, pulling a folder from the stack and flipping it open. My eyes scan the page, recognizing some symbols and codes I”ve seen before in historical texts. ”These aren”t just random notes. They”re encrypted.”

Marina looks up from the box she”s going through, curiosity lighting up her eyes. ”Think you can crack it?”

”Let”s find out.” I pull a sheet closer, squinting as I start deciphering the code. After a few minutes of intense focus, the meaning behind the symbols starts to emerge. ”Got it. It looks like some kind of ritual.”

”A ritual?” Marina parrots. ”Like the one they used on me?”

”It looks like it,” I explain, scanning the text for more details. ”This ritual is specific. It”s designed to transfer supernatural abilities, or in your case, take them away. There”s a mention here of a key location for the ritual. A place where the energies converge.”

”Could it be where Charles is hiding?” Marina asks.

”I don”t think so,” I reply, continuing to sift through the papers. ”The ritual has to take place somewhere sacred. Ah, here it is. The location of their safe house.” I pause, scanning the text once more to make sure I”ve got it right. ”It”s a building in the industrial district, just like Drake”s information suggested. I bet that”s where Charles is hiding out. He”s got to know we”re coming for him after how he attacked Emily”s house last night.”

As I”m about to delve deeper into the papers, I notice Marina”s face turn a shade paler. ”Marina, you okay?”

She grimaces, clutching her stomach. ”I think I”m going to be sick again,” she mutters, darting toward the hallway.

I listen to her wretch and consider following after her, but before I can decide, she calls out from the end of the corridor. ”Gabriel, come see this!”

Curiosity piqued, I hurry after her, finding her standing by a door slightly ajar. Her face, though still a bit flushed from earlier, now holds an expression of shock. ”Look,” she says, pushing the door open wider. There, hidden behind a false panel in the wall, is a small room—a secret chamber concealed within the very walls of the house. ”I leaned up against the wall and it fell open.”

”What is this place?”

”I don”t know,” Marina replies. ”But I have a feeling we”re about to find out.