“There’s a lot that’s happened, and a lot that is still happening. You knowing everything all at once could put you in danger. Our sole priority is your safety, so yes, we can’t tell you everything, plus my father quite literally bound us from discussing some things until he’s spoken to you himself. We’re here mainly to make sure you’re okay, but secondly, to get a few things out in the open. Like the fact that you’re an original.” I nearly choke on my coffee at the ease the words slip from his mouth. The secret I’ve worked so hard to keep hidden; that people died to keep, to keep me safe.
“There’s no point in denying it. We’ve been in this world longer than you, and we know things. Things which confirm what you are. Except, what you probably don’t know is that Ethan, Gus, and Aurora are all from original family lines too. Ethan less so. His mother was a third generation, and Gus and Aurora are only half bloods; none of them are as strong as you are, or as… gifted. What we don’t know is who you really are.” He looks at me expectantly as if he didn’t just drop bombs like it was nothing. I start to speak but close my mouth again when I can’t think of anything to say. What can I say? I’ve been so careful, but they say my truth like it’s nothing. Like I’m not in danger of being murdered just for existing. Panic grips me, and I stand.
“Eden,” Creed says softly and stands also. “You’re safe with us. We’d never betray you. We want to keep you safe more than anything.” He approaches me like I’m a wild animal, and it’s then I notice my erratic breathing and my elongated fangs. My heart is beating out of my chest and the urge to flee is overwhelming.
“Gus, maybe you should back up. Give her some space. Look at her eyes.” Kane says gently, remaining seated and low. I feel his power reach out to me, and the calming effect he projects wraps around me, bringing me back to myself slowly. I feel my power pull back and then fall to my knees and a sob wracks my body. So many people died to keep my secret, to keep me safe, and it was all for nothing.
“You’re okay, little one.” Cam approaches and picks me up, wrapping me in his arms before sitting with me on his lap, while Kane and Creed watch us closely. “I know this is a lot, but we wanted you to be prepared. A lot is happening all at once, and you’re caught smack bang in the middle of it all, whether you wanted to be or not. But you have us. Each and every single one of us is here for you.” He rubs my back to soothe me, and I can’t help but feel safe with him.
“My parents were Ford and Lilah Astor.” I whisper, like my words will betray everything they did to make sure I stayed alive. The collective gasps from the room don’t surprise me.
“Your parents… Fucking hell, Eden. You’re basically Vampire royalty!” Kane says, standing while Creed just stares at me like I grew a second head. “Wait, that means… Dante was your uncle?” I nod, unable to look him in the eye.
“Eden… Our parents were friends, closer than that. Your brother, he was, shit, he was one of our best friends as kids. Wait. Your name, it’s not Eden. Jake’s little sister was Evie. You changed your name?” Creed says, the shock still audible in his words.
“Dannika changed my name when she took legal custody of me. She was my mother’s best friend. I was so young when it happened. No one questioned it because we moved away and I was meant to be dead. Massacred right along with family.” I spit the words out, because it was no accident that took my family. “Eden is my name now. It would be weird to be called anything else.”
“I am so sorry, Eden. My father was close with your family. I already told you about Lana.”
“You told her about Lana?” Cam gasps and Kane nods.
“We’re getting a little off track, but yes, I told her. We need to discuss what we can for now. I know Ethan told you about his little side job by now, but you should know he’s decided he wants nothing to do with any of this. Any of us. We don’t know where his loyalties lie, because we don’t know what The Council have on his father. While he hasn’t revealed your secret—which he worked out on your birthday—we don’t know what he’ll do from here.
“What I can tell you is that my father questioned the other guy who attacked Aurora and found out he was part of a radical faction; one who originally started the uprising. They were attacking people who were suspected to be originals, or sympathizers to the original families. There are still more of them on campus, but for now we don’t know who they are, so we need you to stay alert.” I nod at him, glad they trust me to look after myself rather than babysit me.
