The Heir - Blood Secret : The Chosen One - Secret Heir, page 17
He’s not evil.
He turned page after page “It seems to like you.” I noted.
“It only protects itself against evil, it senses I’m like you.”
I never muttered a word.
“I’m assuming you were waiting to see if the book would reject me?” he asked smugly.
He flicked through a few more pages, before glancing at me and giving me a satisfied look.
He hadn’t been stuck with a bolt of energy like Anton had been when he touched the book. He also escaped being thrown violently against the castle walls.
That’s a good sign!
“I wasn’t worried about that,” I replied back, smirking at him. “I was merely just waiting to see if you would get tossed halfway across the room.” His eyes flashed with confusion. I wasn’t going to go into detail as to what I meant, it was something I wanted to keep to myself. I also didn’t want to embarrass Anton, I knew Zander would be quick to make a joke or a sarcastic remark regarding Anton if he knew the book attacked him while protecting itself.
I had begun to become a little uncomfortable in the robe, it was too heavy and I was becoming hot and bothered under the thickness of it. I glanced around the room, looking for my clothes I had come fond of wearing.
1
THE HEIR - BLOOD SECRET
Chapter fourteen
Zander left the book aside and retreated to the window, watching the grounds below as I changed into my clothes. I pulled my leather jacket on, then I gave myself one last glance in the mirror, my hands brushed through my darkish hair as I stood staring at my reflection in a daze.
I looked relatively normal, I didn’t look like I held magic within me. I had vampire blood and ancient magic running through my veins, yet to the outside world, I was just a normal-looking eight-teen year old.
Suddenly out of the blue, I found myself sniffing the air, and moving my head around, the overwhelming smell of freshly baked bread saturated the air.
“Do you smell that?” I quizzed Zander, licking my lips and walking towards him, tilting my head trying to fathom where it was coming from.
“Smell what?” he asked, he turned offering nothing but a frown. I was sure he couldn’t smell it.
“Warm bread. I smell buttery warm doughy bread.” That was something that Erica would bring me, but it wasn’t in my room. I stood by Zander’s side, baffled as to how he couldn’t smell the mouth-watering bread.
Suddenly the overwhelming sound of a heartbeat was banging like the sound of a drum.
Panic soared through me “Stop...Just stop!” I hollered, slapping my hands over my ears. Every scent had my nostrils flaring, the sounds of every vibration were louder than I had ever experienced.
What’s happening?
The sensitivity of everything around me had me wanting to avoid everyone and everything like the plague.
Zander stalked closer to me and pulled my hands down from my ears, but I rushed to cover them again.
His worried look had me knowing for sure he had no clue as to what was happening to me.
“Francesca, what’s wrong?” he asked, his eyes grew wide with fear, confused about what was happening to me.
I slowly moved my hands away from my ears, hoping it had stopped, only it didn’t stop, it amplified.
“I can smell it, the cold moldy stench of the castle, every little noise from inside this castle, I can hear it all I...” I couldn’t finish what I wanted to say, I held my hands over my ears once again backing down into the corner close to the tinted window.
Zander crouched lower to get a better look at me, I had to beg him to stop.
“Please don’t, your heart, your breathing, everything...” I rushed, putting my hands up in front of me, urging him to keep his distance, the thump of his heart beating and the blood swooshing through his veins had me irritated.
Was this what it was like for Anton when he could hear my heart? I assumed this is what vampires dealt with every day, not me. Yet here I was, with more abilities similar to vampires.
What is happening to me?
I could hear the leaves of the trees rustling from outside, disembodied voices; yet no one stood with me other than Zander, who looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights with what he was witnessing. The alarming sounds and over scented smells had me hoping the darkness that pulled me like the other times would take me from this torture.
Shaking my head, unable to escape the sensory overload “Armacey...” I screamed at the top of my lungs for my father, it was that loud that it echoed through the castle.
I kept my hands firmly over my ears.
The sound of his daughter in need had my father standing before me within seconds.
His deadly red eyes studied Zander, who stood unsure of what was happening himself to even begin to explain.
“What’s wrong my child,” he asked, turning his attention to me, offering his hand for me to stand. I was crouched in the corner like a scared child staring at his hand before deciding to allow him to help me to my feet.
I winched at the muffled sounds and mouth-watering smells that were consuming me, wanting nothing more than to hide and block out everything that had a migraine forming from the result of it.
“The noises are painfully loud. I can hear everything, all of it and smells, even fear, I smell fear.” I announced. I recalled Armacey informing me vampires feel fear. Only this wasn’t fear of an immortal of never leaving their existence.
It was fear similar to humans, the jolt of that one emotion had me swallowing a lump that had formed in my throat, something wasn’t right, and an uneasiness that was rustling from deep within me had me on edge. I could tell something other than magic and vampires were among my company.
I studied Zander, keeping my eyes on him trying to figure out if the fear was oozing from him. I only sensed magic and strong magic at that. He must be able to block me somehow. He stared back with a look of uncertainty.
