Behind The Alpha Book 8 ADAM
Chapter 4

(Chapter song ‘Anarchy’ by KMFDM)

ADAM

Much to the protest of my father, the idea of staying in the group home was appealing to me. It was a way for me to separate myself from Hunter and develop my strategies in peace.

I spent the first few years adjusting to the kids who came and went. Mostly, I stayed alone. I stopped participating in most of the group sessions and busied myself with knowledge. Mostly, Intel.

One thing Quinn was never able to do was contain me. No one can. There’s a reason for that.

Vampires aren’t meant to be contained. We are creatures of freedom mostly because we are already prisoners of the night. With the exception of myself, my mother and the demon, the rest would die under the cover of the sun so anything else that acts like a prison is just another insult to them. I feel that.

Quinn's home is a perfect place to come and go as I please.

I need to search out the things I need still.

The skull I need is lost to the wind. The blade is another challenge. From what I learned, it’s in the demons possession. I need to replace him and win the blade to weaken him enough to imprison him.

To do this, I need to go to the source.

His people. That is where my 18 year old lycan will start the hunt.

We have certain ways in which to feel hives without being detected in the Hive mind. We can move our minds in one direction and close off the collective so they can’t connect.

I stand in the desert under a blanket of stars. The winds blows dirt around my ankles as I scan for what I need. The sun rises behind the mountains on the horizon which means the hunts should just be ending.

My mind locks onto a rather talkative vamp.

I reach into the collective, replace him then replace his memories.

From there, I pick out the landmarks and location of where they rest.

My eyes open and glow green. I turn my head and break into a vamp run. I stop and raise a rabbit I caught to my lips. My mouth opens and my multiple fangs rise and drop from pockets in my gum lines. I sink them into the rabbits back. He yells out a loud squeal then a rather sick suffering death call. His feet kick and fight as I suck back his fresh, warm blood and leave just enough in his system for his death not to kill me. Dying or dead blood is like a poison to us. It’s more effective with human blood, but we can still get very sick if we eat anything else until the point of dying.

I drop the limp rabbit in the dirt and wipe the blood from my lips with my sleeve. I turn my head to the direction of the vamp and speed to a blur across the desert.

The rabbit should sustain me for most of the day light. I’ve spent the last few years training myself to be just as strong on little to no food for a week or two. It's not wise to do constantly, but for what I need to do, I can’t be weakened by hunger.

I stop in the trees and leaves blow around my feet as the air catches up. The sun’s rays try to peek through the branches as I confirm I’m in the right place.

I walk to a set of trunks at the edge of a foothill. I’m down wind so they won’t be able to detect me.

I counted at least 50 that ripped out of the forest and into a cave entrance.

Once I’m sure they’re all in, I step into the entrance.

This is first real contact with my people outside of my mothers hive.

Wild, feral vamps. Free from oppression and control. I should want to join them, but right now, I go over how many ways I could kill them if they don’t answer my questions.

I step lightly, using my vamp bone structure to my advantage. The lightness of our frame allows us to walk stealthily through any terrain.

The ragged edges of the rounded cave are perfect for small bats and things, but for Vamps, it’s not dark or high enough for a roost. They’re deeper in here.

I turn down another cavern and tune my nose to the smell of rotting flesh. Our tracking can be so finite, the most faded scent can be detected. These are strong.

I peer into the darkness using my vamp vision. The cold cave walls appear blue. The small animals in here have a tiny heat signature. I see their blood rushing through their veins. For some, I can even hear their hearts beating.

I stop and close my eyes. I listen to the dark. They may not breathe, but they’re not silent.

Shoes scrape against rock as they get comfortable in their spots. The odd hiss in protest and challenge is heard. Some land on the floor. I hear it and feel it. I hear clothes flutter as they jump and fall.

I open my eyes and stare into the dark.

“COME OUT!”

My voice echoes through the dank, dark caverns.

I take a few more steps and a chuckle invades my ears. I stop and stare into the blackness.

