34. Adrianna

34

ADRIANNA

M uttering vibrates through the room, stirring me from the depths of darkness. My head instantly aches with the onslaught of an irritating migraine and my vision blurs for what feels like an eternity as I try to focus on my surroundings. Exhaustion clings to me, leaving me fuzzy until I hear the distinct sound of a grumpy vampire.

My focus sharpens, revealing Raiden and Cassian standing at the foot of the bed, where I lay with Kryll on one side and Brody on the other. They're both passed out cold. Brody's leg is thrown over mine while Kryll's palm rests at my waist.

"Hey," I murmur, garnering the attention of the two hotheads at the foot of the bed. Cassian's jaw ticks as he glares deeper at Raiden, who turns to me with a brilliant smile spread across his face.

"I told you not to wake her," Cassian snarls, but Raiden waves him off without a glance.

The blood is gone and the wound at his neck is no longer visible, which settles something inside of me.

"Troublemaker."

I sigh, intent to listen to him use my nickname again and again.

"You look…good," I mutter, still taking stock of him from head to toe, making sure there's nothing out of place.

"I know," he retorts with a wink, making me narrow my eyes.

"Uh, so you're back to yourself then," I state, making him rock back on his heels with a wicked smirk. As annoying as it is, it only serves to calm the worry that was wreaking havoc on my body.

I try to shake off his effect on me and continue unfazed, but I fail, and his gaze darkens, forcing my thighs to clench as I hold his heated stare.

"Miss me so soon?" he asks, nodding at Kryll and Brody at my sides, and I shrug.

"Jealous?" I breathe, struggling to hold back a grin as his gaze continues to deepen, his pupils dilating before my very eyes.

"Very," he rasps, making a show of adjusting his dick behind his pants, and Cassian scoffs at his little performance.

"Well, she was jealous of me earlier, so beat that," Brody grumbles, wrapping his leg further around me as he nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck. Kryll's fingers flex at my waist, confirming he's awake too, but none of that seems to matter to the vampire.

"Well, I was deep inside her earlier, so?—"

"That's enough," Cassian interjects, his face reddening with agitation, and I take the awkwardness in the air as my cue to slip out for a minute.

"I don't think so," Raiden retorts, more than happy to keep pushing like he usually does.

I instantly miss the heat from Brody and Kryll as I slip from between them, earning a groan of complaint from them both as I go. I mutter about using the bathroom as I avoid Raiden's outstretched hand and Cassian's stare, quickly shutting the door behind me.

Taking a deep breath, I wipe a hand down my face. I think this is the first time I've woken up surrounded by them all. It's definitely the first time I've woken up sandwiched between two of them, and the distraction it's offering isn't exactly working in my favor.

I make quick work of relieving my bladder and washing my hands before I finally dare to take a look at myself in the mirror. My blonde hair is sticking up in every direction, my eyes are puffier than a damn puffer fish, and my skin looks pale. I'm quite sure I could camouflage as a bottle of milk or a corpse right now, neither of which sound appealing. Not when there are four men on the other side of the door. Four men who I can no longer deny my need for.

Sighing, I shake my arms out, trying to lose the irritation creeping up my spine, but it's unavoidable. I'm in here, thinking about dick—multiple dicks, to be specific, when I should be considering the kingdom. Now isn't the time for me to be selfish.

With my mind jumbled over my current situation, I focus on myself first. Without a desirable audience, I use my magic to tame my hair into a crown braid around my head before splashing water on my face, hoping it will wash my puffy eyes away, but it's not as easy as my hair.

"Troublemaker, I brought you some clothes. They're on the shelves," Raiden hollers from the other side of the door with a little rap of his knuckles.

"Thanks," I murmur, frowning as I find exactly what he's talking about. "Did you go to my room without me?" I ask.

"Would it make you mad if I did?" he asks, a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

"Yes."

"Even if it was to get you some clothes to save you from doing the walk of shame?"

"I had clothes," I retort, recalling what I was wearing last night, and he scoffs.

"I'm quite sure Cassian burned them. There was no coming back from that much blood," he explains, making my lips purse as I quickly dress.

"You have to stop going in my room, Raiden," I state, swinging the door open to find him right in front of me. There's not even a hint of apology on his face, which reminds me I may need to consider tossing those goddamn roses away. For good this time.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

He shrugs, wetting his lips to hide the grin on his face, and it annoys the hell out of me. I'm too tired for this.

I press my fingertips into my temples, wincing against the headache that begins to pound louder. "What time is it?"

"Eleven," Kryll answers, perched on the side of the bed with a tight smile on his face.

My eyes widen in surprise. It feels like I barely slept, and even though only a handful of hours have passed, it somehow feels like most of the day has passed.

"You must be hungry," Brody murmurs, and I shake my head.

"I need to think before I eat."

"About what?" Raiden asks, confusion knitting his eyebrows together, and I sigh.

"I don't know where to start." It's the truth, and that's what is causing even more of a headache.

"That's what we're here for," Brody offers as Cassian stands with his arms folded over his chest, staring at me intently.

