The Lost Warrior Princess

Sanctuary with a Witch

The cabin looked so rundown on the outside and so small but once I stepped inside the cabin was not a cabin at all, it looking more like a mansion. The floors were a beautiful dark stained timber with blood red rugs. To the left was a large lounge area with two large lounges that matched the red rugs with a stone fireplace in the centre of the far wall. To the right was a large dining area with a large solid timber table that could have fit over a dozen people with a long red table runner down the middle.

Talk about over doing it on the matching.

Different sized gold candle stick holders were placed in the middle with sticks and flowers decorating around the candle holders. There was a door that looked to lead to the kitchen. There was a large set of stairs in the centre of the entrance, with a large gold crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

“You done catching flys there?” Anya asked me with a smirk. I roll my eyes and close my gaping mouth, she really had a way of getting on peoples nerve.

“Are we going to get this over and done with or are you not all that interested in having my blood anymore?” I seriously wanted this to be over with already. I didn't want to have to interact with her more than I absolutely had to even if she was giving us a safe place to stay.

“This way then, little girl.” She said with a raised brow. Just as I went to follow her I felt a hand grab my shoulder, I turn to see Nicolas with a concerned look on his face. “Oh, you can come with her if you wish dear Nicolas.” She said over her shoulder smirking at him.

“Anya you would do well to remember who it is you’re talking too.” He didn't take his eyes off of me as he spoke to her. She just huffed at him and flashed her teeth in a grimace as she turns back around and started walking away. Nicolas took his hand from my shoulder and we follow Anya up the stairs and down a hall to a door. She opened it and stepped in, followed by Nicolas and I shutting the door behind us. As I look around I notice the large floor to ceiling book shelving filled with old looking books. A round table was in the middle of the room with two chairs on either side.

“Come take a seat.” Anya said as she rummaged through a large cupboard.

She pulled out a jar and a small thin dagger with some bandages. She placed them on the table by one of the seats. I sat down in the seat next to where she had placed everything. She grabbed the dagger as Nicolas grabs her hand in a tight grip, his eyes had changed from his normal deep emerald green to almost black. The only times I had seen vampires eyes go black they were in a fit of anger.

“Nicolas, it’s ok. I will be fine.” I say to him in as calm a voice as I can.

“I will do it. I’m not letting her anywhere near you with a knife.” He says still looking at her with black eyes.

“Really Nicolas, do you really think I would be that foolish to hurt her with you here?” Anya says seeming unfazed by his tight hold on her. “ I’m a little offended you don’t trust me.”

“I have never trusted you, now hand me the knife.” He said holding his hand out for her. She lets out a little laugh and then smiles at him as she drops it into his hand.

“Can we just get this over with please?” I ask just wanting this to be over with. Nicolas drops Anya’s hand and kneels down next to me.

“Pass me your hand, this might hurt a little.” He says his eyes slowly going back to his normal green.

“I’m a big girl, I can handle it.” I say giving him a slight smirk. He returns my smile with one of his own. I take a deep breath and place my hand in his, palm up and he wraps his fingers gently around my hand holding it still. He runs the blade across my palm and blood starts to pool. He puts the dagger back on the table and gets to his feet taking a step back. He looked like he was trying really hard to fight for control like he did in the gym. Anya takes a step forward and starts chanting something in a language I wasn’t familiar with. Her eyes start to glow and slowly the blood that had pooled in my hand was floating into the air and moving towards the jar. I watched in amazement at the sight of my blood floating, I look at Nicolas to see if he was just as in awe as I was but he had moved further back. His back was now up against one of the book shelves and he was still as a stone.

After a couple minutes Anya stopped chanting and the last of my blood that was floating made its way into the jar. Anya put the lid on the jar and handed me the bandages to apply pressure to my cut hand.

