The NightMan (11 page)

Adriel
growled
softly
as
the
urge
consumed
him.
He
closed
the
bedroom
door
behind
him.
His
back
against
the
door
as
his
hands
balled
into
tight
fists.
He
took
a
few
steps
forward.
The
towering
body
dropped
to
its
knees
beside
the
well-furnished
bed.
He
buried
his
head
in
his
hands
as
the
waves
rushed
over
him.
There
was
only
one
way
to
rid
himself
from
the
demon
which
possessed
him
and
he
passed
it
by.
He
could
take
his
chances
on
the
vampires
and
be
tortured
or
he
could
deal
with
the
demon-beast
himself.

Another
growl
rumbled
from
deep
within
his
throat
when
he
bore
down
against
the
pain.
The
feeling
grew
and
he
couldn’t
stop
it.
It
was
too
late
because
the
man
would
meet
the
beast
tonight.

Chapter
6

Caitlin
paced
back
and
forth
in
her
room.
She
paused
momentarily,
noticing
the
light
from
a
car
enter
her
window.
Adriel
had
arrived.
She
moved
quickly
to
the
window
and
glanced
down.
Her
heart
fluttered
lightly
as
she
watched
him
pause
beside
the
red
Camaro.
He
was
alone.
In
her
mind,
she
knew
this
was
not
good.

In
the
years
past,
Caitlin
kept
Adriel’s
secret.
She
knew
under
a
new
moon
he
would
turn
into
a
raging
werewolf
if
the
beast
was
not
tamed.
She
had
witnessed
the
event
before.
Little
did
she
realize
at
the
time,
Adriel
needed
to
release
his
rage
to
keep
the
evil
beast
from
coming
forth.
It
was
not
the
wolf
which
she
had
come
to
love.
No
this
beast
was
an
evil
which
came
forth
every
new
moon.

A
few
years
ago,
Dorian
kept
Adriel
busy
cleaning
up
his
reckless
messes.
The
new
moon
was
upon
him.
Caitlin
watched
from
afar,
while
the
strong
and
handsome
man
as
the
beast
brought
him
to
his
knees.
Painful
screams
streamed
from
him
as
the
evil
creature
came
forth
and
left
no
resemblance
of
the
man
she
secretly
loved.
A
tall,
monstrously
wicked
and
evil
looking
creature
stood
in
the
spot
of
her
beloved.
That
night,
the
monster
killed
more
than
five
vampires
before
they
could
chain
it
down
until
the
moon’s
phase
was
over.
When
Adriel
returned
to
normal
Dorian
warned
him
if
he
ever
let
that
beast
free
again
he
would
kill
him.

Earlier,
Caitlin
spent
the
evening
with
Adriel,
as
she
had
done
in
secret
many
times.
While
the
vampires
slept
in
the
dark
basement,
she
found
entertainment
elsewhere.

Adriel
remained
the
perfect
gentleman
in
Caitlin’s
presence.
He
never
made
any
advances
toward
her.
She
knew
his
fears
were
more
of
himself
than
of
Dorian.
Adriel
feared
the
beast
which
resided
inside
of
him.
His
concern
remained
the
same,
would
he
be
strong
enough
to
hold
it
back?

Caitlin
watched
Adriel
walk
toward
the
front
doors.
She
couldn’t
bear
to
see
anything
happen
to
him.
Not
to
her
Adriel.
This
time
he
would
be
safe.
Alessandra
was
with
Dorian
as
they
preoccupied
themselves
with
the
young
woman.
She
knew
she
had
at
least
an
hour
to
try
and
help
Adriel.
She
pulled
her
bottom
lip
inward
with
her
teeth,
and
with
nothing
but
pure
determination,
she
vowed
in
her
heart
to
save
him.
Caitlin
knew
she
would
not
be
able
to
save
the
girl,
but
she
still
had
one
chance
to
save
Adriel.
Swiftly
she
turned
toward
her
bedroom
door,
as
she
reminded
herself
she
was
Adriel’s
only
hope.
The
deep
feeling
that
she
needed
him
more
than
life
itself
overtook
her
soul.

***

The
bedroom
door
squeaked
and
Adriel’s
head
suddenly
popped
up.
He
questioned
if
it
was
Alessandra
who
had
come
to
torture
him.
He
would
be
thankful
if
it
was
the
bitch.
Before
he
could
give
any
more
thought
to
the
sadistic
  
idea,
a
silhouette
of
a
body
moved
forward
from
the
shadows
and
Adriel’s
heart
stopped.

“Adriel,”
the
soft
voice
cooed.
“Everyone
is
downstairs.
Alessandra
is
with
Dorian
and…”

“Caitlin?
What
are
you
doing
here?
You
shouldn’t
be
here!
Dorian
will
be
looking
for
you,”
he
growled,
fighting
back
the
violent
urge.

“I
know,
Adriel.”
She
stepped
closer
to
him.

Caitlin
cautiously
knelt
down
beside
him,
and
reached
out
to
touch
him
with
her
slender
fingers.
Her
fingers
feathered
the
side
of
his
face
as
she
carefully
watched
his
eyes
close
slowly.

“Caitlin,”
he
turned
away
from
her.
“You
can’t
possibly…”
Another
wave
of
pain
shot
through
him.
It
was
her
scent
that
encumbered
him.
The
smell
of
her
own
desire
caught
him
off
guard.
Surely
she
didn’t
know
what
she
offered
him.
“You
can’t…”

Before
Adriel
could
say
another
word,
Caitlin
removed
her
silky
shirt.
Her
breasts
heaved
with
each
deep
and
alluring
breath.

“I
know
if
you
don’t
take
me…,”
she
paused.
“Adriel,
I
know
what
will
happen
to
you.
Dorian
will
kill
you.”
Her
voice
was
soft
and
pleading.