He slowly steps out of the shadows. His brown hair is damp and hangs to his ears. He runs his fingers through it then adjusts his long, black jacket. He’s thin for most Vamps, but I feel his power behind his glowing green eyes.

He leans on the cave wall and crosses his arms and feet. He looks me over and snorts. “A child. Is this some kind of joke?”

“I’m hardly a child.” I narrow my eyes at him.

He pushes off the wall and casually steps closer. “Hey. If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck…” He holds his arms out and shrugs.

“Dioflar. The demon. Where is he?” I sneer.

He raises his brow. “You know the language.”

“I do.” I confirm.

He stuffs his hands into the pockets of his black pants. He closes the gap and tilts his head as he looks into my eyes. “Hvorfor skulle jeg fortelle deg det? Why would I tell you? You’re not one of us.” He raises his chin and pushes it out to me in a challenge.

I feel my lycan wanting to push out. “No. I’m not one of you. I’m better.” I snarl quietly. “Answer my question.”

He slowly looks me over. “I don’t see how a pissant child who barely fits his fangs is better than me.”

My eyes glow gold. “Refuse to answer and replace out.”

He studies me. “Lycan? You’re a hybrid.”

“ANSWER!” I demand.

He scratches his temple and glances into the cave. “I would, but we have thing against filthy, undisciplined lycans…so…no.” He smirks.

I glare into his eyes as he throws out his superiority. I feel my blood start to warm and my heart starts to beat rapidly.

Without a thought, my lycan shreds my clothes. Black fur coats my skin. My wolf head grows and my long arms stretch out as my height rises well above the vamp.

I lean my head down to him and roar in his face. He closes his eyes, but doesn’t show any fear.

I stare at him and growl. My claws ready to tear him apart.

From behind him, deep in the cave, a wave of hissing grew from the black. My eyes flick to the back of the cave then back to the vamp.

His unemotional expression stares at my lycan. “Du bør løpe. You better run.” He whispers.

I open my drooling jaws. My lycan seethes as the cave fills with my deep, demonic voice. “It’s you…who should be running.”

I let out a dark, thunderous growl that practically shook the cave. He hisses and bares his fangs. He jumps as I swing my claws at him.

He jumps to the wall and pushes off it, flying toward my head with his fangs ready to strike. I grab his head, lift him up and slam him into the rocky floor.

I pick him up by his throat and run down the cave with his legs bouncing off the ground. He’s clawing at my arm the whole way. My clawed feet slide on the slick rock as I reach back and throw the vamp into the main hive nest.

My ears break with the sounds of squealing Vamps.

I stretch out my chest and roar to the ceiling. I drop my head and run into the middle of the large cavernous hole.

Vamps fall from the ceiling and spring at me. I grab them one by one and tear heads off.

One jumps on my back and sinks his fangs into my shoulder. My eyes glow and my shoulder muscle triples in size, snapping his jaw in two.

I reach back, grab his head and shove the fingers of both hands into his mouth and pull. His head tears on two and I throw his pieces in different directions.

I grab one, lift him up by his arms to my muzzle. His eyes widen and he screams as my jaws wrap around his head and I clamp down, biting it clean off.

I spit out his skull and drop his body.

I run to the wall and jump, my claws dig into rock as I climb to the ceiling with supernatural speed. I crawl across the ceiling and start ripping Vamps off it and throwing them to the unforgiving floor. Their bodies break and bounce as they hit.

They jump on my back and my body grows. I feel the bites, but the pain only angers my lycan more.

I grab one by the neck and drive his head into the ceiling. His skull explodes and grey matter rains down on those below.

I let go and fall with three Vamps on me. I pull one off and slam him down. I dig my claws into the back of the second one and pull him to my front. I don’t hesitate to tear him in half.

I grab the third, dangle him by his neck and punch my claws into his chest. I rip out his heart and crush it to mush in front of his shocked eyes.

I see a group risk their lives and run for the exit to the sun outside.

