4. Adelaide

4

ADELAIDE

I know it's inappropriate, but I can't stop laughing. The stress, pain, fear, and confusion of the past few hours suddenly hit me all at once, and I just lose it. My sides ache as I gasp for breath between fits of giggles.

"Addy?" Corvus's concerned voice barely registers after a few minutes. "Are you alright?"

I wave a hand at him, trying to compose myself. "I'm fine," I choke out. "Just processing."

As my laughter finally subsides, I look around at my guys. They're all watching me with varying degrees of concern and bewilderment. Zephyr still looks like death warmed over, his usually immaculate appearance marred by the blood drying on his face. Guilt washes over me.

"I'm sorry," I say, sobering up and crawling over to him. I straddle him right there in the middle of the campus, not giving a flying fuck who sees me. "You all risked your lives for me. Thank you." I kiss him deeply, and he responds eagerly. I gasp into his mouth as I feel my life force draining rapidly. He is taking my power from me.

No. I'm giving it to him. Freely, wantonly, unconditionally.

I would rather he have it than me.

"Fuck, Adelaide," he murmurs against my lips. "Don't."

"Take it. You need it more than I do."

"No," he says firmly and pushes me away.

I go dizzy, and I collapse, his hands catching me before I hit my head on the ground.

"She needs blood," Corvus mutters and shoves his wrist in my face.

I blink at it, and then, without warning, my fangs are down, and I grip his arms, slicing into his vein. I drink, gulping it back, but it's not enough. I need more. I need everything.

"Slow down," Zaiah says, coming to me and stroking my hair.

"She can't," Corvus says. "She needs more than I can give her. She needs human blood."

"Where are we supposed to find that, then?" Ignatius asks as Zephyr tugs on my hair to get me to release Corvus.

I growl at him, but when I see the slow beat of his pulse in his neck, I leap at him. He catches me, and we fall to the ground. His cock is rock hard under my pussy as I grind against him, nuzzling his neck, needing him to give me his consent.

"Go for it," he mutters and then grunts when I bite down hard.

His gorgeous Dark Fae blood pours into my mouth, and I groan in longing, needing every last drop.

Slow down, Addy.

The voice in the back of my head is easily ignored as I grip Zephyr's shoulders and clamp down even harder. The bloodlust has hit me with force.

Suddenly, I'm yanked back by a strong hand on the back of my jacket, hauling me away from Zephyr and dangling me in mid-air as I kick and scream and claw to try to get back to the magickal, powerful blood that is sending me a little crazy right now.

"Miss Black," Blackthorn's voice cuts through my haze of bloodlust. "Control yourself."

I kick out, but all he does is lift me higher with a supernatural strength that befits his station.

"Put me down!" I shriek as Ignatius chuckles at me. "And you, firestarter, shut your trap."

"Sorry, girl. This is too funny."

"Grrr," I snarl as Blackthorn shakes me a little bit.

"Miss Black. Do I need to isolate you?"

That makes me stop kicking. I dangle from his hand, slumped and worn out from the near-death experience and the struggling.

I go limp in Blackthorn's grip, the fight draining out of me as quickly as it came. "No," I mutter. "I'm fine now. You can put me down."

Blackthorn eyes me suspiciously for a moment before lowering me to the ground. As soon as my feet touch the grass, I stumble, my legs wobbly beneath me. Corvus is there in an instant, steadying me with a firm hand on my elbow.

"Easy there, Dollie," he murmurs, his dark eyes scanning my face. "You've been through a lot."

I nod, leaning into him slightly. The exhaustion is hitting me hard now, and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"It's alright, Adelaide. You needed it," Zephyr says.

"Still," I say, shame heating my cheeks. "I shouldn't have lost control like that."

Blackthorn clears his throat, drawing our attention. "While this is all very touching, we have more pressing matters to attend to. The university is in chaos, and we need to get back in order and back to classes."

I look around at the beaten and bruised students and then back at Blackthorn. He has healed fully now. "Why?" I ask, my voice trembling as much as my hands. "Why did Randall do that to me?"

Blackthorn stares at me for a long moment, before he heaves a sigh. "He used you to open that portal."

"Well, no shit," Corvus snaps. "Where does it lead to?"

Blackthorn shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. Did Randall go through?"

"Yes," I mumble. "It vanished. Will it come back?"

"I can't answer your questions," Blackthorn clips out. "We need to move on and get back to normal. Miss Black. You need to rest. I will make sure you have a supply of blood. It appears your hunger has kicked in now after this ordeal."

Ordeal.

No, it's not after this ordeal. It's after Randall slammed a knife into my heart and didn't kill me. Unless he did kill part of me. My human part. Suddenly, that thought makes sense to me. It's why I feel stronger, more alive, more everything. Even in my weakened state, I know I'm not the same Addy that the Strix flew off with.

Aww, little bitch is connecting the dots.

"Oh, you need to fuck right off," I snarl, clenching my fists.

"I beg your pardon," Blackthorn snaps.

I stare up at him, my cheeks heating up. "Uhm, sorry, didn't mean you," I stammer.

"Humph," he grunts.

I watch as Blackthorn stalks away, his black robes billowing behind him. The guys gather around me.

"What was that about?" Zaiah asks, his white eyes searching mine.

I shake my head, not ready to explain the voice I've been hearing. "Nothing. I'm just tired."

Corvus wraps an arm around my waist, supporting me. "Let's get you back to your room. You need rest."

"My mum!" I shriek and fumble about in my pocket for my phone, hoping it's still there.

Dragging it out of my back pocket, I see the screen is cracked to smithereens, but it still works. As the guys look on, I dial my mum and wait anxiously. If Randall was here and he stabbed me, what did he do to my mother?

"Hello?"

"Mum!" I practically yell into the phone. "Are you okay?"

"Addy! Yes, I'm fine, love. How are you?"

"Are you sure? Randall didn't hurt you?"

"What? No. He left a little while ago to come to see you."

"So you're okay?" I press. I need to know.

"Yes, Addy," she laughs. "I'm fine."

"Okay," I say, steadying my breathing. "Okay, good."

"Get some rest, love. You sound exhausted. I'll speak to you again soon."

"I love you," I murmur.

"I love you too, Addy, Bye."

We hang up and gulp back my tears of relief. If Randall had hurt her in any way, I'd have to kill him with my bare hands.

As we make our way across the campus, I notice the destruction around us. Broken windows, scorched grass, and debris litter the grounds. Students huddle in small groups, whispering and casting fearful glances our way.

"Fuck," Ignatius mutters. "This is bad."

Zephyr nods grimly. "What's bad is that we were left to deal with this on our own. That needs addressing."

"Too fucking right," Corvus mutters. "This was a shitshow. Ig, can you find out why the Order didn't turn up?"

"I can try, but I think I've been cut off. I can't sense them."

The guys exchange a worried stare. "That's not good," Zaiah murmurs.

I stare at him, seeing the bond dancing between us through new eyes. It's there, tangible. If I reach out…

"What are you doing?" he asks as I grab at the air between us.

I frown. "Trying to touch our bond."

He grips my hand and tilts my chin up to meet his gaze. "You can see it?"

"Yes."

"Fuck," he breathes. "Really?"

I nod. "It's green and gold."

He smiles. "I know."

"I think I died," I blurt out.

Well, if there was ever a conversation stopper… that was it.