The Dark Kingdom Anthology

by Krissy V

  “She’s lost a lot of blood, Taylor. I need to do a tourniquet to try and stem the bleeding but she needs to go to hospital for a transplant.”

  “Just do what you can. Don’t you have blood in your kit?” I growl.

  “No, I don’t. You never know what blood type anyone is so I’d have to carry lots with me.”

  “I’m O negative. I can donate my blood to anyone, can’t I?”

  “Yes, but I’ve never done a direct transfusion before.”

  “You know how though, don’t you? I’ve seen it being done in the field before. You must have too, doc.”

  “Yeah, but…”

  “There’s no time for buts, doc. She needs blood now or she will die.” I roll up my sleeves so he can use the artery in my wrist. This is the best one. “You need to take it from here.” I point at my wrist. “And put it in there.” I point at the vein in her elbow.

  Doc gets his equipment together and I take Gracie onto my lap as I sit on the table. I need to be close to her. I’m not ready to let her go yet. Doc hooks us both up and I rest against the wall behind me. “For fuck’s sake, what’s going on here?”

  “She lost a lot of blood, sir,” Doc says. “She was shot in the leg. He obviously didn’t want to kill her, just frighten her. Taylor is O negative so a direct transfusion was necessary.”

  “We need to get going. Can I have help in here getting these two into the van? Taylor, you’re going to be dizzy so someone else will carry her.”

  “No, I will.” I’m not letting anyone else hold her. She’s mine. I slide off the table and pick her up. I’m a bit unsteady on my feet, but I manage to get to the van. I sit on the ground so I can rest her up against me and we can finish the transfusion.

  “I’m going to have to stop the transfusion soon, Taylor, or you’ll lose too much blood too.”

  “Whatever it takes to keep her alive, doc.”

  I close my eyes and get lulled to sleep by the movement of the van.

  When the van stops, I realize doc has unhooked me. Someone opens the back door and I see Gracie is awake. She’s looking at me and then suddenly she jumps and kisses me. Thank God. I thought she wouldn’t want me anymore.

  I climb out of the van and lift her to carry her inside. I can see the neighbors looking over. I bet they’re wondering what’s going on. I don’t care. We won’t be staying here long. We have to go back to reality soon. We have enough evidence to bring General Stocker down. He won’t be able to get away with kidnapping and abusing a princess. It doesn’t matter who he is.

  As I lay Gracie down on the bed, doc follows us and gives her the once over. “You’re looking better there, Gracie. I’ve cleaned the wound and stitched it up. I’ll get you some antibiotics to take to prevent an infection and will leave you some cream to put on it to help it to heal. I have some painkillers for you too, just to help you through the next couple of days.”

  “Thanks, doc.” She smiles at him. “Thank you to everyone who helped get me out of there.” She takes my hand. “Thank you, Taylor.” I lean over and kiss her gently on the lips. Now is not the time to take it any further. I need to clear my head and find out what is going to happen next.

  “Go to sleep, Gracie. I’ll see you in a while and will have some food ready for you.” She takes my hand and kisses it.

  “See you in a while, Taylor.” She closes her eyes and she’s soon asleep.

  When I step into the room, Jay is looking at me. “Do you want to interrogate our prisoner?” He has a smile on his face.

  “You mean the guy who had his cock in my girl’s mouth?”

  Jay nods. “He’s in the garage. We took the relevant precautions.”

  I storm out to the garage, not even giving him a response. The guy is sitting on a chair, tied down like he tied Gracie. I smile. Ironic.

  I punch him on the nose, breaking it and letting the gush of blood run down his face. “Do you think you’re a hard man? Kidnapping a young, innocent woman? Do you?” I punch him again. His head flies backwards, banging off the back of the chair.

  “Tell me what you did to her? I want to know everything. I want to know who told you to kidnap her. Who is the man issuing the instructions.”

  “No. I won’t tell you. You can kill me, I don’t care.” He spits out the blood in his mouth.

