Marina's Awakening (Seduced By Shadows Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Idon”t know how many Shadow Extractors I”ve killed so far, nor do I want to count—it makes me feel sick just thinking about it. It all seems like some kind of nightmare that I”ll wake up from any second now. But the stench of blood still clings to my skin, and every time I close my eyes, I hear another one scream. Our team moves with ruthless efficiency, taking down our enemies one by one. But as we round the final corner, the sight that greets me freezes me in my tracks.

There, standing over Charles”s lifeless body, is Marina.

My heart lurches in my chest as I take in her appearance. Her face is a mosaic of bruises and cuts, her clothes torn and bloodstained. Every fiber of my being screams in shock and anger at the sight of her battered state. But despite the pain etched on her face, her eyes still hold that familiar spark of defiance and determination.

”Marina!” I shout, rushing toward her, my voice choked with emotion. She turns at the sound of my voice, and our eyes lock. For a moment, everything else fades away—the Extractors, the battle, the danger. It”s just her and me, just like it should be.

”Gabriel,” she breathes, a shaky smile tugging at the corners of her bruised lips.

I reach her side in an instant, wrapping my arms around her, pulling her close despite the protests of my battered heart. Her body feels fragile against mine, but I hold her tighter, as if I can somehow shield her from any more harm.

”You”re alive,” I whisper, pressing my forehead against hers.

She nods, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. ”I”m here, Gabriel. I”m here.”

Relief floods through me, washing away the fear and dread that had consumed me. But even as I hold her, I can”t shake the haunting image of her standing over Charles”s body. What happened here? What has she been through?

”Marina,” I murmur, my hands gently framing her bruised face. ”What happened? Are you okay?”

She tries to muster a smile, but it falters. ”I”ll be fine, Gabriel. We need to focus on getting out of here.”

Before I can reply, the sound of pounding footsteps echoes down the corridor. More Shadow Extractors are rushing in. I tighten my grip on Marina, pulling her behind me, shielding her as best I can. ”Looks like we”ve got company,” I growl, my eyes scanning the approaching threat. They move like shadows, quick and elusive in all black clothing like special forces. This must be their elite squad, I realize.

”Stay behind me, Marina. And be ready to run when I say.”

”Not a fucking chance,” she counters.”

Drake steps up beside me, nocking an arrow into his bow. ”We”re going to need your help here,” he tells me, shooting a glare in my direction. ”Both of you. Now isn”t the time to go all sappy.”

I chuckle at that, giving him a quick nod. Drake”s arrow flies, finding its mark in the first Extractor”s chest with deadly accuracy. The enemy staggers back, and I seize the moment, lunging forward to deliver a punishing kick that sends another Extractor sprawling to the ground. Marina isn”t far behind me, her fighting spirit undimmed by her injuries. She”s wielding a shard of glass like a dagger, holding it out in front of herself.

”Back-to-back,” she calls out, taking her position beside me. ”Let”s show them what we”re made of.”

I meet her eyes for just an instant before I turn my attention back to the Shadow Extractors closing in around us. Her blue eyes are full of determination and strength—the same qualities that had drawn me to her from the very beginning.

The Extractors converge on us, their movements coordinated and lethal. But we”re ready for them. Drake loses another arrow, taking down a third Extractor before unsheathing his sword to join the fray. The rest of our clan is a whirlwind of motion around us—swift, deadly, and utterly relentless.

As the Extractors close in, I swing my weapon with brutal precision, severing a man”s arm from its socket with a quick slash of my blade. Marina ducks beneath a wild swing, then pivots out of reach as the attacker”s body crumbles to the ground at his own feet. ”Left flank!” Marina shouts, ducking under a swinging blade and driving her dagger into an Extractor”s side. I pivot, cutting down an enemy attempting to flank us from the left. Drake”s arrows continue to rain down, each one finding its mark with deadly accuracy. But the Extractors keep coming, their numbers seemingly endless.

”Stay focused!” Drake”s voice cuts through the noise of battle. ”They”re trying to overwhelm us!”

He”s right. The Extractors are trying to encircle us, to trap us in a deadly dance of steel and blood. But we”re not going down without a fight. Not here, not now.

