Shadow Born: Book 1 of the Shadow-Borne Chronicles (16 page)

“You have no idea,” Alec said, sighing.

They spent the rest of the day walking around and talking.
 
Jake had gotten a football scholarship and had gone to play for a college in Kentucky that Alec had never heard of.
 
He seemed to be doing pretty well.
 
He was enjoying himself and having a grand ole time, as was Jake’s modus operendi.
 
He told Alec about meeting a girl.
 
Her name was Cecelia.
 
He really liked her and wanted Alec to come to Kentucky to meet her.
 
He pulled out his phone and showed Alec a pic of a raven-haired beauty with a nose ring.
 
You could tell by the look on his face that he cared for her a lot.

Jake asked if Alec was dating and he just laughed and said he had no time for dating.
 
Alec explained to him how busy he stayed and all that he had to do, or had been doing.
 
Well, minus the whole vampiric interference of course.
 
Talking to Jake was just like old times and for a little while Alec completely lost track of time and just enjoyed hanging out and talking to Jake.
 
After a little while Alec’s stomach started grumbling and he realized how little he’d eaten.

“Hungry?” Jake asked laughing.
 

“Yeah, I’ve been so busy I haven’t had much time to eat.”

“Okay man, let’s grab some food and sit and talk some more.
 
My treat?”

Alec laughed.
 
“That’s the best thing you’ve said in awhile.”

The entranceway to Foster’s Park was along a road that was littered here and there with local shops and places to eat.
 
There was one in particular that Alec had wanted to try so he suggested it to Jake.
 
Jake agreed and they walked along the manicured trails of the park and made their way to the place that Alec had mentioned.

A Slice of Life
was a pizza place that was supposed to have the best pizzas in the area.
 
Jake and Alec walked through the alley breezeway that led them to the main road and sidewalk where all the shops and restaurants were located.
 
They found the place they were looking for, found a table and sat near the back.
 

This place had been around for a while.
 
The decor was a hodgepodge of different styles.
 
The walls were painted a dark red and there were pictures of customers in various stages of consuming pizza and several old posters of Italy on the wall.
 
The furniture itself was a hodgepodge as well with old looking heavy tables and chairs of dark wood.
 
It was sturdy and serviceable.
 
The restaurant itself was very narrow with a counter across from where Alec and Jake sat their things down.
 

Both young men walked up to the counter and checked out the selection of pizzas that were in the display.
 
They each chose several slices and drinks and carried the food back to their table and sat.
 
Alec loved pizza and this was some of the best that he’d had.
 
It also didn’t hurt that Alec hadn’t eaten much in the past several days and was starving.

They talked and joked while they ate, Jake bringing up some embarrassing memories from their shared past.
 
Finally after shoving the last piece of pizza in his mouth, Jake wiped the grease from his fingers and face and threw the crumpled up napkin onto his empty paper plate.
 
Alec looked outside and realized that the sun was going down and sat up quickly checking his phone.
 
Holy shit it was almost 7PM.
 
Where had the time gone?

Jake had launched into yet another story of his burgeoning football career when Alec received a text.
 
It was Marcus.
 
Where are you???
 
We reviewed the video of you leaving.
 
Alec you were followed.
 
Get back here now!

Alec panicked.
 
He sent back,
With Jake at A Slice of Life on River Street. No one here but us.

“Is there a problem?” Jake said seeing the look on Alec’s face.

“Uh…No,” he said.
 
“I was supposed to meet a friend and forgot.”
 

“Tell them to join us.
 
I would like to meet your new friend,” Jake said smiling and stretching his arms above his head.

Alec started to reply when he noticed three men eying him from outside.
 
They spoke quietly to one another and entered.
 
One went to the young woman behind the counter and said something to her.
 
Her face took on a slack look and she nodded slowly and went into the back room.
 
The other two stood beside the door, one of them locking it and turning over the CLOSED sign.
 
Alec typed in
Shit they’re here
and stuffed the phone into his front pocket.

“Listen,” Alec said quietly to Jake, “I need you to get your stuff and go out the back.
 
NOW!” he hissed.

Jake looked confused.
 
“Man, what’s going on?”

Alec just looked at him.
 
“Go! Now!
 
I’ll explain later.”

Jake shook his head, but got his stuff together and headed out the back way.
 
Before he got very far, two men appeared and one grabbed Jake by the arm.

“Hey asshole, let me go!” he said, but the man squeezed his arm painfully and led him back to his chair and shoved him down.
 
The other stood there menacingly.
 

Alec turned to Jake with a look of fear in his eyes.
 
“Listen, I need you to let me handle this okay?
 
Don’t be surprised at anything you see or hear.”
 
He waited until Jake nodded.

“Who are these assholes?” Jake asked very quietly.

From across the room one of the men said, “Assholes? I suppose one could look at it that way.”

Jake’s eyes got huge.
 
“How…?”

Alec shook his head and Jake fell silent.

The men, all dressed in dark, casual suits, approached the table and stood in a semi-circle.
 
The wall was to Alec’s back and there was nowhere to run without going through five vampires.
 
Thankfully Marcus knew where he was and would hopefully get there before anything got out of hand.
 
He had to stall.

“Alec, good to see you again,” the lead vampire said smiling.

“What do you want?” Alec said trying to talk around the lump in his throat.

“You and I have some business together.”

Alec tried to scoff but couldn’t quite manage it.
 
“I don’t have any business with someone like you.”

The man’s eyes narrowed.

