The Most Special Chosen (Exalted Bloodlines Book 1)

by Rachel De La Fuente

  My mom blushes a bit. She’s proud of her cooking. “You’re quite welcome, Damien.”

  My mom and I collect everyone’s plates once we’ve all finished, and take them into the kitchen. I intend to return to the living room immediately, but my mom holds me back.

  “Damien is a wonderful young man, Lys,” she says seriously. “I can see why you like him.”

  I smile and hug her. “I knew you’d like him, Mom.” My attention drifts when I hear Damien speaking.

  “I would like to—”

  “Lys?”

  I turn back to my mom, missing the rest of Damien’s sentence. “What Mom? Sorry, I missed what you said.”

  “I said I think your father likes him too,” I make sure to pay attention this time. She sounds a bit annoyed. “But I was wondering what you thought.”

  “I certainly hope Dad likes him. But he can be so weird sometimes.”

  “Yes,” my mom nods with a sigh. “Your father can be complicated. Come on.” We walk back into the living room in time to see my dad and Damien shaking hands.

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “Damien?” He whirls around.

  “Elysabeth.” He smiles at me, putting me at ease. “It is getting late, ma chère, and I have some work to complete before the weekend is over.” I look at the clock. It’s nearly ten.

  “Wow, I didn’t realize it was so late. I should get back, too.”

  “Sir, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you soon.” He shakes my dad’s hand again.

  “Of course, Damien,” my dad says pleasantly. “You’re welcome to join us for dinner whenever you two would like. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to speak with my daughter a moment before you both leave.”

  “Thank you, Sir. And of course. Would you like me to wait outside?” Damien gestures in the direction of the front door.

  “No need,” my dad waves away his offer. “I’ll speak with Lys in my study.” I follow him to his office and am a little surprised when he closes the door behind him.

  “He’s a nice young man, Lys. Do you know, he asked for my blessing to date you!” It’s been a while since I’ve heard my dad sound surprised. “He said since you two were already dating, he didn’t think it was correct to ask for permission, but he’d feel better if he at least had my blessing. He’s the first guy you’ve brought home to ask anything of the sort.”

  “Well, I’m glad you liked him—”

  He holds up a finger as he cuts me off. “I’m not done yet, Lys. He seems nice enough, but I’m a bit concerned about the wealth he’s displaying. Be aware that rich men can expect things from the women they spend money on.”

  My eyes narrow. “Dad, Damien’s been a perfect gentleman—”

  He holds up his hands. “I’m not saying he isn’t, Essy. I’m just asking you to be careful.” He places his hands on my shoulders to look me in the eye. “You don’t know him well, yet. Be safe and take care of yourself, okay?”

  His use of my childhood nickname cools my temper. “Okay, Dad,” I nod and smile. “But we’d better get going, I wouldn’t want to be the cause of Damien doing poorly in his classes.”

  “Of course, Lys, it was good to see you.” He hugs me before following me back out to the living room.

  When he sees us, Damien turns to fully face my mom and bows. “Ma’am, it was a pleasure to meet you. I have not had such a marvelous meal in quite a while. Thank you very much.”

  “Thank you, Damien,” she says, smiling widely. “That is very kind. Have a good night and drive safe.”

  “Thank you, Ma’am. Sir,” he says, turning to my dad. “A pleasure. Have a good night.”

  “You too, Damien.”

  I kiss both of my parents good-bye, then lead Damien out to his car. My mom follows us to close and lock the door.

  Once we’re in the car, I turn to Damien. “My dad was pleased you asked for his blessing.” I want to know why he did, but I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.

  “That is good to know. Your father is a difficult man to read. He is rather stoic.”

  “You get used to it,” I say hurriedly, more interested in the subject of their conversation. “I’m kind of surprised you did that. It’s unusual.”

  “Well, I could hardly ask for his permission to court you as we are already seeing each other.”

  Court me? Really? Huh, that wasn’t what I was expecting. Well, I don’t really know what I was expecting. I decide not to mention my dad’s warning. I don’t want Damien to feel awkward around him. “Will you tell me more about your family?”

