Darkness (Book 1 of The Royals Trilogy)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

ETHAN

I was still driving when a sudden thought crossed my mind, Ana. I hit the brakes and the car stopped abruptly. Ana. What had happened to her? Did they find her? Is she alright? Did Emma manage to get both of them to safety?

Worry was eating me alive and I turned back and drove towards their aunt's house.

When I got there, I saw her room light on that had become so familiar and I instantly relaxed and sighed in relief.

Using my vampire abilities, I jumped to her window quietly and leaned on her window frame.

Through the curtains, I saw Ana comforting her sister and whispering soothing words to her. Her sister's shoulders shook with sobs and Ana's eyes were filled with tears. Ana looked scared, and with no idea of what to do to help her sister. What she had seen today had probably scarred her more than the fiRst time she saw us. In her eyes we were monsters, heartless, cold bloodsuckers.

The thought pained me but I knew what we' done to her family, she had been left alone. I started to think deeply about my fragile, sweet Ana. I had promised to keep her safe but sometimes I wondered if what I did was enough. I closed my eyes and those thoughts consumed me. She deserved much more, she only wanted a normal life and now she was stuck between worlds. I had never imagined it would be this way. I never though I'd find my beloved in a human and much less be the cause of her suffering. I sighed and let my head fall hopelessly on my knees as it started to lightly pour from the sky.

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ANA

After a long dinner and our aunt's interrogation, Emma and I headed to my room and when I closed the door, Emma let her guard down and broke down into sobs and tears filled her face.

Instinctively I got her a glass of water and some tissues, my sister gave me a thankful glance. I could feel someone's eyes on me but I ignored the feeling and went to my sister. I had grown used to that feeling, some nights I'd feel it, other I wouldn't but I like to think it was some kind of guardian protecting me, like a guardian angel.

I hugged Emma tightly and whispered things like: "it's okay" "now you're safe" "they won't hurt you anymore" "I'm here now" "we'll help each other get through this." I didn't know what else to say, we had hurt so much in the last couple of years but she had been alone with her kidnappers that weren't even human. They were monsters, murderers. My watery eyes, started to release soft tears and I contained my sobs, I had to be the strong sister in that moment, Emma needed me.

After a while, we both calmed down and leaned on the wall. Both of our eyes were still had tears and our cheeks were stained with dry ones. We looked at each other and silent questions passed through us, there was still much we didn't know, we still didn't know what would happen now that Emma and I escaped.

Suddenly I started to feel sleepy, my eyes started to close with exhaustion and a blonde boy with bright blue eyes was the last thing I saw before darkness consumed me.

...

The next day, light streamed through my small window. I groaned as my alarm woke me up, with one of my hands I turned it off and quickly got up and dressed in a pink, floral skirt with pink sandals and a white tank top. My make-up was simple, eyeliner and lip gloss. For some reason I wanted to dress up today, besides, the day was supposed to be hot and sunny.

I stopped and realized Emma wasn't here. Worried, I sprinted down the stairs and found Emma and my aunt talking in the kitchen, making breakfast. "Good morning, sunshine," said my aunt without taking her eyes off her work.

"Morning," surprised, I asked, "what's with the breakfast?"

Emma smiled, "today is a great day, right aunt?"

My aunt nodded, "besides, it's your birthday."

I stopped. It was? Huh, I guess I forgot about it with everything that had happened the last few hours. "oh right", I said and Emma smiled, "I can't believe my little sis is so grown up."

My aunt smiled. We all sat in the table and ate my aunt's delicious pancakes. That was, until I saw the time, "oh no! I'm going to be late," I took my backpack from the couch. "Thanks for the breakfast!" Both my aunt and my sister got up and hugged my and kissed me on the cheek. "Have a great day, sweetie," said my aunt.

"Be careful!" Emma called behind me. I nodded and started sprinting out the door. I opened the car door and drove to school. Just another normal day, yeah right.

I got there just in time, just before first class. I walked inside and saw everyone in their seats waiting for the teacher. "Why are you late?" Asked my friend, Clary, who was sitting next to me.

"Birthday breakfast." Realization crossed her face, "I'm so sorry, today I totally forgot! Happy birthday! You're all grown up girly. Please forgive me. she looked ashamed but I waved her off.

I smiled, "of course, I also forgot."

She looked at me surprised and that's when the teacher came in before she could say anything, "class, we have a new student."

A very familiar blond looking guy with blue eyes walked in and I gasped, Ethan. My blood turned to ice. What was he doing here? was he here for me and my sister? Then I remembered something my sister told me the night before. Ethan wasn't a bad guy, he just didn't have anywhere else to go. "Mr. Davis, sit wherever you'd like that isn't taken," said our science teacher looking bored as she took out her stuff. I looked around and noticed there was only one seat empty, the one right next to me. Great.

