Chapter 24 TWENTY-THREE

MORGIANA'S POV I saw red and I could have sworn I broke my spine. But being a hybrid had its perks. For one, my broken spine healed quickly and the next moment, I was straddling Adrian while my hand is on his throat. "You...You are indeed the hybrid-" I did not let him finish what he was going to say as I grabbed his throat and buried his head on the floor. I cracked the marble floor and I could have sworn his skull cracked too. I couldn't care less. At the moment, all I wanted to do was end him. But he is quick and kicked my stomach and I was sent flying across the room. My back once again hit the edge of the table and it hurt like hell. "You can now move, Arleigh, my dear but you can't go out. Is that understood?" He was standing in front of Arleigh already and Arleigh turned to look at me. Fear could not even describe the look on her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she clearly doesn't have any clue what was happening. I suppose kids from the founding families were not made aware of the supernatural creatures swarming this town. I stood and did not waste another second. I started running in Arleigh's direction as Adrian was standing behind her. But I stopped in my tracks when I saw he was holding a pen pointed towards Arleigh's neck. With the right pressure and the right spot, that pen could kill Arleigh in an instant. And with the vampire blood in her system... "Why are you doing this, Adrian?" He grinned in my direction and grabbed a fistful of Arleigh's hair. She couldn't do anything but a whimper. I need to finish this quick and make Arleigh forget she ever saw this. "Well, this could be avoided if you would just come with me, hybrid." "My name is Morgiana." "And you're a hybrid," he said. "Please. Please, whatever it is that's going on between you two, leave me out of it," Arleigh pleaded, and even with all those years of her bullying me, I couldn't help but feel bad for her. She doesn't know anything about supernaturals. Her family had sheltered her from it. I know how she's feeling now. "Let her go, Adrian." But instead of letting her go, Adrian pulled Arleigh's hair harder that the latter cried. "I knew I was right when I sensed something that night. It was so fast-like a flash-and then it was gone. I knew I felt you." Fuck. "You felt me?" "A vampire could sense another vampire. I sensed you a few nights ago. But you were gone." "Why were you in this town that night-You were the ones who led that hunt, weren't you?" His grin widened and I felt a rush of rage boiling inside me, waiting to be set free. "Those wolves have been causing too many problems for us. It's only right we get rid of what hinders us to eat our meals, right?" I clenched my fists but I knew it would be stupid to do something. I need to hear what he has to say first. The people outside cheered for whatever was being auctioned and they had no idea what was happening inside the city hall. "Those hunters tried to take one of the wolves. What were you planning to do with them?" A low chuckle escaped his mouth. "Vampires and wolves have been at each other's throats for many decades, Morgiana. It is not something you could comprehend. Especially that you just turned-" "I was born like this and I know as well as you. You are trying to experiment on something. What is it?" "Now, why would I tell you? So you could tell your wolven friends?" He laughed. "Then again, you won't be able to tell them because you're dying tonight. So I will tell you." "I am a part of this organization called Genesis. I was tasked together with other vampires like me to search-abduct-wolves for us to experiment. Wolf venom could kill a vampire and even if it's just a scratch." He smiled and pushed Arleigh away. Arleigh yelped as she hit herself on the cabinet and I used that chance to attack. I don't know how I was able to summon my wolf side out but it was there, attacking Adrian. But he was fast and nimble-more experienced at fighting than I am. I didn't stand a chance as I was attacking aimlessly. He managed to land a punch on my face and I felt the world spin. "If I kill the hybrid, I would certainly be rewarded. But then if I bring you alive to them, they would even commend me for bringing a new species to work with." I didn't like the sound of that. I stood and I shielded Arleigh. He noticed what I did and he let out a scoff. "Your friend can't be helped. She drank from my blood. Once she dies, she will turn into a vampire." Behind me, I heard Arleigh whimper at the news. Adrian tilted his head. "Do you know what that means, love? It means you're going to be feeding on human blood and unless you feed, you will desiccate. You won't be able to go out and enjoy your daily activities. Although you can certainly own the night. Marvelous, isn't it?" "No," Arleigh whimpered and I couldn't believe I was seeing a helpless Arleigh. "Don't let him