“Alec, who are these guys?” Jake asked.

“Yeah Alec, why don’t you explain to your friend who we are.
 
Actually,” he said thinking, “why don’t you tell him
what
we are.
 
And what
you
are.
 
Don’t you think he deserves to know who he’s keeping company with?”
 
The man chuckled quietly.

“You know that’s not…allowed,” Alec said quietly barely able to speak.

“Alec,” he said as if he were disappointed.
 
“It’s not allowed for us to reveal ourselves to humans,
If
they are going to live to tell about it.
 
I assure you your friend won’t survive this experience.” He smiled evilly then.
 
“And neither will you.” Alec almost lost his pizza he was so nervous.

“You also aren’t allowed to kill us,” Alec said in a shaky voice.

“Oh see, that’s where you’re mistaken.
 
I’m not allowed to kill you if I get caught.
 
If I don’t get caught… I can do whatever I want.
 
I know you snuck out.
 
And I know that no one knows where you are.
 
So see, I can do whatever I want to you and no one will be the wiser.”
 
He spread his hands open as if to say understand?

Alec tried his best to reach for that feeling of
more
, the feeling
of time slowing to a crawl allowing him an opportunity to do whatever he needed to do to protect himself but it wouldn’t come.
 
He clawed desperately for it and almost howled in frustration.
 
The problem was he wasn’t in immediate, life threatening danger.

In a tight voice Jake asked, “What is he talking about?”

The man ignored Jake’s question.
 
“So here is how it’s going to go.
 
If you don’t come with us right now, I’m going to have my friend here,” and he pointed to the vampire that had stopped Jake from leaving, “to break your friend’s fingers, then his arms and after that his legs.
 
If you give me any trouble what so ever, I will kill him slowly and make you watch.
 
Any questions?”

Alec just shook his head unable to speak.
 
Without warning Jake jumped up, tucking his head and shoulder and ramming the man standing over him as hard as he could.
 
The man barely moved and Jake was thrown backwards into the wall like he’d hit a car.
 

Jake looked stunned, considering what had just happened, he probably was.
 
The vampire he’d hit just laughed and stepped over to pick Jake up by his shoulder and slam him back into his chair.
 
The main vampire that had been speaking frowned.

Alec was desperate now.
 
He was practically shaking trying to bring on his abilities.
 
He knew that once they left with the vampires he’d end up in a life-threatening situation and his abilities would kick in.
 
But by then it might be too late.
 
Jake could be hurt or they could be separated and Alec unable to get to him.
 
He really wanted to cry.
 
He was hoping that if they stalled long enough Marcus would show up and bring some men with him.
 

“No more of that,” the lead vampire snapped, glaring at Jake.
 
“Now come along and don’t give us any more problems.
 
If necessary we can start breaking your friend’s bones now and carry him.”
 
He turned to speak to the man beside him and told him to check the back exit and make sure it was empty.

It was too much for Alec.
 
He’d been bullied and mistreated all of his life and it was unfair.
 
He’d been treated like shit and no one, with the exception of Jake had ever lifted a finger to help him.
 
Here they were in a dangerous situation, Alec a half vampire with abilities beyond his wildest imagination and there was
nothing
he could do about it.
 
Suddenly, Alec’s desperation turned to rage.
 
He was sick and tired of this.
 
He was sick and tired of being treated like he didn’t matter or like he was an object.
 
He didn’t care if it did get him killed he was going to do something about it.
 
His anger exploded in his chest like a bomb and Alec started shaking with it.

Alec finally stood and was followed by Jake who looked bewildered and scared.
 
Alec wished he could rip the lead vampire’s throat out.
 
This was his fault.
 
With out warning Alec burned blood and shoved Jake behind him against the wall.

Alec finally burst into motion.
 
The large heavy wooden table, he flipped into the air on its side.
 
When it was the right height, he kicked it forcefully into the man that had been speaking and the two that were standing beside him.
 
All three men turned in time to catch the table directly in their faces and were knocked flat by it.
 

Alec grabbed the chair he’d been sitting in and slammed it directly into the face of the next man.
 
Alec hit him so hard the sturdy wooden chair splintered and threw the man into the counter, smashing through it.
 
Alec was furious and wanted to hurt the men that had threatened him and his friend.
 
Alec heard growling and realized it was coming from him.

The fifth man, the one that had grabbed Jake, stood stunned, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
 
Alec grabbed Jake’s chair and threw it in his face.
 
The man tried to duck but wasn’t fast enough.
 
One of the chair legs broke loudly as it caught him in the jaw and threw him for a summersault.
 

Alec snapped one of the heavy legs off the table and bashed one of the men in the head before he could gain his feet.
 
The vampire that had threatened them was on his stomach, trying to crawl from under the table and was half way out when Alec stepped on top of it, effectively pinning the man down.
 
Without warning, Alec raised the table leg over his head and with a howl of rage began smashing it into the vampire’s back over and over.
 

Alec was suddenly grabbed from behind by a set of strong arms and pulled backwards.
 
He spun, breaking the grip of who ever had grabbed him and raised the table leg to strike.
 
He stopped suddenly when he realized that it was Marcus. He and his men had arrived and they had apparently busted the lock on the door so they could enter.
 
Marcus had several heavily armed men with him in tactical vests and leather gloves.
 
The men checked the rooms to make sure they were clear.
 
One of the security men found the female cashier in the back and brought her out.
 
He looked in her eyes speaking slowly and clearly.
 
She had the same slack look as before.