Chapter 38 The Royal Council Part 2

Sasha

I roll over in bed expecting to feel strong arms wrap around me. Instead, I feel nothing. The bed is cold beside me. Meaning Zane has already gotten up. I open my eyes adjusting them to the bright room. Looking around I see the closet ajar. Zane must have changed clothes.

I go to the closet and throw on my black jumpsuit. I fill every pocket with knives and put on my waistband of weapons. Slipping on my black boots I throw my hair into a ponytail then go apply my makeup and brush my teeth. When I’m done I head to the kitchen.

“I hope your cooking before we leave. I’m starving!” I yell and wait for Zane to answer. Instead, I’m met with silence.

When I enter the kitchen I see I’m alone. I go and start the coffee pot while I look around. I don’t see Zane anywhere. Maybe he left with Theo to get breakfast or went out to feed. He wouldn’t want to go into some bloodlust frenzy today.

My coffee is finally ready and I pour some into a mug. Still, Zane hasn’t returned and I’m starting to get the odd feeling he isn’t coming back. I call his cell phone but it goes straight to voice mail. My hands and legs start shaking as I get more anxious by the second. I try to tell myself he is probably with Theo but I just have a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

The front door opens and I stop expecting to see Zane walk in. Instead, it’s Theo with donuts. “Morning Swift. You want chocolate or glazed?”

“Theo, where is Zane?”

“I thought he was with you. He wasn’t up when I left.” He answers. I fall to the ground on my knees. I was right he left me. I can’t breathe. My chest tightens and tears stream down my face. He is gone I can’t believe it. Why would he do this to me? We said we would fight together. He promised me forever.

Theo drops the donuts and runs over to me and rubs my shoulders. He is talking but I can’t understand what he is saying. Time has stopped and it feels like I’m in an endless cycle of despair and pain. I don’t want to live. I can’t survive without him. I won’t. I refuse.

A hard slap to my face brings me to my senses. I look up to see Theo who is standing over me with a frown on his face. “I’m sorry I had to do that. But you weren’t answering me. What happened? Where is Zane?”

The mention of his name brings on fresh tears. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. My throat is dry like the Sahara.

“Swift, please. Talk to me. Where is Zane? Did he leave?” Theo begs me and I nod.

“He is gone. He left without me.” I cry out.

“Then let’s go get him. Pull yourself together woman! We still have time. I have the address. I wrote it down in case he did something like this, of course, I thought it would be you playing the hero card.”

I stop crying. Go get him? Why didn’t this thought occur to me? We still have time. I can save him. I wipe the tears from my eyes and stand up. I’m going to kill every single person who tried to tear us apart. I will rip them limb from limb and dance on their corpse.

“You’re right Theo. I’m Swift first. Let’s go kill some royals.” I hiccup trying to steady my breathing.

Instead of driving to the address I use one of Greta’s spells to open a portal. Even though she is gone she is still helping me.

It takes a few tries but eventually, the portal works and we step through. The portal closes and I’m not sure how we will get back but as long as Zane is with us I don’t care.

The port takes us to a large hill. I can see the Royal palace below us. It looks like a normal mansion except for the large cement wall surrounding it. There are even guards along the walls.

“So any idea how we get in?” I ask Theo.

“Camouflage.” He answers.

Ten minutes later we are covered in mud, grass, and sticks. We crawl along the ground only making a move when the vampire's heads are turned. Luckily they look bored and are busy talking to one another.

We make it to a back gate. Theo stands up and vines shoot up and wrap around the Two vampires guarding above the gate. Theo tosses them far into the forest behind us and puts another vine along the wall that looks like a rope.

“I guess we have to climb.”

“It’s over or under. I don’t feel like digging do you?” He asks.

“Let’s go. Zane could be in danger.” I tell him.

We climb the wall undetected and I clean myself off as well as I can. Stopping before the back door I pull out my favorite gun packed with wooden bullets. Theo gives me a look telling me he is ready. I put my hand on the door and open it expecting a fight on the other side.

Surprisingly the hallway is empty. It seems to go past the back of the kitchen. We walk as quietly as possible looking through every door and hallway along the wall. The place is empty which is unsettling.

“This is too easy Theo. Like they were expecting us.” I whisper.

“Yeah, something isn’t right. We need to find Zane now.”

We keep going through the hallway until we hear voices. Theo's mouth ‘It’s Zane’ and ‘not alone’. I take the safety off my gun and rush towards the voices.

“You have shamed the vampire throne. I will never take your place!” Zane shouts.

“I know you don’t mean it. You were trained to take over your whole life. I chose you over hundreds of human children. Your life belongs to me. That’s why I’m the only one who will end it!” A male voice shouts and I see Zane fly into a wall.

“No!” I shout and start shooting. Whoever it was rushed out of the room in a split second. Two other people turn to face me. A woman and the leprechaun from the bar, Mr. Foster.

