Blood Royal Read online

  Before I could even finish, I heard a roar from the front seat. Quincy whipped around and growled, “He did what?!”

  By this time I was shaking. Not because I was scared but because I finally caught on. “He said something about my scent. That is when I starting thinking he was with the Invaders.” I went stone cold and the next thing I knew, Orion was almost in the back seat, kneeling over me, calling my name.

  “Anna…Anna…Annabella? Are you ok? I can’t believe this.” He turned around to Quincy. “Get us home faster! How in the world did they find us, if he is an Invader?”

  Orion turned his attention back to me. He brought out a knife and cut a line into his wrist. He gently picked me up and inside my head, I heard him say, “Drink.” I obeyed and brought my lips to his wrist. I took a little and then blacked out again, with a calm sensation settling over me.

  Before I could even come too, I could feel the warmth of Griffin’s body as he lifted me from the Hummer and I was placed in Orion’s strong arms. The rushing of my Protector’s feet was urgent as they ran into the house. My mother’s voice seemed so far away but I sensed that she was right beside me.

  She turned to Orion as he laid me on the couch, “What’s going on? Augustine just called and said that you sent the emergency page?”

  Quincy interrupted before Orion could say anything. With his low growl, I almost missed what he said, “She thinks that the Invader’s have found her.”

  The silence was almost unbearable and I started to sit up until I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. Before I could even open up my eyes, I heard Augustine above me telling me to lay still. I could tell that he was checking me out. It was one of the nice things about having a Pediatrician as a father. After he checked me out he seemed to think that I was ok. I sat up with all eyes on me. All I could say was, “I’m sorry.”

  “Pass out anymore and we might have to raise you from the dead,” Quincy said. Everyone half-heartedly laughed.

  Arianna shook her head, “leave it to you to make a joke at a time like this.”

  “She gets too upset and passed out. So, yes, I am making jokes. She looks like she's about to pass out again.” Quincy shook his head.

  Augustine turned to me, “I want you to explain everything you were feeling and don't leave anything out.” Looking around, seeing my family, I knew that I was safe. No need to retreat into my little shell to keep myself from being hurt. My friends, my family, my Protector’s were here now and I was completely safe.

  After I told the story of what had happened from the instant that he walked into my English class until he left me in the Nurse’s office with a smile.

  Orion stared at me for a moment, “Why did you ask for Griffin? I’m the…”

  He stopped as I started to shake my head. “I was cold and scared, Griffin is my teddy bear. I needed the reassurance that I was safe. Most importantly, he is the only one that can get away with hurting the kid and not give us away.” My head jerked around at the sound of laughter behind me. Quincy and Skylar were laughing so hard that I was about to slap them just to get them to shut up.

  “What is so funny?” I demanded

  Before either one of them could answer Augustine stepped in and continued to ask me questions, “What was his name? Do you know?”

  I closed my eyes trying to remember. “His name is Zack, Zack Warin.”

  “Warin?!” The shock and the worry passed into my Augustine’s eyes before I knew what was happening; he turned around and was gone. I barely turned around to glance at Orion before he was back with an ancient-looking book in his hands. “This is not the worse thing, but it is not a good thing either.” As soon as Augustine looked up and noticed we all looked confused, he continued with the story. “Warin, the name is barely spoken today. An Invader and a Protector married…” he made a short pause to clear his throat and went on, “Zack is their son. He has not yet chosen aside. A prophecy says that he will point us towards the direction that we should follow. He would be loved by the Vampiress, but that he would always remain second best.”

  “Who else is a Vampiress? I thought that I was the last one.” The look in Augustine’s eyes made me realize the words that he had just spoken. “I can not stand him and the prophecy says that he would be loved by me? We do have the wrong person!”

