Hells Royalty The Princess

by Wennberg, Jessica

  "Ms. Katilyn, how many do you suppose you can take?" Phelan asked me, he had a slight tone of doubt in his voice.

  I thought about what demons were out there, their abilities, and then thought about my own abilities. Time for me to brag I guess.

  "Before my powers get to weak I will be able to take out all 6 mid-level demons and at least 7 of the low levels, but I would get extremely low on powers. Those 13 would drain me, but I could recharge faster if I wasn't completely on empty." I told them simply because it was really nothing.

  I could hear murmurs all around the room, some were in awe and others sounded like a lot of insecurities in my statement. I didn't really care what they thought about my abilities and if I was actually capable of doing what I said I could. I knew my limits and what I was capable of achieving.

  The Chief looked at me long and hard, I guess trying to determine if what I was saying was the truth. I guess he decided he liked what he saw because he smiled and nodded his head at me.

  Jace touched my arm then, I turned to look at him, but he wasn't focused on me, he was stuck in a vision.

  I placed my hand over his and just waited for him to come out of it. Everyone else also waited with complete silence.

  About 10 minutes had passed when he moved his hand underneath mine.

  "Katilyn, he's coming. Damien will be here tomorrow night, you have to leave." He said in a tight voice, which was then overrun with shouts from the wolves.

  There were shouts of shock, disbelief, and lots of angry ones about my leaving. Great why did he have to say that out loud?

  The Chief yelled out for them to settle down and instantly you could hear a pin drop.

  "Let him speak before you go and jump to conclusions about what is going on." He told them in his deep, commanding tone.

  "Jace think long and hard about your vision. Repeat it to me just how it happened." I was talking to him like you would talk to a wild animal.

  "Damien, Lilim, and some other demon, I think they called him Abbadon. They all showed up together, and it was tomorrow night. They ambushed us; there was no fighting chance against them. You didn't have full powers and you didn't fare so well against him. It was horrible, he said that he decided that you would be too difficult to try and forces to live his way so he decided that he should just kill you instead. He simply snapped his fingers and you fell over dead." Jace looked at me as white as rice. I could tell that he was now terrified of this world he had been thrown into.

  I placed my hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes, I was proud of myself for successfully holding back my tears.

  "Jace, it'll be okay. We will come up with something; don't forget we have a lot of minds here. And besides I believe that the future can always be changed, no matter what." I kissed his cheek and then stood.

  I looked to the Chief, he was saddened at this new vision, so was I. I had never thought he would kill me, take me hostage and torture me yes, but kill me.

  "I'm not leaving, I am not going anywhere. I just need some space to sort out this new vision. You know it kind of hits hard when you've just been told how you will die and when it will actually take place." I smiled at him, giving him my best smile. I could only hope that he still believed that I knew what I was doing.

  "I understand it's a lot to take in. Go, take your time. We will be here waiting for you when you are ready to talk." He stood and pulled me into a tight hug, it felt like something a father would do. At that I really had to reign in my emotions.

  Here was this man, being sad at what was predicted for me, and that prediction was my own father killing me. It did a number on my heart.

  I could only nod and that's what I did. I pulled away and headed up the stairs. I did my best to look forward and avoid the pity and sympathy stares. I made it to my room and shut the door. I immediately placed a sound barrier spell on the room, I did not want the wolves hearing me crying or screaming because of my terror at my new destiny.

  I paced the room a nervous wreck. Two days that's all I had till my whole life came to a sudden halt. How could I be so unprepared for this? This is what I have been preparing for my whole life. Damien was coming for me in two days’ time!

  What was I going to do? How could I get past Damien and survive this? Why Aaron couldn’t have found me first? At least with him I wouldn't have to worry about being dead.

  I screamed out, frustrated at where my life was at now. All the running I had been doing for all these years and it comes down to still being caught before I have my full powers.

  "This is bullshit! I need better help!" I stomped over to my locker and got out all my candles.

  I poured a large salt circle, big enough for two people, on the floor and then placed myself and my candles in it. With a wave of my hand the candles were lit and the room lights were off.

  I sat down and centered myself, what I was about to do was insane and reckless and I needed all the strength I could muster to get it done.

  I had to reach out to the one person I did not want to see. I focused my mind on his eyes and his face. I thought only of having him there in the circle with me. I needed him there by my side, regardless of our current relationship.

  I felt my body getting hot from the power of the spell and then I felt the shift in the air as his body formed beside me.

  He was struggling, fighting me so I wouldn't bring him here.

  "Stop resisting me" I called out to him and then focused harder on those eyes.

  When I finally felt the air settle around me I opened my eyes. Looking up I saw the same ice blue eyes staring back at me that I had pictured in my mind.

  "I'm here" he stated and smiled at me with his arrogant smile. Aaron and his cocky attitude were standing right before me, in my bedroom.

  Chapter 14--What have I stepped into?

  He smiled at me and it did weird things to my insides, things that I did not agree with.

  "Sweet Katilyn, you called me remember? There’s nothing I wouldn't do for you? So why did you call me here?" he said simply, but his voice was full of awe.

  "Yes, I did call you, but why did you fight it at first?" I asked him confused at his reaction.

