Waiting around was the hardest thing for me. I was used to being a man of action that got things done quickly. That wasn’t an option at the moment.
I pushed myself off the wall to go for a run when I noticed something strange. Coming off of Jace’s body were light colored waves. They resembled vibrations or sound waves as they drifted off of him. I glanced at the others, but their faces were blank; as if they didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I continued to stare, and slowly, a blue apparition began to separate itself from Jace.
“Are you okay? You look kind of pale?” Marie nudged me.
I glanced at my sister quickly then back to Jace. I followed his movements, but it was only me who did so. Marie just stared at me with confusion. It was obvious she couldn’t see the blue apparition of Jace floating above his unconscious body. There was a thick silver chord that came out from Jace’s abdomen to the back of his levitating spirit.
“Seb!” Marie yelled, snapping her fingers in my face “What’s wrong? Do you see something?”
This was all very strange, and I couldn’t the voice to answer my sister. Jace was very clear when he said humans couldn’t see what was happening to him. But why was I witnessing it now? Without a word, I ripped the door open and took off running outside. There was only one thought that circled in my mind.
If I wasn’t human, then what the hell am I?
***
Ana
Gwyn and I charged at each other like raging bulls. We slammed into each other, hard; knocking ourselves to the floor. She quickly back-flipped to her feet and then tried to smash her heel into me. Speedily, I rolled out of the way just before impact. I jumped to my feet just in time for her to slam me into the wall. The crash was loud and caused a crack. My right fist connected to the side of her face and then I used my knee to repeatedly hit her in the gut. She grunted before upper-cutting me in the chin and side-sweeping me off my feet. I hit the ground with an oomph. Gwyn jumped on top of me and started bashing my head to the floor. It made me dizzy so I used my leg to kick her on the back of the head. Once she stopped bashing my head, I punched her in the face until she fell off of me. Then I grabbed her by the hair and threw her into Cassius’ dresser. All his items dropped to the floor with the broken wood. While she was down, I ran to her, but her foot to my core sent me flying back to Cassius’ bedpost; eventually taking it down with me.
“You’re pretty good,” Gwyn said as she got to her feet.
“You too.” I replied before charging at her again. We got into a fierce dance of punch and kick. I was in the zone, and every time she swung at me, I either dodged or blocked heruntil I got the upper hand and drop-kicked her across the room.
“Why do you want to kill me? I haven’t done anything to you!” I questioned, watching her slowly get to her feet and wipe blood from her lip.
“Because I’ve worked so hard to get Cassius, and I’m this close to finally getting what I want!” She shouted, pulling at her disheveled skirt.
Suddenly, it all made sense.
“You’re in love with Prince Cassius.” I stated profoundly.
Gwyn stopped pulling pieces of wood out of her hair to stare at me, dumbfounded.
“Love? What are you, twelve? This was never about love. This is about power. For two hundred years, I’ve dealt with that ass of prince; working him until the day he would have to choose a wife.” Gwyn was clearly frustrated and it made her look crazed.
“And because I’m the mate…”
“In order for King Ferox to pass the crown, Cassius needs to marry. But the whore never found a mate. So Cassius would just have to choose a wife who isn’t his mate to be the next queen. That was going to be me, but then you showed up!” She pointed at me.
Her eyes went black again, and I knew our fight wasn’t over. This vampire better back off before she forced me to kill her. Gwyn flashed across the room, tackling me into the wall. Her anger was making her sloppy. I easily broke from her hold, maneuvered behind her, and smashed her face into the wall.
“Look, I don’t want Cassius and I most certainly don’t want to be queen.” I declared.
Gwyn turned quickly, removing blood from her healing broken nose.
“Of course you do.” She sniped
“No, I don’t. I want to get the fuck out of here and back to the people I care about.” I said honestly.
Gwyn, with her cold face, studied me for a moment; as if trying to figure out if I was lying or not.
“You’re in love with someone else.” She accused, and with smile, said. “Oh my. The mate of the prince is in love with another”
I narrowed my eyes at her. This one has some loose screws. That’s for sure. How the heck could she tell I wanted someone else anyway? Maybe she was just good at reading people. Or I was just really bad at hiding my feelings.
“Alright, if you’re serious, then I’ll help.” She announced, taking a few steps towards me.
I held my ground and watched her intently.
“Help how?” I asked her suspiciously.
“I’ll help you escape the blood castle.”
That sounded hopeful, but there was something in her eyes that told me Gwyn couldn’t be trusted.
***
Prince Cassius
“You should know I ordered our mothers awakening for tomorrow’s execution.” Catalina taunted from behind me.
The face of my beautiful gentle mother flashed through my mind. It had been three hundred years since her betrayal shook the kingdom into chaos. When Queen Acacia went against everything and everyone, including her family, by trying to flee with Marcos, it devastated me the most. Unlike my sister, I was close to my mother, and because I was older, I had more time with her than Cata. To this day, I didn’t understand why my mother did it; why she chose to lose her family and her crown for one man.
