My Rock Forever

by Carmalisa Ford

  “I really do not know for sure, Jay, but whatever is wrong with her it is terrifying,” my cousin Sara said. Picking Shana up, we ran to the car. On the way to the hospital, I dug her phone out of her purse, calling her brother. He answered on the first ring.

  I told him we are on our way to the hospital after Shana passed out from pain; she has not responded yet. We made it to the hospital in time to meet her family. Upon further tests, the doctor said there was nothing wrong with her. On the outside, no sign of physical trauma. Nick went over to talk to the doctor while we talked together. I overhear bits of the conversation.

  Nick said, “That her past doctor had diagnosed Shana with a nerve disease. Her immune system is eating away at her own body. There is nothing that can cure it, all we can do is give her pain medication to help ease her pain. Something had to trigger it for it to be this bad.

  When Dean came into the room, he was followed by Damon and Raina. They had overheard what the doctor and Nick were, discussing. Dean asked the doctor, “what triggered her episode?”

  “Any stress would cause it,” said the doctor.

  The answers we needed were staring us in the face: Rania had a fresh mark on her neck. I can feel my beast as he stirred inside of me. His anger rolled off him in waves. The power and aura were sharper than he ever felt before. I did not fathom why my beast took such a liking to her. With his eyes black as midnight, Jay roared, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. “Get out now. Why did you not reject her? Knowing you planned on marking and mating another woman.”

  Damon peered over at Shana with several emotions: hurt, love, fear, anger, and confusion swimming around his eyes. Meanwhile, Rania is standing looking content and smug like she won the prize.

  When he saw Jay trembling with anger Shana’s brother Nick warned “Damon, you need to leave right now before Jay snaps your neck.”

  “How do you even know I caused her to be lying in this bed right now?”

  Leaning his head down to the shoulder of his girlfriend, he kissed her neck. Ignoring the fact that his best friend and mate laid upon the hospital bed on the other side of the room.

  Soon Shana’s grandmother Charlotte made her way into the room, seeing her only granddaughter in the hospital bed pale and non-responsive tugged at her heart. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she leaned over. Pushing the hair out of the face of Shana. Turning around, Charlotte frowned at Damon and Raina, she points at both.

  “Leave Now! You are no longer welcome here. Never show up around Shana again. You have hurt her for the last time.”

  Damon trembled with rage, “Shana is my mate I am not going to leave her,” he said.

  “If she honestly were your best friend and mate, you would have thought about her. But all you thought about was getting your rocks off with that devil worshiping mongrel beside you. I will not tell you again, GET OUT!” shouted the queen.

  Summoning the private bodyguards of her granddaughter she said “Escort these two out of the hospital and off our land. If they even attempt coming back on our territory. Shoot them on sight.”

  They say Charlotte is known to be the sympathetic queen. For her to give the type of punishment she gave them everybody in that room knew how furious her majesty was. The queen raised Raina as her own child and gave her everything she had ever wanted. It was her way of filling a void in her heart and her life without her granddaughter.

  Where once love sat for Raina now hate formed for her. Who can blame her? The person she helped and loved over the years took something that belonged to her own granddaughter.

  While everybody was trying to get Damon and Raina out the door. Another doctor walked in to check Shana’s vitals and asked who her legal guardian was?

  “Sir, that would be me since our parents are in another country, my name is Nick, and I am her adopted brother. You can discuss anything you need to know about her condition in front of them. These are her biological grandparents. There are no secrets about my sister.”

  The doctor had said that upon further testing and blood work, they had found trace amounts of toxins in her system. Someone did this to Shana on purpose. The poison used was odorless and tasteless. Nobody would know they injected the poison until it was too late. And informed us that it was a good thing she was brought in quickly, or the hospital would never have been able to save her.

  Hearing those words, everyone got quiet. All with their own ideas and speculations as to who poisoned Shana? Nick sent Jay a glance. The pair turned to glare at Raina and Damon. I tell you! If looks could kill, then those two would have been dead by now.