I shake my head, and Brody is in front of me in the next breath. "Don't you dare put your guards back up," he warns, tilting my chin back as Kryll sighs from his spot beside the bed.

"They already are," Kryll adds, and I hate how they always have the ability to see through me. Fa?ade or not, it's a power I wish no one had over me.

"What do you need, Princess?" Kryll asks, cutting through everyone even though he's the farthest away.

"To think," I admit, a strange feeling tightening my chest. I don't like having to explain myself to anyone, but this doesn't feel like that. This feels…reassuring, I think. I don't fucking know. I need to think about this too.

"Where?" he asks, his demeanor remaining relaxed as I sense tension from the other three.

"Not here," I admit, exhaling harshly as I feel judgmental eyes fixate on me even more.

"Okay," he answers, and I slip past Raiden toward my saving grace among the craziness that are my Kryptos, but that doesn't stop the hot headed vampire from trying to interject.

"Okay? Definitely not okay," he grunts, hands balling into fists at his sides, firing anger into my veins again.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to hold back my agitation, when Kryll speaks.

"You're making it worse." He's not fucking wrong.

"How could it possibly be worse?" Raiden snaps, his own irritation coming to the surface. "I learned the vampires are controlling the frenzied vampires. On top of the fact that the head vampires are also in cahoots with the other leading assholes intent on forcing us to be fated mates. All while some of us are having to hide family members for safety so they aren't used against us. Again."

"That sounds heavy, but now that you mention it, it's surprising, just not all that shocking for the vampires" Brody muses, brows gathering in concern as he looks from Kryll to Raiden and then to me.

"It is heavy," he retorts, and I sigh, lifting a hand to interrupt.

"The fated mates thing…maybe that's done with. They would have acted by now, surely."

Raiden looks at me like a second head has sprouted from my neck as he shakes his in disbelief. "They've waited this long, biding their time. They're not known for their patience, Adrianna. They'll make a move again. And soon, I can guarantee it."

"My father did say," Brody mutters, reminding me of the conversation we had. It feels like forever ago, but it's been barely any time at all.

Pressing into my temples again, the pounding only worsens.

"You're making me think out of sequence and it's ruining my brain," I grumble.

"What?" Cassian mutters, confusion etched into the single word.

"I need to compartmentalize, and you're only looking at the whole picture. I need to assess each individual issue first before I piece it all together. Otherwise, it gets too much for me."

Kryll's hands come down on my shoulders, forcing my gaze to his. His eyes are soft and calming, but his lips are set in a flat line. "Go. Think."

"No. Do not go and think. If last night taught us anything, fuck, if the past few weeks have taught us anything, it's that she's not safe," Raiden gripes, sending a cold chill down my spine.

"And I thought I proved last night that I can handle myself. Not only that, I fucking warned you what would come if you kept undermining me like that."

"Oh, I have no doubt about your abilities, Adrianna. That's not my issue, but if we can avoid danger, I think we should. And don't even get me started on that goddamn threat. I told you as much last night." His warning rings louder than mine, and I gulp. For a split second, I falter, until his words repeat in my mind and the restraint I was holding on to slips between my fingers.

" You think?"

"Yes." He nods vigorously, and I scoff.

"Guys," Brody warns as if sensing the anger that I can feel in the air around me.

"No, please, continue. What else do you think?"

Kryll's hands drop from my shoulders as I turn to stare down Raiden head-on. The vampire lifts his hands in surrender, but the determination doesn't leave his eyes.

"I'm not looking to pick a fight, Adrianna."

"No, you're looking to have me trail after you, nodding in agreement with whatever you think," I snap, unable to contain the pure rage his words have created inside of me.

"No, I?—"

"Save it," I bite, turning for the door.

I need out of here right now. I can't breathe, and a small part of me can't decide if I'm overreacting or not. Some fresh air will give me the balance I'm looking for, and that's only going to piss him off. But so be it. I'm my own fucking person.

"Wait," he calls, and I half expect to feel his grasp on me in the next breath, but it doesn't come.

"Let her go, Raiden," Cassian mutters, his quietness in all of this a little unnerving, but it surprises me even more when I peer over my shoulder to find him restraining Raiden from moving toward me. It's just a hand on his shoulder, but it seems to do the trick.

"If anything happens to her, it's you I'll blame," he snarls, turning his words to Kryll, who nods at his friend before signaling for me to get the hell out of there.

The door slams behind me as I scurry down the stairs and straight out the front door. I can't decide if he has a point or is insane, but either way, all of this is ridiculous.

Before I realize it, I'm at the fountain with a fork in the road, considering my options. I can take a walk, I can go for food, or I can hurry to my room. Despite the other options, the latter sounds the most appealing. As much as I need space, annoyingly, he's not wrong, and my ward will serve to protect me.

With my mind made up, I march toward the fae building, my pace quickening even more when it comes into view. I grasp the door handle and twist, but freeze when movement sounds from the tall bushes to my left.

My pulse rings in my ears as my gaze darts everywhere. When movement ruffles the leaves, I stand tall, ready to defend myself.

One final flurry has someone stepping out into the open, and my heart stutters in my chest.

"Hello, Adrianna."

Fuck.

"Mother."