  Despite his grimace, I know Damien will keep his word. “As I mentioned, I have two younger sisters and three younger brothers. They are Alyssa, Demetrius, Sebastian, Selene, and Eziano.”

  “Do you all get along?”

  “Yes, Chérie, we are a close knit family.”

  “That must be nice.” I know I sound a bit wistful. “I often wished I had brothers and sisters when I was growing up. When I met Shawn, he became the brother I never had.” My fond smile is evident in my voice.

  “You two have a special relationship.” I’m pleased there’s no hint of jealousy in his statement.

  “Yeah, we do. I don’t think anything could truly come between us. We always find a way to work it out.”

  “That is admirable.”

  “Yeah.” I suddenly realize what he’s doing. “But you didn’t tell me much about your family. How did your parents meet?”

  “At a party. But that is a story I must leave for my parents to tell. I could not begin to give that tale the life it deserves.”

  “I think you’re stalling.”

  “I promise you I am not, Chérie. My parents’ mutual love shines through every time they tell that tale. I could not hope to equal their storytelling.” He sounds perfectly forthright.

  “That’s beautiful. But I’m getting the feeling I’m never going to get much out of you.”

  “I do not entirely feel comfortable talking about my family.”

  I grin. “What, are they monsters?” His pained look makes me sigh. I don’t want to push him too hard. “Okay, Damien, I’ll let you off the hook for now, since we both need to work on finals. I don’t think I’ll see you much this week, but maybe we can get together next weekend?”

  His smile is back. “That sounds wonderful, Chérie.”

  “I’ll see you then.” I kiss him then let myself out of the car. I grin at his frown. Always the gentleman.

  CHAPTER 8

  The next week turns out to be just as hellish as I’d predicted. I exchange text messages with Damien every evening before going to bed, but for the most part, I’m in a world consumed by homework and studying. Two of my final projects are absolutely massive, and I can’t possibly let my grades drop now, so I buckle down and do the work.

  Friday finally arrives, and with it, a much-needed break. Since we haven’t seen each other all week, Damien suggests we go out that evening. I eagerly agree and hurry through a shower and getting ready. I decide on a short jean skirt with blood red leggings, a matching tank top, and a short, black leather jacket. A cute pair of mid-calf, black, suede boots finish my outfit.

  As I’m heading down the stairs, someone knocks on the door. Remembering last week, I look out the peephole first. Thankfully, Damien is standing outside in all of his leather-clad glory.

  I pull open the door and give him a hug. “Hi, Damien, I missed you.”

  “I missed you as well, Chérie,” he murmurs into my hair. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks. I love that you wore your coat again.”

  “I know how much you like it,” he says with a warm smile. “Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, let’s go.” He helps me into the car, then gets in himself. “So, where are we going?”

  “I thought we would go to the park. It is beautiful after dark, almost like being in a wooded wilderness.” He smiles at me.

  “The park? At night?” I shake my head
nervously. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Damien. Who knows who will be lurking around corners? I’d like to get home in one piece.”

  His face falls. “I have been there many nights and it has always been peaceful. Please come with me, Elysabeth. I would never allow any harm to come to you.” He takes my hand briefly as he says it.

  “Well, okay. I trust you to keep me safe.” I lean back in my seat and close my eyes, wondering what I’m getting myself into.

  “That pleases me to no end, ma chère.” He pulls into the park’s drive a few minutes later. He smiles at me before getting out of the car, and I smile back weakly. He doesn’t seem to notice how nervous I am.

  He helps me out of the car, staring openly at me. I don’t mind Damien looking, but it makes me wish I’d worn baggy pants and an oversized hoodie. I don’t want to be on display to whoever might be lurking in the dark. Damien closes my door then pulls me close.

