Darkness (Book 1 of The Royals Trilogy)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

ETHAN

"Brother? Pff now we are brothers, after all you've done to our family?" I spat at Devion while glaring at him. He was no brother of mine, I had only had two brothers, Benjamin and Michael, Devion was just the monster that destroyed all that.

"We always were, we have always been," Davion said confused, trying to manipulate me like he did to Ben but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, he brought us into this mess.

"No. My brother died along with my mother and my father, you're just the monster that killed them," I said through gritted teeth and burning eyes.

"Fine! Then let's have a talk Ethan," he said my name with venom. "Let's start with the girl."

"What about her?" I asked through clenched teeth, my fist were ready to attack at my sides as I cautiously analyzed Devion.

"Don't be stupid Ethan, I've seen the way you look at her!" He snarled back.

I shrugged, trying to remain calm, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Just tell me Ethan, is Anastasia Drew your beloved?" Asked Devion walking closer to me. His eyes intense and his body tense. I would never confess to him, it'd be my weakness, something he could use against me whenever he wished.

"The girl isn't anything to me," I said and Devion yelled frustrated with my answer and he hit me in the head, hard. I fell to the ground with blurry vision and then... Darkness...I was unconscious.

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ANA

Benjamin dragged me out of the auditorium. I tried to fight his hands, but he had a firm grip on me. Outside of the school he tied my hands with an old rope, blindfolded me and put tape on my mouth before pushing me into the back seat. Still, I wiggled and turned, trying to break free even though I knew it was in vain.

It all felt like some twisted, suspenseful movie; I had just been kidn*pped to get my sister, I was a hostage! The car moved quickly through the roads and with every sharp turn I would fall to my sides painfully. My breathing was rapid and my heart pounded painfully in my chest. Ana you have to calm down, you'll be fine... Breathe Ana dammit! I lectured myself but it was useless, this could be my last day alive and I didn't think I was ready to leave this world yet.

Silent tears ran down my eyes. I couldn't die now, I was young, I still wanted to do things I'd never done, try new things, meet new people, travel, fall in love, get married, start a family and settle down. This could not be the end, I refused to believe it.

When the car stopped, Benjamin roughly dragged me out of the car and took me into the old house, the same house where Emma had been trapped. I could hear his steps as he went down the stairs, a couple of times I'd stumbled and Benjamin didn't help as he kept on dragging me without sparing me a glance.

A creaking door opened and the smell of dust and blood filled my nose. Internally I gagged. "Where are we?" I whispered, my voice sounding scared.

"Shut up," he demanded sharply. He suddenly released me while pushing me forward and I fell against the hard, cold floor.

"Hope you enjoy your stay here," he said sarcastically and to me it sounded like, 'I hope you die'. The door behind me shut heavily and I could hear the locks as they were set in place. Benjamin walked away without another word while laughing cruelly.

Without being able to see or move, I did the only thing I could do, cry. My soft sobs filled the small cell. It seemed that a long time had passed as I stopped crying. I was only laying there, trying to think of any escape, I knew it was impossible. Then I thought about my sister, she'd freak out and wouldn't hesitate to come after me, my aunt, she'd be devestated if she lost my sister and I, and finally, ethan. I had only just had a conversation with him but he'd seemed kind and for some reason, I felt comfortable and relaxed around him.

After what I thought had been hours, the squeaky, heavy door opened and a soft hand caressed my cheek. Instinctively I stiffened and tried to pull away. "It's okay Ana," Ethan said and I gasped, what was he doing here? They were going to kill him. He took the blindfold that was keeping me from seeing and for a second, our eyes met.

I looked behind him and I gasped, Ethan wasn't alone.

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EMMA

The thirst from becoming a vampire started to show since I woke up early in the morning. I looked at Ana as she slept peacefully and then I looked at her calendar. November 4th, today was Ana's birthday. I walked down the stairs into the kitchen where I found all that I needed to make a breakfast. It was 5:30am but I needed a distraction.

I heard footsteps behind me and I turned to see Aunt Daniela walking towards me with a surprised look on her face. "Emma? What are you doing up this early?" she asked bewildered.

"I couldn't sleep," I managed to say calmly and she nodded. "How about you?" I asked after. My aunt shrugged, "today's Ana's 18th birthday so I wanted to make Ana breakfast but I can see you beat me to it." Aunt Daniela laughed and I smiled at her.

"You could help me," I suggested and she nodded and we both worked in silence. The night that I'd arrived, Aunt Daniela had asked me a lot of questions on where I had been. Ana and I had decided to tell our aunt that Ana had found me wandering alone in the streets and that I had been kidn*pped and abused. Our aunt had decided not to push the subject and for that I was thankful, it wasn't something I was comfortable sharing and my aunt wouldn't believe my story anyway.