“One of us will be around, but we can’t always be here,” Creed adds on and I roll my eyes. “But considering who you are, it’s likely you’re the strongest of us all anyway.”
Kane looks at him funnily but says nothing. I bounce my gaze between the two of them, waiting for them to keep going, but apparently their conversation is a silent one.
“You guys going to explain what that look was about?” I ask, standing again rather than sitting with Cam.
“If I could I would.” Kane shrugs. “My father does not mess around with his binding spells.”
“Is there anything else you can tell me?” I ask, trying to read the truth from each of them.
“Not until you speak to Lucius later today.” Creed says unhappily.
“Does he know who I am?” I ask quietly, my fear spiking again.
“I doubt it,” Kane tells me. “He knows what you are, so does the Minister. But neither of them are a threat to you currently.”
I take a deep breath and bend over as I exhale. My entire life I’ve been running from the truth, for nothing. I knew I should never have come here. This is what I get for wanting just a little bit of normal.
“I think you should all go,” I say, almost breathless. “I need to be alone for a bit. Please.” I can’t turn to look at them. It’s like acknowledging that my parents’ sacrifices, Dannika’s sacrifices, were for nothing.
“Eden,” Creed starts, but I shake my head. I can’t hear his words right now.
“Please, Creed. Don’t ask me to process all of this with you all here.” I plead, hearing him suck in a breath.
“We just want to make sure you’re okay,” Cam says softly.
“I’ll be fine. I just need to process. This is all just a lot. I hate being such a whiny shit, so please don’t make me beg.” I hear them stand and their footsteps move away from me. The whisper of the door opening and then closing behind them leaving me in silence.
The silence never felt so loud as it does now. But one thing I know for sure. I’m not safe here anymore, and I need to leave.
Chapter Three
Eden
I swear so much has happened these last few weeks that my brain is just a fog. Yet, there’s still so much I don’t know, and considering that everything seems to just keep happening to me while I wander around unknowingly, I’m determined that I won’t stay in the dark. Which is exactly why I’m awake at the ass crack of dawn and heading to Laney’s office. It’s the weekend, so no one’s getting up to head to class or whatever, and the halls are eerily quiet, making my footsteps echo off the walls. I make my way down the staff corridor off the main entrance hall and climb the steps up to Laney’s office.
As I reach up to knock on the door, it opens and I find Laney sat behind her desk as if she was waiting for me.
“I had a feeling you’d be here at this sort of time. Dannika was never one for wasting the day,” she says with a small smile, bringing her steaming mug to her lips, sighing as she takes a sip. “Tea?” She asks and I shake my head.
“No, thank you. I’m more of a coffee girl.” I smile while standing awkwardly between her desk and the door.
“Come on in, girl. You’re making me anxious just watching you. Take a seat,” she waves to the sofa opposite the big windows in her office and I sit. She quickly follows. “I know you have questions, but how about I explain a few things, and then you can ask any others you have after?”
“Yes, okay.” I say eagerly.
“I met Dannika, and your mo
ther, right here in this school.”
“Wait, you knew my mom?” I ask and she squints her eyes at me. “No questions, fine.” I huff and cross my arms, waiting for her to continue.
“Those two were inseparable their first few years here. It was almost unheard of for originals to be so close with normal Vampires but the academy has always promoted the mixing of us all. They were in the same house, rooms on the same corridor. It’s actually how we met. I was their House mistress, and we were remarkably close. We remained close until Lilah met Ford, and Dannika met Rick, Ford’s childhood best friend. Originals who weren’t exactly fans of the Fae, or authority. The girls didn’t mean to shut me out, but teenagers in love get wrapped up in it, and I was after all just a teacher and confidante.
It wasn’t hard to see that Ford and Lilah were destined to be mated. When she moved, he followed, like the pull of a magnet. Theirs was a love for the ages; you could see it in everything they did. Obviously as they got older, your parents both had responsibilities that came with being an original, and then there was the unfortunate business between Rick and a Fae Elder, which looking back at it, may just have been the spark that lit the fuse of the Uprising.