I pretended to be very interested in my book, which I had no clue what it was about, as his footsteps got closer with each passing second. He cleared his throat, "Can I sit here?"

"Sure," I said trying to keep my voice steady when in reality, I was more than nervous. As class begun, I couldn't concentrate, hell I couldn't even remember in what class we were in! "Ana, are you okay?" Asked the very attractive vampire next to me. Did I just seriously think he was hot? I'm losing it.

"Why are you talking to me?" I asked firmly, my expression hostile.

"I shouldn't?" He asked confused.

"That depends, are you here to kill me?" Silence. When the bell rang and I thought I heard him whisper: "I would never hurt you, Ana," but I was too far to be sure and I wasn't going to turn around to ask him.

As the day passed, I realized Ethan was in most of my classes and in almost all of them he was sitting next to me which made me restless, I didn't know his motives and he was someone I could never trust.

At the end of the day I found a note taped to my locker, meet me at the auditorium after school - Ethan. I sighed annoyed. Like the day before I had two choices, go meet Ethan or ignore him. I considered my options and decided that I should listen to what he had to say, maybe that would make him leave sooner and the sooner the better, so I took my things before heading to the auditorium.

"Ethan?" I said once I was inside. Inside it was dark except the stage that was brightly illuminated. Ethan was pacing on stage looking nervous. When he heard me he stiffened and surprised, he turned to look at me and took his eyes off the scene of the school play.

"You came," disbelief and bewilderment laced his words and his eyes showed relief.

"Yeah, well, I'm not the type of person who holds a grudge for long. Besides, my sister told me you aren't bad and I trust her." He smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes and he turned to look at his shoes.

"I'm happy to hear that. So you know I don't want to kill you," he said and somehow it seemed like his voice projected throughout the auditorium.

I raised an eyebrow, "is this the part of the story where you tell me you don't want to kill me but you have to kill me?"

He laughed, the sound of his laughter made me shiver but not in a bad way and I couldn't help but give him a faint smile, "no, not really. Although Devion and Benjamin are looking for you and they aren't exactly kind."

I froze and my smile vanished. "What do they want from me? From my sister and I?"

"They want power, more than they already have, their plan is to try and make a royal vampire but from a human that way we'll be better, stronger, or so they believe," Ethan was now walking down the steps and closer to me.

"I guess you're referring to my sister, but what do they want from me?" They had already tried to change Emma and they partially succeeded but I didn't have to do with anything except for the part of the accident that killed my parents. Is that why they wanted me dead? Because I was a witness? That's ridiculous, it's not like I could testify against a vampire! Nobody would believe me.

"Honestly I don't know," he said and his voice held a bit of frustration.

"Then why did you want me to come here?" I asked while wrapping my arms around me.

He turned away, "curiosity, why didn't you tell anyone about us two years ago? Why didn't you run? What crossed your mind that day?" With every word he was closer to me and for some reason, that didn't scare me like I thought it should, instead I felt as if I was talking to an old acquaintance.

"Whoa slow down. One question at a time please," I said smiling and he smiled back. "Well, first of all, I did want to tell someone about you guys, but I knew they would think I'm crazy. Second question, I didn't run because I was hoping my sister was alive and I don't have anywhere else to go. And finally, I was shocked and terrorized, I thought that was the end of all my family and my life. After that I had to got to a therapist and talk even though I didn't want to," I said with tears in my eyes. He stepped closer but I backed away and put a hand between us, just because I felt more relaxed with him didn't mean I trusted him completely. I thought I saw hurt cross his face but when I blinked it vanished so I wasn't sure.

"my turn," I said, "why did you save me? Why didn't you help my sister escape? Why didn't you leave behind your 'friends'?"

He hesitated, "first, I haven't left Devion y Benjamin, because I have no other place to go. There are also vampire hunters out there and we've been their priority for decades, if we separate we have no chance of survival or a very slim possibility, if we stay together, at least we can keep each other safe. Second, I couldn't help your sister, Devion is the strongest one of us and if he has Benjamin on his side, I alone can't win against them and it's been Devion's goal to get Emma from the start. Lastly," he opened his mouth to speak but then two figures appeared in the shadows.

The one in the front started clapping. "Wow Ethan we didn't know you felt that way," said Benjamin and Ethan tensed and his eyes looked from me to them and desperation and fear covered his eyes. For some reason I didn't think the fear was for him but for me. My eyes widened and my blood froze, this wasn't going to end good.