Shadows (Book Two of the Royals Trilogy)

Chapter Five

SKYLAR

I didn't know where to begin. I wanted to tell Blair everything, but I couldn't find the words to do it. "I can tell you don't know how or what to tell me, but you can start from the beginning," I looked at her and saw she was looking at me with a warm expression which was something odd coming from her. She sighed and continued, “A few years ago, back at camp, we heard stories, rumors, about a girl who had been left orphaned and that she claimed vampires had killed her parents and taken her sister. After I met you and got to know you, I began to suspect that girl was you," I stayed silent and just looked at the road in front of me, we were still parked outside of my aunt's house and because of the time, I began to think it would be best to leave.

I turned on the truck and began to drive, it was a little bit after noon and I was starting to get hungry, but I wouldn't be able to eat another rabbit in a while. Blair didn't ask where we were going and the whole ride to a local hamburger restaurant was quiet. We arrived, and I turned off the truck but stayed still before I looked at Blair once again.

"Yes, I was that girl. The Royal Brothers ripped my family apart that day and I just wanted somebody to believe me. I was sent to live with my closest relative, my aunt, and forced to go to therapies so that I would stop talking "nonsense". The day before I turned 18 I received a note with an address and I went there because that person claimed I could save my sister and I didn’t have anything to lose. I reached the Royal Brothers' home and tried to convince my sister to leave with me and the brothers appeared. My sister saved us, and we went back to my aunt's house, I thought all would be normal once we were together, but I was wrong. My sister was a vampire then and apparently very important to the brothers, so they held me hostage and tortured me for a whole day, so my sister would return to them. After that everything is a blur, someone took me to the hospital, my sister told me they were leaving, she mentioned hunters and that she had to leave with her beloved or something like that. And then you and Gideon appeared," I said trying to summarize very briefly my story and I left out my prior feeling for Ethan, it was in the past and he was the enemy, there was nothing that would change that.

"Wait, so your sister is a vampire?" Asked Blair bewildered as she tried to it the pieces in place. I nodded, and she shook her head, "Sky, you know we can't do anything to help her right?"

Cautiously, I responded, "what do you mean?"

"I don't know what Elda told you, but the Royal Brothers will be killed and once that happens your sister will be put on trial. When the council finds out she's the beloved of one of them, they will sentence her to the same fate because she will lose half of what's left of her soul if her beloved is dead," explained Blair warily and she seemed surprised that I didn't know.

I was beginning to feel dizzy. Elda had promised me that Emma and I would walk away from all this safely. But could I really trust her? Blair didn't seem to trust her, not after what happened with her caretaker and Elda's part in all of that. I closed my eyes and rested my head on the car seat.

"But beloveds do not share a powerful bond like werewolf mates do, right?" I looked at Blair hoping to see some kind of sign that said I was right. But instead she shook her head and looked at me warily.

"Yes, they do Sky, beloveds are just a synonym of mates. To some extent you are right, when a werewolf loses its mate he or she dies a bit later but for vampires it's worse, they lose all their rationality and really become monsters, that is why beloveds are often hunted down," she said calmly and rested a hand on my shoulder. I didn't say anything and for a second, I thought it would be best for me to keep my mouth shut about what I had found out in the letter Ethan had left me.

"Let's go get food, I don't want to talk about this anymore," I said sounding as overwhelmed as I felt. Blair didn't push the subject, but I guessed she knew I was keeping something to myself.

We got out of the truck and left Melissa's unconscious body in the backseat. We ordered enough food for the three of us and ordered them to go. Blair and I stayed silent as we waited for our order. She looked worried, but I was lost in thought. That letter was replaying itself in my mind over and over again.

After Blair had gone to the backseat to sleep, I took out a flashlight along with the note I had found back in the basement. It was dirty and a bit yellow because of the humidity in the place I had found it. I opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. I saw it had been written on it by hand, beautiful cursive handwriting. I was amazed, it looked truly beautiful. The letter read;

"My dearest Anastasia,

I feel truly awful and angry for all the pain I have brought into your life, please believe me when I say I wished we had met under different circumstances. Maybe in an old town in England in a prior century. I cannot change the creature I am, but I assure you that you make me want to do everything in my power to prevent the monster inside of me from taking over.

You truly are remarkable and more beautiful than words could describe. Since the moment our eyes connected I saw a future that could have been. I fear that because of my actions you will push me aside and I would understand if you do, all you wanted was a normal life. I wish I could give you that but being what I am, I cannot.

I can only ask that you forgive me for putting you in harm's way. For not doing more to stop Devion from hurting you, I assure you I would have slammed the door if I could have but he has other creatures working with him. I am sorry for breaking your heart, as well. I saw your eyes as they began to lose their glow when I told you I did not feel the same way and I lied, my dearest, I lied. I cannot begin to understand how I became to fall for you, when I saw you back in that accident, all I wanted to do was protect you, I wanted to take you away from the pain, away from everything that could ever hurt you. To make sure you were getting better I visited you without you knowing, I watched you from outside your window and wished I could have done more.

Be careful, my love, the witch that is working with Devion is one of the strongest I have ever come across. Her name is Dalia but she goes by the name Queen of Shadows. I hope that when we leave, you will be out of harm's way. I need to go, there are hunters after us and they have found us here, I do not expect you to understand but just know you will be on my mind for all eternity.

Your Beloved,

Ethan Royale."

That was all that took to get me to tear up. All I thought I knew about Ethan had been wrong. We did share some kind of bond. Now that I was a Huntress, I didn't get to choose my beloved, I had duties to fulfill.

I heard a soft snore from behind me and I was startled. I looked at Blair after I quickly wiped my eyes, but she was still asleep. I sighed and looked at my watch. It was only 6:30am, I had spent two hours lost in my thoughts.

Back in the restaurant I made up my mind, I trusted Blair and she should know what she was walking into. "Blair," I started, and she turned to look at me surprised and intrigued, but I was interrupted by one of the waiters that was carrying our orders in a bag.

"Here you go, I 'm sorry for the delay," he said politely, and Blair smiled at him and told him not to worry. Then she followed after me back to the truck. Inside, I placed the food on the seat in the middle. While I heard Blair get in, I looked at the backseat and saw Melissa staring back at me; scared, she probably wanted to scream and run but she had realized she was paralyzed.

"Well look who's up," said Blair with a hint of enthusiasm as she tried to scare Melissa. Her eyes widened even more, and I glared at Blair, but she shrugged me off.

My attention turned back to Melissa, "I need you to help us, so we can help you Melissa, please." Of course, she couldn't reply but by the look in her eyes I knew she would, she had nowhere to go. "Are you hungry?" I asked as I pointed at the burgers. "Because we're going to take a quick food stop." I heard Blair's chuckle and I smiled.