“I’m getting off track. Once the descent started between the races and things were getting tense, Dannika, to my surprise reached out to me. She told me about you and your brother and asked for my help to keep you both safe should the worst happen. I agreed of course, and our friendship restarted from there. There’s so much that happened between then and now, but after the death of your family, Dannika reached out to me and told me that she had you, and asked me to help fake your death, and to help disguise you from those who wished you harm. And so I worked a charm on you, to disguise you from anyone who wished you true harm or could be a threat to you. They wouldn’t see you as you truly look, the resemblance to your mother is uncanny, and then I took your memory of it to keep you safe.
“I helped Dannika file the necessary paperwork, so that it would appear to anyone who checked that you are, in fact, her daughter. Then over the years, I kept tabs on you to strengthen the charm, that is until Dannika’s death. I tried to find out what had happened to you, to bring you here early, but The Council had already stepped in, and I didn’t want to raise questions by meddling. After all, what would a Fae headteacher want with a random Vampire girl when there are many who are in the system? And so, I kept my distance, trying to keep tabs on you as discreetly as I could, and made sure that you were invited to this academy. I had no idea that Dannika had kept our friendship a secret. I just assumed that you were trying to keep your head down rather than looking like a favorite of the headteacher and raising any more questions; especially after being put into the Dragon house. I had a feeling it’s where you’d end up. It’s where your father was, and he was one of the smartest and strongest Vampires I’ve ever had the fortune to meet.”
“Wow.” I get out, not really knowing what else to say. I’ve never even heard of Rick. I always thought Dante was my dad’s best friend. I had so many questions when I came here, but now, now I don’t know what to say.
“So you see. I really have been trying to help you as much as I can. Now that Lucius knows who and what you are, we’ll have another ally, along with the Minister and his family, but, Eden, you can’t trust any of them, not fully. Our new world is balanced so precariously, it could implode at any minute, and you, being who you are, could be in serious danger should that happen.”
“Lucius is Kane’s dad, right? He’s coming to speak to me later. What is that all about?”
“Yes, that’s right. Lucius is a powerful man, and a powerful ally, but his agenda is unknown at this point. My kind are the keepers of our histories you see, and there are many who believe in the prophecies of old, spoken by the last of the oracles. The last prophecy spoke by the last oracle is thought to have been so powerful it killed her. She spoke of one who was Chosen, surrounded by those of each of our kinds, bonded together, being the one who would bring death to walk upon the world. The Chosen one was thought to be the most powerful of their race, with powers lost to the ages, and not just of their race. The Chosen one is thought to be able to access the magic of all of the races. After this, the Fae Elders designed the trials, an extensive and deadly set of trials…” She’s interrupted by her office door swinging open and Lucius entering the room, with Kane just behind him.
“Ladies. I assume we’re not too late to this party?” He says with a smile, then making a show of sitting in the wingback chair opposite me, while Kane perches on the arm of the sofa behind me.
“Not at all. We’ve just been catching up on everything that’s been happening.” Laney tells him. “Would you like some tea, Lucius? Kane?” She asks as she gets up and makes her way to the cart by her desk.
“That would be lovely, thank you, Laney. It’s amazingly early in the day and we have much to discuss.” Lucius replies before turning to me. “I understand you’ve spoken some to my son about the events of the last few weeks already?”
I nod and he pinches the bridge of his nose. “I can only apologize for your unfortunate detainment, Eden. Had I been brought in earlier, maybe you wouldn’t have been confined for as long as you were, but the truth of it is out there now and we are questioning our sources within the academy to discover who else could potentially be linked to this radical group. However, I want to speak to you about something else altogether.” He takes the teacup that Laney offers him, and I feel Kane squeeze my shoulder in support which makes me feel nervous.
