3 weeks have passed since the hunters attack, since Mia ran away with one of the hunters. The turmoil in my heart has caused me to be snappy with my brothers, which they do not appreciate. The others left for another safehouse. They believe Mia is working with the hunters but I don't believe that, although a small niggly voice in my head does question her response to me, was it natural or was she a damn good actress. My phone blares in my pocket, swiping to answer I hold the phone to my ear.
"What?"
"Cut your god damn attitude Alex or IL come and kick your ass. The council are planning another move, one of us needs to take control of this situation."
"Your the eldest. You do it."
"I have Lara to think about. It's not fair on her to have to take the responsibilities on as well, it will take her away from Yasmin." I slump into the armchair, hand pinching my eyes.
"Why can't Dylan."
"You know Dylan wouldn't be able to handle the pressures of it all. He's a fighter yes but he's no diplomat. Alex, we need you."
"Byron I can't. Your asking me to give up my life."
"I'm asking you to save us all and humanity. If the council win there will never be peace until the whole of the vampire race is destroyed. Do you think they will spare the humans that reside with us? Yasmin?" My stomach feels like it's full of lead, we have argued about this for weeks and I know logically it is the only answer. But if I accept the role of king of the vampire race i lose everything here, I lose the chance for something with Mia. But before I can answer a sensor alarm bleeps, signalling someone has entered the grounds of the manor.
"I've got to go. Someone is here." I hang up before Byron can reply, dropping the phone I immediately switch to predator mode, slinking in the shadows, I wait, the back door and front door are both in my vision as I freeze like a statue, waiting and listening. Soft footsteps head to the back door, I see the handle turn slowly, before the door is pulled open carefully. My fangs bite into my lip in anticipation but the person who slowly steps through the door, robs me of my breath.
"Hello?" Her soft voice is like music to my ears but as I see the glint of a gun in her hand, before she can even blink I have her pinned against the wall, her gasp of shock whispers against my skin.
"Mia." I growl, her body melts into mine as I hear the gun clatter to the floor.
"I'm sorry." She whispers.
"Sorry for what? Betraying me, betraying my family?" I hiss, my hands tightening on her wrists, I know it must be hurting but she doesn't protest.
"I didn't betray you or your family. I lied to the hunters." The honesty in her voice has me stepping back, releasing her fully, she massages her wrists as she brushes past me, into the sitting room, my feet follow her before my brain catches up. She flicks on the light before sitting on the sofa, for the first time I really look at her. Her once bright eyes seem dulled, her long raven hair is lifeless, dark circles around her eyes, her whole demeanor is sullen. Sitting next to her I grasp her hand in mine, trying to ignore how right it feels to have her back, her skins warmth slowly seeps into my palm.
"What happened?" I ask curiously.
"My roommate was the one who shot you, I had no idea she was into the 'blackbloods', vampire hunters. I couldn't hurt her and I knew you would have killed her. I got taken to one of their safehouses, they didn't trust me at first, kept interrogating me about you guys, I told them you would have moved after the attack, I said I'd seen a cross near the mountain valley, they found a cabin there under the name of Slavosk which I said was one of your associates surnames. They fell for it. Planned another attack. That's where they've gone."
"You know they could kill you for leading them on." Her eyes flick to mine, sadness filling their emerald depths.
"I'd prefer to die than to live in knowledge that my actions caused one of you to die." Without thinking I pull her close to me, my arms holding her tightly as her head rests on my chest, tension draining from her as her arms snake around me.
"I need to call Byron." She nods, leaning back, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her top. In a heartbeat I've grabbed my phone and sat next to her again, our legs flush, calling Byron I put it on loudspeaker. He answers on the second ring.
"Alex?"
"It's me. Don't worry, Mia tripped the sensor."
"What does she want." Suspicion causing his voice to go cold, I see Mia stiffen.
"I want to help you." She replies, there is a pause on the other end.
"Why should we trust you?"
"Because I didn't betray you. I swear on my life."
"We still know nothing about you so I still don't trust you."
"Fine. Arrange a meet and IL tell you everything. I won't be spoken to like I'm a petulent child. If you care to look at the news you will see that a cabin near the mountain valley will be burned to the ground tonight." Mia reaches over, ending the call, great, Byron hates being hung up on, I'm not going to hear the end of it.
"We need to get out of here Alex. They will be coming here next. Is there anyone else here?"
"I'm the only one who stayed behind."
"You believed in me?" Mia asks, shocked expression on her face.
"Of course I did. I believe in what I felt when you were close to me."