  The king summoned four of his most trusted soldiers, informing them to take both Damon and Raina to the castle dungeon for further investigation. Kicking and screaming, the soldiers pulled them out of the room by their necks.

  Pulling a chair over to the bed. I sat down and clutched the pale cold lifeless hand of Shana in mine. So deep and troubled were my thoughts, I never dreamed that I would end up sitting next to Shana like this.

  Why would they poison such a sweet girl? She has already been through so much in her brief life.

  “Your majesty, why did you not make that idiot Damon reject her? Once he chose someone else instead of her. Does she not deserve to be happy, and be with someone, who will care for her and love her?”

  “Surely Damon, does not think you will continue to let him have her when he chose someone else over here? It is possible knowing that Shana is your granddaughter and your heir to the throne. He thinks if he keeps her as his mate while being with Raina, then when it comes time for her to get the crown, he can rule with her and take over the throne. Ultimately, making Raina queen should Shana die.”

  The queen spoke up asking Nick if he had seen or heard anything strange going on lately around the palace. Or even hearing people mention Shana’s name in snide comments. Since the two were inseparable, he would know.

  Sitting here watching, over Shana lying asleep in her hospital bed; I thank whatever god or goddess brought this bright star into my life. It has only been a few days since she first stepped foot into it. But it hurts seeing her like this, not being able to hear her soft and sweet voice. Or see her gorgeous smile as she laughs at whatever corny jokes come out of my mouth.

  “How do you plan to protect Shana, and keep this from happening again your majesty? Unless you put some personal guards, servants, and food tasters around the palace. To make sure she does not get poisoned again. Maybe even find a powerful witch who will break the bond between her and Damon.”

  The doctor came back in to talk with the king and queen about the condition of their granddaughter. We are lucky that her doctor is one of us, so he knows about our kind and what to expect. And can treat her accordingly and hide her information from prying eyes.

  He told the king that her wolf was not present, but her DNA is a mixture of some other foreign DNA.

  “Dean is it possible? With her being your granddaughter, she has some Vampire DNA running in her veins. We know she is not a full vamp. But having just a trace would let us find it in her system?” Asked Charlotte.

  It is common knowledge that a child gets part of her DNA passed down from each parent when they are created in the womb.

  “How long will she be out like this?” I asked the doctor.

  He said they had to place Shana in a medically induced coma. Until her body could fight off the poison.

  Chapter 9 The Old Reign Returns

  When the king and queen returned to the castle; the king headed into his office to make a few calls to some of his oldest coven members. His answer he got was not what he was looking for. He found out that only one person could help him with his granddaughter and her current situation.

  That one person who could help him was the man he had not spoken to for centuries. Ever since his daughter pulled her stunt, giving up her only child. Dean’s father was that man.

  The one whom he has to grovel to for help with his granddaughter. Let’s get t
he call over with Dean. You really will not know for sure if he will help or not if you don’t call him and ask. I told myself. Picking up the phone, I dialed the number anxiously, waiting for my father to answer the phone. A few minutes later, a voice from the past comes over the speaker.

  “Hello, who is this?”

  “Dad, it’s me.”

  “Dean, what a surprise. Why the phone call after all these years?”

  “Dad, we found her; we found Shana; we brought her home, but something is wrong with her. Somebody poisoned her, and the doctors put her into a medically induced coma.”

  “So, what’s the problem then? The doctor already gave her what she needed to fight it, right?”

  “Yes, but that’s not the problem, dad. She doesn’t have a wolf; the doctor thinks she may be human with vamp DNA, but we don’t know how much or even how to find out. That’s why I called you.”

  “Since it’s for my great-granddaughter, then yes, I will be there to help her, but her mother better not show up anywhere near her. I can’t guarantee I won’t rip that woman’s head off her damn shoulders just for the pure fun of it.”

  “Thanks dad, I’ll have the maids clear out your old room.”

