I woke to loud whispers and laughter, and for a moment, I forgot about everything I’d been through in the past twenty-four hours. I lay there, letting the sound of my family’s voices wash over me, a smile forming when I realized they were trying to put together a surprise birthday party for me. It was something they did every year, and it never worked.
The thing was, I could hear every word that passed their lips. I knew where everyone was in the house. I could even read every thought that ran through their minds if I wanted to. Although, I did try to give them privacy and stay out of their heads, but it was hard sometimes. I’d learned at a young age that it was impolite to intrude on other people’s inner thoughts. Those were my mother’s exact words that she’d drilled into me for a year straight before I finally figured out how to control it somewhat. I knew she was right, but sometimes I couldn’t help myself. Those were normally the times I wish I’d ignored the little devil on my shoulder telling me to just take one little peek. People could be cruel, and their thoughts hurtful. Although, I will admit, it can be very helpful when sparring with my father and uncles. They would feint one way, I would block the other. I knew when and where each attack was coming from. As long as they didn’t figure out what I was doing, how I was really avoiding their kicks and jabs, I was golden. My father calls my unusual mind reading ability a gift. Sometimes I agree, most of the time I don’t.
I frowned, realizing that somehow, even with my so-called gift, I’d never once heard even a whisper in my parents’ minds that would have hinted at the whole princess thing. How had they managed to keep that hidden from me? Granted, I hadn’t taken a trip through their minds since before I was a teenager, and even then I only managed to catch bits and pieces when they drifted my way. At first, I had no idea what was going on. And then, I didn’t want to disappoint my mom, so I worked extra hard at making sure I didn’t connect with their minds. But shouldn’t I have heard something, even if it was just an offhand thought?
Shaking my head, deciding I would tackle that question later, I sat up and flipped my covers off, and then froze. I was still dressed in the clothes I’d worn the night before when I went hunting. My boots were gone, but everything else remained. There was blood spattered on my shirt and jeans, which brought forth the image of severed vampire heads. Heads I’d removed from their bodies myself. I began to tremble at the memories, the fact that I had taken three lives hitting me. I killed them and then burned their bodies. Me. Bellame Rose.
My eyes went to the dragon image embedded into my arm, and a shudder ran through me. What exactly did it mean? Dad said I had two destinies to follow, as if one wasn’t enough. Now I was a vampire princess, and a… what? Slowly, I traced over the tattoo, wondering what was in store for me next.
I was so focused on the dragon that I almost missed the movement at my door. It slid open just a crack, and a small presence peeked in. I could just see a little bit of her tiny features and the stuffed animal she clutched tightly in front of her. That was all it took for me to realize that I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, if it meant saving another life like the little girl’s who was hiding on the other side of my door. Because of me, she was still breathing. If I hadn’t done what I did, they would have removed all of her blood from her body. I couldn’t let that happen to others, no matter how many heads I had to remove.
Letting my arm fall to my lap, I slowly slid back, arranging my pillows behind me and resting against the headboard. Pulling my comforter back over me to cover the evidence of the night before, I smiled. “Hey there, Twila.”
The child jumped, moving as if to shut the door.
“Don’t be afraid,” I said softly, hoping to calm her fears. “I won’t hurt you.”
“I know,” she whispered, slowly pushing the door open wider before entering the room just a few feet. Her gaze swept the area before coming back to me. “You’re a princess. They help people.”
The huge responsibilities that awaited me as a member of the royal family hit me at that moment. This young child was looking at me as if I were her hero, and her mother thought I was their savior. I was just a teenager, only fifteen years old. Actually, sixteen now, I realized as my father’s booming laughter came from the other side of the house, and one of my aunt’s giggles followed. They were all there, just like every other birthday when I woke at night.
“What do you have there?” I asked, recognizing the large stuffed bear she clung to. It was light brown in color, and wore a pretty pink dress made of satin. There was a small crown on her head and a strand of pearls around her neck. My parents gave her to me when I was about Twila’s age. My brow furrowed in confusion as I realized I couldn’t actually remember them giving me the bear; I just somehow knew they had. At a birthday party, with lots of balloons and streamers around the room. And a large chocolate cake. My favorite.