On the other hand, I was still a bit distracted by the growing hunger inside me, I felt it grow and I wanted to gag in disgust at the monster I'd been forced to become. I looked at the food that was now on the table and I wondered if I could even eat it, I never saw the Royal Brothers eat anything else than blood.

At 6:35am another set of rushed footsteps walked towards us and we celebrated with Ana, luckily I had been able to eat my food and there was nothing unusual since it tasted the like when I had been human for which I was thankful, I have always liked food.

After she left for school, my aunt and I kept on talking. "Emma, we have to go shopping for clothes, furniture and paint for your room," suggested my aunt.

Aunt D, as I remembered calling her, had decided to let me change the guest room into my own room since she said nobody used it anyway. We had spent an hour getting all of the furniture out of the room until four beige walls stared back at us. "You can decorate however you want, you're home now," reassured my aunt placing a gentle, comforting hand on my shoulder. I nodded and turned to look at her.

"Yes, but I insist on paying," I insisted for the third time in the day.

My aunt shook her head and waved me off, "nonsense honey, I 'll pay for it, don't worry and don't even try to argue with me, I'm as stubborn as a mule."

I sighed knowing I was fighting a useless battle, "okay."

"Oh, and have you decided on a university?" Asked my aunt out of nowhere.

Surprised I said, "no, I haven't thought about it. I never thought I'd be able to get away... ever."

My aunt smiled soothingly, "you're back now Emma, that's all that matters and I could help, if you want. I know a lot of professors in different universities and I understand if you want to take a year off so you can focus on getting better."

I smiled back, "Thanks aunt D, that would be a great help." She nodded and I excused myself to get ready for the trip to the mall.

When we got back we had bought enough clothes to fill my closet, light blue paint for the walls, a desk, a bed, a lamp and some other decorations. "Hmm, I wonder why Ana has not arrived," said my aunt worried. I stopped painting walls, "Do you think something happened to her?"

"I don't know." When the clock marked 6:30 Ana still hadn't arrived. I started walking around the room, worried, "maybe we should call the police or the school."

My aunt hesitated, "I'll call Clary."

"Who's Clary?"

"One of Ana's friend," she said picking up the phone . After a few minutes on the phone, aunt Daniela sighed, "Ana isn't with her and she doesn't know where she might be."

A sudden thought crossed my mind. "Aunt D, I think I know where she might be, I'll go look for her," I said grabbing the car keys and running out of the house before my aunt could ask questions. I drove slowly back to the Vampire house. That had been their target all along, get Ana to get to me. They realized I would never let anything happen to my sister.

I walked towards the building that I never wanted to see again, but impossible to forget. As I approached the old wooden house from hell, I got so nervous and sweaty, I started to shake in horror as I remembered all that I had lived inside. The thirst from the monster inside of me was getting almost unbearable but I tried to push it aside. When I approached the door I could hear cries and my blood turned to ice. Ana!

I ran inside, not bothering to notice my new speed as a half-vampire. I followed Ana's pleas for help down to the basement. It was almost completely dark if it wasn't for a small light-bulb in the middle of the hallway. I saw as Ethan desperately pounded on a door and quickly, I was by his side. "What's happening in there?!" I asked and I cringed every time I heard Ana scream.

Ethan looked at me and I gasped when I saw how broken and pained he looked. That's when I realized... Every time Ethan sneaked out at night it was to see his beloved, his other half, and that was my sister. My sister was Ethan's beloved, a vampire. Ana's last cry brought me back to reality and I tried pushing the door open but it was useless, it wouldn't even budge.

I gave up and sat down on the floor covering my ears, trying to shut out the screams. After a while they stopped but I kept on covering my ears until Devion was in front of me. He stared down at me triumphantly and he took my arm roughly as he pulled me up and away. At that moment I was thankful he did what he did, I could smell Ana's blood and my thirst was boiling, the monster wanted to feed.

"You can take the girl Ethan, I'm done with her," said Devion. I knew he was talking to Ethan and that thought calmed me. Ethan would take her to safety. Devion took me into my old room and glared at me, "don't you even think about leaving, if you do, Benjamin will find you and I will finish what I started down there," he threatened, referring to Ana. I nodded and I sat on the bed, curled up, there was no use. The room was cold and silence. Worry kept me from crying.

There was a knock on my door before someone walked in. Surprise covered my face when I saw Ethan standing in front of me. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be keeping Ana safe. "I took her to the hospital," was the first thing he said.

I didn't say anything as I looked at my hands. There were seconds of uncomfortable silence. "Why?" I asked in a whisper. Ethan looked confused. "Why didn't you stay with her?"

He sighed and sat down on the edge of my bed as he looked out the window into the dark night. "I couldn't, I'm sorry," he whispered, he sounded defeated and broken.

"But she is you beloved, isn't she?" I asked looking at him and Ethan tensed and tightened his fists. He got up and walked over to the door before stopping.

"Yes, she is." Then he was gone.