The Heir - Blood Secret : The Chosen One - Secret Heir, page 7
My inner bitch was jumping with glee for standing up to such a creature. It was short-lived though, I hadn’t gotten far. I lost my balance, from my feet being pulled from under me. I was thrown against the wall and dropped face down onto the ground.
What is it about me that makes them want to attack me?
I struggled to turn on my back, a piercing scream echoed through the hallway as the pain fired through me, the crunching of bones had me grinding my teeth pushing past the agonizing pain that soared through my ribs. I stared brazenly into his evil black eyes as he leaned down closer to me.
I couldn’t fight. I was in too much pain to even scream, let alone fight off a vampire with super strength. I grabbed his arms, hoping to delay the inevitable.
My eyes closed as an unexpected vision took over.
Images of breachers and vampires fighting, I couldn’t tell who was winning, just a multitude of bodies fighting, battling with one another. I knew it hadn’t happened yet, it felt more of what was to happen than to what had happened.
Before I could figure out what the vision meant, something broke the link.
“Get away from her, breacher!” Anton growled.
I tried to calm my breathing, in an attempt to not get as distressed as I did before coming out of the last vision.
I glanced up to see Anton had pulled me free from the breachers clutches.
I should have known he was a breacher! The black eyes should have been a dead giveaway.
The breacher was too quick and moved differently. His speed was insanely faster. Anton didn’t see the breachers’ moves coming, he struggled, taking blows from different angles.
I desperately pulled myself up, determined not to let Anton die for me. I didn’t know how I was going to help, but I couldn’t lie down and do nothing. I slumped against the brick wall, forcing myself to go to him. The breacher had Anton in a hard grip.
Anger bubbled within me. I hadn’t known Anton for long, but he was the one that kept me safe. I had to at least try and help him.
I felt the intense energy flow through my veins. It wasn’t a vision, I wasn’t holding onto anyone for one to come to me. My fingers tingled as I held both of them up towards the men squabbling. I knew something was coming, I just didn’t know what.
Anton struggled to pull free of the breachers hold.
Knowing he was only seconds away from being ripped apart.
“Stop!” I screamed, the breacher looked up to see me walking toward him.
My pain began slowly leaving my body. I had no idea how or why but I could only hope my so-called magic Anton had told me about was helping.
The breachers’ eyebrows creased, I could see the line between his brows, and it looked deep considering they all look flawless. He was clearly disturbed by what he was witnessing, he looked at my hands and observed all the colors of energy that swirled around them. I had no idea what it was but I felt in control, I knew it was something that could help Anton.
The evil son of a bitch turned his attention back to Anton pulling his arms further apart, preparing to finish what he had started, smirking as he was enjoying the pain he was inflicting on him.
Anton refused to scream or beg for his life, instead waited for the breacher to finish, willing to die with dignity. I wasn’t prepared for him to give up so easily. I needed him to get me through all this chaos.
“Hey, dickface!” I taunted.
The breacher paused, paying me attention. I held my hand up consenting the energy to be free. I watched in amazement as the blast of energy rushed at them, forcing them both apart. I glanced down at my hands “What the fuck!”
Deciding now, was not the time to be curious. I scurried toward Anton, who was knocked unconscious all because of me. I gently lifted his head onto my lap, willing to sit with him until he came around.
A shadow of movement coming from the staircase ahead, had me holding my hands up ready to defend us. I wasn’t sure I could repeat what had just happened, but I was willing to find out.
The sight of Armacey rushing towards us, had me releasing a sigh of relief that it wasn’t another breacher.
I relaxed knowing it wasn’t another attack.
“Where were you?” I asked.
“Looking for you” He answered “For future reference, the exit is that way” he added, taking a tone with me.
He pointed past the armor room to the other staircase. Damn it! I should have followed the vampires.
“Did the breacher hurt you?” Armacey demanded to know as he crouched over the breacher, before turning his attention to me.
“No,” I said coldly.
Why is he so concerned for me? His right-hand man could be lying dead for all he knows, yet all he wanted to know was if I was okay?
Armacey looked between Anton and the breacher, having quickly realized I had caused them to both to be out cold. “Your powers are a lot stronger than I had anticipated, for you having just learned of them,” He warned.
Confusion washed over me.
“Powers? You said I had visions!”
Was it visions or powers, which one?
He stood with a look of uncertainty in his eyes.
“You have more than any of us could ever have imagined” He informed me. He couldn’t even begin to explain to me what the hell was going on.
I threw my hands up in frustration.
“Like what?” I asked demanding to know. He refused to answer me, instead, his attention turned to the breacher that lay unconscious on the dusty ground.
Staring down at the lifeless body, with a hatred look in his eyes. “I’ll take care of this breacher myself.” The elder hissed, he moved closer to the breed he despised.
I pulled myself free from Anton, leaving him safely on the ground.
“Not yet!” I rushed. Armacey was about to end the breachers life, his hands crept around his neck, but I knew I wasn’t finished yet. Somehow, he held the information I needed to know, maybe it could explain as to who I really am.