“It’s a princess, just like you,” Twila murmured, ducking her head and cuddling the bear closer.
I nodded, still trying to remember more about that party as I replied, “Yes. Her name is Princess Bronwyn, and she loves tea parties.”
Twila’s gaze rose to meet mine, her eyes widening as she whispered in awe, “Just like Queen Bronwyn?”
“Who’s Queen Bronwyn?”
“Your grandmother.”
My gaze swung to the doorway where my mother now stood, her kind face lit with that gentle smile she wore the majority of the time. She was beautiful with short, blonde hair streaked with gray that came just to her chin, light green eyes filled with love, and just a touch of makeup, not that she needed any.
“Grandmother?” I’d never had grandparents before. My mom and dad both lost their parents years before I was born. My frown came back when I realized that I didn’t know what happened to either of them, just that they were gone.
“Yes!” Twila exclaimed, taking a step closer to me. “If you are a princess, and she is a queen, that makes her your grandma! I have a grandma. She makes me cookies.” She paused, her face falling as she whispered, “Well, she did. Before we had to leave home.”
“You know who else makes great cookies?” I asked, flashing her a grin to try and take her mind away from everything she was forced to leave behind. “My mom.”
“Who’s your mom?”
Mom laughed, crossing the room to stand beside my bed, making sure to give the child enough room so she didn’t scare her. “That would be me, Miss Twila. My name’s Cassandra, but you can call me Cassi.”
A small frown appeared, and Twila cocked her head to the side. “Does that mean you’re a princess, too?”
Cassi laughed again, shaking her head. “No, I’m just Cassi, sweet child. Bellame is the only princess in this room.”
“And Princess Bronwyn!”
“True!” Mom sat on the side of my bed near me and nodded toward the door where my father now stood. “Why don’t you run to the kitchen and ask your mom for some of those cookies, Twila? They’re in the cookie jar on the counter.”
A small grin tipped up the corners of the child’s mouth, almost chasing the shadows from her eyes, but not quite, before she left the room. I watched her go, wondering how long it would take her to get over everything she’d been through. Did anyone really get over something like that?
“Bellame, we need to talk.”
I stiffened at the seriousness in my mother’s tone, and slowly turned to look at her, aware of my father entering the room and shutting the door behind him. “You really want to do this now?” I asked quietly, wishing I could put it off for a few more days. “It’s my birthday.”
Dad walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains. His hands went to his hips as he stared out into the darkness for a moment before he turned back to me. “Happy birthday, baby girl.”
I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be that happy, but I sent him a smile anyway. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Happy birthday, my sweet girl,” Mom said, her eyes softening again as she reached out to take my hand in hers. “I wish…”
“Cassi,” my father interrupted, “we talked about this.”
Sighing, Mom lifted my hand so that my palm rested against her cheek. “Before we get started, I want you to know that Marcus and I have always loved you like you were our own daughter, Bellame. From the moment you were placed in my arms sixteen years ago, you were mine.” Her gaze went to Dad and she smiled. “Ours in every way. To love, protect, and raise. Your father,” she paused, “your biological father, Prince Alexander, wanted it that way. He said you deserved to be cherished and loved the way a true princess would be — the way he loved you, even though he couldn’t raise you himself.”
Something tickled the back of my mind, a memory I couldn’t quite grasp. My brow furrowed as I tried to capture it, but it was suddenly just gone.
“I think it would be best if we start at the beginning.” Dad turned back to the window before continuing. “I met your mother twenty-three years ago. I’d just returned from a stint overseas with the army. My tour was up, and I was debating on signing up for another one.”
“I was walking home from the grocery store. Our car broke down the day before, but we needed food. Your grandmother, Rosemary, had cancer.” Mom lowered my hand to her lap, cradling it in both of hers. “She was bedridden by that point, and it was up to me to take care of her and the house while my father worked.”
“It was pouring rain that day.” Dad glanced back at us, smiling ruefully. “Your mother was walking down the side of the highway, her arms laden down with groceries. It was a two mile walk from her farmhouse to the store, but she braved it to put food on the table for her family.”
