Behind The Alpha Book 8 ADAM

ADAM

My senses are heightened. My eyes adjust to the dark as my boots cross the cold cave floor.

I walk down the tunnel and their scent of death fills me. My lycan fights me as my fists ball at my sides.

‘We're not fighting unless we have to. I need information.’ I say to him and push him down.

This isn’t a hive. This is a hiding spot from the sun. They must have been caught before daybreak. The question is why are they so far from the others.

“You are very brave, sun walker.”

The female voice echoes in the shadows and I stop.

I see her green eyes first before she steps out with four males behind her.

My eyes narrow as she tosses her long, auburn hair over her shoulder, crosses her arms and kicks out a leg. “If it isn’t the boy wonder.” She says snidely.

I eye them all. “Do I know you?” With all the confusion in my mind, I don’t recognize her, but that doesn’t mean anything.

She steps forward and her men smirk with chuckles behind her. “No, but we know all about you.”

“Then you know who I’m looking for.” I say as I tick my jaw.

She nods. “Too bad you won’t live long enough to find him.” She coyly glances at the men then back at me.

“You think you can kill me? Do none of you talk? I’ve destroyed full hives.” I shake my head and cross my arms.

She steps closer to me. “Yes, but you haven’t met the likes of me.”

Her eyes glow a strange red with green hue. I cinch my brow. “What are you?” I ask as I study her.

“Come on, Lamia. Just kill the shithead already.” The dark haired vamp behind her head says. Clearly, he’s bored.

I tilt my head. “Lamia.” I peer into her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

She ticks her head. “Just doing my duty. And catching a fresh snack while I’m here.” She smirks.

“No.” I shake my head. “I’ll kill you first.”

I feel her old power start to grow and my vampire side grows nervous. I settle him and my eyes glow green.

This is not what I expected to find. I hope I have the strength.

“You can try.” She says as she nods to her entourage.

The men step in front and challenge me. Their eyes glow and their fangs drop. They lower themselves as they all let out hisses of anger.

I lower myself with fists out to my sides. I return the challenge and drop my fangs.

They lunge at me and my fist lands on the head of a blonde one. He flies to the side and hits the wall. I grab another and throw him over my shoulder. He bounces down the tunnel.

The dark haired vamp gets in my face and tries to bite my neck. I slam my hand on his face and push him back. My other hand grows claws and I sink them into his neck. He screams as I clench his flesh and rip his throat out.

His body crumples to the floor and I’m hit by a red headed one. We fly back down the tunnel and when we hit, I plant my boots on his stomach. I push him off as we roll and he falls out the entrance.

Lamia lets out a banshee like cry and runs at me. I catch her and we fall out the cave.

I punch her in the face as we fall to the bottom of the ravine.

“ADAM!”

I twist and land on my boots as Lamia lands on her feet in front of me.

I glance behind me and Astrid is running at me with her sword out.

I throw up a hand. “STAY BACK!” I growl loud.

I’m hit by another vamp and land on the ground. His face smokes in the filtered UV rays as I hold his teeth back.

I slam two punches to his head and he falls off me.

I get to my feet and rush Lamia.

She lands a punch on my head and my eyes explode as I thud on my back.

I roll to my stomach and see Astrid wielding her blade at the two Vamps who braved the sun. They lower themselves and wait for her to let down her guard. She’s not making it easy. They dodge and jump back as she swings at them. Her bravery is astounding.

Before I can react to help, I’m lifted to my feet and Lamia grabs my throat. She raises me to her face and smiles. “Killing you will be fun. Father will be pleased.”

“Fuck you, demon.” I grit and try to pry her hand off.

“Demon? How dare you insult a God.” She sneers. “I could eat your soul. Have some respect.”

“Respect this…” I haul my boot back and slam it between her legs. She screams, lets go of my neck and hits the ground.

I check for blood and glare at her as she lifts herself up and shoots daggers my way.

“DIE, YOU FOUL THING!”

I whip around and Astrid is running with her blade in the air.

“ASTRID, NO!!” I try to stop her, but she jumps, swings her blade in her hands and lands it in Lamias chest.

Lamia arches back, grabs the blade in her hands and screams.

Astrid straddles her with her hands white knuckling the hilt. The look on her face was pure rage and death.

Lamia raises her head and smiles. “Nice try.”

Astrid looks at her in confusion.

“It’s not that easy, little girl.” She laughs. She looks my way. “Another time, sunwalker.” Lamia vanishes into thin air and Astrid almost falls over as the tip of her bloody blade scrapes the rock.

