The Queen's Protectors (A Throne of Blood Book 1)

by Scarlett Snow

  I nuzzle into his white sweater, taking in his strong, masculine scent. He’s the only one who didn’t bother to wear a coat. He’s like a furnace. “What about? Please tell me.”

  He pauses for a moment, and his thrumming heartbeat plays in my ears. “I didn’t like how that human looked at you. I didn’t like how he made you feel.”

  I lift my head and peek through my lashes at him. “It’s okay. I was just a little surprised when Elliot called me Your Majesty in front of strangers. No one’s ever called me that in public. I wasn’t too sure how to react.”

  His body tenses. “Would you prefer if we called you something else when we’re outside?”

  I shake my head. “I’m your queen, and I expect each of you to address me as such.”

  I won’t let anyone make me feel ashamed of my title. Not ever again.

  Kaleo’s fangs gleam as his lips spread into a wide smile. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  The carriage sways, and my attention drifts out the window. An endless sea stretches before me. The sun gleams off the tranquil surface, and far away in the distance, I spot dolphins skimming through the water. I nestle closer into Kaleo’s arms, and we remain silent as the wheel lurches into motion again.

  When we exit from the ride, Ronan and Elliot are waiting for us. Ronan has a gigantic Dalmatian toy shoved under his arm. Though, I can’t say he looks too pleased about having to carry the stuffed dog. They must have won him.

  “Look what I got!” Elliot throws a lump of candy floss into my face. “I haven’t had cotton candy since I was a kid. And I won a toy too!”

  I giggle at him, filling with warmth from his enthusiasm. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

  “Let’s get some food,” Kaleo says, dodging a little girl who’s enthusiastically chasing after another child. He steps to the side and then back toward me again. “There’s waffles and crepes down there. Who’s paying?”

  Elliot holds out a handful of notes. “I am. I was last to catch up.”

  We follow the smell of delicious food and head over to the food stalls. It’s more of a little market on the middle of the pier. The boys decide to go for burgers except for Ronan, and I stick to waffles. Once we get something to eat, we enter the arcades. We spend at least half an hour there, and another half hour riding the roller coasters, before my stomach starts to feel like I’ve been thrown into a washing machine. After we get our fill of Whack-A-Mole and water gun games, I convince the boys to take a stroll on the beach with me.

  Elliot is busy munching away at the remainder of his candy floss. Kaleo and Ronan are talking about Mystique and our upcoming trip to Italy. I remove my shoes and step onto the beach, wiggling my toes. I love the feeling of sand on my feet.

  I steer us toward the jetty projecting into the open water. The sun has slipped toward the horizon, and the clouds are a mixture of auburn and lilac, spreading through the sky like a smeared painting. I hop onto the timber structure, my shoes dangling from my fingers.

  “You should put your shoes back on,” Ronan warns, giving me his typical disapproving stare—the same one he gives me when I eat junk food.

  “I’ll be perfectly fi—ow, bugger!”

  I jump back from the rough patch of wood. My foot throbs as a droplet of blood stains the dark timber.

  I smile at Ronan. “See? Perfectly fine.”

  “You’re bleeding,” he argues, folding his arms.

  Kaleo bends down to check my foot. “Yup. It’s a splinter.” His tone is just as disapproving as Ronan’s.

  “I can lick it,” Elliot says to me, his expression hopeful. “That’ll heal it quicker once we get it out.”

  “It’s just a small scratch.” I turn around and head toward the end of the jetty. “I’ll steep my feet in the water.”

  I drop my shoes on the surface, sit down and hang my feet over the edge. I place my hands behind my back and gaze at the setting sun. The cold water is pleasant against my naturally hot skin. Ronan and Kaleo choose to sit on my left, and Elliot nestles into my right. We each dangle our feet into the water, and for a long moment we stay there, silent and content, just watching the sun dip beyond the horizon.

  Elliot’s hair tickles the side of my face as he leans into me, seeking my warmth. I place a kiss on top of his head, and then I kiss Ronan on the lips, long and sensual. Behind our backs, Kaleo reaches over and takes my hand, his warmth shooting sparks through my body.