Mom’s face flushed a light pink, and she ducked her head. “I didn’t do anything anyone else wouldn’t have done.”
“Always so modest.” Dad walked over, sliding an arm around her shoulder and leaning down to place a kiss on the top of her head. “I saw the fear in her eyes when I stopped to ask her if I could give her a ride. I didn’t blame her, there are some scary things out there, as you well know. But I couldn’t stand the thought of her walking in the rain.”
“I finally gave in,” Mom said, looking up at him, her eyes shining with love. “It was the best choice I ever made. It put me on the path that brought us here today.”
I realized I’d never heard their story before, and it made me wonder how much else I’d missed. Why hadn’t I ever asked?
“It was through your mother’s family that I met the prince,” Dad continued. “Your grandfather, George, worked for the royal family.”
“My family has been loyal to the Christophs for several generations. We swore our allegiance to them years ago.”
“After we were married, your mother explained everything to me. She wasn’t allowed to before then.”
“You have to be a part of the family, whether by blood or marriage, before you are told the truth.”
“So, you had no idea vampires existed until you married Mom?”
“None.” Dad shook his head, grinning widely as he said, “I’ll tell you, I was worried at first. I thought she was crazy. I wondered what the heck I’d gotten myself into. I loved her, but I knew there was no such things as vampires. Then, I met Prince Alexander. The first time he flashed his fangs at me jokingly, I almost wet my pants.”
“The prince always came to check on my mother,” Cassi explained, sadness filling her features. “He was so kind and considerate, taking the time to sit and talk with her for hours. One day, he showed up when Marcus hadn’t left for work yet.”
“Let’s just say, after I got over the shock of that first meeting, Alex and I became quick friends.”
“You were friends with the prince?” I whispered, stunned.
“They were more than friends,” Cassi said, squeezing my hand gently. “The prince found out your father used to be in the military, and he hired him to come work for the royal family. He served as one of their most trusted soldiers for several years.”
“Wait, I thought the royal soldiers were vampires?”
“Having fangs is not a requirement to serve and protect the king and his family. Your father had skills and was good at what he did. They trained him, and then he was sworn in just as all the others were.”
Dad rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to show me a tattoo I’d seen hundreds of times, but never thought anything of. It was the letter C in black, with two silver swords crossed in front of it. The hilt of each one had a dark red ruby in it, and there was a layer of red roses threaded together outlining it all. “This is the emblem of the royal house. Technically, I’m still a part of their guard. As far as anyone knows, I was sent away on a mission and never returned.”
“But you both went missing. Wouldn’t they question that?”
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves.”
Dad nodded. “True, Cassi. Best to stay on track.” Giving her shoulder a pat, he went to retrieve a chair from the corner of the room and sat it beside the bed, lowering himself into it. “I’d worked for Alex for several years and was friends with him even longer. I knew he was a good man, a great leader, as was his father. One day, he came to your mother and I, and I swear I’d never seen him so upset. He told us he needed help, and he didn’t know where else to turn. There was no one he trusted the way he did us.”
“He said that the woman he loved was pregnant with his child, but there was no way his family would accept her or the baby when it was born. And if the baby were born a vampire, her family wouldn’t accept it, either.” Mom bit her lip, her worried gaze going to Dad, but she continued, “Bellame, your birth mother is a hunter. A vampire slayer.” When I gasped, she shook her head, her hand tightening on mine. “She would never hurt you, my child. From what Alex said, she only kills rogue vampires.”
“A vampire fell in love with a vampire slayer?” I murmured, trying to wrap my mind around it. My father was the prince of the vampires, and my mother a slayer. How did that happen? And, what did that mean for me?
“Yes.” Dad leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together. “It was unheard of.”
“I’d never seen the prince so upset,” Mom whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “He was worried about the woman he loved and the child he already cared so much for, even though he knew he would never be able to raise it as his own. He asked us to take the baby if it was born a vampire. To raise and love it as our own. He said he would devise a way for us to leave Angel’s Pass that no one would question. He just needed to know his child was safe. There was never a choice for us. We said yes immediately. Not only because of our loyalty to the prince, but also because I was unable to have children, and I craved that parental bond with one so much. From the day Prince Alexander put you in my arms, you were my daughter, Bellame Rose. You will always be mine, no matter what may happen in the future.”
