Forbidden
By Misha
Disclaimer- Not mine.
Author’s Notes- I am officially changing the description from “what if Adam Vega was an LI” to “what if the MC had a romantic relationship with Adam Vega” and also acknowledging that this series is going to be super angsty. This is pretty much the calm before the storm. This is an AU, but it will mostly follow canon, so Vega is going to be a manipulative asshole, but I do change te story and some of the interactions. This cover some of the events of Chapter 10, I’m going to combine all the Shadow Den stuff into the next chapter for plot purposes.
Rating- PG-13
Summary- After the massacre, Lily and Lilith seek shelter and Lilith is even more confused about her growing feelings for Senator Vega.
Words- 1553
Chapter Five: The Massacre
I felt Lily at my side, gripping my hand. I felt better knowing that she was there with me, that were in this together.
The two of us hid in the kitchen with the terrified staff, watching as poor Marcel was torn apart and then we took our opportunity, running into the ballroom. I watched in awe as the Clan leaders finished off the ferals.
Adrian and Adam stood back-to-back holding bloody chair legs, and despite the severity of the situation, there was something really hot about that image.
“Ready?” I heard Adrian ask Adam.
“Always,” Adam responded confidently as they ran into the fray.
It wasn’t long before the ferals were done, though Lily and I’d had to rely on a last minute save from Kamilah, and then we all moved outside of the castle while the council tried to regroup and assess the damage.
“I make out at least forty dead,” Adrian commented, “mostly humans. A few vampires.”
I heard Kamilah and Lester both comment about losing members of their clan, but I was really too numb to process it. The conversation then turned to poor Marcel and there was some genuine emotion.
“Most of the victims are local upstaters,” Adam commented looking around. “Marcel’s crew. I can have some of my fixers come in, create a plausible cover-up…”
“Cover-up?” I asked him hesitantly, wondering how you covered up something like this.
He turned his attention to me and I could see the strain of the night, yet his tone was patient when he spoke. “‘Tragedy Strikes Historical Site When Gas Leak Erupts During Charity Fundraiser’.”
I nodded, I guess that made sense. I mean, I couldn’t believe they’d just cover it up, but…
“‘At Least Forty Guests Fatally Poisoned by Fumes,’” Adam continued and then he shrugged “Generous payoff to the families, leak a few doctored photos to the tabloids, and wait ‘til the next Twitter scandal distracts the media.”
He made it seem so simple and maybe for him, it was. After all, vampires were used to keeping their very existence a secret, back pretty much forever, this probably wasn’t their first cover-up.
“Have you… done this before?” I asked hesitantly, wondering how many tragedies I’d read about that were actually something else entirely.
“Of course,” he answered, looking directly at me. “But on this scale? Rarely.”
That was comforting, at least, that and the way he was looking at me, almost reassuringly and I appreciated the way he was taking the time to talk to me, to answer my questions. I thought of our time in the study and what he’d asked of me and his demeanor made the prospect seem a little less daunting.
Even now, in a crisis, he was willing to speak to me, to treat me with a consideration, I’d be more than a plaything to him. Of course, I couldn’t make that decision now, not while things were so… Chaotic.
I was so distracted by my thoughts that I had tuned out the resulting conversation until I realized that the tones had gotten angrier and the clan leaders were throwing around accusations at one another. Oh, that didn’t sound good.
“All of you, stop it!” Adam commanded. “We need to come out as a unified front against these Ferals before the backlash against this blows up in our faces. We need to get rid of them all, every last one. Including the Clanless.”
My stomach clenched at his words. I knew he’d proposed but hearing it again… There was no patience in his voice now, no understanding. He looked furious and resolved and I wasn’t sure whether to be terrified or turned on.
Before anyone could really react, they suddenly remembered about the vampires who had been bitten and were now turning Feral, the act of having a real problem to solve at least temporarily distracting and uniting them.
I watched as they drew stakes and blades, preparing for the awful task. When they were like this, cool and efficient and united, it was easy to understand why they were in charge.
