Protected (Book 1 in the Ariya Adams trilogy)

by Anna Applegate

  I sat enthralled, taking in all the bits and pieces. Nick and Caroline looked like children listening to a story for the first time, but I knew it wasn’t the first time they had heard this. I watched James, in awe of him and how he spoke of this woman’s history so passionately. His voice resonated with authority as he spoke and I began to realize just how long 250 years was and how much knowledge he must have inside of him. He continued as I stared on, amazed.

  “The warlock told them what it took to be turned. Christiane must drink the blood of a vampire after being bitten and nearly drained by him. The warlock confirmed for them many of the superstitions and legends that had been floating around to make sure they would realize how much their lives would change. The warlock warned that a spell like this could be taken into the wrong hands and used for evil if not protected. For that reason, there would need to be those in charge of protecting the child so that evil couldn’t take over. Only those pure of heart, those with fierce loyalty, could be chosen to do so. There were some guards close to Christiane at the time that had sworn to protect her as a human already. Two of them were chosen as Protectors.”

  “They were noble and loyal, and they were most trusted by the Queen. They made it their purpose in life to protect others and agreed that should Krystian and Christiane want this, they would be turned to protect the child and the bloodline of the Queen. They had decided this was what it would be, and moved forward with the spell and the plan. Once the Queen gave birth, she had Krystian turn her.”

  “Their family continued to grow for years. Legends of their power began to spread. Other vampires worried about this all-powerful family. The warlock was rumored to have died and so the protection the family had from him had worn off. The legend goes that one night, there was a raid on the place where they were all living. Other creatures wanted to crush the bloodline to prevent one set of ghouls from becoming more powerful than the others. They had been looking for the child and in the process, all of the members of the family were staked. The legions of wolves that had been instrumental in forming the army that raided the Queen and King’s bloodline made sure no one survived.”

  “The legend says the child was hidden and watched her Protector get staked. Knowing her responsibility, she saved him and they narrowly escaped the vampires that had attacked their loved ones. Since the attackers claimed that all were killed, vampires, werewolves, and all creatures of the night believed it. The royal bloodline had turned into nothing more than myth.“

  My eyes were wide. Some part of me felt that I knew all this information somehow.

  “I saved Caroline,” I whispered.

  James nodded. “Since that time, there have still been Protectors and only Protectors know where the child of the bloodline is. Legends have turned into whispers and nothing more than rumors over the centuries. Many do not believe any more, and the few that do have had no luck in finding the bloodline. Some have come close. Your grandmother was killed before she could pass along the family history to your mother. Therefore, your mother knows nothing about it. It’s only because you chose to come here, a school where there are known werewolves nearby, that you even had to have more protection than those before you. That’s the only reason you know who we are.”

  “My grandmother was killed?”

  “Yes,” James said, nodding. Sympathy flashed in his perfectly blue eyes, clearly forgetting the “truth” I had been told as he spoke. Had he known her?

  “So, Caroline has been protecting me? That’s why you were my roommate? You’re my Protector?”

  “No, Ariya,” Caroline said.

  “I am.” It was James who spoke.

  Things were starting to click for me. James was my Protector. He was supposed to be protecting me, not kissing me. No wonder our relationship had been a strained one. He was my protector? How many others in my family had he been in charge of protecting? He must have protected Emma, that’s how they met. Of course, I thought.

  “Oh,” was all I could say. My brain was churning. This gift was why they were all here. “So you’re here because you have to be? Because of me? I’m the reason you’re in danger from Devon. You have to look out for me.”

  “Ariya, we all wanted this life. We chose to protect. I mean, James’ family is directly descended from the original Protectors. He turned Nick and Nick turned me, so we are an extension of that line, but he is the direct lineage. We knew what it meant, getting involved, before we did it.” Caroline was trying to stop my fear for them and turn it back around to be something good they were doing.

  “So, are you really my best friend?” I asked her.

  It was such a stupid question to ask at the moment, and there were far better ones to focus on, but none were coming to me. My feelings were getting the better of me. They had been in charge of watching me, which meant they didn’t really have to have any feeling towards me other than doing their job.

  “Of course I am, Ariya! I only had to be in your group of friends, but we hit it off and I got a best friend out of the deal of protecting you. I kind of won out over everyone else.” I smiled at her response.

  “Ariya, we aren’t done. There is another thing,” James mentioned. “Caroline, you want to explain why her mind-set is all over the place?

  “Oh yes! You’ll feel relieved, I think. Your mom did go through the same thing, but since no one had told her the history, she just believed it was because of graduation stress. That’s what she told you the other day on the phone, too.”

  “The Queen turned when she was twenty-two, right after she gave birth to her daughter. We think that the members of the bloodline get emotionally disoriented and all over the place because they feel something is missing. With the Queen being pregnant right before she turned and having the gift given while she was pregnant, it is believed that those in the bloodline get the urge to turn as well and that there is a feeling of instability until they do. At least, during the time before they are twenty-two.”

  “You’re emotional and tired, and worked up because that feeling of there being something else is lurking in your subconscious. It may be a side effect of having the power that you have. We aren’t sure, since the warlock who created the spell isn’t around to ask. At least, this is what we’ve gathered over the years, since it happens to every member of the bloodline around her twenty-second birthday. You’re turning twenty-two in a couple months, and being surrounded by supernaturals may have triggered that early. It does wear off after that birthday, though, so things start to go back to normal. I know you’ve felt like you aren’t yourself lately, but you don't have to worry. You won’t be this emotional forever.”

