by J Haney
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents: either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including mechanical photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing.
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1
“G
et down!” I growl as the sound booms in my sensitive ears again. Shots have been fired, and pandemonium has ensued. I cover my King with my six foot five frame.
“Officer Coreleali!” My King quickly recovers for the disorientation of the sounds of panic around us. “I’m fine, go get Maya.” He orders.
“But my King...”
“Now!” He snarls at me as he covers his wife, the Duchess Dasia. My head spins as I look to the stage. Maya Wasi or Princess Maya Meleke, as I know her, is on the ground. Her cap has fallen off, and she’s wide-eyed. I move through the crowd of nearly fifteen thousand, pushing and slamming people from my path. There it is again, gunshots. Long-range from a rifle somewhere above and behind me. Where the fuck is Oren? He was supposed to be her shadow, her guard no one sees. He should be here. I reach her after tossing another idiot Normal.
“Princess?” I whisper-shout over the screams, my hands reaching to help her stand. “We must hurry, your father-”
“You should be with him!” She shouts just before another shot rings out, and her hand covers her mouth. I scoop her up, and she screams, beating at me. It’s then, I see why. My King, my liege, has the Duchess, but she seems to be carrying him instead.
“Zane-” She struggles, and I see the blood as it pours from between her fingers against my King’s chest. I lead them through the miasma straight for the Suburban just past the church.
“Hurry! He’s fading.” As I get us behind the bulletproof glass and locking the doors, the Duchess cries as I put myself between the women and my King.
“Off-icer-” He tries, his eyes rolling around. He took a hit to the side and the chest. The blood from the side is already turning black. Someone has used rhodium. A metal known to be toxic to Paranormals. We’ve never broadcasted Maya or her father’s presence, so how?
“I got her, she’s here,” I assure him as he reaches out, and Maya grabs her father’s hand.
“Daddy.” Maya cries, pushing past me.
“Cubby, you need to- Ah.” He groans as I start to dig inside the wounds. My nails hooking searching for the deadly bullet pieces. “Princess, I have to do this, we need paramedics.”
My King grabs my wrist. “She is the last- you keep her always.” He insists.
“You’re going to be-”
He digs his massive claws into my arm, and I wince from the burn. “Blood for blood.” He hisses. “It is owed. I call your marker to the oath.”
“I swear.” I swallow the pain and words. A blood oath, life for life. A debt that cannot be passed on.
I watch as he looks at Maya. “I love you.” The light fades from his eyes, and I feel his breath expel. Maya cries as I try to revive him. “My breath is not enough. I need stronger magick.” I look to The Duchess, only to find her slumped over. What the fuck? My eyes adjust to the horror before me. In the screaming, she’d slashed her own throat…
Seconds become minutes and minutes hours. It took four paramedics and me to subdue Maya. Finally, I had to sit on her chest while they sedated her with enough ketamine to level a buffalo.
I’ve spoken to the campus police, the Providence police department detective, and a representative from foreign affairs. Based on the evidence they have so far gathered, the attack was orchestrated by NoN, also known as The Nation of Normalcy. A radical hate group that targets Paranormals and those who align with them. They are boasting on the internet that they have made a blow to the nation and hope others will rise up too. It’s been on a loop for the past half an hour. Maya is lain out on a stretcher as her parents are bagged and tagged. My chest hurts, and my skin is on fire, with both rage and despair. I am beholden to this little girl that would be Queen.
I watch her as she stares glassy-eyed at the closing coroner truck doors. Walking to her, I’m not sure what to say. I mean, today was supposed to be a happy day. She was Valedictorian for fucks sake, graduating with all kinds of honors from Brown University. What’s more, is it’s what these American Normals refer to as Labor day weekend.
We’ve been in their country on and off for the last seventeen years. Maya’s education demanded it. If she were to one day be Queen, she would need to understand the powerhouse countries' customs and traditions. Since we spoke English, America was the land she fell in love with first. Now though, what were we to do? Do we go to the consulate and await orders? Do we demand the body back and portal home, or do we bury them here in a foreign land?
“Princess?” I say softly as I look down at her. She seems so tiny, so helpless.
“Leave me alone, Zane.” She crosses her arms looking away from me. “I have nothing to s-say to you.” She slurs slightly, but if the attitude is any indicator, the ketamine is already wearing off.
Leave her alone? Ha! I couldn’t if I wanted to. I hold up my shredded arm. “This mark binds me to you. I am to be your protector, your guide, and the council. Blood to blood.” I say with resolve. “I will not dishonor myself or my King.”
She starts to get up. “Then how about you do it at a distance.” She wobbles, and I hear the breath as she sighs, and I catch her before she drops. Her little body falls against me, and I tuck her into my arm to hail a taxi. Our Suburban was confiscated as evidence seeing as, apparently, the shooter followed us with a spray I never even heard.
2
M y home. My sanctuary. Well, at least in this world. The drugs that I was given have mostly worn off at this point good thing I’m a Vēsṭigara, or I’d still be asleep. My parents are both dead. Daddy was murdered, and mom killed herself. I’ve never known a love like they had. She couldn’t stand to live without him even if that meant leaving me alone.