The only conclusion that could be made was she truly loved Marcos. Since my mother never got the chance to explain, I still didn’t know what was on her mind. After my father punished and exiled all those involved in the attempted escape, he tortured our mother. For the first hundred years, the queen was beaten with platinum chains for hours a day. They didn’t feed her, so after a while, she couldn’t heal at all. Cata and I weren’t allowed to see her, but I was haunted by my mother’s screams of agony. I was finally able to convince my father to drain her of all her blood and entomb her body.
That was two hundred years ago. Since then, I began to drown myself in women. My sister took her pain out on anyone that crossed her path, and my father became the most brutal and feared King in history. Ferox became heartless.
One day, I hoped my father would forgive my mother so she could be awakened to rejoin her family. But waking her to see the death of the man she loved wasn’t the way to do it. The worst part was I could hear the smile in Catalina’s voice before I even turned to see her face. She hated her own mother so much that she wanted her to suffer even more than she already had.
And that was when I lost it.
I spun and was on my sister so fast, she didn’t see it coming. In a flash, I was holding her in the air by the neck while pushing monstrous images of her death into her mind. Cata screamed and kicked, but it was of no use. When I was this mad, there was no stopping me. And with her gloves still on, she really didn’t stand a chance.
“ENOUGH!” A booming voice bellowed from behind me. I instantly dropped my sister to the ground. There was only one vampire that had any control over me. I turned on my heel and bowed to my father, the King. Catalina was still on the ground panting and clutching her throat. Without looking, I knew she was shooting me death glares.
“What is the reason my children are fighting?” Ferox asked calmly.
He always looked calm.
“This momma’s boy lost his cool, Father, and attacked me. Once again, he proves unfit to rule.” Catalina complained.
Now I understood why she was pushing my buttons. My sister wanted me to react violently. She wanted the cr
own to be passed to her instead of me, and had been trying for years to prove she was a better ruler than me. Unfortunately, my aggressive outburst only helped her case.
“Is this true, son?” Ferox asked.
I glanced at the dark witch behind my father, who acted like a shadow, and knew lying wasn’t an option.
“Yes, I acted on impulse when she informed me of the plans to awaken Acacia.” I explained.
My father had banned us from calling her mother out loud.
“Is this true?” I prodded.
King Ferox didn’t answer me, but instead, walked back into his office. His guards and the witch trailed after him. Cata and I followed as well and closed the double doors after entering.
The office was huge; littered with multiple book shelves and a large desk with a chair fit for a king. Ferox sat in his chair, and his witch stood behind him, never speaking.
“I think it’s a good idea for Acacia to witness the death of Marcos. It may give her peace.” Ferox explained as he looked intently at me.
I knew I couldn’t react violently again. I also knew my father was full of shit! Just like my sister, the King wanted Acacia to suffer. After three hundred years, the King still hadn’t found forgiveness. At this rate, he never would.
“As you wish, Father.” I replied dryly. After a stiff bow, I turned to leave the room. I couldn’t miss the satisfied look on Catalina’s face if I tried.
“And son, make sure you and your mate are on time for dinner. I can hardly wait to meet her.” Ferox called out as my hand touched the knob.
I nodded without looking back at my father because I knew my eyes were blazing with rage. I couldn’t allow them to cause my mother anymore pain. No matter what she did. But I also knew better than anyone that crossing my father could get me killed. Or worse, it could get Analise killed.
***
Gwyn
The prince’s mate regarded me suspiciously after I offered to help.
She should.
“You just tried to kill me. Now you want to help? I don’t buy it.” The dark-haired girl stated, folding her arms.
I eyed her up and down. Without a doubt, this girl was girl was gorgeous. From her fighting skills, she was trained too. And those mysterious blue eyes held secrets of their own. Yes, this newbie was competition, and that I couldn’t have.
“You’re within reason not to trust me, but what other choice do you have?” I countered.
We both studied each other for a moment. I knew that this would give me the upper hand. I couldn’t be happier that the Prince’s mate was in love with another. It was kind of poetic in a sad way.
“Ok. What’s the plan?” The girl, Analise, questioned.
From her stance, I knew she didn’t trust me. That didn’t matter. My trust wasn’t really needed either way. I only needed her to follow my commands.
“First, we need to prepare you for dinner with the King. If I know Ferox, then he’ll want to meet you tonight.” I said. “Follow me. I’ll take you to the guest room to change.”
“What about this mess? Cassius will be pissed,” Analise said, gesturing to the havoc we caused in his room only moments ago.
“I’ll send servants to take care of it before he returns.” I assured her.
I strode past her and unlocked the door. We both left and walked down the long hallway to another room. Neither of us spoke a word. I could understand why the girl was being doubtful of my intentions to help. It was only natural. She was right in her caution because I was looking out for myself. The plan I was already forming in my head may help the girl, but even if it failed, it would still help me. I could barely hold a neutral face as we rounded a corner. Finally, we stopped in front of a wooded door which was painted red.
“Here you are. There are plenty of gowns and everything you need. I’ll return to pick you up in one hour.” I announced.
I tried to walk away, but Analise quickly caught my wrist.
“Just so we’re clear; if you double cross me, I’ll kill you.” Analise sneered.
