A/N: Picture of Anastasia in the media.
'Please sit down,' he smiled, gesturing to the seat in his office.
As I lowered myself down slowly into the comfortable chair, I glanced across his luxurious office with wide eyes. Rich polished wood and old fashioned bookcases dominated his space. His desk was huge and made of polished mahogany; littered with papers and quills.
Catching my eye he smiled apologetically and shuffled the papers into a messy pile before sitting down behind his desk, 'I want to apologise for not being here on the day you arrived. I could've done a better explanation than Cobalt Lionfield, I suppose'.
'You know we talked?' I asked, my eyebrows raising.
My uncle nodded, 'Of course, he told me you seemed rather skeptical about the whole thing'.
I shrugged, 'After seeing some things... I've become a believer but I'm still really confused'.
Uncle Edmund's blue-grey eyes stared me down before he closed them momentarily, 'After your mother left the family, we had no contact with each other. I only saw you once,' he smiled, 'you were so small then, believed in everything. You saw everything, as well'.
I narrowed my eyes, 'Saw everything?'
'Why yes, you saw all the fae-folk, all the nymphs... but the only reason Ryane had come visit me was to make sure you could never see those things again,' he smiled painfully, as if he had committed a crime. Looking at my confused face, he sighed, 'Ryane never liked the mythical world. She didn't like the hierarchy or the danger that comes with working in the healing field. She was great, the small healing she did perform were miracles upon themselves but when she fell in love with a human,' he looked at me, 'your father, she didn't want to include him in our world. She left when she fell pregnant with you, cut off all family relations and married Stephen Mercer, thinking that her life would be easy'.
I took in small breaths, trying to digest this information.
The only grandparents I had ever known were on my dad's side. Mom never talked much about her family, only uncle Edmund was mentioned a few rare times but she never seemed happy when she talked about it. Dad and I had learnt to not ask much about it.
'Her life was easy,' I whispered before I frowned, 'Wasn't it?'
Edmund sighed, his fingers massaging his forehead as he leaned back in his armchair, 'The van der Laine legacy has been healing the supernatural beings since the beginning of time. Our blood attracts creatures of the mythical world, good or bad. It's not something we can choose. No matter where Ryane went, even if she fled to the most remote town of Caleburg, they'd find her'.
'No wonder,' I whispered to myself, remembering the Lesovoi and the monster hound that had tracked me down.
'What is it?'
I gasped, looking up into my uncle's suspicious eyes, 'It's just-'
'Keira,' he said, serious, 'you have to tell me what happened'.
My mouth opened and closed before I bit onto my lip, 'To be honest, uncle Edmund. I don't have to tell you anything... I want to know why you didn't come get me when my parents died, why you waited for three years to contact me while I lived with Rosie'.
Shocked silence ensued as my uncle stayed quiet before he stood up, 'I'm afraid that's for another time but...' he pulled something from his drawer, 'I want you to have this, it was Ryane's before she left'.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Through my tired eyes I watched the crystal necklace catch the morning light.
My mother's.
It was a beautiful blue black colour that shone faintly like the colours of the rainbow when the sunlight fell onto it. On a thin threaded silver chain it dangled back and forth like a pendulum.
Tired, I slipped it around my neck and fell asleep, holding it tightly in my hand.
'Stephen and Ryane Mercer were good people, they contributed to the community, volunteered whenever they could and were always there for those who needed help. This is goodbye to our good friends, a beautiful couple and parents who will be sorely missed'
In the thin sheet of rain I watched as they lowered the coffins into the ground one by one. Rosie held onto my shoulder with her hand, her sniffing and soft sobs close to my ear. In my black dress, I felt the raindrops wet my legs and the squelching of heels and shoes when people left.
۞
'Mom! No! Dad!' I screamed, throwing my arms over the bodies in the hospital room. They pulled me away, telling me to hush, telling me it was okay before Rosie held my head to her chest and my crying body as we sat on the floor.