  After hanging up with my father, I pushed the intercom. And told one servant to get the 2nd floor ready for the return of the former king and queen. I went searching for my wife to find her sitting in the living room looking over some pictures.

  “Charlotte, my parents are on the way my dad said he would help us find out what happened to Shana and what she actually is.”

  “What are you looking at?”

  “Nick brought some of Shana’s pictures from her childhood. Dean, look at this picture. Do you see her eyes and the aura surrounding her? You don’t think she could be the reincarnation of Victoria? She is, after- all, the only one in your family to have ever possessed blood orange eyes.”

  It tore my heart looking at my wife as tears flowed down her cheeks like this. I can’t wait for Shana to wake up and come back. The place is too quiet here without her, and Nick’s consistent bickering and pranks being pulled on people. The Kitchen staff is preparing all my father’s favorite foods for dinner and dessert; hopefully, dinner goes by smoothly, with no trouble or mishaps. Commotion at the front door informs me my mother is about to enter.

  “Dean Jacob Emerson, how in the hell did you let my Great Grandchild get poisoned under your watch? In your house with all these damn guards and servants? Who you say is highly trained and the best at their job? She hasn’t been home for more than a few days, and she is already in the hospital fighting for her life, you idiot. If she doesn’t pull through, your wife will become a widow at a very young age. You nitwit,” my mother yells.

  “I notice Raina and her little friend aren’t around now. Where are they?

  “Mom, they are in the cells below the castle being held for investigation.”

  “For what reason?” my dad asked.

  I really don’t want to tell him Raina and her boyfriend are the ones who poisoned Shana. My dad and mom already hated that Raina got raised as a family member when his own grandchild couldn’t be here. Mom always told my wife that Raina was dangerous, but we never put much stock into it. I can already hear I told you so! About to burst out my mother’s lips.

  “Dad, they poison Shana; Are you Fucking Kidding Me! you should never have let that cunning bitch in this house after Shana came home. You knew that was asking for trouble,” my dad shouts.

  As he finished yelling and shaking my entire castle, my phone rang. It’s Nick called to let us know Shana is awake. Finally, he says something that doesn’t seem right, though. With the sharp hearing of an Original Vampire, my father heard Nick’s words. He was itching to forget dinner and head straight to the hospital. So, he can finally see his granddaughter. With dinner all but forgotten, we make our way to the hospital to see Shana. Now that she was awake almost a month without her was harsh on everyone, mainly her brother. Nick and Jay stayed by her side the whole month, never leaving the hospital.

  As we entered the hospital room, Shana was sitting up in her bed as if nothing happened to her. She looked so lovable with her little nose all scrunched up.

  “Man, you two need to go somewhere to find a hose or a shower. You smell like you haven’t had a bath for months, that’s foul. Nick, were you born as a pig or an Ogre who doesn’t take baths now? Wait till I call and tell Callie you went and forgot how to bathe yourself.”

  Jay sat there laughing his ass off the entire time. While Nick glared at him. “I don’t know why you are laughing, Jay; you smell just as bad. Haven’t you guys taught growing up that a woman loves a man who smells good?”

  Nick and Jay glanced at each other and smirked. Opening their arms wide, they lean in trying to hug Shana.

  “Oh, No the hell you don’t, Nick, Jay! Come on this, is not right you, guys.”

  Just as they went to hug Shana, she lifts both her legs up and nails them both in the family jewels. They dropped to the floor really quick, even I had to clutch myself and wince that looked like it hurt. My dad was leaning up against the wall, laughing so hard. His face was so red I thought he was going to choke himself.

  I jerked my head up at the sound of strange voices coming through the door. As my grandparents came in with two strangers. Their resemblance to my grandfather was strong. The man who had been laughing at my brother and Jay moved over to my bed. Leaning down he gave me a hug, causing me to move back against the wall.

  “I guess you never heard of personal space?”

