My Dark Prince

Chapter Three

I made it.

With twenty minutes to spare. And it looks like I beat my parents here. Awesome. I’m going to love gloating about it the next couple of times I see them. Checking my rushed make-up once more in the mirror, I turn the key, killing the engine of my white Equinox.

Getting out of my vehicle, I see Natalie in the kitchen window. Her dirty blonde hair pulled back into a lazy ponytail, exposing her slender face. She was pretty, and I can’t help thinking how lucky my brother was to have her. She was soft-spoken and a lot kinder than most people I know.

Looking up from whatever had her attention, her eyes widen with shock as she realizes I was here early. I wave to her as I closed the door. I’m not worried about locking my car considering they live in a nice, quaint subdivision. I don’t think anyone here is going to rummage through a vehicle. The garage at the apartment complex was a different story.

Walking up the paved path that led to their front door, I started wiping down my shirt. Not just because I had Siree’s fur everywhere, but because I felt like the seat belt had put extra wrinkles in my black chiffon blouse. Stopping just in front of the door.

Before I could even knock, Jason has the door open with a childish grin on his face.

“Gurl,” He says jokingly. “Hell is going to freeze over! You’re on time. And you beat mom and dad here!”

“Ha!” I exclaim. “At least it gives those poor souls a brief reprieve.”

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head before stepping to the side, inviting me in. I smile, stepping over the threshold of their three-bed, two-bath, cookie-cutter suburban home.

I can tell Natalie had been putting her own personal, homie touches into their new home. The floor has been redone since the last time I visited. Not the same revolting green that had once covered everything from the living room, to even the master bedroom. It had even covered the entryway floor and the hallway connecting all the bedrooms. But not anymore. Instead, a plush cream-colored carpet that I assume is in all the bedrooms from the looks of the hallway. The entryway had a small square patch of beautiful dark wood. Beside the wall is a small farmhouse-style bookshelf with several pairs of their shoes.

“I guess can my shoes go here?” I ask looking over my shoulder at Jason.

“Yes, shoes go on the shelf!” I hear Natalie’s response from the kitchen, as I lean over to untie the white laces of my pewter gray vans.

“You’re eavesdropping now, Nat?” I hollered towards the kitchen as I stood to kick my shoes off.

As I lean over to pick them up, I hear the click of the door shutting. Jason steps around me as I stand back up after placing my shoes on the shelf.

“Eavesdropping now?” He says in a lowered voice. “She’s always eavesdropped.”

“What was that?” Her eyes peeping around the corner, the wrinkles forming around her eyes. I can tell she’s smiling.

“Oh nothing,” Jason says casually. “You must be hearing stuff, Nat. Time to go get your hearing checked babe.”

“Oh, really?” She says raising her eyebrows. “You wanna go there, Jay?”

A smile formed on my face; I couldn’t contain my amusement as she used a nickname she knew he hated. She stepped around the corner to come further into the living room to c**k her head to the side and place a hand on her hip. I could imagine my brother’s face turning bright red with anger, but his backside said differently. He still seemed comfortable and at ease. He let out a sigh and shook his head. They’re normally always like this. It’s nice. It’s nice that they’re comfortable being themselves around each other. I think I liked that most about Natalie. She always tried to be bright and fun. But I guess you have to be when your future husband is a paramedic.

While I had my head stuck in books growing up, Jason had decided he wanted to try to save lives. Which I thought was pretty heroic. But I know I couldn’t do it. The horrific scenes he had to pull up on, on a daily basis, that alone is a deal breaker. Call me chicken, squeamish, but I almost faint at the sight of my own blood, let alone a car crash with blood everywhere.

“No hun, not really.” He says to her in a sweet voice. “Is dinner going to be ready soon?”

“Speaking of dinner,” I cut in. “Something smells good, Nat.”

The mouthwatering smell of fresh baked garlic bread had filled the air, making my stomach start to gargle. The aroma of roasted tomatoes and Parmesan cheese mingled with sage and parsley, she made lasagna.

“Thanks Rey.” She said smiling. “I got my aunt to give up grandma’s lasagna recipe. I really hope I got it right.”

“Just saying.” I look at her with all seriousness. “If it tastes anything like it smells, you nailed it.”

A quick smile spreads across her face.

“And dinner is ready now babe.” She answered Jason’s question. “We’re just waiting on your parents.”

“Okay, good.” He says. “Is there anything else to do before they get here?”

“Mhmm,” She hums thinking to herself. “Maybe we could set the table. Other than that, everything is already done.”

“Alright then,” He says running his hand through his dark hair. “Let’s get that done while we wait.”

We both nod in agreement. Natalie turns on her heels to step into the dining room. Jason in stride behind her. I step on to the lush carpet and immediately feel light-headed. Dizziness blurring my vision, I try to blink it away. Every hair stands on edge as my skin feels like it’s on fire. My shirt rubbing across my shoulders feels like pins and needles on my skin. I stumbled, nearly crashing into the wall. I was barely hanging on to the bar that divided the kitchen and the living room/dining room when Jason turned around. As the pins and needles ran down my arm, my grip on the bar loosened and my hand slipped.

“Jason?” His name was barely audible as it escaped my lips.

His face, full of concern and shock, was the last thing I remember before everything went white, and a wave of invisible fire erupted through me. Excruciating pain coming wave after wave until finally the only thing I knew was the darkness that had surrounded me.