The Hybrid King, The Rise of the Kingdoms

Chapter One

[P.O.V. Adriana Braxton]

He's looking for me while I stay hidden in the kitchen closet. He wants to beat me and hear me scream. I cannot let him find me. I have to stay quiet and hidden.

"Oh, my sweet baby girl. Where are you? You can't hide from me forever. I will find you." His voice was full of cold and hatred, along with determination.

Making my heart race fast and beat so hard. I can hear the sound in my ears drumming loudly. Holding back a sob, using my hand to cover it up. Hoping that he didn't hear me. It got really quiet. Listening for a few minutes, thinking he had left. My heart rate calms. Releasing a breath, I didn't know I was holding in. The door of the closet opens with a bang. Bringing a high pitched scream leaving my mouth.

Waking up with a jolt from that horrible nightmare. Only it's not a nightmare, but memories of what happened. Trying to get my heart rate back to normal.

Inhale

Exhale

Inhale

Exhale

Getting my breathing back to normal. Finally, getting out of bed to wash the sweat sticking to my body. 'It's okay, Adriana, breathe. It was nothing but a terrible memory. He can't harm me anymore,' I kept telling myself. Stripping off my pajamas, I went into the shower.

Letting the hot water run down my body. It helps make me feel relaxed. I have already forgotten what I just dreamed. After scrubbing and rinsing my body and hair, I get out of the shower. Stepping out of the shower. Wrapping my fluffy light blue towel around myself.

Walking out of my small bathroom into my decent-sized room. The walls are painted light blue, with a dark brown carpet, and a queen bed in the middle.With blue and cream-colored bedding and two nightstands next to it. On the wall's right side was a small closet and dresser next to it and a body mirror. The left wall has my bathroom door.

Looking through my closet for my work clothes. It is already 2:00 pm. My shift starts in half an hour. It is going to be a crazy Friday night, as usual. Putting on a pair of really short jeans and my tight black t-shirt. Along with some black combat boots. Looking at myself in my mirror. Looking at the girl, reflecting at me. Long black raven hair that meets the middle of her back. Perfect curvy body. Height of five feet and seven inches. Light brown skin and gray eyes with long lashes framing them.

After looking myself over in the mirror, grabbing my purse, I headed downstairs. Putting my hair up in a high ponytail. Passing the living room and into the kitchen. Smelling nothing but bacon, that's making my mouth water. A woman about my height, with long curly brown hair and good body curves. Was standing at the stove cooking. Deciding this was a good chance to scare her. Slowly creeping behind her, getting close to her.

"Good morning!!" I couldn't help but scare her. Making her jump while she screamed. I couldn't help but laugh at her. Holding onto my side because I was laughing so hard.

"Dammit! Adriana, you scared the hell out of me!" My best friend Scarlet scolded me. Looking at me with her big brown doe eyes. Giving me a look like I'm a kid in trouble from their mother. Calming myself down and apologizing to her, she went back to cooking.

"What are you cooking, anyway?" Asking her with a big smile on my face.

"BLT's, but after you did that, I don't know if I want to cook one for you anymore," Scarlet says in a teasing voice.

"I'm sorry, Scar. Please forgive me and my childish behavior." Rolling my eyes at her.

"All is forgiven." She smiles at me.

"Where's Jake?"

"In his office, doing some paperwork for the bar. If you are going there, will you take him his food?"

Nodding my head and taking the plate from Scarlet's hand, I went to Jake's office. Jake is Scarlet's husband. They have been married for six years. They met here in their hometown, Dark Wood. Their high school sweethearts. They have been together through thick and thin. They even started their own business here in town. Knocking Boots Bar is what they named it.

Knocking on his office door and peeking through. A man with shaggy brown hair, white skin, a height of six feet, and a muscular body sitting at a wooden desk. With reading glasses on, he looked up at me and looked back down.

"Hey, Jake." I said hello to him.

"Hey, Adri." He says in a tone that is preoccupied. That is my nickname from Scar and him.

"Here, lunch, and can you still give me a ride to the bar for my shift?"

"Yea.. what time do we leave?" Looking at the clock on his office wall, it was now 2:30 p.m.

"Well, we should leave now if you want to get the bar open and ready for tonight." He looked up at the clock.

"s**t! I didn't realize how late it was." He hurried out of his seat. He grabs his sandwich off the plate and leaves the office. With me right behind him.

"Scarlet! Babe? Adri and I are leaving!!" He yells to let Scar know.

"Alright, see you later tonight!! I love you!!" she yelled back to him.

"I love you too!!" Both of us walked out the door towards his old white Chevy truck.

Hopping in the shotgun seat and Jake taking the driver, we drove towards town. We live half an hour out of town. It's not like the town is that big, just a small town. With a lot of farming and ranching land. Also, two wineries and a brewery. Surrounding all of Dark Wood is nothing but a forest that goes for miles. Until you hit the big city, which is Raven City, it's huge.

That where I'm from is Raven City. Scarlet, Jake, and I met through college there. We were all going to get our business degrees. After finishing, they moved back home. And I moved into an apartment. That apartment is where some personal demons came to life. After a couple of years of living in the city, Scarlet and Jake brought me here to live with them. It has been five years since they brought me here. It has also been five years since that dark time in my life.

"I know Scarlet will not ask, so I'm going to... Are you having bad dreams again?" Jake asked me after eating his lunch. He sounds serious while looking at the road.

Only Scarlet and Jake know what happened to me in the city. No one else besides them. Scarlet doesn't enjoy asking. Because she doesn't want me to remember. But Jake was not afraid of asking. He wants me to open up, so I don't get swallowed by my demons.

"How did you even know?" Getting a little defensive.

"Your room is across from Scarlets and my room. I can hear you through the walls. Now answer my question."

"Yes, I am having them again." Letting a deep sigh out and looking out the window, watching the forest go by.

"Adriana, you need to talk to me about this. Or I'm going to send you back to the therapist."

"Alright, fine, I will tell you jeez.. you're like a nagging older brother." He just chuckled at me.

"In a way, I am the nagging older brother."

"Hey, you're only two years older than Scarlet and I."

"Still older.." I couldn't help but stick my tongue at him, which just made him laugh.

Telling him about my dream, he got all serious. After telling him, he made some jokes to cheer me up. Which worked and made us both laugh. I couldn't ask for a better friend than Scarlet and Jake. Getting into town, it looks like it normally does. Old buildings and few houses. Pulling up to an old saloon building with the bar name on it. Knocking Boots Bar with red and purple lettering.

Getting out of the truck, we opened the bar door and walked in. It had an old Western theme, but a modern theme as well. It had wooden tables and chairs that had red cushioning. Along with a couple of corner booths with red and purple see through curtains. Between the booths is a hallway for the restrooms. We even had a couple of matching pool tables.

They made the bar out of wood. With wood stools with purple cushioning. Behind the bar are shelves with liquor. Behind the shelves was a vast mirror. Both sides of the shelves were two swinging doors that led into the back storage. While waiting for everyone else to arrive, Jake and I got everything ready for tonight.