  “You look beautiful in the moonlight, ma chère.” I smile and hold him tighter; reminding myself that Damien is tall and muscular. He can protect me. My eyes fly open on a sudden thought. What if we’re attacked by more than one? As he leads me forward into the park itself, I try to push away my fears. It becomes easier the more my eyes adjust to the dark. It’s a beautiful night, and the moonlight makes the park surreal.

  I tense when I hear leaves rustling. A little rabbit comes bounding out of the bushes. It freezes at the sight of us, and I realize it’s an adorable little cotton tail. After a second, it does a quick 180 and runs off the way it had come.

  “You see, Elysabeth?” Damien squeezes my shoulders. “There is nothing to be afraid of.”

  I smile, relaxing. “Yeah, I guess so.” We walk in silence for a while before I speak just to make some noise. “The term is over in a week. Do you have plans for the break?”

  “My parents have planned a trip to London,” he says quietly.

  I try to keep my voice light. “The entire time?” I’m disappointed that this is the first time I’m hearing of it. If I had known, I probably would have made more time to see him.

  “Nearly. My father has some business to complete, and my mother has just decided we are to go with him and make a vacation out of it. We return on the 3rd.”

  “Oh, that’s cool.” There’s a slight quiver in my voice. I won’t see him for two and a half weeks. That will suck.

  Damien gives me a little squeeze. “I will miss you greatly, Chérie.”

  “I’ll miss you too. But we’ll be able to email and text, right?” He’s gone stock still beside me, his expression blank. “Damien? What’s—” He puts a finger to his lips to silence me. I can see his eyes darting left and right, searching. I look around, too, but I don’t see a thing.

  Four men explode out of the bushes around us, and Damien simultaneously takes my hand and pulls me close behind him. They’re all wearing hoods so their faces are in shadow.

  Damien tenses as they start walking toward us. “Stay behind me, Elysabeth.” He doesn’t need to tell me twice.

  “Looks like my birthday came early this year.” The speaker steps forward, away from the group. “Here we are, searching for some prey, and we stumble upon the prince and his pet.” He says contemptuously as he turns to face Damien. “It’s so good of you to bring us a snack.” His voice sounds familiar.

  “It looks like there’s enough for all of us, bro.” The leader looks over his shoulder, silencing the guy who’d spoken and the others who are chuckling. While he’s turned away, Damien positions himself completely in front of me. Though, how he’s supposed to protect me when it’s four against one, I have no idea. I take a half-step back, thinking I can run to the car and call the police from there, but Damien grabs my arm. Why does he want to keep me here, close to the danger? My heart starts pounding as I realize I’m stuck here.

  The leader turns back around and notices the change of position. “Why is your family so keen on protecting humans? What about your own kind?” Own kind? This guy is insane.

  “It is for the good of us all,” Damien growls. “But you so-called forsaken refuse to abide by the laws.” What the hell is Damien talking about? My mind wavers between terrified and confused. There’s clearly more going on here than I understand.

  “Why would we follow laws that condemn us?” the leader questions deridingly. “Your family just keeps making it harder for us to survive. We ought to eliminate you all!” His mouth twists into a malicious grin. “But I’m feeling generous tonight. I’ll tell you what, give her to us, and you can leave,” he continues in honeyed tones. Why do they want me? I shrink behind Damien, trying to disappear. What the hell is going on?

  “Over my dead rotting corpse!” Damien speaks slowly, voice full of menace.

  “That can be arranged,” the leader says, matter of fact. At those words, the three henchmen shoot forward so quickly they’re no more than blurs. Miraculously, Damien is even quicker. His right fist shoots out, catching the closest one in the jaw causing his to head snap back as his body continues forward. He falls to the ground and doesn’t move.

  I stand transfixed, watching Damien fight. He’s glorious. His movements are fluid, deadly. I feel like I’m watching a movie. He’s clearly been taught well. After another minute, one of the two men he’s fighting goes flying, crashing into a tree. His face is bloody, and his limbs are bent at odd angles.

  The third man fights dirty, slicing through the air with a knife at impossible speeds, ensuring Damien can’t get close. A hand suddenly clamps over my mouth as another holds a knife to my throat.