“Nicolas would you be a dear and seal her cut.” Anya says with a devilish smile on her face. Nicolas didn’t move at first but when he did step towards me he was breathing through his mouth instead of his nose. He slowly walked towards me and knelt down next to me again. He held his hand out for me to place mine in his, I place my hand in his and he removed the blood covered bandage. He stares at my hand for a couple minutes before he brought my hand up to his mouth. My eyes widen and my mouth falls open, I didn’t think she meant for him to seal my cut with his saliva.

He holds my hand to his mouth for a short time before I feel his tongue start to run over my cut palm. It was a weird feeling, it started off as just the warmth of his mouth and his breath against my skin but once his tongue started running over my hand tingles that had erupted on my skin were now travelling up my arm. I try to stop the moan that wanted to escape my lips.

Suddenly his mouth wasn’t on my hand anymore and when I looked down the cut was already sealed, all that was left was a pink scar. Suddenly a loud laugh draws both of our eyes back to Anya.

“ That’s interesting, what are you?” She asks still chuckling. I look at her confused, I had no idea what she was talking about.

“What? I’m human. What do you mean what am I?” I look at her puzzled and then look at Nicolas who has the same confused expression on his face.

“You aren’t just human sweet girl, you’re something more.” She says grinning. “You have a spell on you, it seems to be some kind of cloaking spell to hide your true nature. You appear human but there is something more to you under the surface.”

“What are you talking about? I haven’t ever been to a witch for a cloaking spell.” I couldn’t understand why I would have a cloaking spell on me.

“Sweet child, you may look human but you are indeed a supernatural being, a half-breed or maybe even full blooded supernatural. I wont be able to tell for sure until I know what the spell is. I will see if I can find what kind of cloaking spell it is and see about reversing the spell on your blood.” Anya says in a calm tone, I look to Nicolas. He had a look on his face somewhere between thought and irritation. “Once we know what the reason was for you to be cloaked in the first place, you will be able to decide if you would like to break the cloak on you or not.”

“What are you talking about? I can’t be a supernatural of any kind.... I just can’t” I was in complete shock right now, my parents were both human so how could I possibly be anything but human. Nicolas moved to stand next to me.

“What are some of the reasons cloaking spells are put on someone?” Nicolas asked from next to me.

“Well, sometimes it’s to hide in plan sight other times it can be to hide someone’s true nature or powers.” Anya answered. “Give me a couple hours to find the spell and then I can break the spell on her blood, I will call you both in when I have what I’m looking for. I know It’s a lot to take in, when you’re ready to get some answers please don’t hesitate to come and ask.” Anya said to me. “ I’m going to the northern mountains pack in three days time to provide my magical services to the Alpha, you have until then to think about what you want to do after we know what we are dealing with.”

“I’m having a meeting with the Alpha of the northern mountains pack, I assume you are the magic councils representative that is to over see the signing and make it binding?” Nicolas asked but I was only half listening to what he was saying. I was still trying to understand what Anya had said.

If I wasn’t a human, and both the people who raised me were, that would mean they weren’t really my parents. My mind was spinning and I just couldn’t make it stop. I felt a hand on my shoulder and the tingles that came with it. As I look up, a pair of beautiful green eyes are looking down at me with concern filling them.

“Luna, it will all be alright. I promise.” I nodded to him and looked back at Anya. She was looking at us with a intrigued look in her eye and a grin playing on her lips.

“ I will be sure to get back to you on this as soon as I can. I’m very interested in you and the connection you have to the future vampire king, he seems very taken with you.”She said still looking at us like there was something very mysterious going on between us.

After she finished talking she waved her hand and the door to the room opened. Without looking at Nicolas or Anya I walked out and back the way we had come. I didn’t like how she was looking between Nicolas and I, or the way she was looking at me like I was some science experiment.

I found everyone in the dining room, Alice was talking to the vampire guards while Riley sat glaring at them all. As I stood in the door way everyone stopped talking after they realised I was there and turned to look at me. I gave everyone a small smile and they all went back to their conversations. I went and sat across from Alice and Max, I was sat next to Hunter. I could feel him looking at me but paid no mind to it, I was so focused on my own thoughts of what Anya had said after taking my blood.

