the chilly night air as he made

ind her like a black bird's

hind, her keen gaze swee

onal hoot of an owl had taken the p

nt recollection of a life Adrian

om the constant pac

y stepped out of the kn

e heading or why Selena felt

running from something-someth

Adrian did inquire, hi

e, too distracted by the deluge of kno

ng back, "Not much longer

d to himself. The word

a location free of the animals

an normal, Chloe remar

nly thing that matters

allowed h

nning to wear on him, even th

ena's statement: You are

. He was neither a leade

demons; he was there to attend

ated by glistening moonlight af

estic in spite of its anti

bed intensely, as if the surround

d said, "This is it." "T

in his gut as he ga

heir significance over time w

terrified by the old

ce above a whisper when he

ked, "That's where you

constructed th

location associated with

bout your stre

took a step back

is. I am not looking for power

. human for the first ti

ife as you know

ected, whether yo

the blood of monarchs. Yo

t's just another word for being

forward him and to

rd yet comfo

cult to understand, but

he only w

ooking for reassurance

red a silent resolv

upported him during this entire

e said, his v

ured toward

circle and let the moon

he latent ener

n't?" Adrian crossed

ue to be exposed," S

chance when the Da

as her remarks we

ire this fate

to live, n

ion if this was the onl

advancing, his foot crunc

, the buzzing feeling intensi

a throbbing powe

nstructions to "st

ight it no m

then stepped int

e of energy rushed throug

eir emblems pulsing in

n, which surrounding h

g occurred. Then

is chest and quickly spread li

s and held his chest a

were being changed, his muscles

sound of his scream rev

ut Chloe off as sh

responded fiercely. "He

ed into a whirl of light and bl

o the surface, and somethin

d, a beast trying t

, memories of wars fought in the blood-red moonlight, of

to stand up and faces h

as it had started,

hook as he fell

grain of soil underneat

e clearly and h

and Selena's gentle breathing

self slowly

ergized, strong

d the faint glow that appeared

e woken up," with a hi

from your a

, Adrian's chest rose and f

e devil

your roots," "You now possess

ly a man anymor

r, taking in every

el like a ki

e the fact that someth

r in his b

ated across the neighborh

on of the sound, and his acute sens

followed by glowing crimson e

lpha," Selena growled

g in the moonlight, Ch

prepared to f

as the primordial energ

how or whether

, a deep, guttural roar that was not

ed to face hi

E E