My own eyes filled with tears, and I leaned over to hug her. “Thank you,” I whispered, holding her tight. “I needed to hear that.”
“Our love for you is nothing you ever need to question, Princess,” Dad said gruffly. “There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for you.”
Resting back against my pillows again, I wiped at my wet cheeks. “Me too,” I whispered, knowing it was true. I would die for them if I had to. They’d taken me in, kept me safe, loved me unconditionally when most people would probably have been too afraid of what would happen if they did and were found out. “So, what happened next?” I was lost in the story, and it seemed so unreal that it was my own.
“My mother was already gone by then,” Cassi said quietly. “We lost her to the cancer. My father,” she paused, and I could feel the pain flowing from her, “he went not much longer after her. He had no will to live without her in his life.”
“It was just the two of us living in Angel’s Pass,” Dad continued, taking up the story when my mom fell silent. “With the prince’s permission, I contacted my brothers and explained the situation, asking for their help. I knew there could be repercussions, and I wanted to warn them. I thought that was all I was doing, but I underestimated my family.” A wry grin touched his lips. “The next thing I knew, we were all moving here, to Washington. They uprooted their lives to help us. I will never be able to repay them for that.”
Neither would I. I’d had no idea the lengths the entire Rose family had gone through to protect me. Giving up everything, leaving the lives they knew, for me and my parents.
“What did the prince tell his people?”
“He sent me away a few weeks before you were born. Cassi stayed in Angel’s Pass, continuing her job in town as if nothing were happening. Prince Alexander told the guard I was on a personal mission for him, when really I was here with my brothers, preparing this place for your arrival.”
“But… you didn’t know if I was really coming or not yet,” I whispered.
“I did,” my mother said, smiling gently. “Somehow, I just knew.”
“I returned the day before you were born, but we told no one I was there. I hid in the basement of our house until the prince brought you to us. We left that same night for our new home.”
“As much as I hated it, I stayed behind.” Once again, Mom reached for my hand. “You were with Marcus for three weeks before I was able to come to you. Prince Alexander told everyone that he was killed on his mission, and after the first week alone, I decided to move in with a distant aunt who lived out of state.”
“When your mother arrived, we were mostly settled in. She made everything complete.”
“We lived in fear for years that the king and queen would find out about you and come for you.”
“To kill me?” I whispered. “Their own grandchild?”
“They are good people, Bellame. Wonderful leaders. But, none of us knew how they would react to the situation.”
“If they are good people like you say, then they would have accepted me,” I stated, somehow knowing it was true.
“They may have,” Dad conceded, nodding slowly, “but they weren’t the ones your father was really worried about.”
“Aldric.”
“Yes, he is pure evil. He is the one we watch for. The one who we have no doubt would have you killed if he found out about you.”
“He can try,” I snapped, anger filling me. “After what he has put so many people through, he will be lucky if I don’t take his head myself.”
“Don’t get too cocky, daughter.” I heard his words, but that look of pride was back in my dad’s eyes. “He is very powerful, and it sounds as if he is in charge now. Your grandparents and Alex are missing. There is no one to stop him.”
“Yes, there is,” I said stubbornly.
Dad nodded slowly before reaching into his back pocket. “Alex gave me this to give you on your sixteenth birthday.” He handed me an envelope, and I swallowed hard when I saw the Christoph emblem stamped on the back of it. An official letter from the royal family. From my father. I felt guilty thinking about Alexander Christoph as my father, but technically, that’s what he was. Dad must have somehow understood, because he put a finger under my chin and gently raised my gaze to his. “I will always be here for you, Princess, but Alexander loved you, too.”
“He gave me up.” I knew why he did it, but it still hurt.
“His love for you was that strong, child,” Mom murmured. “He came to see you as often as he could the first few years, until it became too dangerous.”
I frowned, tracing the envelope with a finger. “I don’t remember.”
“The last time he came was on your sixth birthday.”