  Augustine just shook his head and tried to suppress his chuckle. “My dear, do not be so fast to judge his character. There is so much more, deep down.” Addressing everyone, “I do not think that there is a direct threat but I will make sure to keep a close eye on them all. I want you boys to keep a closer eye out on Annabella…” I started to growl and then went quiet when he glared over at me, “especially when Zack is around.”

  I rolled my eyes. Augustine was a brilliant man and a fierce warrior but he did not seem to know me at all. I would never be caught dead with that jerk. I knew who I wanted to be with. I also knew that I would never be with him as long as he was my Protector and I was still in some kind of danger.

  Chapter 3

  I was hoping to avoid everybody and everything today. That was not going to happen as I walked into my English class and not only were my friends sitting there but so was he. They all turned to look at me. Lady was the first one to break the silence. “Are you ok, Anna? You weren’t at lunch or Chemistry. Zack said that you were in the nurse’s office.”

  I shot a glance at him and sneered. “Yeah, I was in the nurse’s office. My brothers took me home to get checked out by my dad. I’m fine.”

  Mercedes went on to start talking about what I had missed in Chemistry and I went back into thinking about the events of yesterday. I could not believe all of the things that I found out in one day. Augustine’s words were still fresh in my mind about how Zack had not yet chosen a side but he is supposed to show us the way. I wondered if he would turn on the Protectors.

  All of a sudden I hear a familiar voice in my head, “Calm down Anna or you will pass out again.”

  “Orion?”

  Laughter, in my mind, was the only response I received. The teacher walked into the class and I tried to concentrate on what he was saying. It was hopeless. I could not think about what he was saying. So I went back to pondering over Augustine’s words since they kept echoing in my head. “He would be loved by the Vampiress, but he would remain second best. Second best…second best. Who was the second best to? I knew who I wanted him to be second best to, but I just could not imagine any of this stuff ever working out like Augustine was talking about.” The thought kept turning in my mind until the bell rang, making me jump.

  I decided to avoid lunch with my friends when I walked into the cafeteria and saw him sitting with them. I rolled my eyes and glanced over to my brothers. Orion seemed to sense what I was thinking and he pointed to the seat next to him.

  I noticed that there was an interesting conversation going on at my friend's table.

  “Wow, she must hate me? What did I even do?” Zack asked Lady. Lady just glanced at Rachael who in turn looked at Mercedes almost pleading for her to answer the question.

  Mercedes cleared her throat and looked at Zack, “you see her brothers are very, very protective and…”

  Zack interrupted her, “Trust me the big one almost ripped off my head as I was standing in the nurse’s office beside her. I am glad I got out of there before he did.”

  Laughter ruptured around the table, Rachael quickly came to Zack’s aid since he looked so confused, “That’s Griffin. Believe me, he’s only the second most protective of Anna.”

  “Warning…” Lady started in as she glanced over her shoulder towards the table where the Phoenix’s were sitting. “Orion is the most protective. Trust me; you never want to cross him when it comes to Anna.”

  “Tell me some more about them? What is the story with them? I know that Anna has a different name from the boys.” Zack just kept rambling off questions. When his head snapped up, looking for the growling noise he heard.

  “You ok, Zack? You look
like you've seen a ghost?” Rachael said almost terrified at his reaction.

  “Yeah, sorry, I thought I heard something. Well, what about them? They seem to be so…so…flawless.”

  They all look at each other not sure what to say, Lady started, “Well they are a family and they moved here about a year ago, Anna just started school this year. Anna’s mom was Arianna Phoenix’s best friend. Anna’s parents were murdered and she lives with the Phoenix’s. They are a close-knit family after the disastrous event.”

  “But what is the story with each of the guys. For just being friends, they seem close?”

  Mercedes shook her head and tried to answer the other questions that he had asked. “You see she’s been with them for a while, they have always been close. Rumors are that she almost died and it almost killed the entire family. They have endured a lot of death, most families break apart but not the Phoenix's they became even closer.”

