Marina's Awakening (Seduced By Shadows Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-One

Around a long, ornate table sit the leaders of the regional vampire clans, and all of their attention is on me, the girl who used to be a vampire. I can feel them watching me, sizing me up, assessing whether I am dangerous enough to be dealt with accordingly. It makes my skin crawl. The last thing I want is more scrutiny—especially when they”re here for something so serious. But as Gabriel squeezes my hand beneath the table, I remember that we have each other”s backs. No matter what these vampires think of me, I have him, and that gives me courage.

Drake and Emily stand at the head of the table with a large map spread out in front of them, its surface dotted with markers and notes indicating strategic points and potential targets. ”Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Drake begins, his voice steady and authoritative. ”As you”re aware, we”re facing a grave threat—one that not only jeopardizes our own existence but the future of our species as a whole.”

An audible stir ripples around the table at his words. He raises his voice to address those gathered in the room, commanding their attention. ”Marina and Gabriel have uncovered substantial evidence, and even the location of their leader, Charles Marlowe.”

Emily points to a cluster of symbols on the map. ”We”ve gathered intelligence on their operations, their resources, and their plans,” she explains. ”We know where they”re based, and we have a good idea of what they”re planning next.”

A murmur of interest sweeps through the room, the leaders leaning in to examine the map more closely, their eyes scanning the detailed markings and annotations.

”We propose a coordinated, all-out offensive,” Drake continues. ”Together, we can combine our resources, our knowledge, and our strength to strike at the heart of the Shadow Extractors” operations, dismantling their network and putting an end to their plans once and for all.”

The assembled vampires fall silent, digesting this information with serious expressions on their faces. No one speaks for some time, until finally, one of the elders, a distinguished-looking vampire with silver streaks in his ebony hair, breaks the silence.

”It”s a bold plan,” he concedes. ”But it”s also a necessary one. The Shadow Extractors pose a threat to us all, and if we don”t act now, the consequences could be dire.”

Drake nods. ”I agree. I only hope that you”ll see fit to support this effort. Without your cooperation, our chances of success are greatly diminished.”

”What do you need from us?” another vampire asks.

”We”re hoping to find some sort of advantage,” Drake explains. ”We can attack at night, but they”ll be expecting as much. We need to find something to disrupt their plans. Something that would give us the edge we need.”

The gathered vampires fall silent again, pondering his request. ”I”m not sure how can help you find that,” the elder vampire admits. ”We simply don”t know enough about the magic they use.”

Drake exchanges a glance with Emily, his brow furrowed in thought. ”Perhaps there”s another way,” he muses. ”Anyone?”

Gabriel leans forward, and the hesitation is evident in his voice when he offers, ”There may be a solution,” he interjects, capturing the attention of everyone in the room. ”For those of you who don”t know, I”m a historian. Specifically, I focus on folklore. In ancient lore, there are whispers of a powerful artifact known as the Dawnstone.”

”The Dawnstone?” one of the vampires repeats, his interest piqued. ”What is it?”

”It”s said to be a gem of immense power,” Gabriel explains. ”I never gave it much credence, but after everything I”ve seen... Well, it”s starting to sound less crazy now. ”Legend has it that it possesses the ability to potentially neutralize magic.”

Another vampire interrupts him. ”Neutralize? How would that be possible?”

”By absorbing its source energy. It”d render all their magic useless.”

The room falls into another contemplative silence, punctuated only by the shuffling of papers as everyone sorts through notes and documents pertaining to the Shadow Extractors. Emily leans forward, her gaze fixed on Gabriel. ”Where is this Dawnstone?”

Gabriel”s gaze drifts to the map on the table. ”It”s said to be hidden in a place of ancient power,” he begins, his voice low with concentration. ”A temple, long forgotten by mortals and vampires alike.”

”Where is this temple located?” Drake prompts.

”Ever heard of some place called the Forbidden Forest?” Garbriel asks, looking up from his notes. ”The Dawnstone is rumored to have been buried there during the Great Vampire War.”

”During the Great Vampire War? That was centuries ago.” The elder vampire looks skeptical as he joins the conversation.

”I have no idea if it”s legitimate or not,” Gabriel admits. ”I”m just telling you what I”ve read.”