  I’ve never felt this kind of contentment before. Even though an assassin might jump out at me at any moment, I can’t help but take pleasure in the company of my Protectors. It feels amazing to know that I’m not alone in this quest for justice, and I know with certainty that I will claim my throne and avenge my mother. It’s only a matter of time.

  I tilt my head at Kaleo. “Hey, did you manage to find anything more on Senator Wilkin—”

  My words cut off in a terrified scream as a great white shark erupts from the ocean, latches onto my ankle, and drags me into the dark, icy depths…

  The three of us strip down to our pants and leap into the ocean after her.

  I’m the only one who can breathe underwater, so when I see our pursuit of Violet will lead too far out of reach, I tell the others to remain above the water, and I dive deeper into the ocean.

  Fish move aside as I glide effortlessly through the murky water. My vision is not the clearest, but I can smell Violet’s blood polluting the ocean, giving me a clear direction of where she’s been taken. I follow her scent through the seagrass swaying in the current and pulling at my limbs. Her injury must be severe going by the amount of blood I can smell. My stomach contorts as fear threatens to settle in. I can only hope I reach her in time.

  Shafts of light filter down from the surface, illuminating a dark figure on the ocean floor. I swim toward the immense shadow, and each stroke of my arms brings me closer to my queen’s scent. I have no idea if the shark who snatched Violet is an assassin or not, but I’ll kill it regardless. My kind are not the most forgiving of species. We also don’t depend on oxygen like shifters and humans do, which means I’ll spend all night looking for Violet if I have to. Either way, I’m going to get her back, and I pity the shark who decided to take her from me.

  Crabs feast on patches of seagrass as I swim to the ocean floor. An enormous shipwreck scabbed in rust and algae towers over me, rotten from the inside out. Empty barrels, fish nets, and corroded belongings are scattered across the ocean floor. What was once an impressive ship is now only a remnant lost to the sea. Trickles of Violet’s blood linger around me, confirming that I’m on the right track.

  Why would the shark take her here?

  Placing my feet on the anchor half buried into the sand, I grasp at the rusted chains to guide myself along, avoiding the seaweed and barnacles as I make my ascent onto the ship. I’m almost at the top when I catch a stronger whiff of Violet’s scent. I must be close. Easing myself over the side of the ship, I grab onto chunks of timber and use them to steer my way through the trail of blood. Ancient runes have been carved into the middle of the deck in a language I’ve never seen before. Etched into the center is a huge dragon that seems vaguely familiar.

  I swim around them toward the wheel of the ship. Violet’s scent invades my nose the closer I get. I pause for a moment, wondering if this a trap, but my queen’s scent, her blood, calls to me, and I place my hand on the wheel.

  A rumbling crash sounds around me, rocking the ship.

  My body is dragged into the wheel, my insides twist and churn, and I’m hauled through an invisible gateway and spat out the other end like a regurgitated meal. My thoughts turn into mush as I’m spiraled through a series of circles. When the current stills, and I regain control of my body again, I look around to gauge my surroundings. If my heart still worked, it would have stopped in my chest at the sight that greets me, one unlike anything I could ever imagine.

  An illuminated city lays before me. Sharks, octopi, and other menacing creatures hover above the
entrance, a set of tall brass gates gleaming like hidden treasure. The towering buildings on the other side, carved from coral and limestone, soar toward the surface of the water, each of them shimmering under the moonlight filtering from above.

  I’ve never seen anything like this before.

  An underwater city?

  I know aquatic shifters exist, but I never imagined they created their own worlds.

  I hope this species will at least be civilized. My duty is to protect my queen, no matter the circumstance. If I have to dig under this city with my bare hands to get to her then I will. Nothing can keep me from my queen.

  Since entering this realm, the scent of her blood has faded. Does that mean I tracked her incorrectly? Was she still on that ship somewhere?

  There’s only one way to find out.

  I swim into the open water, but my body does not float as I expect, and I fall down to the surface. I land with my hands and feet buried into the white sand. A rush of static lifts the hairs from my body and a strange current settles around me. I stay immobile on the ocean floor, neither swimming or floating, and look to the gleaming city gates.