۞
'It was a car accident,' the officer said, his eyes a dull green, his eyelashes a white blonde that stood out in the dark police room, 'They sped off the highway'.
'Aren't there any cameras?' Rosie voiced, 'There is no way that Stephen would drive so recklessly'.
'They just shot off ma'am,' the officer whispered, his eyes turning to me, 'like they were on the run'.
Those green eyes lit up, lit up until the pupil pooled over like blood and then he came for me. A monster that had its fingers around my neck. His foul breath reached my nostrils, his spit felt sour and burning on my cheek as it hissed, 'And you'll be next, you'll be next legatum'.
I woke up screaming.
Slowly, my new room swam into view and I panted in the dark, my heart beating a hundred miles a minute.
JETT
'Stop it,' I growled, 'Stop it, stop it, stop it!' I woke up, my eyes adjusting to the lighting in my room within a second before I scowled, falling back onto my bed with an annoyed grunt.
Stupid fücking nightmares.
As I rubbed my hands over my face I tried to erase my brother's face from my mind.
Daniel had died three years ago but still I could still see his face in my mind, catching me off guard when I let my mind drift. He was gone, and I had to deal with it.
Grunting as I turned over, I checked the alarm on my night stand: 16:00. Still too early for school.
Reaching my hand down for my jacket which I'd flung onto the floor, I pulled out the packet of cigarettes before sitting up slightly.
Lighting and inhaling it automatically, I gazed into the smoke, hoping for Daniel to appear again after so many years.
He always told me to stop smoking; 'It's bad for you,' he would always chastise, slapping the cigarette out my hand or actively burning the entire packet, 'You're going to mess up your system,' he would say.
I always ignored him, even on the day of his funeral I'd lit one by his grave, wondering if he'd come back to slap it out of my hand but he never came.
Now every time I smoked, I prayed that he'd appear before me once more and ruffle my hair; one of the things I hated the most.
What else did I hate?
I tapped my cig before sighing; Anastasia.
'Jethriel,' she hissed, when I turned onto the street her family owned. The Frosts were always extravagant with their wealth.
'Don't call me by that name,' I growled back as I sped up their gravel driveway as fast as I could. The sooner I delivered her off, the sooner she'd be off my case.
She looked towards the window, her perfume hitting me in the face, 'It's the only way I can get you to respond'.
'That's just pathetic,' I commented, watching her face distort into something ugly.
'You're pathetic,' she growled at me, opening her door.
I watched her get ready to get out but she shut it instead and settled back into her seat, 'What the fück do you think you're doing?' I snarled.
'We need to talk about our engagement,' she looked at me, her piercing blue eyes hitting me in the heart.
'No, we don't,' I growled, 'I don't want to end the day with a bad taste in my mouth, thanks'.
'I know you love me,' she whispered, her eyes scanning my face like she used to when she was still a small child. Her innocence was long gone.
'You know you're delusional,' I answered as I got out of the car first.
As I slammed the car door of the Rolls Royce, I stepped towards my motorcycle which was parked in front of her house. Edmund had insisted that I came over last night to pick Anastasia up and take her to school. I didn't know why he wanted me to get along with her, he took on my parents' duties way too well. The nagging had never been so intense.
'Jett!'
I growled in annoyance, leaping onto my bike before grabbing my helmet but two hands pushed the helmet back down into my lap.
I looked up at her, my eyes narrowing, 'You're getting on my nerves, Frost'.
I watched her bite her lip, 'I just want to talk to you'.
'I don't want to talk to you,' I snarled, snatching my helmet from her hands but then she did something that she nearly never did. She iced my fücking helmet.
The heavy thing fell to the gravel with a loud thunk.
'Got your attention now?' she smirked when I looked up to glare at her.
'I could unfreeze it right now and freeze your heart,' I snapped but she jutted her chin out, challenging me like she had done since we were small. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before nodding, 'What'.
'I want to know what you think of me, I need to know before our marriage,' I felt her hand slide up my thigh and I looked down at her manicured fingers, 'We're going to be the most powerful lineage that has ever existed when we join our blood. I need to know whether or not you're ready'.