I’m attempting to slam my door in Zane’s face. He catches it. “You need to leave. Watch me sure but at a distance!”
His blue eyes glow with the power of his tiger, and I can’t help but wonder if mine will ever do that. I’m twenty-two, but my powers have not been triggered… Yet. There are only three ways to naturally trigger a paranormal event. Great love, great pain, and death. We all get one freebie. Sadly, my parents had theirs many suns ago. Now they are gone, and I am all alone. Well, except for this fleabag that won’t let me be. “I’ll be right outside.” He lets his hand slip from the door face.
“Feel free to run along home. I’m not going to need you.” I walk away from the door, leaving him to shut it.
I need to call my family. Looking down at myself, I see all the blood. My parents. Once I shred my clothes, I step into the scalding water just as a sob bubbles up out of me. I have to lean against the wall as I slide down in my tub to keep from falling out. I have a sliding table that holds candles and usually a glass of wine or bottle whichever I’m killing for the night that I knock into. I toss the candle, and it breaks against the wall glass going everywhere. Next, I throw the table.
Why did they both have to leave me? I don’t know enough. Fuck, I don’t know anything! I’m not ready to take over. Hell, I’m not ready to
be alone. A growl erupts out of me before I settle into the water and let the tears fall.
I wake sometime later to a knock at my door. Shutting the water off, I climb from the tub. I wrap a towel around me and miss the glass as I pad through my house. Opening the door, I see Zane’s back.
“What the hell, Zane? Go away.” I shove his back, and he snarls at me. It’s then I see his claws. Past the brick wall that he is, I see Oren Assante, a classmate. He’s dirty and looks distraught. “Zane, you stop right now. Oren is a friend.” I push my way through him and into Oren’s arms. “What happened to you?”
“I- shots were fired, I hit the deck, I didn’t know what to do.” He stutters through, pulling me into him. “I’m so happy you’re okay.”
“Get off it.” Zane hisses. “You went fucking AWOL. You should have been here. This is your fucking fault.” He lunges for Oren but halts when I step in the way.
“Zane, you need to go home!” I shout before pushing him to the side and letting Oren in. Turning back, I start shutting the door only to have it halted by the monster again.
“Ask him why he’s your friend? Ask him why my appearance doesn’t startle him.” I see that his face has begun to contort, his pupils waning crescents, and his teeth have elongated in his fury.
“Fucking really? Stop it, Zane! Stop this, please. I can’t take anymore today.” I beg of him, and I don’t beg of anyone.
Oren’s firm grip lessens on my arm. “No. Maya, he’s right. I’ve been less than truthful.”
I turn facing Oren and jerk out of his grip, falling into Zane. “What are you talking about? What’s going on?”
I feel Zane’s hand grip my hip, the other steadies me against him. “The King, your father hired him to shadow you. To be your friend and keep an unassuming eye on you.” Zane says plainly.
I pull away from Zane too. “You were watching me? How could you? What gives you the right to pretend to be my friend?” I shove Oren before turning on Zane and push him. “You could have said something. I’ve seen you lurking about.” I shake my head. “Get out, both of you-just go.”
“Maya, please.” Oren pleads. “I care about you. I don’t pretend with my feelings.”
I hear Zane scoff, just as his massive hand grabs Oren by the seat of his pants. “Alley Oop.” He chuckles, tossing Oren outside and slamming the door. He, on the other hand, is still very much inside my house.
“You need to go too. The last thing I want to see is the reason daddy is dead.” I spit.
I watch as the severity of his impending turn ebbs. His claws recede, his twisted scowl settles back into a slack-jawed frown. “Princess, I am sorry. I was ordered to see to you because Oren was missing. It’s no excuse, merely an explanation. I am so very sorry. I have no choice, however, but to stay at your side. Wanted or no.” He grasps the claw marks my daddy left him with. Typically we heal what the hell? He watches me as I do him. “A blood to blood oath cannot be broken.”
“So, I’m just stuck seeing you day in and day out? How is that fair? There has to be someone else you can protect for it not to be broken. My Grandpa or Auntie. Something, anything?”
“It is you, he bade me promise for you. I will try and stay out of your way unless I must step in the way.” He bows his head and reaches for the doorknob. I’ll be just outside if you need anything.” With that, he opens the door and steps back outside.
I’m stuck seeing the reason why I have no parents now, for the rest of my life unless he dies… No, I’d never forgive myself for doing that. He’s also always been around and has never aged. What’s that about? It doesn’t matter now. I need to dress and call Grandpa.
3
D on’t forget to put the cat out for the night. I swear that’s just what this feels like. I’ve been put outside, so I don’t claw the furniture while she sleeps in a nice soft bed. That is the life, though. The life of an Aeternan Royal Guard. I have been in the Meleke family's service since my father died, leaving my mother penniless. With three other mouths to feed, it was to see her wind up in service or me. I fetched a better price. By passing me off to the Royal family, my mother was able to keep my siblings together. Well, until the war. We had a little civil thing a while back. As I understand, my brothers Luda and Guarn did not survive. However, my sister Lucretia married a Normal and is now in Tibet, with no children to speak of, but that sometimes happens. I didn’t mind servitude. I worked hard and bought my freedom just ten years after my sale and three days shy of my twentieth birthday. With my mother in a fragile mental state, I really had nowhere to go, so I’ve been here ever since. I’ve watched the Princess grow and become the spoiled little brat that she is. I had high hopes that education would have evened her out, but sadly Americanization may just have spoilt her completely.