I diverted my gaze to Armacey he was readable for once, it was clear by his expression he was worried, yet I couldn’t sense it. Maybe he can block me to. Everything was different, my energy felt off just from losing my powers.
“You!” I roared, having caught a glimpse of Erica at the entrance of my room door. She backed up having noticed I had seen her, her red eyes darted between the three of us, unsure of what she had done wrong.
I barged past Armacey, needing to understand why such a creature would feel fear to the level she was feeling. I was sure that wasn’t one that many had to feel within their safe haven.
Why was she so fearful in her own home?
“Francesca?” Armacey called out unsure of my intentions towards one of his own creations. I ignored him knowing there’s more to this vampire.
The pretty blonde glared at me, her bright red gaze aimed right at me, she nervously brushed strands of hair behind her ear as she waited for me to go towards her. Her nervous demeanor wasn’t fooling me at all.
I stood in front of her, allowing my eyes to drift from her feet to her face, refusing to back away until I could get the unsettling feeling to leave, her fear had me on edge.
I looked over my shoulder to Armacey who was only a few feet behind me, watching over me, he was no doubt worried for my safety now I had no powers to rely on. Or was he worried about his vampire creation? I wasn’t so sure.
“Do vampires feel fear on the same level of humans?” I asked Armacey, my brows creased as I waited for his answer.
“We are creatures of the night, humans have known to fear much through life, we only fear walking this world forever, that emotion for us is a little less amplified than the humans,” he informed directing his stare from me to Erica, curious to know what I was getting at.
I turned back to face Erica, her breathing had become rapid. I sensed Zander had taken his position beside Armacey. I heard his feet shuffling towards me, every little grain of dirt crunching as he took each step. I wasn’t sure I was able to handle what was happening to me, it was going to take a bit getting used to hearing everything in my environment.
“Francesca, what is wrong?” Zander asked, his voice full of concern.
Erica looked at Zander, then back to me offering nothing but a smirk.
Strange, I thought.
She had always kept her head down; always nervous looking. I had put it down to being new or turned recently.
“If I had my powers, I would be able to find out your something other than what you’re allowing others to believe,” I told her. A heavy irritated breath from Armacey had me pushing forward with my suspicions, it was clear to hear he did not like being kept in the dark, he wasn’t alone Zanders heart rate had increased, unsure of what was unfolding in front of him.
“Do you want to tell them? Or shall I?” I threatened. Her stare bore into me.
“Francesca!” Armacey added, with a scolding tone, needed to know what the hell was going on, he was baffled as to what I knew. He was the elder of vampires yet he had been fooled by what can only be magic. Black magic was gone, I was sure of it, yet she stood here allowing them to believe what they believed her to be.
A vampire!
“The vampire that she claims to be, is merely a human, I can hear her heart beating, the blood is rushing through her veins at such a speed the sound could be soothing if I wasn’t so new to this,” I told him.
“That’s absurd!” Armacey hissed, stepping out from behind me to be by side, I glanced up at him as he stared at me, it was obvious he thought I was wrong.
That I had merely made a mistake.
“If she was human, I would have been able to sense it, any vampire within the castle would have also been able to detect it.” He informed me.
I had to try and prove to him that I was in no way joking about this little bitch.
“The witch that I got the demon to strip of black magic, I would bet my life that she has something to do with her being here; it’s a trick, an illusion, even to the color of her eyes, everything is magic!” I stressed. Armacey shook his head unwilling to believe what I was saying was the truth.
“Call for Anton!” I urged, knowing if my father would not believe me, he would take the word of his right-hand man. Armacey closed his eyes communicating with his vampire, willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. Within seconds of asking for the one person I trusted, Anton arrived from being summoned in a blur of a second.
He stared at all of us, one by one, curious to know what was happening.
“Erica? How long has she been here?” I asked. He pondered for a few seconds before answering to the best of his knowledge.
“Less than a month, I believe,” he replied.
“Only an elder turn their chosen ones into vampires, correct?”
“Of course!” Armacey interjected, “I would have it no other way!”
“So, who turned her? Who was her mentor?” I glanced between them.
Anton thought about that for a long second “I…I don’t know.” he seemed almost confused.
I stared at my father “Did you turn her?”
He shook his head “I assumed the others did.”
“What’s wrong, Francesca?” Anton asked, laying his hands clasped behind his back as he stood with grace among our presence.
“She isn’t who she claims to be,” I informed him. Hoping he would believe me. Zander hadn’t said anything and my father was not taking me seriously.
“Hold her!” I ordered, my words had Erica fleeing from my demand. Anton was quick, grabbing her and yanking her back, not needing to know why only doing what he was told.
“Your speed, the red eyes to every inch of you that has you blend in with the others...It’s impressive,” I said walking closer towards her.
She tried to lunge for me.