I had no idea how I could possibly be supernatural or what kind, I didn’t have a wolf in my head, I was sure I didn’t have fangs either and I had never done anything remotely close to using magic before or was that part of the cloaking spell? Did it also stop me from having a wolf or being able to use magic? I was sure I was human though, part of me wanted answers but then again if I weren’t human and my commanders found out..... well I would be on their list of top supernaturals to put a bullet in. I knew to much about their headquarters and their way of strategising. I could bring them down without even trying. I was a threat to them if what Anya said was the truth.

I was so involved in my thoughts I didn’t hear Anya and Nicolas come in and sit down. It wasn’t until someone touched my hand under the table that I looked up and was broken out of my thoughts.

I looked to the person the hand was attached, Nicolas. “Are you alright?” He asked in a hushed whisper so that only someone with super hearing could hear if they weren’t right next to him. I pulled my hand away and nodded to him slightly.

Even though I enjoyed his touch I wasn’t ready for anyone to know just yet, not until I knew what this spell issue was about.

He didn’t push the issue, he knew it wasn’t the time or the place to say anything about what had been said. Instead he just nodded to me and sat in silence while everyone around us chatted, all except Riley. He sat staring between Anya and Nicolas.

Anger was plastered all over his face, I noticed he was gripping his dinner knife like it was a dagger. It looked like he was trying to decide which one he was going to kill first. At that moment Anya looked at him and smirked, “that knife won’t help you to kill Prince Nicolas or myself if that’s what you’re planning on doing.” Riley seemed shocked at first that Anya had noticed what he was thinking of doing. Then he just got more annoyed at her mocking him.

If there was one thing I knew about Riley, he didn’t take to kindly to people making him look like a fool. In that moment he went to move, but something stopped him mid movement. Anya smiled at him and shook her head.

“ you are in my home and think that you stand a chance at killing me? You wouldn’t stand a chance against me outside my home what made you think you would be able to harm me inside my sanctuary? Was it just stupidity or do you really believe that you’re just that good?” She had an amused look on her face, she didn’t look mad at him at all. “I suggest you don’t try anything like that again. I would hate to have to show you how seriously outmatched you really are, boy.” Just like that what ever was holding Riley was gone and he stumbled a little before he huffed and sat back down.

The rest of dinner went some what smoothly with Riley being in a mood and muttering things to himself. I would occasionally catch Anya looking at me with a confused look that was also intrigued or curious.

After everyone finished the meal that Anya had magically summoned she announced the sleeping arrangements to everyone. “Now the remaining guards will all be sharing a room together while three of the humans will be sharing a room.” Before she could say anything more she was interrupted.

“Why only three of us? There is four of us” Alice asked.

“Because sweet child, your companion there is trying to think of ways to kill the prince and myself so it is best to have someone that the prince trusts that can also subdue him if needed.” She said as she pointed in Riley’s direction.

We all looked at Riley who looked like he was ready to blow his top. I know who was going to be sharing a room with the prince and so did everyone else.

“Oh.... so it has nothing to do with him wanting to bang her or anything like that.” Alice said with a wink to me.

“Alice seriously! Not the time! can you not think about anything other than s*x?” I yelled. I could feel my face going all red, she was seriously the worst.

She just shrugged at me and laughed “I can but I couldn’t resist it was such a good opening.”

“She is the most skilled of you in protecting the prince, what they do in the way of intimacy is between them. The captain and the prince will be sharing a room together. I have also put a spell on all the rooms so that only the people occupying them can get into the room unless invited in, just as an added layer of protection.” Anya said giving Riley the stink eye, “so if anyone wishes to try and harm someone else they won’t be able too, now everyone off to your rooms. The door will glow when you arrive at your door at the top of the stairs. Off you go.”