  "Well I didn't know it was you. I don't know any witches that have the power to call me like that and I never expected you to call me. Although I can say I am rather pleased about this turn of events." He smiled coyly.

  "Of course you don't know any witches who could do that. I'm different and I need your help." I told him as a matter of fact.

  He just stood there for a moment, I guess debating my question, and then he stepped closer.

  "What do you need help with? What is so big that you, the one who despises me would actually ask me for help?" he looked skeptically at me then.

  I looked around the room then and thought about what I was doing? Aaron followed my eyes, looking at my room also.

  "I've put a sound spell on my room; no one can hear anything that goes on in here. Can you promise me that you will not reveal my plan to anyone on your side and I mean no one? No vampires, no demons, no witches?" I looked at him with hope instead of the fear I had been harboring. If this was going to work I would have to almost trust him, almost.

  "Do you have an Athame?" he asked me, I nodded yes.

  "Then let me make a blood oath to you." He was so sure of himself.

  I handed it to him and he sliced the palm of his right hand and handed it back to me. I then did the same thing to my right palm. I put the athame down and we placed our palms together, locking our fingers.

  "I, Aaron Arnost, swear that what Katilyn Wesson is about to tell me I will take to my grave. I shall in no way reveal her plan to anyone at any time. If I do she has the right to take my life without consequence." He looked right in my eyes not wavering in his words or promise.

  "I, Katilyn Wesson, accept the promise of Aaron Arnost and will hold him to the terms of his promise." I felt our hands warm up and our blood mix together to seal our oath.

&nbs
p; We dropped our hands and looked at one another for a moment and I could finally see the love that he had for me in his eyes. I couldn't deny that he truly loved me; I just think that his love was based in other areas.

  "Now what is going on Katilyn? What has you seeking out me for help?" He stepped closer to me then, I could feel the heat between us and it caused me to take a breath. That breath brought in his cool, ocean water smell, which had a hint of crisp linen scent to it also, and that smell made me somewhat lightheaded.

  "Damien" was the one word that I said and I could see everything fall in place by the fear that crossed his face.

  "He's found you then? I'm guessing he hasn't made an appearance yet or you wouldn't be here" he said looking up and down my body. He had a sad tone to his voice laced with worry.

  "No according to my prophet, he will be here tomorrow night. He's already sent banshees, goblins, and vampires to wear my magic down. In fact I have a lot of low and mid-level demon forms floating in my back yard as we speak. They are between planes right now so there is absolutely nothing I can do about them." I told him exasperated at my situation.

  He rubbed his hands up and down my arms; I was surprised at his move and my lack of movement. It actually felt okay, wasn't like Grayson good, but it was starting to feel comfortable, like I didn't have to be so afraid. What the hell am I thinking????

  "You have a prophet? I'm impressed, how did you find him?" he asked, genuinely curious.

  "He actually found me, crashed into in a car wreck. I wasn't looking for a prophet; you know I like to work alone. In fact I rather prefer it and right now it is bothering me that I have let so many people get close to this situation. He was meant to find me and to help me with these battles and the war actually." I told him without giving too much information about Jace.

  "Ok, that's different. Well he has already helped; he's told you when Damien will be here to collect you so that is something pretty amazing. Alright you said you have a plan, let's hear it." He said sitting down on the bed.

  I took a breath and started my plan.

  "Without help Damien is going to kill me. He has decided that I am too much trouble and he won’t be able to break me in the Underworld to do his bidding. I don't want to die like that Aaron! I want to make a deal with you; will you be willing to deal with me?" I asked him, hoping the part about me dying and not wanting to would help convince him to deal with me, and hopefully on my terms.

  He was trying to think about what I had said and how he could manipulate the deal we would be making. He's a demon, that's what demons do they trick and manipulate any and all situations.

  "Let’s hear the deal and your plan then. Go ahead and impress me with your inventiveness." He said simply not giving anything away with the sound of his voice.

  "The deal is you will come for me tonight with Affinia and Grayson. We will have our "words"" I air quoted the words part. "But in the end I will agree to go with you under two conditions. One you leave my friends alone and safe, no one will come to any harm and two you will call your bitch Affinia off Grayson. She is to leave him the hell alone. Do you understand me?" I didn't explain the rest of my plan, something’s I would tell him after he agreed and I went with him and something’s were simply not going to be told to anyone.

  "You will come with me, no tricks? You will agree to be my bride?" he raised an eyebrow at me as if in disbelief.

  "I just said I would go with you, what more else is to be said. You can help keep me safe till I can come in my full powers. Once I do we can make a plan to take down Damien, he can’t be killed, simply imprisoned. He cannot be killed, if he is all dark creatures will die and that includes me and you. I can’t promise to be your bride, I will not marry someone I do not love or even like. You don't even really know me; you only know what our parents wanted from us. I can’t love you Aaron, at least not any time soon. Things have not been on the right track between us, but if you can help me we will work on making a friendship. That is the best that I can promise." Ok I admit that some of that was probably never going to happen and we would never be married. I didn't really even want to be his friend, but I would settle for an ally right now.