Anton gripped her tighter, she groaned loudly. I knew then Armacey knew I was telling the truth. She shouldn’t have felt pain from such a touch from a vampire, he wasn’t putting much pressure on her at least not enough for a creature to feel.
“Can you please inform me of what’s going on?” Zander stressed, his voice a little shaky.
“Francesca’s powers have faded but the blood that runs through her veins. She has vampire abilities, her magic must have suppressed it before, now her powers are down her senses have been amplified to a much greater level than even my own” Armacey informed in complete awe of what he believed to be true.
He was right, how I didn’t figure it out sooner was beyond me. My powers were out for the time being meaning the vampire genes, I held within me were taking over.
My body’s way of still protecting against danger.
Go vampire genes my inner bitch smirked.
“Which brings my attention to you,” I said, not once taking my stare off Erica, who was still trying to struggle free from Anton’s hold.
“I have to admit you nearly had me fooled, if it wasn’t for my powers being down, I would never have sensed it,” I replied.
Her low chuckle grew louder as she stopped fighting against Anton.
“You are nothing compared to what is coming, she’s coming for you.” she snarled.
Armacey grabbed her from Anton’s grip ready to snap her neck at having threatened me.
“How dare you! Threaten my daughter and expect to take another breath” he hissed.
“Stop! “I urged as he held both hands on her face ready to end her pathetic life. I held my hand against his chest hoping he would back down from killing her.
“Who’s coming?” I asked, hoping she would elaborate before her fate was decided by my father.
“My sister.” she croaked. “She is everything you are not!”
The witch with black magic is her sister. My father and I stared at each other at the same time.
Reverse psychology approach? I asked in thought.
She might talk?
He nodded, giving me the go-ahead.
“How come your sister is the badass among you two, the one that holds the powers? What’s wrong? Weren’t you favored as a child; black sheep of the family?” I teased, needing her to take the bait. She was quick to tell me more than I had expected.
“I gave up my powers to allow my sister to become stronger. I never asked to be born into the craft!” Erica hissed, trying to lunge once more at me.
Armacey pulled her with such force she wailed in pain.
“We can use her as bait, to draw out the witch. She doesn’t have black magic on her side anymore.” I tried to explain a reason to keep her alive.
“My sister doesn’t need black magic, her magic combined with mine is the greatest of all, your no match for her.” Erica croaked from her neck being held tightly. Armacey was growing tired of her threats towards me.
“That might have been the case before, but that’s where I come in.” Zander threw into the conversation, letting her know he was standing by my side through the oncoming battle.
Erica paused, staring at him for a few lingering seconds before answering back.
“A measly human, you’re no better off in this battle, just like me.” she rolled her eyes, having taken his speech lightly. Something in how she said the words were unsettling, it was almost as if it was for my entertainment.
Her lack of knowledge as to who he was seemed to insult him. He held his right hand up, fingers spread open, drawing his powers to the surface. He had forced her from Armaceys grip, her feet barely touching the ground, as he brought her closer to him, and only stopping when his hand squeezed tighter around her neck.
Zander’s powers had even Armacey raising an eyebrow, he had just witnessed how powerful he could be. Zander was true to his word, he would do anything to keep me safe just like he had promised.
“Who is measly now” he growled, Erica’s eyes looked ready to pop from her sockets as she took in the shock of more than one witch among her company. And here she thought, she only had to worry about me.
“I will see to it myself she is put in the holding cells.” Armacey declared.
Zander placed his other hand over Erica’s face, stretching his fingers so all tips touched her soft features, I watched as her body went limp and dropped to the floor with a loud thud.
“How did you do that?” I asked, his magic was so much greater than even I had imagined.
“I have been learning to fight for a long time. I use my magic to the best of my abilities to make sure you come to no harm, in time, you will learn just how great we can be together.” his words were comforting, it made me happy to know he had my back no matter what.
I nervously looked at Anton unsure if he took notice of Zander throwing in the being together part. I knew for certain he had, for his stare was locked on the ground, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. I kept my stare locked on Anton hoping he would look up, only he wouldn’t.
“I need space, do start the spell to protect the vampires,” Zander said, breaking my train of thoughts from Anton.
“Use the elders’ room,” Armacey said, offering his room of sanctuary up.
“Meet me, once you’re finished,” Zander said, glancing back and forth between me and Anton. He knew fine well I had some explaining to do.
Armacey lifted Erica from the floor and made his way out of the room with her in his arms with Zander following behind.
1
THE HEIR - BLOOD SECRET
Chapter fifth teen
Anton and I stood unsure of what to say to one another. Now, I was the one unable to make eye contact with the man who had declared his feelings for me. I turned my back on him biting my bottom lip. I had always felt comfortable and at ease being in the presence of Anton, yet here I stood by the flickering flames that calmed my mind, feeling awkward and nothing to say that would help him understand what was going on.
He stepped closer, taking his position next to me by the fire. “The human” His voice laced with hatred “You shouldn’t be so quick to trust him”