  Before Zack could interrupt again, Rachael jumped in and started to tell him about the Phoenix family. “The mother’s name is Arianna Phoenix, she’s an author. She has some amazing stories; you should read a few of her books sometime. Then the father is Augustine Phoenix, he is a Pediatrician at the clinic down the street. It is a good thing because Anna is always hurt; she’s always with one of the guys.”

  Lady smiled as she took over. “The oldest is Orion Phoenix; he is the fiercest protector of Anna. He makes sure that nothing happens and he takes care of a lot of the situations in the family. Then you have Griffin who is the second oldest. Yes, he is big but he is only terrifying if you threaten the family, especially Anna. I think all of us have cried on him at some point, except for Mercedes.”

  Mercedes automatically blushes and sinks into her chair. They all start to laugh again at her reaction. Mercedes started in, “The last two boys are twins, Skylar and Quincy. Skylar is pretty quiet most of the time until he becomes comfortable with you. Quincy is the jokester of the group. He is the one who can lighten any mood and get people to laugh.”

  Zack just shakes his head. “You guys are right, they do seem very close. I am just fascinated with Anna. I mean, she acts as she hates me and…” Zack looks over his shoulder, “Her brothers glaring at me, does not make it any better for getting her to like me.”

  The four girls exchange glances to each other. Before anyone could say anything the lunch bell rang and they got up and left to go to Chemistry class.

  I thought that lunch would never end. Chemistry class went almost as slow. Of course, Zack was my partner. I just kept wishing that Orion was here with me. Then I looked out the window and noticed him standing by the car. He seemed to be watching me, then all of a sudden I could hear his voice inside my head, yet again.

  “Breathe, Anna. You’re safe! I’m watching out for you.”

  “Thanks!”

  “Anytime.” His smooth voice seemed to calm me down and I went back to pay attention to my class. At last, the bell rang and I was finally able to go find Orion. But I did not need to go far because he was standing there at the door waiting for me.

  Zack tried to say something to me but Orion slid his arm around my shoulder, “Come on, Quincy will growl at us if we don’t hurry up. You know how he gets.”

  I turned and told my friends “See you all on Monday!”

  Rachael just shook her head, “Anna, why can’t you just stay here with us. Maybe we could all triple date or something.”

  Before I could answer, I heard a growl coming from down the hall behind me. Before I could turn I knew what was happening.

  Chapter 4

  Andromeda Wakada, the Leader of the Invaders, stormed through the chamber hidden deep in the forests of France. “She’s supposed to be dead!” she bellowed in fury. She moved closer to the servant pointing her long-dead finger towards him. “It was your job to make sure no one survived.”

  He quickly fell to his knees. “My Queen, I assure you, she was dead. Her guard drained her blood.”

  “What!” Andromeda screamed. Her long auburn hair was glowing red at the ends like the fury was burning out through her hair. She briskly walked over and sounded the alarm to summon the other leaders of their group to her side. As she walked back to the terrified servant, still on his knees, she spoke to him, “tell me what happened, and do not leave anything out!” Her voice echoed through the chamber making the servant jump to obey her command quickly.

  The servant started into the story as Andromeda went and sat on the throne. “We attacked the Sanctuary and caught them off guard. We killed the King and the Queen, and the two older and the two youngest children. When we finally broke down the door to Vampiress Annabella’s room her guard pushed her down. She got a gash on her hand and she was bleeding. The closest guard looked alarmed…”

  Three other people came storming into the room. One looked to be in sheer panic as the other two walked in calmly as that all took their seats on either side of the throne were Andromeda was sitting. They turned their attention to the lowly servant as he continued.

  “The guard looked alarmed. Then three of the boys attacked us and I watched the other guard bite and drain her body. When she was dead her entire guard fled.”

  The man, Dragon, his eyes were as black as his hair, sat up even straighter and looked at the servant. “What happened to her body?”

  “I am sorry Lord Dragon, they pleaded for the bodies. They took the bodies and burned them.”