  Listening to the uproar going on between my granddaughter and her friends, I couldn’t help but laugh. The girl reminded me of my sister and my wife when they were younger. I looked at my wife and smiled.

  “Well, we know where you get your mouth and that sense of humor from.” From the look on my wife's face, I knew I was in the doghouse.

  “Shana, these are my parents, your great grandparents. They came to see you after we told them you were finally back home.”

  She looks around the room,” where’s Damon? I thought he would at least be here. I mean, he does claim to be my best friend and all, but it has revealed his true colors.” I look around as the men in the room all rub the back of their necks, hiding something.

  “what happened, and why am I even here?”

  “What do you remember that happened before your blackout?” my grandfather asked me.

  Chapter 10 – The Chase Begins

  The last thing I remember is being at the beach with Jay and his friends for a cookout and the pain shot through me.

  “Shana, Raina, and Damon poisoned you.”

  After hearing that from my grandmothers, I was speechless. How can somebody I believed was a friend and knew since childhood do something like that to me? “We are working on finding out the reason behind the poison. We also know that he is your mate too. Since he marked Raina, it caused your body to have a cruel reaction to it. We are trying to find someone that can help break the mate bond between the two of you. Damon will not do it on his own. He wants to keep you as his mate, to gain access to the throne.”

  “Grandma, is there another way I can get rid of the bond quicker than waiting for them to find someone to break it for us? You can always reject him yourself when your body is sound enough mentally and physically. We can ask the doctor first to make sure you are fine before we do this.”

  The doctor came in to check me out now that I was awake to see any lasting damage. They cleared my discharge from the hospital, letting me go back home today. Thank god I am tired of eating Hospital food all the time. Now time to go interrogate Rania and Damon and have a little fun along the way. I already know my granddad is going to enjoy getting information out of those two.”

  Back at the royal palace, dinner was being served. As maids began placing dishes upon the table, everyone took their seats. Before they could put one in my spot, a new maid comes and stands beside me, picking up the spoon to taste each bite
of food on the plate. Taken back by what just happened, I stared at the woman. “Why did she put her lips on my food grandpa?” I asked my grandfather. Bewildered, looking around the room at my family. I groaned as I remarked, “that is Nasty guys.”

  “I require her to taste your food at every meal from now on. And responsible for watching as it is prepared and plated daily. Before it even reaches the table. If something happens to that dish before they place it in your spot and she gets sick from it, then someone tampered with it. That will lead to the death of the new maid and Culprit that handled the attempt on your life.”

  I look around the table for my other grandfather. He is nowhere to be found, and no one knows where he went. Dark, blood-curdling screams coming up through the hallway told us where he went.

  Standing outside the dark cell, Kyle stands there, and watches two men interrogate Damon. “If you did not want to be with Shana, you could have just rejected her. Who poisoned her? Was it you or Raina?” Damon would give nothing up, no matter how many times they asked him. “Nick, he will not offer any answers up the peaceful way. This time we do things my way.” Jay walks out of the room, returning a short while later with a cart filled with Silver weapons, knives, saws, and hammers, pliers all laced with a combination of acid and Vervain. “Now, Damon, I will ask you one more time who poisoned Shana and why? You will feel horrific pain for each question you do not answer.” We still got no answers from him.

  I glanced over the weapons, grabbing the hammer first, and busted his kneecaps. I sliced into his chest with a thin scalping knife dipped in a combination of Vervain and wolfsbane. Damon screamed with each passing slice as blood dripped down his once pristine chest. His fingers went last. Starting with pliers, I dragged each fingernail off his hand.

  My beast growled in satisfaction at the sound of his screams. After all that torture he suffered, Damon still did not give us the answers we looked for. “Look, man, you hold the key to your future in your hands. It is up to you to supply the answers and live another day or end your suffering right now. I will inject this lovely cocktail solution straight into your heart before chopping your head off and setting your ass on fire. Then I will go do the same thing all over again to that lovely girlfriend of yours after letting all the guards down here pleasure themselves with her body.”