Adrik (Titans #1)

Chapter 6

Ember jerked awake at the sound of screaming. Dazed, she jerked upright, the motion making her lightheaded as she tried to get her bearings.

“Ember!” Nova screamed. Ember was on her feet in a flash, but it was too late. One guard was carrying Nova over his shoulder as she struggled in his hold, while another was carrying Kyan’s motionless form.

Ember lunged forward, but the cell door slammed shut in her face with a deafening clang.

“Kyaaaan!” Ember screamed, but she could only watch as the two younger women were carried away.

How? How had she fallen asleep? How could she? The others relied on her and counted on her to protect them. Angry and helpless tears filled her eyes and breached, spilling down her cheeks as Ember gripped the bars so hard her knuckles shone white.

“Fuck,” she breathed and tried to shake the cell door. When it didn’t budge, she screamed a frustrated, “Fuuuuck!”

A sob wrenched its way up her throat as she turned and slid down the bars before pressing her forehead to her upraised knees. How had the guards gotten in so quietly? Why hadn’t Nova or Kyan cried? Why was Kyan so eerily still and pale? What in the fuck just happened?

Letting her head fall back with a hiss, Ember stared up and drew in a deep breath before screaming long and loud, “ Ffuuuuuuck !”

She’d failed them. She’d fallen asleep and had allowed the women to be taken.

Refusing to cry, Ember swiped angrily at her tears and forced them to stop. Crying wouldn’t solve anything.

Long minutes passed as Ember sat, mind racing. The guilt she felt at falling so fully asleep was tearing her up inside. She and Vashti had taken turns watching over the girls in the hold of their prior ship. When Ember rested, Vashti had taken watch and vice versa. It had been too much, but Kyan was too weak to do anything but sleep most of the time, and Nova was too afraid to be left awake alone, so Ember and Vashti had allowed Nova to rest when Kyan did. Now, shame was clawing at Ember’s insides. She was alone, and it was her own fault for having been so damn weak. The weight of solitude covered her so fully that it was crushing. She felt like she couldn’t breathe.

Suddenly, the fine hair on the back of her neck lifted. Knowing she was being watched, she slowly turned her head. When her eyes landed on a dark figure lurking in the doorway, she plastered on her meanest glare and slowly got to her feet. Turning, she faced her captor fully. Hands balling into tight fists, Ember lowered her chin and demanded, “Bring them back, now!”

She couldn’t see features, just a silhouette. The menacing dark figure huffed an almost amused sound, and it only pissed her off more.

Grabbing the bars again, adrenaline, anger, and defeat surging through her, Ember commanded, “Bring. Me. My. Sisters!” A single tear slipped free and tracked down her cheek. She ignored it hoping her captor wouldn’t notice the slip of weakness. But, when the male canted his head, she knew he’d seen it.

***

Adrik watched the dark female as she struggled to control her emotions. Even from the distance between them, he could scent her turmoil. Loss, grief, regret. The scents were familiar and often found when one of his soldiers was lost in battle.

Ember.

He repeated the name a few times in his head. One of the females who’d just been implanted with a translator, Nova, was giving up all kinds of information to Kaze. The first female removed from the cell, Vashti, still refused to speak. The small, sick one, Kyan, was in the med bay with Obaida. The Medicus was seriously worried that she wouldn’t survive but was doing all he could.

Eyes on Ember, Adrik simply stared. It was clear that she was trying to exude rage, and yeah, she had reason to be angry, but beneath that anger was the unmistakable scent of pain and loss. It had his skin itching with the need to shift into his battle armor.

Odd.

Standing in the shadowed hallway, Adrik knew Ember couldn’t make him out fully, which was simultaneously soothing and irritating. He couldn’t help but wonder how she’d react to his armorless appearance. The armor Titans generated was intended to intimidate, to strike fear into the very souls of all who encountered them, and it did the job. A Titan’s armorless appearance was still intimidating too, maybe more so. While Titans walked on two legs and had two arms like humans, that’s where the similarities ended. Taller, broader, with much bulkier muscle than the most fit of human males, Titans were frightening.

Glancing down at his dark, claw-tipped fingers, Adrik wondered how Titan males had managed to touch human females without shredding what looked to Adrik to be the most delicate skin in the multi-verse. Gaze sliding back to Ember, Adrik poked a forked tongue out to lick at one of his fangs. Unlike other species, Titan fangs never retracted. Instead, they grew even longer when strong emotions rose.

Narrowing his neon-green eyes on Ember, Adrik wondered what she’d think of the reptilian-like, black, slit-shaped pupils that bifurcated his glowing eyes.

She’d probably scream.

Nearly every being screamed when they saw Adrik. Even other Titans weren’t immune. He was rare among his kind. Larger than most and boasting pitch-black skin where all other Titans had crimson-colored flesh, Adrik knew that even his own species feared him. As they should. Schooled separately from all Titans, Shadow Titans were touted as elite but treated as other. Adrik had spent his upbringing in solitary study and combat training. Unlike other Titan males, Adrik was removed from his family at birth. Where other Titan males didn’t begin combat training until after their fangs dropped, Adrik started as soon as he was able to walk. He’d endured a lonely and regimented existence, all to hone him into one of Cesa Sols’ finest specimens. A specimen intended for one of the most elite positions in Titan society. He supposed it was a bit of a trade-off. An agonizing upbringing in exchange for a prominent position that offered everything a Titan could want. Well…everything except for a pairing.

Eyes on Ember, Adrik wondered if that could change. What would she think of him? Snorting quietly, he realized how much hatred she was projecting toward him now. He understood. He’d stripped her sisters from her and if anyone even dared to try that with his crew, he’d have gone feral in an instant. Inhaling deeply, Adrik drew in the mixed scents of Ember’s tumultuous emotions and decided he had to know.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the shadows and approached Ember’s cell.