do that, Morgiana. Please, don't let him do that to me." I hated Arleigh so much but she didn't deserve this. So I said, "I won't." Adrian laughed in front of me. And I went on, "He's not going to kill you. Not while I am here." "Who says I'm the one who will kill her?" I gave him a confused look but then I heard Arleigh sobbing even more behind me. "Morgiana," she called and I gasped when I saw she was holding a pen on her neck. "Do it, my love," Adrian said and I knew it was a powerful compulsion. And my mind was so out of focus that I couldn't think straight. The next thing I heard was myself screaming no and then Arleigh dropping dead to the floor with the pen in his throat. Everything happened too fast and I was too slow. There was ringing in my ears and I didn't know if I was screaming or not. One moment I was watching Arleigh lifeless on the ground, blood pooling underneath her, and the next moment, the door opened and I saw Alaris. It did not take him long to figure out what was going on. He went straight to Adrian and everything was just a blur in my eyes until I realized Alaris was the only one left standing and he was holding a heart. Adrian's heart. He had taken his heart out and tossed it to Adrian's desiccating body as if it was just a rag. I couldn't talk and I couldn't move. Then suddenly, he was in front of me. His blooded hands cupped my face. I felt his thumb on my cheeks and I realized I was crying. The ringing in my ears stopped and I heard his voice. "Shh. It's okay now. You're okay. You're fine," he said as he caressed my hair and pulled me into a hug. My head rested on his chest and I could hear his heart beating so fast. Or maybe it was mine, I don't know. "Arleigh..." I said. I saw what happened to Arleigh. Adrian had compelled her earlier before they came inside. He must have compelled her to kill herself when he gives the signal. I was too slow. I even promised her I wouldn't let it happen. "It's not your fault," Alaris said and I sobbed. "It's not your fault, Morgiana. It was the vampire's fault. He did this, not you. Okay?" "He made her drink his blood and made her kill herself," I muttered and I felt Alaris go still. "He...before they came here, he must have compelled her to kill herself. And I hid behind that door when they came. I didn't know-I didn't know what he was. I just...I just know something's off with him. Then I saw him bite her neck and then made her drink his blood-I was too slow, Alaris. I did not take action quickly enough. I let it happen." "Don't be hard on yourself. You didn't know, okay? If you had known, I know you would have done everything in your power to stop it." He muttered a curse under his breath before pulling me into a hug again. "She's going to wake up soon and I need you to do something, Morgiana." He held both my shoulders and gently pushed me away so he could look at me. "I need you to compel her. When she wakes up, I will make her drink blood, just so she wouldn't go on a blood-lust rampage and kill her parents." "What...what should I say? Can I even compel a vampire?" "A hybrid should be able to compel a newly turned vampire as they're still weak. Tell her to control her hunger. That she will not go on blood lust. I will call Laurent to tell the mayor the news. They need to know." "What about me? Are they going to know about me?" "No," he said sternly. "You are not going to say anything. You were here because you heard Arleigh scream so you decided to enter. You're covered in blood. That's believable enough." He turned to look at his phone and that's when I heard Arleigh groaning on the ground. She's awake. Alaris nodded at me and I immediately tore the blood bag open. Arleigh got up and held her head before she winced in pain. Her hand traveled from her head to her neck where the pen was protruding. Without hesitation, she pulled it out and grunted in pain. She scuttled away at the sight of the bloodied pen. Her eyes met mine and she was suddenly breathing hard. "Compel her to calm down, Morgiana," I heard Alaris say behind me. I swallowed hard before I took a step forward. "Get away from me, you monster!" she yelled and I flinched. Of all the bullying she did, this was the first time I flinched. "I'm sorry, Arleigh." I crouched down in front of her and did not give her a chance to speak. I started the compulsion. "What happened was terrible but I need you to calm down." I looked at her neck where the pen was earlier and it was smooth now. It has healed. "I need you to drink this. You'll need this, okay? And I need you to behave yourself and control your hunger when you feel it. I promise we're going to make this better." Arleigh was just looking at me as though I was the only person she could listen to all day. I handed her the blood bag and she gently took it. She looked at me as if asking for my permission. The moment I nodded, she started drinking the blood.