"We still need to leave, your bike would be quickest and easiest to hide."
"You sound like you've done it before." She looks down, almost ashamed.
"There's alot you don't know about me Alex. But right now we need to get moving, pack a bag." The bossy tone of hers has me standing, dragging her up from the sofa, her soft body pressed against mine as my lips collide with her's. Her body moulds against mine, her hands tangling in my hair, I've missed this, I've missed her. In a flash I have her legs wrapped around my waist as I use my speed to get to my room in a blink of an eye. Dropping her carefully on the bed I race to get a bag sorted, including the clothes Violet and Lara had provided for her. In no time at all I have a couple of bags packed, Mia watches me cautiously, holding out my hand to her she slips her hand in without hesitation, leading he to the garage I sling one bag over the back rack and Mia wordlessly slips the other pack on. Kicking my leg over the bike Mia follows suit, wrapping her arms securely around my waist, her warm body heating my back, her soft breaths whisper over the skin of my neck teasingly.
"Where to?"
"Hotel Altraz, it's far enough away to be safe but close enough if anything happens." Without replying I start the bike, the roar and vibrations of the engine race under my skin, peeling away we speed away from the house, the gates opening just enough to slip through. Reaching the hotel in record time I drop Mia off, kissing her softly on the lips before she grabs the other bag.
"Wait for me in the reception." I hand her a wad of cash.
"Remember, ditch it as far away as you can and as hidden as you can to buy us time." I will be questioning her knowledge of being on the run when I'm back, she turns and walks away as I speed off. A shirt ride later I ditch the bike, covering with dirt and debris, before I race back to the hotel, seeing Mia sitting safely just outside the reception waiting for me gives me a warm feeling in my stomach, reaching her she stands, grasping my hand and pulling me to the room. The moment we are inside she locks the door, flicking on the dim lamps she closes the curtains before sighing in relief as she sits on the edge of the double bed, sitting next to her I hold her warm hand in mine.
"What don't I know about you Mia?" I ask softly, breaking the silence, I feel her tense next to me.
"Serena." My brow furrows in confusion.
"Serena?"
"That's my real name. Serena Marsh, I'm 19. I'm classed as a runaway." For a moment I can only look in silence at her bowed head, the tension coming off of her in waves.
"Why did you run away?" I ask softly, gently tilting her head up with my hand, her emerald eyes shine with unshed tears.
"I had nothing left. My father died when I was 14, mum went off the rails, she found a new guy, he was just as bad as her. Then when I was 16 my mum had a baby, my little brother, but he was ill and she and his dad only cared about their drugs. I did the only thing I could and I took him to the hospital, they took my little Sammie away. They told me I'd need to go into foster care as my mum was being arrested, so I ran and never looked back." Tears stream down her face, pulling her onto my lap I hold her tightly as the sobs wrack her body, how someone so young had to be so strong angers me. Mothers should always care for their children, the most precious gift imaginable.
"I am sorry, sorry for everything that happened to you, I'm sorry you had no choice but to run away from everything you ever knew. You're the strongest woman I know and I'm humbled that you chose to come back to me." I whisper against her hair, her head buried on my shoulder, arms wound around my neck. After a while her sobs recede, she pulls back slightly, looking embarrassed.
"Sorry, I thought I could tell you without crying." Cupping her face in my palms I brush the tear streaks away with the pad of my thumbs.
"Never apologize. You're perfect, every emotion, every reaction, perfection. I understand why you went with the hunter, she is the only family you know of now." She nods smiling sadly.
"I just wish I could have kept Sammie, I don't know what has happened to him."
"When all this dies down I promise I will do everything in my power to help you find him." Her eyes shine bright with hope.
"Seriously?"
"Of course. You've already had enough loss in your life, it is only right you get some happiness too." She presses her lips to mine, kissing me passionately, somehow twisting in my lap so she straddles my hips causing us both to moan at the heady position.
"Thank you Alex." She whispers as she draws back for air.
"is there anything else i should know?"
"i dont think so, but theres some things that i need to know. i need to know more about the 'council' and whatever they are planning as i know it has you and Byron scared."
"it could take a while to explain it all." She scoots off my lap, sitting cross legged on the bed, looking far too young and innocent with her doe eyes, laying on the foot of the bed i try to decide what to tell her, how to tell her. But i know that she needs to know because as Byron has said logically im the only one who can stop the council from destroying everything we know and if Serena wants to be by my side then she needs to know everything that it would in tale.
"Ive got plenty of time, on the run remember?"