Adrian took me and Lily aside, “you both need to get out of here, head to the city and lay low. Tensions could rise and that could mean a clan war and the young vampires are often the first to go, that and the human bystanders.”
“Got it,” Lily answered when I would have protested. She tugged at my arm. “Let’s go, Lilith.”
I wanted to say something to Adrian, but he was already rushing back into the fray. Then there was another hand on my arm, stilling me. I knew before I looked up it was Adam. I shot Lily a look, silently asking for a moment. She sighed but stepped back to give me some privacy.
“Adrian’s right to send you away,” he told me in a low voice, “It’s not safe here, but I know somewhere that is. I have a house, outside of the city, nothing could harm you there.”
I felt the gratitude rush over me. “Thank you, Lily and I–”
“I can’t shield Lily or offer her shelter,” he interrupted, “she’s a Raines vampire.” Oh. I guess that made sense, since they were worried about a war. “But you are human and there are different rules, all you have to do is pledge your loyalty to me, not Adrian. Let me keep you safe, Lilith.” His voice was persuasive, almost pleading. I was tempted to agree, to let him whisk me away and take care of me. Adrian had just told us to lay low, Adam was offering an actual solution, and after everything, I just wanted to be safe, but…
“I can’t leave Lily,” I told him, knowing it was true.
I saw the annoyance on his face before he hid it. “I understand. Wherever you do go, be careful.” He passed me a card. “And if you change your mind call this number.”
I nodded.
He squeezed my hand quickly, an affectionate gesture that had my head spinning. Could it be that he genuinely cared about me? I didn’t have time to process it because he was head back towards the castle, weapon in hand and Lily was back at my side, tugging me towards the train. We made it just in time, after a brief pause to stake the poor lonely girl we’d talked to earlier.
“You could have said yes,” Lily told me and I realized she’d heard Adam’s offer, “I mean I would have understood.”
“I won’t leave you,” I told her, squeezing her hand.
“I guess something happened between you two tonight?” Lily teased, “since he was acting might protective there.”
I blushed, “yeah. I guess… He asked me to quit his job and come with him. Apparently, we can’t have a relationship if I’m under Adrian’s protection.” A relationship, was that he wanted? Did 340-year old vampires have relationships with humans? That’s what his offer had sounded like.
“Wow,” Lily asked looking impressed and then she grinned, though it wasn’t as bright as it normally was, “did he back up his offer? Because that looked like some kiss on the train.”
“Lily!” I reprimanded, “this isn’t…”
“Please, Lil,” she said quietly, “I need this, I need something to take my mind off of…”
I nodded, understanding. What had happened was terrible. All around us on the train I could see the shocked faces of the survivors and knew that we weren’t the only ones processing what had happened. If gossiping would help Lily, then I could do that.
“I’m not giving you details,” I told her.
“But there are details,” she teased.
“Maybe…” I admitted, my mind going over the even of the last several hours. The kiss on the train, our time in the study, the offer he had made me… It all added up to something. Yet it still seemed impossible.
We got off the train and that was when it occurred to us we had nowhere to go because there was nowhere safe. “You can go to the safe house,” Lily reminded me.
The idea was tempting, but I shook my head. “In this together.” I’d gotten her into this mess, I couldn’t just abandon her now. But where could we go? I racked my brain and then a face popped into it. Jax. He’d told me to call him if I ever needed him.
“I know someone I can call,” I told Lily, pulling out my phone and the scrap of paper with Jax’s number on it, though as I reached for it, my fingers brushed Adam’s card, once against tempted by the idea. No, Lily and I were in this together, so I’d call Jax and hope he could help.
I wasn’t sure it was the best idea, dragging Jax into this, especially given Adam’s new resolved against the Clanless, but at the same time maybe that was a reason to do it. Jax deserved to be warned, didn’t he?
Warned about the very man you’re considering giving yourself too. That voice inside my head pointed out. I pushed it aside, I’d worry about that. For now, I needed to get Lily and I to safety and then, later, I could figure out what I was going to do and what I wanted.
**