  I don't know what was going on in his mind after I gave my speech, I only hoped that he would take my word at what it was and give me a helping hand in this situation. I was going to need some time to prepare for what I was planning on doing in the future.

  "You will see Katilyn, I can be your friend and I will make sure that you stay safe until we can finally take down Damien and create the Underworld that our parents believed it should be." He took a step a closer to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "I will make you believe in me, I promise. I will agree to your terms and I will come to retrieve you tonight. I will make sure that Affinia releases her hold on your Grayson and I will make sure that he is left alone after you leave. You do know that the words between us will have to be legit sounding otherwise Affinia will be able to figure out that there is something off about what is going on. Don't forget about that when it starts happening tonight." He gave me the look that told me that tonight was going to be bad and I was not going to like what was going to happen.

  "I understand that tonight is going to be ugly, but it must happen for it to be real looking. I will accept that this has to happen but I will not accept dying at the hands of Damien and I will not accept anyone else dying or being hurt because of this that is out of the question." I raised an eyebrow at him making sure he understood what I was saying.

  "I promise no one will die, I cannot promise that no one will be hurt in the process. Where will I be able to actually find you, where am I? And how do I explain how I managed to find you?" Aaron asked, realizing that those would be some important details to be able to explain.

  I reached up and yanked a couple of hairs out of my head and handed them over, "Here just use these and your explanation was that you were able to find them on a brush that had been mine or even a box or something like that. You're a demon I'm sure that you will be able to come up with a legitimate excuse as to how you found them. And I am in Alabama, that's all you are going to get from me. I think you should have to do some work in all this too. Actually you should be able to do one of your demon tracking spells and find me since you now have my DNA, since your witch can’t do it for you anymore. I don't like killing witches even if they are dark witches, so don't make her do anything to cross me." I gave him a tight smile, I couldn't believe I just gave him my DNA, now he would be able to find me anywhere and at any time, that was stupid but it was necessary.

  "Thank you, I promise that I will not let him hurt you, ever. I will keep you safe." He grabbed my hands and pulled me to him, rather unexpectedly, and quickly placed a kiss on my cheek.

  After that I quickly released him from my circle, blew out the candles and broke the salt ring. It was now evening so I had little time to prepare a plan for how I was going to prepare for what was coming tonight.

  I knew I would have to leave my stuff behind, it’s not like I could take things with me if I didn't already know that I was going, but there were things that I would actually need.

  I carefully packed a duffel bag with my unopened journal and a few of my favorite tools of the trade, also a change of clothes. I laid them on the end of the bed and used a cloaking spell on them so that no one would see them sitting there. I would make Aaron transport up here once we left so that I could get them.

  Now I had to head downstairs and come up with a believable story about my time alone and what I was planning on doing after hearing the fact that I might die tomorrow night.

  When I entered the living room I found that it was a lot less full and I wondered briefly if all the extra wolves had decided to abandon the cause after all. That wonderment ceased when I saw that most were outside the window on the porch. I reasoned that they probably felt more comfortable out there anyway, I know I feel more comfortable outside than I do inside.

  Actually those being outside me
ant that there were less eyes on me and I wouldn't feel as pressured when I was about to lie and that made things easier on me. Great, just what I need an excuse to make it easier for me to lie.

  The Chief, Phelan, and three other wolves were sitting around on the couch and chairs. Jace was stretched out on the recliner, he looked to be sleeping.

  Phelan acknowledged me first by nodding his head in my direction and giving me a solemn, "Ms. Katilyn."

  The Chief stood then and crossed the room to me.

  "Ms. Katilyn, how are you doing?" he took my hand in his and squeezed it.

  When the Chief spoke to me, Jace opened his eyes looking well-worn for his normal, happy self.

  "I'm okay. I'll admit I've been better, but I think I'm doing okay given the circumstances. Has there been any change in our guards out there?" I asked pointing to the back yard where the demon mists were.

  "Four more mid-levels and six low-levels have arrived. Seems Damien wants to make sure you will still be here when he decides to show up." The Chief said and looked at me with what felt like knowing eyes.

  "Sounds like he is creating a very good insurance policy for me staying here. Well, I am not running I will find some way to convince him to keep me alive." I smiled a tight smile at him, hoping he believed all that I was saying.

  "You think you can make him believe you? That you will take his side and convert to the dark side?" Jace got off the recliner and came to stand in front of me, invading my personal space way too much.

  I took a step back, "I believe so, I cannot be 100 percent, but staying and fighting is better than running. I won’t abandon the people who have come to help me." I told them with a fierceness that even I believed.

  "Fine, if you see to it to have a death wish, you can find me in the kitchen. I need some food, I have a killer headache." And Jace stalked off to the kitchen, stomping his feet the whole way there. Honestly I kind of wanted to laugh at his petulance but couldn't bring myself to do so. This guy was thrown into this world without even a hint at what to expect. How his mother could have done that to him, why hadn't she warned him? Oh, who am I to judge, my mom made a deal with the devils very own torturer, to marry me off to his bastard demon heir. What the hell had she been smoking to come up with that hair brained idea? So instead of laughing at his tantrum, I merely shook my head and watched him go.