We all got up and wandered up the stairs to the second floor and sure enough the door to mine and Nicolas’s room started to glow a dark red. I put my hand on the handle and opened the door, I noticed my bag had been moved to the room. In the middle of the far wall was a large window, on the left wall was a large king sized bed with beautiful red and white sheets on it. There was a small sitting area in the far right corner of the room and a door on the right wall that opened into a large spacious bathroom with a shower that could fit at least half a dozen people comfortably, a spa and a double vanity. The room was stunning, I stood there looking at the room and taking it all in until I heard the door shut behind me. I turned to see Nicolas standing in front of the door. He had a blank expression on his face, he wasn’t looking at me. We stood there in silence for a little while before he finally looked at me. “Are you alright?” He asked me.

I shrugged before responding, “I have to be, I have to be focused on getting you to the meeting with the Alpha of the northern mountains pack and then getting you back to the clan in one piece.”

“You don’t have to always be so closed off from everyone, you can show your emotions. If not with anyone else you can show them to me.” He said as he came to stand in front of me. “I will not judge you for it, everyone feels things even me. I have lived for over a hundred years and even I have emotions.”

“Thank you but I would rather keep them to myself for a little while... just until I work out how I’m feeling about all this.” I said looking down, I was finding it hard to look him in the eye at this very moment, I just needed time to myself to work all this out in my head. “I’m gonna go for a shower.” I quickly turned and entered into the bathroom and shut the door. I leaned up against the door after it shut, what was happening to me? First I make a rookie mistake that almost got me killed and I was seriously injured by a rogue, then I have a moment with the prince and find out I’m his soulmate and now I find out I have a cloaking spell on me and I have no idea why. This was meant to be a simple protection detail mission, get the prince from the clan to the pack in the northern mountains. It was becoming anything but a simple protection detail. I let out a sigh and push off the bathroom door, hopefully a hot shower will help me clear my head enough to get through the rest of this mission. I turn the water on and while I wait for it to heat up, I look for towels and soaps.

I rummage through the cupboard and find some shampoo and conditioner along with a cherry blossom scented body wash. I inwardly thank Anya for having something nicely scented, I hated smelling like dirt and blood.

I take the containers to the shower and put them on the little built in shower bench and turn and grab the towels I had found and set them on the counter for when I get out. I strip off my shoes and my clothes and hop into the shower, I let the hot water and steam surround me. It was the best feeling, the hot water ran down my body and washed away all the dirt and blood that was on my body from the journey so far. I stood there under the water for what felt like forever before I washed my hair and body.

After a while I reluctantly turned the water off and got out. The cool air that was in the bathroom hit my wet skin and caused goosebumps to rise all over my body. I quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my hair and the other around my body. As I’m dry my body, I realise I had been in such a rush to get out of the room and away from the feeling of being vulnerable that I hadn’t grabbed any clothes. I hit my hand to my forehead and groan at my own stupidity. Now I will have to go and get my clothes in nothing but a towel.

I decide to finish drying off my body and then dry my hair before opening the bathroom door a little to see if Nicolas was in the room still. I couldn’t see him anywhere so I opened the door a little more and poked my head out a little more to make sure.

The room was empty, he must have left while I was in the shower. So I quickly run to my bag and grab out underwear and clothes to sleep in. I settle on a baggy black shirt and my blue pyjama shorts.

Alice and I hardly ever slept in anything other than a shirt and our underwear but I wasn’t comfortable sleeping in that while Nicolas was in the room with me as well. I quickly put on my underwear and shirt, just as I was about to put my shorts on the door opened and Nicolas came in holding fresh bandages and alcohol. As he entered he was looking down at the bottle of alcohol.

Once he was in the room and he had shut the door he looked up and froze on the spot. His eyes seemed to be taking in everything he saw in front of him, going over every inch of my body. I watched as his eyes trailed from head to toe over me. I feel my cheeks getting warmer as blood rushes to my cheeks.

I clear my throat to try and get his attention. He shakes his head and walks over to the bed and puts the bandages down. I quickly put my shorts on so that I’m not just in my underwear and shirt.

“I thought after your shower I would put fresh dressings on your wound.” He said looking back up at me, I look at him and nod.

“Thank you.” I say with a small smile.

