Chapter Twenty-Three
Sage and I went over some of the basics yesterday afternoon. It was really amazing to learn about the things I”m capable of doing. My powers are stronger than I could have imagined. Maybe one day I”ll be as powerful as Sage, but for the time being, I”m going to have to rely on her for help.
She”s supposed to come back by today, so maybe we can work on some more complicated stuff together. Right now, I”m out in the yard alone since everyone else is asleep. The sun will be up for a few more hours, and I”m still not used to Drake”s nocturnal lifestyle. It”s peaceful out here without them hovering over me like worried parents. They act like I”m helpless or something.
It”s kind of cute, actually.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes as I try to focus on summoning some energy to perform a spell. It takes a while, but eventually, I manage to get the hang of it. After about five minutes of concentration, I feel a warm tingling sensation start in the pit of my stomach before spreading throughout my entire body. Once it reaches its peak, a weightless sensation overtakes me and I find myself floating a foot above the ground.
I giggle as I open my eyes and look down at the grass below me. This is incredible! I”ve never felt anything like this before in my entire life. It”s as if I”m flying through the air without having to move a single muscle.
Suddenly, a familiar voice calls out from behind me, ”Well, look at you. You”ve come a long way in a short amount of time.”
I turn around to see Adrian standing a few yards away from where I”m hovering, and I lose my hold on the magic causing me to fall onto my butt.
”Ouch!” I cry out as I rub my sore tailbone.
Adrian laughs as he walks over to me and offers me a hand to help me up. ”Sorry about that. I didn”t mean to startle you.”
I glare up at him and swat his hand away before getting to my feet on my own. ”What are you doing here?”
He blinks at me. ”You invited me, remember? In my dream? I thought it best to wait until I knew the others would be sleeping.”
I tighten my fists, the panic rising within me. This wasn”t part of the plan. He was supposed to come while Drake and the others were around to watch out for me. Vampires don”t like the sunlight, so this wasn”t a risk I”d even anticipated. It was meant to be a trick, a way to lure Adrian into a trap. But now, the vampires are asleep, and I”m all alone.
I swallow hard as I stare at him warily, wondering how quickly I could use my newfound skills against him. Will they be enough to save me?
Adrian grins wickedly as he steps toward me and reaches out to grab my arm. ”Come now, Lola. Don”t be rude. I”ve traveled such a long distance just to see you again.”
I jerk away from him and stumble backward until I bump into the trunk of an old oak tree. ”Stay away from me,” I warn, my voice trembling slightly as I raise my hand up in front of myself.
”You told me to come get you,” he reminds me again. ”This isn”t my fault.”
I shake my head frantically as I try to figure out what to do. What am I supposed to do? I don”t know enough defensive magic yet... Sage and I haven”t gotten that far in our lessons. She just started teaching me how to summon energy yesterday!
Adrian continues advancing toward me with a predatory gleam in his eyes. ”Now, Lola, stop being difficult and let me take you home.”
”This was a mistake,” I manage to croak out. ”You had a dream, Adrian, nothing more. I... I didn”t want you to come here.”
He sighs impatiently and stops moving closer to me. ”We don”t have to do this the hard way, but if you insist on making it difficult for me, then so be it.”
Before I can react, he lunges forward and grabs my wrists with both hands. His grip is incredibly strong, and I”m unable to break free of his grasp no matter how hard I struggle against him.
”Let go of me!” I demand as I kick at him repeatedly with my legs, trying desperately to break loose.
He laughs at my struggles before leaning down to whisper in my ear, ”You”re mine now, Lola. You might as well accept it.”
The puncture marks on my neck, the ones left behind from my night with Drake, begin to throb at his words, and I gasp in agony as they tingle and burn. The same sensation shoots through my body as the feeling of power that I”d been enjoying a few moments ago is suddenly replaced with terror and hopelessness.
For the first time, Adrian seems to notice the mark on my neck and frowns. ”What happened here?” he asks as he runs a finger along the wounds.
I whimper at his touch and wince as another wave of pain surges through me. ”Nothing,” I manage to choke out between clenched teeth. ”It”s nothing.”
He chuckles and shakes his head in amusement before he gathers a fistful of hair in his hand and yanks my head to the side. ”Oh no, Lola. It looks like someone”s already claimed you for themselves. You lied to me, Lola. You said that you would be mine.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as tears well up in them. ”Please don”t hurt me, Adrian.”
”Oh, Lola.” He loosens his grip on my hair and gently strokes my cheek with one hand while holding tightly onto my wrist with the other. ”I don”t believe I have any other choice now.”