Her beautiful face turned smug when she found me hard, she always managed to do this to me. It wasn't something I could help.
No matter how much of a bítch she was, she was still hot as hell.
She kneaded me through my jeans with her fingers and I shifted, uncomfortable as she pressed herself against me.
'You seem ready,' she whispered as she slid onto my bike, facing me as she wrapped her legs around my waist.
I smirked, tilting up her chin with a finger and turned her face from side to side. Thinking I was admiring her, Ana looked at me, a sultry look in her eyes as she stretched her neck. I nudged my nose against the soft skin of her neck, my hands rubbing over her thighs until they found their way under her dress and against the soft swell of her breasts.
She leaned back with a soft moan when I kissed her neck, dipping my head into the valley of her generous breasts.
When she started grinding shamelessly against me, I leaned away, kissing her ear before smirking, 'I'm always ready, but just remember,' I leaned away, running a finger over her soft parted lips, she was panting as if I'd actually done something with her, 'I'll never love you'.
Her face turned cold before she jumped from the bike, back to the snarling expression I was used to, 'Damn you Jett! Damn you to hell!'
I smiled, picking up my iced helmet which returned to normal state as soon as my fingers touched it, 'Already there babe,' I winked before I sped off, away from the responsibility that I had never wanted.
From somewhere in the house I heard screaming but I didn't move. I didn't sense any danger in the mansion, Bambi was probably just having a bad dream.
Stubbing my cigarette I sat onto the edge of my bed before standing up for a stretch.
Cracking my neck, I yanked open my curtains with an annoyed grunt and stared at the garden out back.
I hated this place.
I had been brought here when my parents died, when Daniel left the world. Nathaniel and I had been under Edmund's care for roughly three years and still did this not feel like Lionfield Manor. And I could never return to Lionfield Manor, it had been burnt down. Every last stone, every last shred of the place that had held the memories of my childhood.
The only thing that had been remotely interesting recently was Bambi's arrival.
I hadn't expected a blond haired blue eyed beauty to walk in, but there she was. Beautiful and annoying as fück, but bickering with her was more fun than expected.
I rubbed my thumb over my bottom lip, remembering the way she had kissed me back before slapping me.
I grinned, yes indeed, Bambi was fun.
KEIRA
As Walt drove me to school, I tried not to think about the nightmare I had had. Most nightmares went away after a while, fading so that in the end you could only remember but a few shreds of it - the worst parts.
This nightmare, however, was as detailed as it could be.
I listened to music and tried to forget about what I saw but to no avail. The man came back again and again, crawling over the table and whispering those menacing words in my face. Something deep inside my core told me that this wasn't just a nightmare.
When Walt drove away from the Night Class courtyard, I greeted Pixie first who was chatting animatedly with Sorcha. They always stood together.
'Hey guys,' I greeted as I came closer and they waved in greeting.
'Hey'
As we chattered about general school gossip and the upcoming classes, my two friends suddenly grew silent and when I looked past my shoulder, I felt my cheeks blaze.
Nathaniel.
The only thought that had managed to soften the fear I had for the nightmare, was the kiss he had given me before. A lingering kiss that sent a weird tingling burn over my lips when I remembered.
He seemed to be thinking about it as well for his cheeks darkened a fraction and he cleared his throat, 'Keira, I was wondering if you were open to skipping classes today. I already talked to the Principal, he said it was okay for you to skip. I want to take you for school supplies today, if that's alright with you of course'.
When I turned around to face my friends, their eyes were as wide as saucers before Pixie pushed me towards Nathaniel, making me crash into the man's chest.
When I turned to glare at her she mouthed a 'sorry'.
Nathaniel steadied me, smiling before gesturing towards his car, 'What do you say?'
'Sure,' I managed without stammering as he opened the car door for me.
With a last wave to my friends we sped away from Elessar Prep.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Be sure to check out 'Treading Time', a new story of mine, romance included ;) Update next week! ♥