The Queen's Slave (Book 1)

Twenty-Five: Owned

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."

-Proverbs 22:1

I remember the first time I ever killed a vampire. I was about fifteen years old, a rebellious girl. I taunted my family with my recklessness and foolish escapades. More often than not, myself and my twin got into trouble. But I remember this particular day because it is where I lost my childlike innocence and embraced the monster within me.

I'd been pushing my father to let me in on the council meetings. I wanted to be a part of everything so badly. But when I was refused to the point of risking my father's wrath, I decided to breach the village borders as revenge. We'd been warned on numerous occasions to never breach the borders. Although our den was hidden deep in the underground of the mountains, the woods still teemed with vampires now and again.

But on this day, I did not care.

"Az, don't go! You're being a brat!" My twin brother Owen, yelled as he chased after me. We'd been inseparable since birth, but right then I didn't want to see him.

"I don't care, Owen. I'm tired of being left out of everything. Don't we deserve to know what they're risking our future for?" I growled as I pushed aside the shrubbery that led to the hidden passage in the south tunnel.

"Father will be so mad." He grumbled. "But he'd be even worse if he found out I didn't go with you."

I smiled in victory, meeting my twin's light blue eyes. He glowered back at me.

"Come on! Adam told me there's a cool place by the river that we can fish out of." Adam was one of my best friends. He'd been a den-mate to Owen and I since we were born. He frequently used the tunnels for his own rebellious acts. We made our way quietly through the forest, well, as quiet as a couple of fifteen year olds could be.

I was too young back then to listen to the cues my body provided under instinctual duress. I just thought the goosebumps on my arms were due to the chill in the air, or the tugging feeling in my stomach was because of nerves.

"Owen!" I screamed as the vampire's lanky fingers wrapped around my wrist. I could barely make out my brother's bloodied face through my own head would. My eyes stung with blurred heat as my wolf reacted to the threat.

Not quick enough, as this tall silver-haired thing drug me over to the camp. A few of the guards stood back with my brother, I could hear the cracks and snaps of his bones breaking as they kicked him repeatedly. I screamed his name again, bucking against the vampire. I hated myself in that moment, I never should've left the den. My wolf was still manifesting, and I hadn't finished my shifting lessons yet, so I couldn't call upon my power now.

I could feel my stomach drop to my knees as I was thrown onto the hard dirt ground, my clothes torn and bloody, laid before three more monsters. The one on the right had brown hair and dark, hazel eyes that looked right through me. The second vampire had sandy blonde hair and green eyes. "Caught a stray, did you Remus?" A burly haired man sitting in the center of the group, laughed, his wild red hair matching the flame from the fire. He had a large scar that cut maliciously into one cheekbone, running from his right temple and curving into snake-like end, like someone had carved him open with a curved blade.