”Get your hands off of me,” I snap. ”Drake is going to─”
”Drake isn”t going to do a damn thing,” Adrian interrupts with a smirk. ”He won”t even wake up until sundown. By the time he realizes you”re missing, you”ll be far away from here.”
I have to do something, anything. I have no idea what I”m reaching for, but I focus on the spark of magic I felt before and channel it into the palm of my hand. I imagine it as a ball of energy, a force powerful enough to push Adrian back from me. I hold my hand out and let out a scream as a surge of power explodes from my fingers.
Adrian is thrown backward by the blast of force, and he stumbles, losing his balance and falling onto his rear end with a thud. He stares at me in shock before slowly getting to his feet again. ”Oh, you”re going to pay for that one, Lola. I promise you.”
I stare at him, my heart pounding furiously in my chest as I try to catch my breath. ”Don”t come any closer,” I warn him. ”I”ll use it again if I have to.”
He laughs at me and shakes his head. ”I don”t think you can. Look at you. Every bit of color is gone from your cheeks, and you can barely stand. That was a lot of power to use in one go. You must have used everything you had left.”
He”s right. The effort of using such powerful magic has left me feeling drained and exhausted. I”m barely able to keep myself upright, and my vision begins to swim as I struggle to stay conscious.
”I won”t let you take me,” I mumble weakly, but he ignores me and advances again.
With a desperate move, I knee him in the groin once he”s close enough. He grunts, doubling over in pain. I take that opportunity to shove past him and sprint past him toward the house, but he catches me before I get far, grabbing me by the back of my shirt. I try to hit him and kick him, but he”s stronger than I am. He throws me against the ground, knocking the wind out of me.
I gasp for air, struggling to breathe as he leans down and grabs hold of my throat. ”No running, my sweet,” he taunts.
I summon the magic again, desperation lending strength to my resolve. A barrier forms between us, a shimmering shield pulsating with the energy of my fear and determination. ”Stay away!” I command, my voice trembling with the weight of my plea.
Adrian releases me and jolts back, but he regards the barrier with little more than mild annoyance, his fingers tracing the invisible wall. ”Clever,” he concedes. ”But futile.”
The shield trembles under the force of his power, cracks forming like fault lines in the earth. I push back with all my might, pouring every ounce of will I have left into maintaining the barrier. It holds for another second before shattering completely, leaving me exposed.
Adrian lunges forward with a growl, grabbing hold of my wrists and pinning me down on the ground. I thrash wildly, kicking and screaming in an attempt to free myself, hoping Drake or one of the others inside will hear, but he doesn”t budge, and no one comes. His grip is like iron, and no matter how hard I try, I can”t break free.
”It”s time to go, my sweet Lola, so stop fighting,” he commands, his voice low and threatening as he stares down at me with cold eyes.
I continue to struggle until finally, my strength gives out and I collapse beneath him. Tears roll down my cheeks as I realize how hopeless my situation is. I”m trapped, completely helpless to do anything but go limp as Adrian drags me away from the mansion and toward a waiting car parked outside.
”No, please...” I beg, but my protests fall on deaf ears.
He throws me roughly into the back seat, and then climbs in beside me before slamming the door shut behind us. The driver starts the engine and pulls away from the curb without so much as looking at me in the rearview mirror.
”Where are you taking me?” I ask, trying to keep calm despite the panic rising within me as we speed down the street.
”I”m taking you to fulfill your destiny,” he remarks.
”I don”t know what you mean.”
He smiles cruelly. ”You will.”
A chill runs down my spine at his words, and I stare out the window at the passing scenery in silence until finally, I can”t take anymore. If I”m going down, I”m not giving up without a fight. I drive my elbows into the window and start pounding against the glass with all my strength. ”Help! Please, somebody help me!” I scream frantically.
Adrian wraps his arm around my throat, constricting my airway. Everything around me speckles and goes dark as I struggle to breathe. ”Stop fighting,” he commands. ”There”s no point in struggling. No one can hear you.”
I gasp, clawing at his forearm. ”Please...” I squeak out the word.
”Be still.”
His voice is soothing and deep. He sounds so calm, so rational. It”s almost enough to convince me that everything will be okay if I just do as he says. Almost. But I can”t give up yet. There must be something else I can try. I continue to struggle against him, even though I know it”s hopeless.
He tightens his grip on my neck until I”m forced to stop fighting back, unable to breathe anymore. The edges of my vision grow dim as my consciousness begins to fade away. My lungs burn for air, and my limbs feel heavy and useless.
The last thing I see before passing out is the driver glancing at me over his shoulder mirror with an expression of pity.