This is rather unfortunate as she is quite beautiful and beyond intelligent. One might go as far as to say I love her, but she will never see me as anything other than a doormat. A lowly soldier. It doesn’t matter that I’ve lead the streak successfully for longer than she has drawn breath. She doesn’t care enough to learn anything about me. Never has, never will. I pull my bloodied jacket up to my chest as I lay in the crook of her front door. Ironically directly on her welcome mat. She won’t let me in, and I have nowhere else to go, and even if I did, I have no money to get there. What little I had on hand was used to pay for our taxi here. Everything I own, which doesn’t amount to very much truth be told, is in the consulate house where my King and the Duchess resided. Because this is being seen as an assassination, everything directly connected to them is frozen. I sure hope Princess Maya has a little American money stashed away for a rainy day because we’ve just been hit by a monsoon.
I don’t sleep well, not when I am not familiar with my surroundings. I’ve lain here and listened to the crickets chirp and an owl hoot. Watched an opossum and a raccoon fight over an apple core and thought about just eating the loser for the growl in my own belly. Boy, do I wish I had a Snickers or something. I hear her voice, and she sounds distressed, which is understandable. I lean into the door a bit more to hear the conversation better.
“Grandpa, I’m sorry to be calling so earlier and waking you.” Maya sniffs. “Daddy was murdered, and mom killed herself. I don’t know what to do.” Maya shuffles. “No, I’m not okay. I don’t know how I’m ever going to be okay.” I can hear her moving around again. “I’m not ready to be Queen. I know nothing about it. Daddy told me when I was ready. Obviously, I’m not ready. I had more schooling.” She scoffs. “What do you mean, no more schooling?” Another sigh, “Why do you want to know about Zane? He's the reason Daddy is dead. He should have been with him. I don’t know, I told him to go home.” There’s more arguing before they hang up. A lot about me. A lot about her not wanting to be Queen.
***
“Ouch! Shit! Fucker!” I snarl as I’m stepped and tripped over. I finally crashed and didn’t hear the door as it swung open, landing me prone on the hardwood just inside the Princess’ little house. She stomps my hand and clips my nuts. “Son-of-a-bitch!” My snarl becomes a pathetic whine.
"What the hell are you doing down there?" Princess Maya asks, pushing off the banister she fell into after tripping over me.
“How else do you expect-” I pause, standing and brushing off. “Me to keep tabs on you?” I look her over, black on black, leggings, a smock tee with leather. Lots of it. Jacket, stiletto knee-high boots, and a ton of jewelry. Has she had her crown jewels modified? In her hand is a fucking motorcycle helmet. “What the fuck is that?” I point at the said helmet.
“A unicorn?” She sasses. “I told you to go home.”
“I am, this stoop is home. If it is where you are. I had a bed at the consulate that I cannot go back to. Not without you.” I look directly at her. There is no shame in a dose of truth.
“You’re not going to leave me alone, are you? Why didn’t you go back to Aeterna?” She runs a hand through her hair looking around. “This is only a one-bedroom, I-fuck!
” Maya holds her hand out for me to go inside. “You need a shower.”
“No sense in it. I have nothing to put on.” I pull on my jacket. It will at least cover the bloodstains.
“You are not holding on to me looking like that!” She holds up her perfectly manicured hand.
“Why would I-” I stop realizing she thinks I’m getting on the back of whatever little scooter she thinks she drives. I laugh outright. “There is no protecting you on a bike. Now, you need to go inside and call us a taxi or similar. Your parents are dead, you must appear at the consulate.” I look her up and down once more. “I would suggest a little less leather, you should be in mourning, and yet you do not wear a veil.”
“This is not Aeterna. Things are done differently here. I’m in mourning. Just come in, will ya before my neighbors notice and call the police. I’m not a Princess here, just Maya.”
I shake my head. This will not do. She must understand that it was this lax attitude that most likely lead to her parent’s assassination. If there had been more security, more precautions made, then maybe I wouldn’t have had to lose them too.
4
Z ane Coreleali is sitting in my kitchen because he wasn’t sitting on my couch looking and smelling the way he is. Looking him over, I feel bad that he slept outside my door all night, and daddy would be so disappointed in me.
“The counter is automated. Tell it what kind of car you want to be ordered, and it will be here in twenty minutes. Maybe order some clothes so you can shower and clean up.”
“I don’t have any money.” He deadpans, pushing back from the counter. “I have a few Atnas, but they don’t have that here as approved currency.”
Atnas are our lands equivalent to a fifty dollar bill. They are also the paper money that carries my face.
“Use what I have saved. I had monies changed over since I’m mostly here. There’s enough and more to do what needs doing. I’ll figure out what we need to do about everything else.”