  I jump on him so quickly and pull his hair so he looks up at me. I’m in his face. I have my knife at this throat. “You will tell me. Yes you’re going to die, but I won’t let you die until you tell me who is responsible. Only then will I actually kill you. I can let you bleed out for hours in pain. Or you can have a quick death. The choice is yours.”

  It takes two hours for him to tell me it was the general who ordered the kidnap. Two hours of torture for him. He has lost a few fingers, a couple of toes, and he’s been shot a few times. When he finally succumbs and tells me, I shoot him in his dick and then between his eyes. Cleaning myself up, I go back in the house.

  When I get back into the kitchen, everyone is around the table. “What’s our next step?” I ask Jay.

  “We need to call the king and queen. I asked Gio if he wants to do it but he thinks it’s best coming from us as we rescued her. I think you should do it. It’ll give you a chance to get to know your in-laws.” He laughs.

  “Fuck you. But yes, I will do it. I want them to know she won’t be coming home any time soon.”

  “Taylor, she’s a princess. She needs to go home to her country. You can’t stop her doing that. It’s her heritage and her future.”

  I take a quick shower first. I feel dirty and need to get that man’s stench off me.

  Then I go to my room and call her parents. I tell them what happened and that she’s okay. She was shot, but she’s recovering.

  “She needs to come home,” her father says.

  “She needs to stay here for a while to recover before she can travel. Then she can come home.” I know I have to let her go.

  “Perfect. Thank you, Taylor, for rescuing our daughter. We are forever grateful. Thank you for bringing these men down. Now we can arrest General Stocker.”

  We say goodbye and hang up. Who knows what is going to happen next.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gracie

  I wake up in my bed. How did that happen? The last thing I really remember clearly is that man’s dick in my mouth. Just the thought of it makes me get off the bed and hop to the toilet to vomit. Just as I’m hanging over the toilet, someone touches me and I flinch.

  “It’s me, Gracie. It’s Taylor. No one is going to hurt you again, I promise.” He holds my hair back while I vomit again. Then I sit back and clean my face. He helps me up and I lean against him, so happy to have him here for me.

  “Tell me what happened. I vaguely remember you coming in to rescue me.”

  “You were shot and you lost a lot of blood. “We had to do a direct transfusion on site.”

  “How?”

  “Doc did it but I told him how. He took blood out of my artery and put it into your vein. So, baby, you’ve got a part of me flowing around your body. You’ll always be a part of me now.”

  “You did that for me?”

  “I would have done whatever it took to keep you safe, Gracie. I’m just so sorry you had to go through what you did. I should have been looking out for you more. I shouldn’t have let you go to the supermarket on your own.”

  I touch his chest. “Now, hang on a minute there, Taylor. It’s not your fault. This is General Stocker’s fault. He’s the one who wanted to kidnap me to use me as a bargaining tool against my parents. Not you. We weren’t to know they were in the supermarket. Anything could have happened if you were there too. They could have shot you.” I lean into him. “It’s not your fault.” I look up at him, stand on my tiptoes, and kiss his lips gently.

  “Gracie, I want to be as close to you as I can right now, but I know it’s not possible. When I thought I wouldn’t see you again, I was so worried. I was frantic. Jay had to calm me down
. I wanted to kill every fucker who had touched you. I know this is quick, but I love you. I realized when you were taken that I can’t live without you. I know we don’t have a chance. You’re a princess for God’s sake, and I’m a bodyguard. But I don’t think I can let you go.” He hugs me tight and the tears flow down my face.

  “Taylor, look at me,” I say looking up at him. “Taylor.” He looks down at me. “I love you too. I realized when they took me that I might never see you again and I promised myself that if I did then I was going to let you know how I felt. We will work. Princess is only a title. My parents aren’t ready to leave the throne yet anyway. I don’t have to worry about that for years yet. I want you to meet them. They’re important to me.”