“Swift get out of here! Go!” Zane tells me as he slowly gets up.

“I’m not leaving you! We’re in this together.” I yell and the woman laughs.

“Foolish little fairy. Should have stayed hidden. You won’t leave here alive!” She throws a ball of blue light at me. I dodge out of the way.

She is a witch so my gun with wooden bullets will only do so much. I put it back in my waistband and grab a knife out of my pocket while I dodge another ball of light.

I hear Theo attacking the leprechaun who is throwing gold coins at him. Theo keeps successfully dodging them. Zane darts toward the witch who throws the ball of light at him instead. He dodges it and I throw my knife at her leg. She falls down to her knee.

“No!” The leprechaun Mr. Foster yells and a swarm of vampires comes into the room.

I quickly pull out my gun and start shooting. Vampires turn to dust one by one. Zane and Theo are also taking out vampires. A vampire comes behind me and puts me in a chokehold.

“It’s the fae. I always wanted to taste one!” He whispers and I struggle to shake him off. I hear his fangs retract and I know I have to get out of his hold before he bites me.

I muster up all the strength I have to flip him over me. He lands on his back and I shoot into his chest. He turns to ashes and I feel arms wrap around me from behind. It tingles, it’s Zane.

“That was a close one. You okay love?” He asks concerned and I nod.

“I’m okay. We need to end this. Where is Vlad?”

Zane grits his teeth together. “Hiding. Letting everyone else do the dirty work for him. We need to find him.”

A bright ball of light flies towards us. We jump out of the way at the last second falling onto the floor. Zane lands on top of me covering me. His fangs are out and his red eyes show just how pissed he is.

He immediately stands and faces the witch who threw the ball at us. Zane growls so loud the walls start to shake. Mr. Foster stands in front of the injured witch shielding her.

“Now Zane. She didn’t mean it. Vlad told us we had to kill you or he would kill us. Just calm down.” He tries to explain but Zane just keeps taking menacing steps toward him.

Theo comes over to me and helps me up as we watch Zane. I don’t think I have ever seen him this angry. The witch starts chanting and Zane uses his vamp speed to run over and holds her in the air choking her.

“Isabella. I have hated you all my life. I have no idea what anybody sees in you. You have tormented me for the last time!” He growls and I hear a snap and her body is thrown to the floor.

The leprechaun backs away slowly with his hands held up.

“Your lucky I like you, Foster. Now leave or you're next. If you return I will kill you!” Zane warns and the leprechaun waste no time. He claps his hands and turns into specks of gold that fly away.

I rush up to Zane and hug him. He still looks pissed.

“It’s not over. We need to find Vlad come on!” He shouts at us.

I grab his hand and we start running through the mansion looking through every room for Vlad. Zane is certain he wouldn’t leave. We kill many servants and other guards along the way. Even one vampire child attacked Zane and he had to kill him.

We reach Vlad's office and Zane puts out his arm shielding me. Theo is beside Zane also guarding me.

“What is it? The room is empty.” I tell them but they both shake their heads.

“He is here, I can sense him.” Theo tells me.

“He is blending in somehow. He has mastered hiding in shadows.” Zane tells me and I look around.

The room is eerily dark. I try the light switch but it doesn’t work. We all slowly walk around the room. The room is almost as large as my house. I walk past the bookshelf but stop when I see one book covered in dust while all the rest are clean.

“Hmm, that’s odd.” I whisper.

“What's odd?” Theo asks but I don’t get the chance to answer. I grab the book and the whole shelf moves.

Somehow I end up on the other side. I start hitting the wall and yelling but it’s no use. I can’t hear anything and I’m sure they can’t hear me. I should have known an evil vampire would have a hidden room behind a bookshelf, so cliche.

I turn around to check out the room I’m in. It’s like a basement. I decide to Investigate. Maybe I can find my way out. If I’m lucky I’ll find Vlad and kill him. That would make my day a whole lot better.

The basement hallway is long and narrow. I use a small flashlight to help guide me. I never thought I would need the one on my utility belt but I’m glad I packed it.

I reach a cell at the end of the hall with a large metal door. It has no handle to open it. Just a small hole big enough to slide a tray of food through.

“Hello is anyone in there?” I had no idea the Royal Council kept people prisoner. I wonder who it could be. “I’m not going to hurt you. If you are alive can you make some noise? I ask and then wait to see if I hear anything

After a moment of silence, I start to give up. Maybe no one is in here and I’m yelling for no reason. I start walking away hoping to find a way out of here when a female voice speaks.

“I’m here. Are you going to set me free? “She asks.

I walk back to the cell. “Who are you first? Then maybe I will consider breaking you out. The Royal Council may be evil but I don’t think they just lock people up for no reason.”

The small voice chuckles. “I’m Jewel. Also known as the black witch.”