Novels by josephgabriel0147

"Elena!" Adrian's voice cracked through the dark hallway.There was no answer."Flashlights shined bright." Marcus was already digging one out of his jacket."Adrian, everything happening isn't a coincidence," Mira said, sticking close to Adrian's side. "They hit the gate, hit the kitchen, and now Elena's door is open. That's three things happening at once. This obviously was perfectly planned down to this minute.""I know," Adrian said, already moving toward the stairs."Wait." Lena grabbed his arm, and he actually stopped, which surprised Mira. "Adrian, listen to me. If someone's already inside, running down there blind is exactly what got Elena taken the first time.""So what do you want me to do? Stand here?""I want you to think for one second before you run into another trap." Lena's voice was sharp now, all the crying gone out of it. "You're not thinking; you're reacting, and that's how Corin wins wars."Adrian's jaw ticked. "You know him better than any of us, so tell me what

The shot hit the ground inches from Lena's feet."Get down!" Adrian grabbed Mira and pulled her behind the stone gatepost, his whole body curling over hers like a shield.Another shot cracked through the dark, and this one hit Marcus's shoulder. He staggered but did not fall."Marcus!" Mira shouted."I'm fine, Mira, just move." Marcus fired back into the trees, and two of his men scattered toward the treeline, with guns up.Lena was screaming somewhere behind them, still tied and exposed to danger. "Adrian, please, cut me loose." She cried."Stay down." Adrian yelled at her, but she wasn't listening, she was crawling toward the gate, dragging her bound hands through the mud."She's going to get herself killed," Mira said."She might already be the reason we're getting shot at," Adrian said through his teeth.Boooooom!!! There came another shot, this one hit the gatepost right above their heads, sending stone chips flying."They're not trying to kill you," Marcus called out, ducking lo

Adrian was already moving before the guard finished speaking.'Show me,' he shouted and took the radio from Marcus."Sir, the camera feed is up now," Marcus said.A tiny screen sparked to life on Marcus’s tablet. Mira elbowed herself close enough to see it too, ignoring Adrian’s look.There was a woman who stood at the rain-soaked iron gates, under the security lights. Her hair colour was dark, she wore a torn dress and hands tied in front of her. She was saying something the camera audio couldn't capture."Be audible," Adrian barked.Then the static sound cleared, and her voice was heard, sounding desperate."Adrian! Adrian, please, it's me."Adrian's whole body went still."It can't be," he said softly."Who is she?" Mira asked.On hearing that voice, Helena had gone pale. "Sir. That sounds like—"…And it sounded like... "I know who you think it sounds like," Adrian interrupted, and the tone made Mira raise an eyebrow. "It cannot be her. She died three years ago.""Who?" Mira called

Helena was holding the phone away from her body as if it were a hot coal."He is waiting," she said. and he will not wait long.""Put it on speaker," Adrian instructed."Sir, are you sure?""Do it, Helena."Helena pressed the button. A voice came dripping false calm, with an absolute deep slow.A LONG TIME." Adrian Ashfeld"Say what you called to say, Corin."Straight to business, I heard you had friends over tonight.But you know you did, and your man wrote me a letter."A courtesy," Corin said. "I could've taken the girl too, instead of just warning you, but I didn't."That is a courtesy you call breaking into my house??? Adrian asked."I call it patience, what your father never had too much of. Corin's voice sharpened. One week, Adrian. That's more mercy than what your family ever showed mine.Mira's chest constricted at the term mercy. Adrian’s jaw was hard like a stone cracker.Corin: "You will get nothing from me. "NOT the girl, NOT the territory, and NOT one bloody inch of what

Mira read the note three times before the words made sense.One week, Ashfeld. Choose her, or lose everything."They want you to send me away," she said quietly."Yes." Adrian replied, and continued "or they will take you the way they almost took Elena.""So what happens now?" Mira asked, her eyes widening."Now you go upstairs and rest." Adrian folded the note and put it in his pocket like that would make it disappear. "We will talk about this in the morning," he added."No." Mira crossed her arms saying, "Let's talk about this now."Marcus shifted near the door, not sure if he should stay or go. Helena gave him a small nod, and he slipped out quietly, leaving the three of them alone in the ruined study.Adrian rubbed a hand over his face and for the first time since she met him, he looked tired."There is nothing to talk about, Mira. The Dravens gave me an order and I either end this marriage or I put you in a war you did not choose.""I already chose it," Mira said. "The moment I s

Adrian did not move for a moment. His hands were still clawed, even his shirt still torn, but his eyes had gone very still, like something inside him had shut a door."How long ago?" he asked Helena."Ten minutes, maybe less." Helena's voice shook. "The guard at the safe room is dead, they went in through the vents.""They planned this," Adrian said quietly. "The message, the loud sound, all of it was to pull me away from her.""What do we do?" Mira asked.Adrian looked at her like he had forgotten she was there. "We will do nothing. I will go and you will stay here, with Helena, the guards will be on every door.""You cannot go alone," the man with yellow eyes said, stepping forward. "Not against the whole Draven pack.""I am not going alone. I am going now, before they get far." Adrian's voice left no room for argument. "Marcus, gather six men. We move in five minutes."Marcus nodded and disappeared down the hall, already shouting orders.Mira grabbed Adrian's arm before he could tu