She stands and turns to me. Her face is full of questions.

Screams came from behind us and we turn.

The Vamps that left the cave shake violently on the ground. Black smoke consumes them as their tolerance for the sun fails.

“Shield yourself!” I yell.

We both cover our faces just as the Vamps bodies explode into pieces.

We uncover our eyes and stare at the two craters filled black ash and entrails. Pieces of their bodies rain down on us. Astrid sheaths her sword and looks up at the cave.

A single vamp stands just in the dark.

“What about him?” She asks.

I stare him down and he hisses. “He’s no threat. Let’s go.”

“Who was that?” Astrid jogs to my side as we enter a patch of forest trees.

“Lamia. High level vampire. Very old. She’s a problem if she’s joined Lefu.” I inform.

Astrid steps in silence for a moment. “Did you get anything from the Vamps?”

“No, but once I’m off this mountain, I know where to go.” I mumble.

The wind and snow pick up and I can see Astrid struggling against the storms strength.

“Are you sure you don’t want to run off this mountain?” I lean to her as the thunder booms above.

“No. I’m fine. The storm will pass.” She clenches and covers her face more. I can tell she’s cold.

I look around. “We need shelter. We can wait it out.”

She looks ahead. “Agreed. The mountain pass is up ahead. There’s a safe cave there.”

I nod and follow her. We push against the driving ice and snow. The pass is deep and it was hard to make out the cave, but soon the outline of the entrance came into view through the white curtain.

We practically fall into the cave and shake off the snow off our clothes.

She brushes the snow off her hair and lowers her mask. The cloud from her breath surrounds her head.

I look around the cave and there’s not much room on the floor. The rest is caved in.

Astrid walks to the edge of it and holds a hand over the hole. “There’s warmer air down here.”

I squat beside her. “At least it’s somethi…”

Before I could finish, the edge gives way and we both scream as we fall into the hole.

We hit the bottom with hard thuds and pain explodes in my back.

I groan as I try to focus my eyes.

I hear Astrid cough and groan beside me and I turn to her.

“Are you alright?” I ask as I sit up.

She lifts herself. “I’m fine…I think.” She lifts her head to the hole then looks around for a way out.

“I can climb it. Just hold my back.” I stand and brush my jeans off.

“No. I can find my own way.” She says as she stands and dusts herself.

“Why are you refusing my help?” I turn to her. “I’m here because you asked for it.”

“I asked for help to fight the monster. I see no monster here.” She side eyes me and inspects the cave.

“So, you’re just using me then.” I scowl.

“No. I just don’t need you to help me. I’m not a damsel that needs saving.” She jumps for a hold and misses. She huffs and crosses her arms, angry at the forth failed attempt she made.

“Just because I help you, doesn’t mean you’re weak.” I say.

She turns my way. “That’s exactly what it means. You question my strength to fight by your side, I need to prove my worth.”

She turns around and finds another hold. She jumps and misses. She growls under her breath.

I sigh. “Ok. Look. We're tired and hungry. Let’s just rest then figure a way out.”

“No. I’m fine.” She glances at me.

“ASTRID!” I growl and small rocks fall somewhere in the dark of the cave.

She turns.

I calm myself. “Rest…please.” I tilt my head to her.

Her shoulders fall in defeat. “Fine.”

“This way.” I wave her down a tunnel. It slopes down and the air is significantly warmer here, but still icy cold.

The tunnel stops at a half buried door. I call my lycan, push the boulders out of the way and crawl through the hole.

She crawls in behind me. “Are you sure this is safe?”

I look around and there’s three tunnels in a small room. “If the vamp in that cave gathers more, they’ll have a tough time finding us here. It's safe.”

She drops her pack and explores the cave. She disappears into the tunnel on the right and I inspect the one in the middle. There’s nothing of any real interest in here. I walk out and turn my head to the floor. In a pile of rocks, I see something orange.

I unbury it and hold it up. It’s a jacket. I look it over and see a dark patch on the chest with a hole ripped through in the middle of it. I hold it under my nose and smell the old blood. Whoever wore this was injured. I look around more and see a spot on the rock wall. There’s more old blood on it and thin, round hole in the center of it. I hold the jacket to a man’s height and hole in the back of the jacket matches the hole in the wall. They were impaled on something. I try to picture it, but fail to see beyond the evidence in my hand.

How did they get in here? More importantly…how did they get out?

I drop the jacket and look around. I don’t see bodies anywhere so, that must mean he lived.

I hear water splash and turn to the tunnel that Astrid went down.

“Astrid?”