  The next question came from the short, yet beautiful, Hazel, as she brushed her long blonde hair behind her shoulders, “Did you see them burn the bodies?”

  “No, my lady. I ask your forgiveness. I did not understand the situation at hand at the time or I would not have let the bodies out of my sight.”

  Apollo, his blonde hair in a ponytail as he brushed his hand against Andromeda’s back, sighed. He began to speak. “First, let us make sure that our source is correct. I can not believe that a guard or the Vampiress would be able to live after a bite like that. No one is allowed to drink the blood of a royal for it is said to be like poison to the one who does.”

  Andromeda nodded following what her husband was saying. “I agree, let us send a spy, to find out if the information is the truth.”

  Out of the shadows, a voice came. “My Queen, it is the prophecy.”

  Suddenly everyone erupted into words. Terrified and scared looks crossed the faces of all the Invader's that had come to join them during the interrogation.

  “Silence!” shouted Apollo. Apollo turned to the shadows. “Do you believe that she is still alive and that she and her guards are the ones that the prophecy speaks of?”

  “I Do!”

  Chapter 5

  The second I heard the commotion down the hall, I knew the sight that I would find in the hallway. Though I never expected to turn the corner and see Zack pinned against the locker, by Griffin. Quincy and Skylar were standing on each side of Griffin glaring at Zack.

  “What is going on? Griffin put him down.”

  That was when I saw it. Lying on the ground where Zack had dropped it. I quickly bent down and picked up my diary. I turned so quickly to face Zack, that I almost lost my balance.

  “Where did you get this? Griffin, I said to drop him, Now!”

  “I snuck into your house last night.”

  “What?!”

  The low-pitch growling from all of my brothers was starting to give me a migraine. Plus, I could feel myself getting weak with all of the different emotions that were flying around the hall.

  “Why were you in my room? Why, the hell, did you steal my diary?”

  “I was trying to figure out why you hated me. I wanted to find out what I did wrong, so I could fix it. Then I realized that it was wrong. I was trying to put it in your locker before you noticed it was missing…”

  “And?”

  Zack looked to Griffin, “He caught me and well, you showed up next.”

  “What did you read?”

  “Nothing! I swear. I'm sorry. I
just really like you and you are such a cold-hearted bitch to me!”

  Before I could yell at him for what he said, Orion had pinned him to the locker. He had probably given him a concussion in the process, but at that point, I did not care.

  “Orion, let him go. I do not like you and I never will. You can not break into my house, insult me and then expect me to like you. I never want to talk to you again.”

  Rachael then spoke up. “Anna, you and your brothers need to get out of here right now. The headmaster is on his way down here right now. He heard that there was a fight going on.”

  “Guy’s come on. Let’s go home.”

  Before Orion turned to leave he glared at Zack, “You ever say anything mean to her again. I'll break your neck.”

  “What are you talking about? Nothing’s broken now…”

  Before Zack could finish the sentence, Orion grabbed his left arm and broke it. “Consider that a warning. Do not mess with Anna again.”

  “Leave her alone,” Griffin added as we all turned to leave.

  Zack was on the ground cradling his arm and in tears, “I got it.”

  “Good.”

  Chapter 6

  The months passed by slowly as Zack and I were forced to spend more and more time together. At school, we were always paired together in a group with my other friends. Our little group was inseparable. No matter what we were doing we were always together and having a blast. Zach never mentioned the assault in the hallway when Orion broke his arm but he was more careful around me. The uneasy feeling I got when he was near, was completely gone. The family still watched Zack but they had loosened up and allowed him around more; mostly because Augustine said that he needed to be on our side and we shouldn't push him away. I took his lecture to heart and stopped trying to push him out of my mind.

  I could barely contain my excitement when Christmas Break was finally here and I could get some time away from school. It was a time when we could all run around town and just being normal teenagers. As normal as vampires and werewolves could be.