”If there”s even a chance that the Dawnstone truly exists, we must retrieve it,” Emily declares. ”It could be the key to turning the tide in our favor.”

”Then it”s settled,” Drake announces, his voice ringing with authority. ”We will mobilize our forces and journey to the Forbidden Forest in search of the Dawnstone.”

The vampires around the table murmur their assent, and as the meeting adjourns and plans are set into motion, I glance over at Gabriel, a swell of pride and admiration swelling within me. He really is incredible—so smart and insightful, not to mention resourceful. Not only did he unravel the mystery of the Shadow Extractors, but he managed to uncover a powerful artifact capable of neutralizing their magic! And best of all, it”s something we can use against them—something that might give us a fighting chance.

Gabriel notices my gaze and smiles, giving me a small wave as everyone begins filing out of the room. His eyes tell me what his lips can”t yet speak: We did it.

Emily”s eyes catch mine as the room starts to empty, and she motions for me to join her away from the others. I follow her, and we move into her office, where she takes a seat and gestures for me to take the chair across from her.

”Marina,” she begins, ”I”ve been trying to push this aside, but it needs to be addressed. Now, before the situation gets too dangerous.”

I bite my lip, feeling suddenly exposed. ”What do you mean?”

She takes a deep breath, her eyes searching mine. ”I can smell it, Marina. You”re pregnant.”

The words hang in the air between us, heavy and laden with implications. I feel a flush of surprise, followed quickly by a pang of vulnerability. ”How did you—”

”It”s not uncommon for a vampire”s senses to become heightened, especially for those of us who”ve lived as long as I have,” Emily explains gently. ”It”s Gabriel”s, I assume?”

My face flushes hot at the question, but it only takes me a second to recover my composure. ”Yes,” I finally admit.

She nods. ”Well, then. Congratulations are in order, I suppose.”

”I suppose they are,” I agree with a laugh.

”Does he know?” she asks, giving me a knowing smile.

I shake my head, heat rising up my neck again. ”No, I... haven”t had a chance to tell him yet.”

Her eyebrows shoot up into her hairline. ”But when exactly would you have had the opportunity? With everything that”s been going on recently, there hasn”t been a moment to breathe.” She leans back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest and giving me an appraising look. ”You should tell him soon. He has the right to know.”

”It”s just that things are so intense right now,” I say. ”With the Extractors, the Dawnstone hunt—the stakes are so high. It feels like we could be walking into battle at any second, and if this is our last hurrah...” My words trail off as I try to express the complexities of my feelings without giving away how much I care for Gabriel.

Emily”s expression softens slightly, and she nods. ”I understand. Are you sure you want to go through with this? You don”t have to join the fight. It might be safer for you and your child if you let us handle this.”

I shake my head emphatically. ”I appreciate the offer, but I need to be there. With my history with Charles, I can”t let him get away with this. And I can”t just sit by while they put an end to vampire kind.”

”Fair enough,” Emily concedes. ”And after all this? Have you given some thought to what happens next?”

I nod, remembering how intimate it felt being with Gabriel in our makeshift bedroom. My heart squeezes at the thought of having a child—a family—with him. The idea seems too good to be true, and yet...

”I don”t know,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. ”I love Gabriel, Emily. More than I ever thought possible. And now... with the baby... I”m not sure I want to become a vampire again if it means losing him. Especially not now.”

”Love can be a complicated thing, Marina. And adding a child to the mix only makes it more so. But remember, being a vampire isn”t all that defines you. It”s a part of you, yes, but it”s not the only part.”

I nod, absorbing her words, feeling the weight of the choices before me. ”Thank you, Emily. I just need to figure out what”s best for me, for Gabriel, and for our baby.”

”The decision is yours,” she says gently, standing from her seat and placing a hand on my shoulder. ”You do what you think is right. You”ll find your way, Marina. And whatever you decide, know that you have people who care about you and will support you.”

As we part ways, my mind swims with everything Emily told me. There are still so many unanswered questions—too many unknown variables to figure out what the future holds. The most pressing issue at this point is dealing with Charles and stopping him before he can activate the death wave ritual. If the legends about the Dawnstone hold even an ounce of truth, it could be our one shot at defeating the Extractors once and for all.