“He was the easier target in the coven.”
“That's a fucking lie. Larissa was the easiest target. Try again.”
His face shut down and he stood back up, narrowing his eyes. “Adrian was more accessible.”
“No, he wasn’t. We were all at different locations inside that parking garage. I was the easiest to get to, second only to Larissa, who was in the van alone. Someone sent you to take him and only him. I want to know why.”
His eyes swirled, and he shook his head. “Like I said, you're smart. Leave this one alone, Syn. It isn't something you could come back from anytime soon. This wasn’t his choice exactly, but the kid’s got heart. He’s doing the best he can right now, and he needs to know you are okay with it. Your opinion means more than it should to him.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I asked, feeling anger rise within me. He was telling me that Adrian had been handpicked to be turned, but to leave it alone. Was he serious? I was about to argue when a guitar started from the stage. I turned, finding Adrian staring right at me as the band played a few notes doing a quick sound check.
I met his turquoise eyes and smiled until he returned it, showing off his fangs. He'd been my first love, and Vlad had turned him Vamp, because he'd said I'd gotten too close to him. As a warning, he'd taken Adrian, which I hadn't understood. Still didn't understand. Vlad had a secret, and I needed to know who had ordered Adrian to be turned. Adrian set the guitar down on a stand and approached the main microphone on the stage.
He smiled, even though I was no longer smiling. “This first song goes out to my girl, my first and only girl.”
The band began playing Buckcherry's Sorry, and it took everything inside of me to hold the tears back. I stood before I knew what I was doing, and walked towards the stage. He looked good, even if he was undead. His dark hair was pulled back and hidden in a ponytail. His skin was a little lighter, and he lacked a pulse, but he was still Adrian. He was still the first boy I'd ever loved.
I sang silently along with the lyrics, his lips moving with a cocky grin as he sang. I stopped at the edge of the stage and watched as he moved to stand directly in front of me. I hadn't expected him to stop in front of me, but he did. The microphone still in his hand and held up to his mouth, so that it didn’t disturb the song he was still singing. His hand reached out and grabbed mine. I closed my eyes so he wouldn't see the flinch that came with his icy touch. I tried to pull away, but he held me in place as the song slowed and then stopped.
He leaned his face close to mine as if he would kiss me, but instead he kissed my cheek and pulled me against him. “Mark’s in the back with a willing victim, and I'm your back-up baby.”
I pulled away and smiled at him, but it left my face with the implication his words held. “Adrian, no—” His mouth crushed against mine, cutting off my words. His lips weren't as cold as the rest of him, and I felt his fangs graze my lips, before his tongue pushed into my mouth.
His kiss was gentle, and yet I could feel his urgency…and it was more than just to shut me up. There was fire inside of it. I melted against him, uncaring who was watching, even as the entire club erupted with cheers that he'd gotten the girl. When he pulled away, his eyes narrowed. “You let him mark you?” There was hurt in his tone, and regret.
Unfortunately, I had no idea what the brand on my hip did, but I had a feeling it was to repel all other men and deter them from being interested in me. It sounded like something Ryder would do, since he tended to mark ownership on the things he wanted. It’s what I was to him, just a pretty thing to own. Adrian sensing the brand confirmed it, and made me want to spit nails at Ryder.
“I didn’t let him do anything,” I replied crisply, knowing exactly who he was referring to.
“Do you have any idea of what that means, Syn?” He countered, ignoring me.
“I don’t care, and as soon as I finish Transition I won't be seeing him again!”
He shook his head as his eyes flashed from turquoise to red. “Good fucking luck with that. You can't just undo a brand like that. He owns you right now, and it’s dangerous to play games with Ryder.”
“What does that mean?” I asked, unsure I had heard him right.
“He’s fucking marked you, Syn, and it wasn’t just because he wanted to be able to find you. That mark means no other fucking Fae can touch you. No one can, but Ryder. He made you his own little fuck toy by placing that on you.”
“That's bullshit, Adrian. I'm not anyone's toy.”
He laughed, the sound was chilling, and so unlike him. His eyes turned turquoise again, but his posture was stiff. “You better get going. Your owner just walked in with his crew.”