Darkness (Book 1 of The Royals Trilogy)

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

ANA

Blair reached over to open the door when someone yelled, "Gideon, we need you at the gates." Gideon turned and nodded, "I'll be right there Jeanette." The girl, Jeanette, nodded and jogged off without even glancing at Blair and me, not that I minded, not all the stares I had felt were friendly, most were cautious and hostile.

Blair opened the door and stepped inside while Gideon waited for me to enter first. Nervously, I walked in. The cabin was smaller than I thought and there were only three doors in front of us that were all closed.

"Follow me," said Gideon as he led us through a door on the left. Once inside, I saw a young looking woman sitting at her desk as she talked in the phone. When her dark eyes saw us, she sat up straighter than before.

"Yes Jack, thank you for informing me. I have to go," was all she said before hanging up. The woman got up and walked over to us. She was wearing a black leather jacket and black jeans. Her dark, red hair was in a ponytail and her dark eyes focused on me. "You must be Ana," she said, her voice was filled with authority and curiosity.

I nodded, "yes ma'am, Ana Drew."

The woman nodded and motioned for me to sit down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. "Welcome Ana, this is The Salvation, a group of hunters with the task of eliminating creatures that can cause a threat on humans, but you already know that. I sent Gideon and Blair to inform you since last week but I heard you are stubborn and unwilling to cooperate. No matter, my name is Elda Argent, I am the leader of this tribe."

I nodded but didn't trust myself to respond. "I asked Gideon to bring you here because I was intrigued to meet you. The human who the royal brothers left alive. The question is, why?" The woman raised an eyebrow at me, as if expecting an answer, it was clear that it didn't make sense, I was just a normal girl.

"I don't know," I said, not meeting her eyes. I was still unsure if the hunters were trustworthy. I didn't want to give away too much information in case they went after them, my sister was with them, and I didn't want anything to happen to her. Elda nodded and sighed.

"Mother, I have to go meet Jeanette at the gates," spoke Gideon calmly as he interrupted the tense moment. My eyes widened, Gideon was her son?

Elda nodded with a warm smile as she looked at her son. "Go do your duty son." Gideon nodded and stepped out of the room. Her eyes settled on me once again. "Come with me Ana."

I stood up and started to follow her out with Blair next to me. "Not you, daughter," spoke Elda without turning to look at her daughter. From the side of my eye I could see Blair stiffen. Elda kept on walking so I followed her and Blair disappeared behind the heavy wooden door of the office of the Head Hunter of The Salvation.

"This is The Salvation Camp, where people become hunters and where we train," said Elda as she guided me through the camp. "Over to the right is our school where young teens learn about the creatures in our world as well as basic studies for humans. To the left is our cafeteria. Over there," she said pointing further into the camp, "is our infirmary. Next to it is our training room. We also have a nursery at the center of the camp," she explained calmly but I stopped walking.

"A nursery?" I asked shocked. Elda nodded without turning to look at me, "yes, how else do you think there's enough hunters around the world?"

I shrugged and stayed quiet. The camp's leader led me back into her office where Blair was still in, sitting stiffly, looking through some book. She stood up straight when she saw us. "Blair, you stayed here?" I asked her, shocked. Blair nodded, "Elda told me not to go with you."

Elda nodded, "yes daughter thank you for waiting. Now, Ana, I have a proposal for you." I raised an eyebrow as I looked at the woman standing in front of me. "What kind of proposal?"

"You can become a hunter," she said once she was sitting at her desk.

My eyes widened, me, a hunter? "I thought you had to be born here to become a hunter."

Elda nodded, "usually you do but I can make an exception." She crossed her arms and looked at me expectantly.

"Why?" I finally asked, confused.

The leader looked taken aback, she stayed quiet for a few seconds. "We haven't told you the whole truth Ana. We know you know the Royal Brothers and that they have turned your sister and taken her but we can find a way for us both to get what we want."

I crossed my arms across my chest, "and what exactly do you want?"

"We want to catch the Royal Brothers of course and with you, that is now possible," she said as if it were obvious.

"How come? How am I any different?"

"You have a special bond with them and they have someone you care deeply for." My thoughts went to my sister and then changed into the face of another vampire... I shook the thoughts away.

"And what do I get in return?"

Elda shrugged, "well your sister of course, she is who you want back into your life, no?" I stayed silent and the leader sighed, "very well, you have 18 hours to think about my offer, choose wisely Anastasia Drew." She turned to face Blair, "take her to get something to eat before you leave."

Blair nodded and walked out with me trailing behind her. Once we were in the cafeteria, eating, I asked. "Elda is your mother?"

Blair nodded, "she's just my biological mother."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked confused as I took a bite of the sandwich that was in my hands. Blair sighed and shook her head, "nothing, I have already said too much." We stayed in silence until we were both finished eating and after a while, Gideon walked over to us.

"Mother sent me, ready to leave?" he asked casually and Blair and I nodded. Silently we walked back to the car. The ride back to school was uncomfortable and long. When we reached the school it had almost been two hours since classes finished.

I got into my car and turned it on before opening the window. "Anastasia, think this through, Elda can be very manipulative when she wants something," suggested Blair from outside of my car. Had she really gotten out of the car to tell me that? Should I trust her word? Gideon was beside her giving her a look that said: 'shut up'.

"She doesn't know what she's saying Ana, mother isn't that bad" he said while glaring at his sister, "Blair, get back in the car" Blair huffed and turned away as she got into Gideon's car. I only nodded and drove off to my house. My aunt was waiting for me when I arrived and I sat next to her, ready to distract myself in games, movies and junk food.