“Francesca” I glanced at the elder with confusion, his tone in how he spoke my name had a sense of protection.
Why do the vampires act like I’m the Holy Grail? I couldn’t quite understand it. I refused to back down.
I stood over Armacey, my hand laid on his shoulder, I didn’t know if I was insulting such a creature by touching him. However, he didn’t pull away, instead, he stood, standing by my side.
“He said he killed my mother, he must have gotten me confused with someone else. I need to find out what he knows. Maybe it could help you too.”
Shaking his head “No, I won’t risk your safety,” He said sternly. Refusing me.
“Please...” I begged, pleading with him. He glanced back and forth between me and the breacher, hesitant but finally agreeing to my request.
“Very well” He sighed.
1
THE HEIR - BLOOD SECRET
Chapter five
My eyes drifted to the breacher, who was still unconscious. I didn’t know how long he would be knocked out for, so I decided to act quickly.
“Francesca?” My breath caught in my throat.
Anton. I glanced over my shoulder to see Anton sitting against the brick wall.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you” I stumbled “I was aiming for the breacher”
He leaped to his feet and stood next to me in the fraction of a second “I’m fine. I’m technically already dead, remember?”
Like I could forget.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I curled into his welcoming arms.
“I’m not going anywhere, Francesca” He whispered into my hair.
Armacey snarled, we ignored him and both turned our attention to the breacher. I twisted to see his reaction.
His gaze anchored on the body with hatred “Why isn’t he dead?”
“Francesca, wants to force a vision upon herself” Armacey interjected. I shoot the elder a look.
“Tell-tale” I mouthed.
They exchanged glances. Anton seemed to be confused, with a questionable look in his eyes.
“That’s never been done before,” He said worryingly.
“I can do it” I assured. I bent down and placed my hands on the breachers’ body, one hand on his thigh and another on his chest, needing the link to my visions before Anton could question my reasons why.
“I need to do this” I closed my eyes, nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes, hoovered my hands over his limp body then touched again.
Still nothing.
I sighed.
“It won’t work” Anton’s voice was flat.
“You don’t know that!” I argued. It had to work. I had to find out what he meant. I closed my eyes once more, took a deep breath in, clearing my thoughts and slowly placed my hands in the same position as before. My body tensed up, suddenly the energy blasted through me, stronger than the times before, the flashes of images rushed in like a floodgate.
The first vision was of a woman smiling, holding a baby. Then breachers, and vampires. The cries of the baby had me concentrating on that image. The new-born child was wrapped in a blanket, I could only assume the knitted pink blanket meant that it was a girl.
A coldness brushed against my skin, then darkness fell.
More images followed, forcing my attention away from the child, it was too overwhelming. I felt like I was on a speeding treadmill and was unable to keep up.
The echoes of screaming within the darkness had me on edge. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from. I found myself, standing alone and in the hallway with all the portraits.
Yet, there were no vampires, no alarm sounding, only the flicker of the cones that held the flame within them guided my way.
Lost, I stopped to try and figure out which way to go. The creaking of a door opening ahead quickly grabbed my attention. I backed up against the concrete wall unsure of who was coming. The distant sound of a baby crying piqued my interest to the point, I blindly walked towards the room. The woman from my vision was holding the baby once again.
She looked so happy, smiling up at a man who had his back to me.
I walked towards them, my curiosity of needing answers overwhelmed me.
At a standstill, I carefully watched the woman lying back on a large wooden poster bed holding her baby.
“We will name her Francesca, it means Free One.” She soothed brushing her fingers over the baby’s soft skin. She gently cradled her baby closer and placed a tender kiss on her daughters’ forehead. The man turned, facing in my direction. Confusion washed over me as Armacey stood gazing in my direction. It was almost as if he could sense someone was in their presence, invading their space.
Taking a shaky breath in, I held my breath uncertain if he could see or sense me.
My eyes closed as another vision surged through me, only this time allowing me to see much more. This time though, it was through Armacey’s view of things.
Armacey held his arm around the woman as she stood lovingly looking into his eyes. The love between them was so powerful. I then saw years of them fighting side by side, battles came and went as they put their trust in each other. I stood observing the couple, it was clear for anyone to see they were in love. I relaxed my body, closing my eyes as another vision flashed through me. The feeling of anger had me clenching my fists, I could feel every ounce of pain Armacey was feeling at that very moment in time.
I watched as the elder gently lifted the baby from her wicker basket, cradling her close to his chest, protecting her as he kneeled closer to the body of the woman he loved.
She lay covered in blood.
She was panting, fighting to hold on for her life. It was obvious she had been bleeding for some time, she whispered something to him. Something that I couldn’t make out before she took her last dying breath.
So much sadness and anger simmered within Armacey, from finding his one true love gone for good.
The vision had me choking back my own tears, as I stood watching Armacey placing the innocent child back down into her wicker basket.