The bottom of the cave was a lake of blood and guts. I ripped the last few who tried to fight me and failed. My shoulders heave as I scan the floor littered with bodies. In the corner of my eye, I see one cowering in the back.

I slowly turn to him and he holds his hands up. “No!No!No!” He yells as I take fast strides to him.

I wrap my fingers around his neck, lift him up high and rip his legs off at the knees.

He screams in pure agony as I drop him, grab him by the back of shirt collar and drag him out of the cave. His stumps leave a bloody trail behind us as he fights and protests the whole way.

I drag him out to the cover of trees. The shadows provide enough shade to keep him alive, but what does hit him starts to smoke.

I drop him in the dirt, lean over him and open my lycan muzzle.

“WHERE'S THE DEMON?!”

He struggles to try and get away. “I don’t know, man! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

My lycan snarls and picks him up. I carry his ass to the edge of the forest and out to the open desert. As I drag him into the sunlight, he instantly starts to scream as his body burns.

“TELL ME!”

He holds my arm with his hands, trying to free himself. “Ok! OK! T-The mountains…I think…I don’t know. I’m just an Omega. They don’t tell me anything.” He pleads.

I lean close to him to try and sense his lies. With a frustrated growl, I throw him deeper into the desert.

The mountains. What mountains? I try to think of where a good place for an army would be.

I hear a scream and look toward the vamp. I see a plume of black smoke rise into the air as he thrashes then his body explodes.

I stop my heart and shift back to my vamp as his pieces rain down on me.

I need more answers. I scowl, shake my head and break into a vamp run, leaving a dust cloud over the mess of exploded vamp entrails in the desert sand.

I found a water source, cleaned the blood off my body and ran back to the group home.

When I arrived, it was just before wake up call. I blurred into my room and stopped at my dresser for some clothes.

As I pull on my boxers, my room exploded in black smoke.

“Morning sunshine!”

Braydon leans back on my bed as he flashes his sickeningly bright smile.

“What have I told you about smoking in here?” I growl as I pull a black shirt over my head. I turn and run a comb through my hair then replace some pants.

“You snuck out again, didn’t you?” He smirks.

I glance at him and do up my jeans. “No.” I mumble.

He sits up. “You...got a little blood on your forehead.”

I cinch my brow and look at him, then turn to the mirror. I see a spot just above my eye. I grab my shirt and rub it off.

When it’s gone as walk to the door. “I was hungry.” I grumble and open the door with Braydon on my heels.

“I get it. You’re a growing dude and speaking of hunger…Let’s say, me and you go out and satisfy another craving.” He says to my back.

My eyes flick over my shoulder as I walk through the halls to the group room. “What craving?”

He leans over my shoulder. “Girls.”

I stop and turn my head to him. He bounces his brow and bites his lip.

I arch a brow. “No.” I say bluntly as continue walking.

“Oh, come on, Adam.” He whines. “You never come with us. Look, Raegan's going and you two can pout in the corner for all I care, just come with me.”

I slide into a seat. “I can’t. I’m busy.”

“Doing what? Chasing rabbits?” He adjusts himself in the seat beside me and holds a hand out to me. “Ok. I get you’re all ‘relationships are a waste’ blah, blah, blah, but you can’t just hang around here. You need fun. Let me give you fun. Please…” He leans on my shoulder and bats his eyelashes.

My lips shrink as I side eye him. “Will it stop you from doing that?” I point to his face.

“Yes.” He grins.

I sigh. “Fine. I’ll go.”

I feel my shifter spin in my ribs and I shove him down. He’s the last one I want to hear from.

“Yes! Me and you, buddy.” He wraps his arm around my neck. “The chicks won’t know what bit them.”

“Let. Go.” I grit.

He removes his arm with a chuckle. “Sorry.”

I cross my arms and shake my head as kids start to enter the room.

I can’t believe he’s making me do this, but maybe it might be another way to replace opportunities to get answers.