I lock eyes with Marina, a silent understanding passing between us. We need to change the tide of this battle, and fast. With a nod, we alter our strategy, becoming a whirlwind of destruction as we push forward, cutting through the Extractors with renewed vigor.

Marina”s footwork is impeccable, her strikes precise and deadly. I watch her take down two Extractors in rapid succession, her glass dagger flashing in the dim light. My heart swells with pride and love for the woman fighting beside me. After everything she”s been through, all the suffering she endured—she still fights for others instead of herself.

Simon flashes past me, his daggers flashing as he takes out another enemy, while Lola handles a few more around him. Drake moves quickly behind them, firing arrows into the crowd of Extractors that surround us like an army of shadows. Emily uses her small size to advantage as she dodges and parries blows with brutal precision. The sound of metal against metal echoes throughout the hallways as the battle rages on.

Suddenly, an Extractor manages to break through our defenses, swinging his weapon toward Marina”s exposed back. Without thinking, I intercept the strike, my blade clashing with his in a shower of sparks. The impact reverberates up my arm, but I grit my teeth and push back, pushing the Extractor off-balance.

He swings again, but I deflect his attack and drive the blade of my sword straight through his heart before yanking it free with a sickening squelch. Blood drips from my sword as he falls, lifeless. Turning back to Marina, I search for any sign of injury. She seems unbothered by what just happened, though, already preparing for her next move.

I hear Drake”s battle cry as he fells another Extractor, his arrow whistling through the air before sinking deep into an enemy”s neck. One by one, we fight off the remaining Shadow Extractors until the corridor is finally silent once more. Marina lowers her weapon, exhaustion setting in. I fight with everything I have, my body aching and my muscles screaming for relief, but I refuse to give in. Not when Marina and our child are depending on me.

Time seems to stretch and warp as the battle continues, each second feeling like an eternity. But gradually, something shifts. The Extractors” onslaught begins to falter, their ranks thinning as we push them back, our combined might overwhelming their defenses.

”We”re turning the tide!” Drake calls out. ”Keep pushing!”

I glance around, taking in the battlefield. He”s right. The Extractors are retreating, their numbers dwindling as our clan presses forward, relentless and unstoppable. We”ve done it. We”ve won.

As the last of the Extractors falls, defeated and broken, a deafening cheer erupts from our clan. We”ve emerged victorious, our love and determination proving stronger than any enemy we faced.

I turn to Marina, my eyes meeting hers as the adrenaline begins to fade, leaving behind exhaustion and relief. We”ve fought side by side, facing down enemies that would have surely slain us both without the others” help. And now, together, we stand victorious over all who sought to bring us down.

”We did it,” I whisper, pulling her close, my heart overflowing with love and gratitude.

”We did,” she agrees, her voice soft and filled with emotion. ”And I never would have made it if not for you. Thank you.” She turns and gestures to the whole group. ”Every single one of you. I can”t believe you”d risk your lives for me like this.”

Drake, wiping the sweat from his brow, offers a weary smile. ”It”s what families do, Marina. We stick together, no matter what.”

Emily, her small frame trembling with fatigue, nods in agreement. ”Couldn”t let you two have all the fun, could we?”

“We”re just glad you”re both safe,” Simon says, his voice softer than usual.

”And don”t forget,” Lola adds with a smirk, ”we”re a pretty badass team when we”re all together.”

Marina leans into me, her body pressing against mine as she addresses the group once more.

”Seriously, though,” she continues, her voice thick with emotion, ”I owe each of you more than I can ever repay. You”ve risked so much for us, and I want you to know how grateful I am.”

Drake steps forward, placing a hand on Marina”s shoulder. ”We”re all in this together, Marina. No debts, no scores to settle. Just family looking out for family.”

Marina smiles, her eyes shining with unshed tears. ”Thank you, Drake. And thank you, all of you, for being my family.”

As the words sink in, a sense of unity washes over us, binding us together in a way that goes beyond blood or battle. We”re more than just a clan; we”re a family forged in the fires of adversity, bound by love, loyalty, and a shared purpose.

The weight of the moment settles over us, filling the air with a sense of peace and unity that even the fiercest of battles couldn”t shatter. And as we stand there, united in victory and love, I know that we”ll always find a way to overcome whatever comes our way.

Because that”s what families do.

I just never imagined my family would include a clan full of vampires.