  I drag a hand through my swishing hair. My movements are entirely unrestricted. I take a step forward, and my legs lift through the water as though I’m walking on land. This sensation is new to me. I use it to my advantage.

  When I get near the brass gates, the creatures floating above the city draw closer together. They know my arrival is unbidden. However, I think the shark who captured Violet may have spawned from this nest, otherwise I wouldn’t have been drawn here. And I have no intention of leaving without my queen.

  Determined, I make my way toward the entrance. Three heavily armed sea creatures stand in front of the gate. Their cerulean scales shimmer like polished sea glass, and they have long, flowing fins with gold plates covering the tips of their tails. The same armor encases their powerful chests and tapers into bold armlets around their biceps. Prominent, ethereal-white veins writhe underneath their scaly complexions, and their dark hair floats around them like seaweed caught in an ocean current.

  I raise my hands in supplication as I slowly approach them. My message isn’t received all that well. The guards swoosh through the water and tower over me, their curved spears held centimeters from my throat. They speak in a strange tongue to one another while I wait for them to address me.

  The tallest of the guards, a female going by her breasts and lighter scales, points her serrated tail at me. Her bulging eyes seem to stretch over her pointed face, drawing her skin back. The others look similar, only broader with darker scales. I’ve never seen merpeople like this before. They are enormous creatures, at least seven foot.

  “What do you seek down here, vampire?” the female hisses, her razor-sharp teeth visible underneath her pale, tightly drawn lips.

  “My queen,” I state firmly, surprised my words come out so clearly. “She was taken from the surface, and her blood drew me to these gates.”

  “A queen, you say?” one of the male guards snarl, pressing his spear into my neck.

  My Adam’s apple scrapes the blade as I swallow. “Queen Violet Sinclaire of House Ayris. She’s no threat to those below the surface.” I glance up at the beasts swimming over our heads. “I think one of those sharks snatched her and now my queen is badly injured. I only wish to return her above ground and heal her.”

  The guards exchange worried looks for a moment. Two of the males whisper in that strange tongue of theirs.

  The female shakes her head and draws her tail away from my body. “No creature ventures past these gates without Queen Emyra’s approval. Whatever you seek is not around these parts.”

  I know better than to piss off these guards, but I’m desperate. “My queen’s blood was present at your portal.” I point to where I was spat out from the shipwreck. “And I suspect one of your sharks is behind her capture.”

  Again, more foreign tongue, this time by the female. The males remove their spears, and I try to compose myself. I’m not foolish enough to start fighting on a land I know nothing about. My queen needs me alive to protect her, not rotting on the ocean floor.

  The female turns to me. “We banished one of our sentries from Coralia two days gone. He’s a great white hybrid. There has been no sign of him since his dismissal. No trace has been found through our patrols. He seems to have just… vanished.”

  “Why would a sea sentry abduct my queen?” I ask them, my shoulders tensing with unease. I don’t think it’s feasible for an underwater sentry to be a royal assassin, which could mean there are different species after Violet besides the royals. What could they want with her?

  The other male shrugs his shoulders. “He may have tried to bring her here as a peace offering to our queen. It’s anyone’s guess where he went once he found our portal unwelcome to exiles.”

  “We cannot permit you into Coralia,” the female says, twirling her spear around in circles. “However, we can offer you a portal back to your land. This will give you safe passage.”

  A white flame shoots out from her spear and transcends into a swirl of light.

  The female floats back to her station, her large tail swishing around her. “Good luck with your search, vampire. May the ocean serve you well.”

  With that, the three guards return to their posts, leaving me with more questions than answers.

  Now is not the time for further dispute. I need to find Violet. I bow to the guards, hoping to convey my gratitude, and then step into the light. The uncomfortable sensation returns to me as I’m transported through the portal. My organs twist and clench, and my eyes seem to pop from my skull due to the rapid pressure. Then a gust of fresh air fills me as I emerge from the ocean.