“I don’t understand?” I look between him, Kane, and Laney who look slightly uncomfortable, but Lucius smiles.
“I know that you have an idea of our prophecies. I’ve no doubt that the boys, and your headmistress here have made you as aware as they could.”
“Yes, though I still have no idea why this is relevant to what has been happening.”
“It is my firm belief, Eden, after everything I have heard about what happened, and about your growing skills, that you are the one spoken about in the last prophecy.” I can’t help but laugh, but I’m met with silence. He looks at me with disapproval, and I realize he’s being serious. Oh, fuck me.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I think you’ve got the wrong girl. From what I understand, this person is the strongest of their kind, but the prophecy doesn’t speak of which species. Considering the cull of mine, I doubt that it could be me. It could be anyone, right?”
“Yes, it could be. And while the oracle did not speak of the species, signs have shown us since then that it would be a Vampire. It is one of the reasons the Fae Elders tried to help as many original families as we could in the shadows during the Uprising.”
“Well, you obviously did a stupendous job, well done.” I can’t contain my snark. Tried their hardest, my ass.
“I understand your hesitation, Eden. I know you lost people during that awful time. I lost some of my closest and dearest friends, your uncle being one of them. Please know I tried to get to him, but I got the information that your family were being hunted too late. As I’m sure you’re aware, because of your father’s considerable power and strength, he was targeted first.”
I swallow the lump in my throat at his words. My memories from then are faded. I was so young that not much makes sense anymore.
“I didn’t know,” I croak.
“I wouldn’t have expected you to. Dante was your father’s older brother and was my best friend for a very long time, despite your family’s opinion of it all. Regardless, everything that happened was a heinous tragedy, and I am more ashamed of the actions of my kin than I could ever put into words. We saved many, but nowhere near enough.”
“You mean there are more originals? I thought I was alone until Creed…”
“There are, though most of them now live in remote areas where they can keep to themselves until such a time it is safe for them to return.” He gives me a small smile. “But we’re getting off topic. Though I don’t begrudge your quest
ions, there is much more at stake here. The Minister believes that Aurora could be the girl the prophecy speaks of. I have spoken to the Elders, and we believe you should both take part in the trials. Aurora will turn eighteen in a few months, which gives you both plenty of time to prepare for them.”
“Why do I feel like I’m missing something?” I look between them all and Kane grimaces.
“Because you are,” he says softly.
“What Lucius has failed to tell you, Eden, is that you must enter the trials willingly, but if you enter and you are not the one, certain death awaits you there. Once upon a time, challengers entered the trial as a way of bringing honor to their families. The greatest of each species took part once every five years, until hope was lost that the Chosen one would be found. It has been many decades since the last trials, created by the original Elders.”
“You want to send me to my death?” I squeak, turning back to Lucius.
“Not at all. As I said, based on everything I’ve been told, I truly believe that you are the one, Eden, but obviously it is your choice to enter the trials. It will bring sight to our kind of who and what you are, and there are many who will be very unhappy. The prophecy was one of the fuels of the Uprising fire. The other species felt that the Vampires already welded too much power considering they are not from earth magic as the rest of us are, but rather blood magic. That being said, when you emerge as successful from the trials, you will be almost unstoppable.” He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a letter, crumpled and yellowed with age.
“This is for you. I found it in Ford’s office when I came to the house to try to stop what I had already missed. It’s still sealed, but it was for you. There was nothing else of worth, except for this.” He hands me the letter and a photo of my family. It must’ve been taken just weeks before they were killed. “I didn’t know if you survived, but I just had this instinct that I should keep hold of these things, and now I’m glad I did.” I take them from him and feel the tears welling in my eyes. “I think that letter might have some answers for you, but if not, it might at least bring you some comfort. Come and find me when you’re ready.” He says as he stands and rebuttons his suit jacket.
Chosen: A Paranormal Romance Academy Series (Black Water Academy Book 2) Page 2