“He brought me Princess Bronwyn.” Suddenly, I had an image of kind, but sad blue-green eyes exactly like my own, then it was gone.
“Yes. He also brought a very powerful sorcerer. He said it was getting too dangerous for him to come anymore. I could tell something had happened. He was upset but refused to talk about it. All he would tell us was that he needed to keep you safe.” A troubled look crossed Dad’s face as he said, “After your birthday party, he had the sorcerer spell you so that you wouldn’t remember him. He was in so much pain, but he was determined to make sure you were shielded from any evil. That was the last time we heard from him. It sounds like he and your grandparents went missing around that time.”
“He must have known something was going to happen,” Mom whispered, “or he never would have left you, Bellame. He loved you so much.”
My gaze dropped to the envelope again, and slowly I slid my finger under the flap and opened it, withdrawing the piece of paper from inside. Taking a deep breath, I opened the letter and read
My darling Bellame,
I am writing you this letter so that you will know the truth about your heritage. You have probably gone through life wondering who you are and who your parents were. When you were born, your mother and I had to make one of the toughest and most agonizing decisions of our lives. Sending you away was the only way to ensure your safety, even if it meant losing you. It is important you understand that we had no choice.
The truth is, your mother and I fell in love, but our relationship was forbidden. I am the prince of vampires, and your mother is a huntress — the very thing all vampires despise. While I know that she only kills rogues — those who are evil and have turned their backs on all that we stand for — others would not understand.
Bellame, if you are receiving this letter on your sixteenth birthday, that means my greatest fears have come to pass. My brother, Aldric, has won a battle that we have been fighting for several hundred years, and your grandparents and I are no longer around to guide you. My daughter, you are the rightful heir to the throne. You must defeat him.
Unfortunately, I won’t be there to help you, but your mother, Alyiah, comes from a long line of hunters. She is a Jackson and is very powerful. She has no idea where you are, as I hid you myself. You must find her.
Wear this crown. It shows proof of who you are, and of what is meant to be. You, and only you, can save our people now. No matter where I am, I will always be with you. You need only to look into your heart.
It is time to go home to Angel’s Pass, my child. Find your mother. And remember, I will always love you.
Your father,
Alexander Christoph
Crown? What crown? No sooner had the thought crossed my mind when a stunning silver tiara with small breathtaking diamonds embedded in it and a small pearl in the middle, appeared in front of me.
“Why don’t you take a shower and get ready, and we will see how this fits?”
I awkwardly took the crown from my father, unsure how to handle something of such beauty. It had to be worth thousands of dollars. What if I broke it? Or lost it? How could I wear it?
“I think it would be best if we left you to your thoughts for a while,” Mom said, rising from the bed. “When you’re ready, come downstairs. There are so many people waiting to see you.”
“Cassi!”
Mom chuckled, shaking her head. “Marcus, we both know that she was aware of what was going on downstairs the minute she opened her eyes.”
“Dad?”
“Yeah, Princess?”
Holding my arm out to him, the tattoo a vivid reminder of another part of me I was just finding out about, I asked, “Do you know what this means?”
His eyes clouding over for a moment, he replied, “It’s the mark of a huntress.”
I looked down at the letter, and then back to the tattoo. “Jackson.”
“What?”
“The J in it is for Jackson.”
“Alyiah,” he breathed, stepping closer to look at it.
“Yes. According to this, Alyiah Jackson is my mother.”
Cassi gasped, her hand going to her throat, her eyes widening in what I prayed wasn’t horror.
“The prince says I need to find her. That she is very powerful.”
“She comes from a long line of hunters. The Jackson lineage reaches back hundreds of years.”
I raised my eyes from the tattoo and looked into my father’s concerned ones. “Then, it’s a good thing she only hunts rogues.”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, it is.”
“The prince also says that I am the rightful heir to the throne, and it is time for me to reclaim it, with Alyiah’s help.”
My father was silent for a moment. “After the party, I will start preparing.”
“For what?”
“The war that is to come. I will not send you into battle alone.”
“Marcus, no!”
Sliding an arm around Cassi’s waist, he urged her toward the door. “Get ready, Princess. First, we will celebrate, then we prepare to fight.”