  Despite the merpeople’s kindness, I have no intention of being ashore for long. There was a reason Violet’s blood called me to that sunken ship: she’s hidden there, wounded and without her Protectors, and therefore I must go to her.

  Just as I prepare to dive back underwater, I spot Kaleo on the beach, hunched over Violet, and he’s blowing air into her mouth.

  Gleaming lights, long, silky hair swishing through my fingers, and swirling sea-green eyes. That’s all I can remember. One moment I’m sitting on the pier with my Protectors, and the next I’m gasping for air on a sandy beach.

  I roll onto my side and expel the water from my lungs. Tears coat my eyes from the effort, my insides turning raw. Elliot’s gold Converse appear in front of me, then Kaleo’s boots and Ronan’s sand-covered feet. I hear their voices, but I’m unable to discern any specific words. I feel my body lift into the air, and I snuggle against the warmth now cradling me. I’m taken back to the car and laid over the back seat. My head is placed on Ronan’s thigh. I can tell it’s him by his scent. Exhausted, I close my eyes and allow sleep to take me again.

  When I come to, I’m back in my own bed. Sunlight bursts through my bedroom window, capturing Kaleo, dressed in only his boxers, fast asleep beside me. His expression looks peaceful, and he has one of his arms draped over my stomach with the other tucked behind his head. I move my toes against the ball of warmth pressed against my feet. Glancing down, I find Elliot in his wolf form, snoring quietly, his grey snout hanging over my legs.

  I’m not sure how long I’ve been asleep for. I vaguely recall waking up on the beach and the coldness from the water invading my body. Luckily, my half-vampire side allows me to hold my breath for several hours, which worked to my benefit under water. Otherwise I’d be dead right now.

  Why the hell did a shark snatch me from the pier?

  And more importantly, why can’t I remember anything that happened afterward? Was the shark an assassin? Did I manage to escape and swim my way back to the surface? Who did those mesmerizing eyes belong to? They certainly weren’t those of a shark. I pull my leg out from underneath the covers. There’s no wound or indication of razor teeth marks. I must have healed on the beach.

  Careful not to wake the others, I ease myself off the b
ed. I pull my night dress over my shoulders, throw it into my washing basket, and enter my closet. I grab the first items I lay my eyes on—a long, grey sweater and a pair of woolen tights. An object catches my attention when I slip my ankle boots on. I stuff it into my pocket, and when I enter my bedroom again, Elliot is sitting on his hind legs, waiting for me.

  “Hey, little puppy,” I whisper, hoping not to disturb Kaleo. “Want to come get some breakfast?”

  Elliot tilts his huge head at me, one ear flopping over the other, his large amber eyes unblinking.

  “What? Not hungry? Umm, are you feeling okay?” I run my hand through his thick, grey fur, and itch behind his fluffy ear. “I’m sorry I worried you, that I worried you all. I honestly didn’t mean to.”

  I hate knowing I’ve caused my Protectors any distress. I know it’s their job to protect and look after me, yet I can’t stand the thought of upsetting or hurting them.

  “We’ll find out what happened at the beach,” I say, stroking the side of his soft head, “and we’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. I promise, Elliot.”

  He flicks his wet nose at me, his tail wagging behind him.

  I chuckle quietly. “You want a kiss from me, omega?” I lean forward and kiss him gently on the forehead. His fur smells like pine cones and wet leaves lying dormant in a rainforest. The scent is so perfect for my little wolf, although even in omega form, he’s anything but little. I keep my voice low again. “Now, do you want to get some breakfast? I’m in dire need of strong coffee.”

  I head toward my bedroom door. Elliot trots behind me.

  I find Ronan sitting at the breakfast table, sipping a cup of coffee. Sorcha is busy loading the dishwasher with plates. She turns around and smiles at me when I enter.

  “Coffee’s already poured. I’ve got some fresh waffles cookin’ now, just the way you like ‘em. Ronan, get up and give the poor lass a seat.”

  “It’s okay.” I smile back at her and sit on the stool beside Ronan. When he turns to look at me, his eyes are crimson and prominent bags line them. He must not have eaten yesterday. I hate knowing I’m the reason why. “Aren’t you eating?”