“Come stand over here and lift your shirt up to just above the wound.” Nicolas instructs, I do as he asks and walk over to him and lift my shirt up. I had already removed the old bandages and dressing while I was getting ready for my shower so I could clean the area and see the extent of the damage. Nicolas placed his hands on my hips and gently turned me so he could get a better look at my wound, I could feel his breath on my skin as he looks my injury over. As he pulls away I notice his eyes have gone a darker green than they are normally.

“ The stitches are holding well, you will still have a little time before the wound is fully healed so you will have to be careful not to over do it. I will put a fresh dressing on it with fresh bandages just in case the stitches let go. It wouldn’t be as deep as when it first happened though.” He grabbed the fresh dressing and presses it to my side,

“ hold this here while I wrap the bandage around it.” I use my free hand to hold the dressing like he asked while he grabs the bandage off the bed and starts to wrap it around my torso. As he is wrapping the bandage around me I can feel his fingers ever so gently grazing my exposed skin.

His finger tips were cold on my skin and it sent a shiver through me but not an uncomfortable shiver. He finishes wrapping the bandage and his hands linger on my skin sending tingles through my body along with a shiver up my spine. I try to hold back the moan that threatens to leave my lips but it doesn’t work. A breathy moan slips through my lips as his fingers trace circles on my skin. I lower my shirt back down while he stays holding onto me.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” I say.

“You’re welcome, just remember not to over do it.” He reminds me with a serious look on his face.

“I can’t make any promises, I’m not one to just sit back and do nothing.” I reply.

“You run the risk of opening your stitches up if you aren’t careful.” He says.

“I know but the mission is the priority.” He steps even closer to me, stopping just a few inches away from me. I look up into his eyes and see they are still that bit darker than they normally are.

“Your health should be your top priority, not my safety.” He says looking down at me. For a moment I can’t think straight with him being so close to me. It’s only been a couple of days and yet he makes me feel safe and cared for, I haven’t ever felt like that before, I just want to be around him. I guess that’s part of this mate bond, wanting to be close to them. We stand there looking at each other for a couple minutes our faces slowly getting closer until we hear a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” He calls out without looking away from me.

“It’s Hunter my Prince.” He takes a deep breath and then lets it out again before turning and opening the door. I let out the breath I hadn’t realised I had been holding in.

“What is it Hunter?” Nicolas asks. His tone holding a hint of annoyance.

“I have instructed that the guards do rotations on watch, the human girl Alice has requested to participate in the rotation as well as the one called Max. I wanted to check with you and the captain if that is acceptable?” He asks.

“That is fine Hunter, Alice and Max can participate. I assume Riley hasn’t offered to be apart of the rotation?” I ask him before Nicolas can say anything.

“No captain, he did not.” He reply’s.

“Thank you for letting me know, its probably better that he doesn’t.” I say, I move to my bag again and grab out my clothes for tomorrow and my knife and place them on the bedside table.

Nicolas and Hunter talk about the rotations for a little bit longer before Hunter bows and leaves. Nicolas shuts the door and comes back into the room towards the bed. I motion to the bed before speaking “how would you like to do the sleeping arrangements?” I ask as I indicate the bed. He looks between me and the bed thinking about something. “You can take the bed, I’m okay with sleeping on the floor.” I suggest. Even though I liked sharing a bed with him, I wasn’t sure how this new development would affect thing.

He shakes his head. “ Luna, what Anya said. It doesn’t change anything, you’re my mate for a reason. I may not be sure why you have a cloak on you but we will find out together.” He says as he moves closer to me and wraps his arms around me.

“It’s alright if you have changed your mind, I would understand.” I say in response as I wrap my own arms around his torso and hold on to him tightly. He pulls back enough to look at me with a disapproving look.

“Nothings changed Luna, we are in this together. Let me be there for you.” His hand moves to cup my cheek as his thumb rubs soothing circles on my skin.

I nod in agreement. He smiles and bends down to place a soft kiss on my forehead before turning and getting his things and going into the bathroom.

Please don’t let things change, please.