  “I spoke to them. They were nice They were really worried about you.”

  “You spoke to them?”

  “Yes. I called them to tell them you’re okay and that we had brought down the men. I gave them the information they needed to bring the General down and have him arrested. They were very grateful. I told them I would get you to call them as soon as you’re feeling well enough.”

  I kiss him again, this time a bit harder. We hear someone clearing their throat behind us and I push my face into Taylor’s chest, embarrassed.

  “Gracie, are you feeling up to some food? We have dinner ready for you.”

  “Yes, I am hungry, thanks.” I look up to Taylor. “Can you carry me? I don’t think I can walk properly yet.” He smiles and bends down to pick me up.

  “I’d carry you everywhere if I could,” he says. I lean my head against his chest. I think I’d let him.

  We all eat dinner and talk about what happens next. I’m going to be leaving to go home in a couple of days, I just need some rest before I can travel. Taylor is coming with me to make sure I’m safe and because I want him to meet my parents. I know he’s afraid that they’ll hate him for letting me get taken, but they will love him because I do. He has nothing to worry about. I’m going to tell my parents I don’t want to take over the country yet. I’ve still got a lot of years before I’ll be ready for that. I think they should have another child because they will be around for a lot longer and that child can be primed to take over the country. I just want to have a quiet life with Taylor.

  Epilogue

  Taylor

  TWO YEARS LATER

  “Come on, Princess. We need to leave in thirty minutes. What are you doing?”

  “I’m nearly ready,” she shouts. “I just need to do one more thing.”

  I stand waiting for her patiently. Well, not that patiently. We’re going to her country to celebrate the christening of her new brother. Her parents listened to her when she told them she wants to live a normal life. They’re going to raise their new son as heir to the throne. Sometimes I can’t believe Gracie gave up everything for me. But then I wake up with her in my arms every day and I’m grateful for meeting her in the first place.

  She’s ready and she comes out looking as gorgeous as ever. She doesn’t know it, but I’m going to propose on this trip. I’ve asked her dad for her hand in marriage. Yeah, call me old-fashioned, but I want to do it right. He said yes. He told me he knows his daughter is in the safest pair of hands. Little does he know what I do with my pair of hands.

  The flight is only two hours and then we land. We’re escorted to the palace and, as always, the reunion is sweet. Her brother is gorgeous and we can’t wait for the christening. That night after dinner we go for a walk in the gardens. It’s a beautiful, warm evening. Perfect for what I have planned.

  We arrive at the beautiful gardens she showed me on our first trip. She told me it was her most favorite place in the palace, so I thought it was fitting that we’re here tonight. She sits and looks out at the sky, dusky pink with thin stripes of white clouds.

  “Gracie, you know how much I love you. I wish we hadn’t met under those circumstances, but I think they brought us closer together. I don’t know how I managed to get through life without you. I certainly don’t think I could do it now. I want to be with you forever. I want to wake up next to you every day and I want to grow old with you. I love you more than words can say. Gracie, will you be my wife?” I’m down on one knee and she’s holding my hand with the other covering her mouth. Shit, I hope she says yes.

  “Oh my God, Taylor! Yes, yes, yes.” She comes down to my level and kisses me. I hug her and then put the ring on her finger. “It’s beautiful, Taylor. I love it, just like I love you.” She stands and I do too. “I have something I need to tell you though. Please don’t be angry.”

  “I can never be angry with you, Princess.”

  “I know we didn’t plan this, but I just found out I’m pregnant. Taylor, we’re having a baby.”

  Say what? She looks up at me and I can’t believe what she just said.

  “We’re having a baby? You and me? Like now?” I can’t get my words out.

  “Not now, silly. In about seven months’ time.”

  I pick her up and swing her around. This is the best news ever. I’m going to be a dad. I never thought I’d meet someone who would become my whole life like Gracie has. And to be told we’ve made another life… I can’t wait to be a dad. I’m going to be the best dad there ever was.