I was stunned by her boldness and confidence. Maybe I underestimated the little vampire. We’ll find out soon enough.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” I replied, snatching my wrist back. I gave her one final nod before I took my leave.
As I made my way down the hall, it was hard not to have a bounce in my step. The moment I found out Cassius had a mate, I thought my plan was ruined. But of course, the whore of a Prince had a messed up mate; one that was already prepared to reject him in the worst way.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I was taken by surprise when a hand reached out and yanked me into a side closet in the hall.
“It’s just me!” The voice whispered in her ear when she began to fight.
I immediately relaxed after recognizing the voice. Her captor flipped on a light.
“Hello, lover.” I purred before we crashed our lips together.
We passionately kissed and grinded all over each other like our lives depended on it. We had to because we rarely got moments of our own since our relationship had to be a secret.
“I have great news!” I exclaimed, breathless.
“Ooh, do tell.” My lover purred back.
“Prince Cassius’ mate is in love with someone else. She plans to reject him to be with this other man. Baby, our plan is working even better than I’d hope.” I could barely contain myself.
“That is perfect. His mate is a traitor just like Acacia. Cass will be broken and would be in a rage. I almost feel bad for my brother.” Catalina replied, running her gloved hands through my blonde hair.
I melted into her touch. We began to kiss passionately again; both in a high state of bliss from all the chaos we were planning to cause.
Chapter 35
Matter of the Heart
Ana
Gwyn sashayed away with a slight pep in her step. My instincts screamed for me not to trust her, and I was definitely listening to them. Of course she was planning to use me in some way for her own benefit, but my task is to use her for my own benefit first.
I turned my attention back to the red door of the guest room she’d abandoned me at. Well, here goes nothing. Slowly, I turned the knob and entered a slightly smaller room than Cassius’. It was sparsely decorated with random paintings here and there. The large bed in the center reminded me of a hotel with its white sheets and white pillows. It smelled stuffy and unused. As I walked further inside, I noticed a white vanity table with a huge oval mirror next to the walk-in closet.
The door to the closet was one of those that slid open. The inside had racks of clothes on both sides and shoes on top. The left side was clearly for women’s clothing with the many huge gowns. The right side was mostly dark suits and dress clothes for men. I studied the clothesfor a moment before deciding. Meeting the King was surely going to be a challenge, and with the way I was feeling, a big puffy dress wasn’t going to cut it tonight. For all I knew he would kill me on the spot. Hopefully, his temper wasn’t as volatile as his son’s.
Ten minutes later, I found a pair of black dress pants and blazer that actually fit me. Being even more daring, I didn’t put on an under shirt. The blazer dipped low, exposing lots of bare skin, but it still kept everything that needed to be hidden covered. I took a pair of red heels just to add some pop and sexiness to my outfit. Going for the sexy part wasn’t usually my thing, but it was better than an unflattering ballgown. I walked over to the vanity to add some dark eyeliner and make my bright eyes pop even more.
The meeting with the King would be huge! He was the son of the man that killed my mother and tore apart my whole family! That changed my life forever.
I dropped the eyeliner, and it didn’t make a sound as it hit the soft tan carpet. Pacing became my thing-to-do when I lost focus. I tried to calm down and not overwhelm myself by thinking about the vampire who could have very well played a part in the war on nexus that changed everything.
“Ana?” A soft voice
called out to me. I whipped around and came face to face with someone, or rather something, I didn’t expect to see. There, floating beside the white curtains was Jace, but not quite himself. His body was enveloped in some sort of transparent blue cloud with a thick shiny silver cord coming from his back and disappearing through the window.
“Jace?”
I took slow steps towards him. He smiled brightly at me as he glided to the center of the room until he was only inches away from me.
“Yes, it’s me! I’m so glad I found you.” He beamed
“Ho-how? Oh my-are you dead? Are you a ghost?” My voice trembled slightly at the end. If something happened to him while I was gone, I didn’t know what I would do. The guilt was already creeping in.
“No, no. It’s just a spell. Astral projection. I’m fine.” He reassured me.
I released a deep breath as if I’d been underwater for too long.
“I just needed to see if you were okay.” He added.
“I’m fine. Oh, wow, you worried me for a second,” I said, grabbing my chest dramatically “How is everyone else doing?”
He floated a little closer.
“They are all worried about you. But I know you’re really asking about Seb, right?” He probed.
I bit my lower lip but didn’t respond. Yes, I wanted to know how Seb was. The last time I saw him, I’d handcuffed him to some old pipes.
“Seb is still Seb; angry and bossy. And I may be sporting a black eye tomorrow,” he said with a small smile.
“I’m sorry I left you to deal with that. I know Seb can be difficult, but he really is a good guy.” For some reason, I felt the need to defend him.
“It’s okay, Ana. I trust your decisions, and I’ll support you always.” His voice was so tender, it made my heart ache. He reached his ghostly hand to stroke my cheek. If I could have felt it, I would have melted into it, but his touch went right through me.
“Why are you here?” I asked, trying to change the conversation.
Pure: A Paranormal Romance Page 37