"il run over the basics to begin with. I dont know if you know but Byron, Dylan and myself are what we term as 'royals', we are from the royal bloodline, but when our blood father was killed Byron, whose the oldest of us all, was too young to be prepared to take over control of the entire vampire race. So the council was formed, some of the eldest, wisest vampires who took control. you see, the vampire race needs someone to control them so that they dont ruin the balance of this world. For centuries the way we live has worked, the council has kept control, but now theyve changed their minds, become greedy. they want essentially world domination and the only thing that will stop them is if a Royal takes their rightful place, stripping them of their power." I glance across at her, she watches me intently, i can almost hear the cogs in her brain trying to figure everything out.
"So youre telling me that either you, Byron or Dylan have to claim the throne or else humans are going to be slaughtered, vampires becoming all mighty masters?"
"In a nutshell, if you think my family is bad, we are fluffy kittens compared to the others of our kind."
"So why dont any of you step up?"
"Its not as easy as that. we all have responsibilities of our own. claiming the throne means a clean slate, the control of the vampire race becomes paramount, it comes before everything, even our own happiness. Byron has Lara, who has human family members, humans are banned from entering the royal palace, unless they are there to die."
"So that removes Byron from the equation then, what about you and Dylan?" I roll over at the obvious tone of her voice, burying my head in the sheets, before turning slightly so i can answer her.
"Dylan is the youngest, he has no knowledge of the royals duties, it would be like putting a child on the throne and expecting them to be able to control the most bloodthirsty hordes known on this world."
"So why wont you step up, save us all?"
"Because ive only just found some happiness in my life and if i take the throne i lose my happiness." It takes her a moment to figure out the hidden meaning behind my words, she scoots across, her warm hand gently squeezing mine.
"Me, you dont want to take the throne because of me?" i squeeze her hand back.
"You've given me a reason to live. why would i willingly throw it away?"
"But you must. dont you think im on the councils hit list already, whats to stop them from killing me."
"I'll protect you."
"From every vampire on this planet?" Growling in frustration i roll over to glare at the ceiling, Serena huffs before laying down next to me.
"I dont like this logical side of you."
"You dont like that im right. Is there not some way around things, if you became 'king' couldnt you change laws?" Her question gives me pause, would it work like that? Shooting off the bed i grab my phone, quickly dialing Byrons number, i face Serena as she sits on the bed, a soft frown creases her forehead.
"Alex?" Byron answers, sounding exhausted.
"Byron, how can a king change laws? whats the protocol?"
"What?"
"How can the vampire king change laws?"
"Depends on the law." Byron replies warily.
"Okay, seems like i need to spell it out to you. How does the vampire king change the law about humans being banned from the royal palace?"
"Cant happen. the vampire palace was built using dark magic and wards, any humans spending more than 2 days within the walls will perish, depending on the strength of the human. The law was actually passed to protect the humans. Anything else?"
"No."
"Why? you considering becoming king?" Hope and laughter rings in his voice.
"Sod off." i reply before ending the call, dropping my phone onto the weathered sofa i pace the room, hands running through my hair in frustration.
"Not good?"
"No humans allowed unless you want to die. No way to reverse it or change it." Slumping into a chair, elbows on the table, hands covering my face. I hear the bed creak and Serena's quiet footsteps come towards me, before her warm hands gently rest on my shoulders, massaging my taut muscles.
"You know the only way to save this world is you. you can be the worlds saviour or help in its destruction."i stand abruptly, pulling Serena tightly against my body, her natural warmth chases away the chill in my veins, my lips melt into hers, her soft body moulds against mine, silk against steel, sunshine and the moon. leaning my forehead against hers i feel her shuddery breaths.
"I dont want to lose you. But if i want to save this world then i have to. dont you see my dilemma? Youre telling me i have to throw away the one thing that makes me feel alive after centuries of being half a shadow." My hands tighten on her hips on their own accord, she gently shimmies out of my grip, grabbing my hand she leads me over to the bed, pushing me onto the sheets before laying next to me, her head resting on my chest, her heart beating in sync with mine, my hand runs over her soft hair, the strands brushing against my palm and fingertips.
"Get some sleep, think more in the evening when we are fresh, we can go and get some food and mull everything over."
"Arent i meant to be the wise one, being older than you and all?"
"Girls mature faster than boys." She retorts, laughing, i hold her tighter to me, breathing in her intoxicating scent.
"Goodnight Serena." I whisper softly, kissing the top of her head.
"Night Alex." I feel the pull of sleep grasp me and i descend into the oblivion.