  “Oh my god Gracie, thank you so much,” I bring her down into a hug. “I can’t thank you enough for opening up your heart to me. I love you so much and I can’t wait to be a husband and a father.”

  Who knew that protecting a princess was going to change my life so much? Not me.

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  Something else to read by Krissy….

  Whiskey

  Prologue

  When Felecia Moore was just a young girl, her parents were killed in a tragic accident. They tried to place her in a foster home, but the house parents there were so cruel that she ran away. She remembered a small cabin deep in the woods that her father used to take her too. It took her weeks to find it. Starved half to death, exhausted from all the walking, and terribly hungry from eating nothing but the few berries she was able to find. When she finally found the cabin, it was in disrepair, but she was so tired all she could do was collapse into a deep sleep.

  The next day when she woke, it was as if she were dreaming. Thrilled that she had found the cabin, she set to clean it as best she could so that it would be her home. She would find all the forest and meadow fairies that were in the stories that her Mom used to read to her. She would make friends with them and finally have a family.

  Once the cabin was set, Felicia’s belly growling, she decided it was time to check her surroundings to see what she could scrounge up for food. There were plenty of berries, some wild roots that she knew were edible, some fresh mint and plenty of acorns. Until she was able to figure out what else she could eat, these would have to do for now. At least she had a roof over her head and wouldn’t starve now.

  One day when she was out foraging for food, she found a young boy just about her age snooping around her cabin. Yelling at him to find out what he wanted, he got spooked and tripped over one of the small gardens she had made and surrounded with stones.

  “I asked you what are you doing snooping around my cabin? What’s wrong, the cat got your tongue? Your mom and dad didn’t teach you any manners? Well, say something already.”

  Hanging his head in shame.

  “My name is Steven. I’m sorry, I didn’t know that anyone lived here. The last time I was out here, it was abandoned. I had hoped to live here myself, to be honest with you. Now, who are you? How long have you been living here?”

  “I’m Felecia. I’ve been here for about two months. I used to come here all the time with my dad.”

  “Is he here now? Maybe I should go before I get into trouble.”

  Tears in her eyes, Felecia sniffles.

  “My parents died almost a year ago now. They were in an accident. I don’t have any other family, so they stuck me in a foster home. The people there were horrid, so I packed my bag and
came here. I know the area, my only problem is finding enough food to eat, so I started these small gardens to try and grow some food.”

  “I’m so sorry, Felecia. My parents died too. I’m living with a nice enough family. They don’t let me live in the big house with them, though. They stuck me in a small apartment above the garage. They have the servants bring me food, so I don’t go too hungry. The only time I ever see them is when they want to drag me out for pictures. ‘Oh look, the mayor and his family adopted these poor orphans.’ I hate being there. They only took me because my sister refused to go with them unless they adopted me too. They only wanted a girl to complete their family.”

  “That’s terrible. How can they treat you like that? Doesn’t your sister complain that they treat you differently?”

  “Not really. My sister did at first, but she is so spoiled now that I hardly ever see her. The mayor actually has three nannies for her. They want her to grow up to be of high society. Keva, Cideria, and Willow take excellent care of her. I stay because I don’t want them to punish her if I leave. Of course, they never notice if I am gone for a couple of days. That’s why I came here, so I had a place to get away from them.”

  “I don’t mind if you want to come and visit. It gets kind of lonely here by myself. You’re the first person I’ve spoken to in months. I know it’s not very far to get to town, but if I go there, they may force me back into the foster home. I can’t take that chance. Maybe when I’m older, but not right now.”

  “I would love to come back and spend time with you if you’re sure. I know they have seeds for things that you can plant and grow to eat. I will bring you some the next time that I come to see you.”

  “It’s a deal. Come see me whenever you need to get away from that family. I’m sorry that they seem to have taken over your sister’s life. The only benefit of that is you don’t have to worry about her.”