Leaving the castle grounds, he walked for miles through the darkness of the woods, he kept moving in desperation to keep her safe. The only time he stopped was when he carefully laid the wicker basket down with the baby sleeping peacefully. He knocked on the door of a house before swiftly moving out of sight. He stayed only close enough to watch the baby being taken in from the cold by a young couple. An overwhelming feeling of heartache emanated from him, at having to leave the child behind in a bid to protect her from his enemies.
There was a familiar feeling about where he was.
The darkness was making it hard for me to figure out where it was though.
Déjà vu, maybe? I thought to myself.
I got that often growing up, but I never understand why.
“Francesca.” The sound of my name being called forced me to open my eyes. Anton was standing over me holding a takeaway cup. He held it out, offering it to me.
“Your morning coffee,” He smiled, I could have got lost in his smile if I wasn’t so confused.
Morning coffee!
I pulled off the bedsheets, rushing to my feet.
“The breacher he......” I paced the room trying to make sense of everything. Going over the recent events over and over again.
I touched the breacher. I was having a vision, now I’m here.
My face twisted in confusion. My brows creased.
“What happened?”
Anton stood behind me with a protective hand on my lower back.
“It’s okay. The breacher has been taken down to the holding cells,” He informed me.
I turned “Wait!” I swiped at my messy bed hair from my face “He can’t be, I was holding him….getting a vision…” I had no clue as to what I was trying to say. I brushed my hands over my face.
Anton guided me to the bed “You fainted again. Your body seems to shut down if you are distressed, I brought you here to let you rest.” He sat next to me on the bed.
I stood, unable to keep still.
“Francesca, sit! You need to eat.” I looked at him, his tone stern. He was right though, I couldn’t remember the last time I ate. I suddenly felt famished, but where would I get food? They only drank blood.
I slumped down beside him, as close as I could get, needing to feel him by my side. The coldness of him made me know this wasn’t a dream or a vision.
Knowing for sure, what I saw before was a vision after all. I laid my head on his shoulder. He was dressed pretty much the same but with a black tank top this morning.
The knock at the door didn’t even startle us, we kept our backs to the person that came in upon Anton’s permission for them to enter.
“Come in,” He called out.
The smell of freshly baked bread, had me looking over my shoulder in the stranger’s direction.
“My lord wishes for you to eat, to keep your strength up.” The young female vampire said, passing me a plate with warm bagels piled high.
I offered nothing but a blank stare as I accepted the plate from the vampire, her short ash blonde hair sat perfectly on her shoulders, her eyes were as red and as bright as Anton’s.
I eyed her sourly, there was something about her I didn’t like, and a cold shiver tingled to my core at her company. She nodded her head as if bowing to me, and then proceeded to leave the room. She couldn’t wait to get away from me, by the looks of it.
I turned back to Anton and put a bit of space between us to rest the plate down “I don’t like her,” I announced, as I devoured the warm buttery crispy bagels. She looked cagey or maybe she was just like that with me, I wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
“She is a vampire, after all,” Anton said smugly.
I glared at him, quickly chewing the piece of bagel I had in my mouth.
“That’s not the reason why!” I snapped “There’s just something odd about her” I added, taking another bite. Something was niggling at me about her. I was more frustrated with myself as I couldn’t figure out why.
“If you don’t like her, there must be a reason why. Always trust your instincts. In all the time I watched over you, I noticed how you observed people, trust what you’re feeling.” He added, showing off the small curves that curled at the side of his mouth that was on display for me to see.
Anton was interesting, to say the least, I had the desire to protect him. I was sure he felt the same way about me, why else would he risk his life to save me.
I sat on the bed drinking the coffee that he had gone out of his way to get for me, and I ate every bagel that was given to me. I desperately wanted to see Armacey, I had more questions for him to answer.
Again, Anton said the words without me even having to ask him.
“My lord is waiting for you.” He began “And no, I can’t,” he added, his words had me looking at him confused as to what he meant.
“Armacey, informed me you would be looking to see him after you woke up. I can’t read your mind if that’s what you were wondering” Anton smiled, as he walked towards the door.
Speechless, I pushed to my feet rushing to his side. I was still in my khaki combats and a white vest top, which was in desperate need of washing. I stayed behind Anton. A coldness seeped through my toes as I walked barefoot on the concrete ground.
There were no vampires lurking around this time waiting to see me, only Anton and myself.
As we entered the same room as the day before, I looked at the chairs but there was no one there. The sound of the door closing, quickly made me realize Anton had left my side for the time being. I walked toward the window that was tinted like the one in Anton’s room. I looked down, past the trees that seemed to go on for miles, I could just make out the town that sat below in the distance.
Brookdale? Surely not. We didn’t have any castles. I was sure of it. A castle is something that would have caught anyone’s attention in a small town.
“We have always been here, even before the town was discovered. We’ve always been safe up here from humans, no one ever ventures up this high.” His words had me spinning around, caught off guard at having been watched.