  “Felix will keep him busy.” The words are so quiet that despite being whispered directly into my ear, I barely hear them.

  In movements too quick to be real, the knife disappears and I’m picked up, held under his arm like a football. He runs so fast that the world is blurred, only to stop suddenly, setting me back down. “You scream, I’ll cut your throat.” His hand drops from my mouth, but the knife is back, emphasizing his words. “I won’t leave a single drop for your prince.” The last word is bitter and harsh.

  “Why do you keep calling him that?”

  “You mean you don’t know?”

  “Know what?”

  “Who he is. What he is!” I stay silent, having no idea what the man is talking about. “Well, isn’t this perfect. It explains a lot, but leaves you all the more vulnerable.” The gleeful way he says the last word sends a tremor of fear down my spine.

  I feel the knife move slightly, like it’s being repositioned, before the man is suddenly standing in front of me. What little of his face is not in shadow from his hood looks familiar, but I can’t quite place him.

  “I’m hurt that you don’t remember me. But no matter. We’ll still have fun.” His voice is taunting. I look fully into his eyes as he lowers his hood, trying desperately to figure out who he is.

  “I’m going to lower my knife, but don’t run, I’ll only catch you.” His grin is malevolent. The knife disappears, but running is the last thing on my mind. I’m caught in his stare like a deer in headlights. My breath catches. Come! He holds out his hand to me and I reach out to take it. The moment my hand touches his, he pulls me up against him.

  “You must be special,” he whispers. “To have captivated him so.” He leans forward, staring into my eyes. Kiss me. I lean forward to meet him, required to obey. His lips meet mine, softly at first, then with more strength and passion.

  He pulls away from me, breathing heavily, meeting my eyes. “Is it your taste? Your talents?” I’m confused by his comments, and have a niggling feeling at the back of my mind that I’m doing something wrong.

  But then he backs me up to a tree, pressing himself against me, staring down at me intently. His gaze holds mine, and my heart starts racing, not from fear, but from lust. A blush rises to my cheeks, and I know my eyes darken with desire. Ask me to touch you.

  “Touch me! Please!” I feel fire racing through my blood. His hands roam my body, fanning the flames
. He grasps my right leg and raises it to circle his waist, opening me to his touch.

  “I will make you mine. And you will forget all about your little prince. Your loss will be his torment.” Agree.

  “Yes. I’m yours!” His hand has just started to snake its way beneath my skirt when I’m scared out of my wits by an unearthly roar of pure rage. I wrap my arms around myself, cowering behind the man I had been kissing just seconds before. I suddenly realize I don’t even know his name.

  My mind comes back to me when Damien’s face comes into view as he throws my assailant to the side. His eyes are wild. “Elysabeth, are you harmed? Please, tell me you are safe.”

  My eyes dart nervously between Damien and the man he had sent flying. “Damien? Why did I do that?” Exactly what I’d been doing swims through my mind, sending my heart racing with dread. “Why did I let him kiss me? I asked him to touch me. Damien, what have I done? I can’t even ask you to forgive me.” I bury my face in my hands. “But I’m so sorry.” Tears fall freely as I babble, nearly incoherent.

  Amazingly, Damien pulls me to him, folding his arms around me. “Elysabeth, please, be calm,” he begs. “You need not fear; I place no blame on you. You have done nothing wrong. My father will be here soon; he will help you.”

  I hold onto him like he’s a buoy in deep water. “How . . . can your . . . father . . . help?” My words are broken by gasping sobs.

  “He will relieve your guilt.” He tenses, making me wonder if we’re about to be attacked again. “Here, Father!” He calls out quietly.

  “Damien, what happened?” The man who comes through the trees must be Damien’s father, but he looks so young, maybe early 30s. If it wasn’t for the resemblance he bears to Damien, I’d guess Damien was adopted. He’s a slightly older copy of his son, but with blonde hair. He’s followed by several men, three of whom are carrying the men who fought Damien.

  “I was attacked, Father.” Damien pulls me closer to his father.