  What she said did not make me feel better. Not even close.

  “Wait, wait, wait. You’re telling me that I’m supposed to turn into a vampire? I don’t want to be a vampire!” I yelled.

  I was starting to get worked up. This seemed like so much to take in. A descendant of some royal healing bloodline who was supposed to pop out a kid at twenty-two and then turn into a vampire? This was the 21 century for heavens’ sake, and they were talking about legends, myths. Believing they were vampires was still a challenge, but now I was a part of this craziness?

  “You don’t have to do anything. That’s just what people before you have done. Your grandmother hadn’t turned and neither has your mom. Plus, you probably shouldn’t turn until you have a kid anyway, so that the bloodline continues.” Caroline, again, was trying to calm me down.

  I needed to listen to her so that I could reel it in when I was overreacting and gain some control over this curse, yes, curse. There was no way this was going to be considered a gift in my eyes, except for the fact, that it allowed me to save Caroline. But she wouldn’t have been staked in the first place if it weren’t for me so yes, curse it was. And I was not about to let it control me. Taking in deep breaths, I tried to process everything again.

  Shouldn’t turn until I have a kid? What she said finally sank in and I know my eyes got big. I wasn’t
sure if it was from fear or shock. I’m being protected just so I can pop out a kid to continue the bloodline, that it seems no one is using, and then I get discarded.

  “So you Protectors just want me to have a kid so you can watch them, and then I’m old news and no longer matter?”

  “No,” James said. “Ariya, we wouldn’t do that. My father still protects your mother.”

  “He does?”

  “Yes, and she isn’t a vampire and she doesn’t have healing blood, either. We don’t just leave you. You weren’t even supposed to know we were protecting you. Most of the line doesn’t until they have a child, or until they themselves turn. Like we said, in your family’s case, a whole generation doesn’t know about this with your mom.”

  His answer brought about some peace. At least I wouldn’t lose my friends once I had a kid, which hopefully would be quite a ways down the road.

  “So, what exactly does this have to do with Devon being after me? I mean, I get he’s a werewolf and knows I saved Caroline…” I started.

  Nick spoke up, “I’ve been monitoring the werewolves in the area throughout your college years, Ariya. They have grown in numbers, which was a concern to us and the reason James and I both showed up in a more personal way this year.”

  I cringed at the comment that they’d become involved. Were James’ feelings for me planned, too? Should he make me feel safe as part of his job?

  “We think they may have believed the legends and, with an increase in vampire activity, they think their suspicions have proven accurate. When Devon staked Caroline and you saved her, those suspicions were confirmed.” He paused, and I waited for him to continue.

  After getting silent nods from James and then Caroline, he continued more slowly. “The werewolves don’t like that vampires have this special bloodline. They think if they can capture the current human in the line. They can create their own bloodline where werewolves could also be saved from death.” He paused and looked at me like he was waiting to let that statement sink in.

  I didn’t understand what he’d said so his pause meant nothing to me. “So, they want me to what? Get a spell cast on me to only help werewolves in the future?” I questioned.

  “No, Ariya,” Caroline said. “We think they want you to mate with one of them to have a werewolf child. Vampires, they can’t reproduce, but werewolves, they, uh, they can. Their gene gets passed along in their offspring.”

  I got off the couch in an uproar. “They want to what?!? No, oh, my gosh! No! I’m not having a werewolf child. I’m not having any child! What is wrong with you all?”

  “We know, we know. It’s okay. They won’t get near you.” Caroline tried to calm me down.

  I pretended to be fine and sat down. They kept talking, but I wasn’t listening anymore. It was probably showing, and I was sure they could tell I had checked out. This was absurd. My heart started racing, because it dawned on me then that they would get me. Emma was with them and she knew how to make me do what she wanted. She’d threaten Caroline, Nick, or James until I came with her, and then they’d get what they wanted. I don’t know what the exact plan was, but I became frightened. I wanted to be brave, but being used to produce some monster child for werewolves was unappealing to say the least. Why would Emma want to help them when she’s in the bloodline? Maybe she’d give me answers before doing whatever it was she was planning on doing to me.

  “I think that’s enough information for tonight.” James must have noticed I was spaced out.

  “Thank you for trusting me and telling me, guys. I’m sorry you’re in this mess because of me.” Staring down at my hands was the only way to keep fresh tears from coming up. Stupid bloodline.

  “We told you, Ariya, we knew what we were getting into. We get to protect you and kick some werewolf ass, it’s a win-win.“ I looked up to find Nick was smiling at me.

  “Well, thank you.” Steadying my breath allowed the threatening tears to retreat. Take that, emotions!

  We all stood, with one exception. I looked over at James, who was still sitting on the couch, even though everyone else was standing.

  “I have to get back home,” he said. “Are you guys good here tonight?” He looked at Nick and Caroline.

  “Yeah,” Caroline replied. “We’re good.” She and Nick headed into her room. James came to stand closer to me.

  “Ariya, just because you know doesn’t mean that things can change, but I hope you can now better understand what I meant before. Why this wouldn’t’ have worked.”

  “I don’t know what protecting me has to do with liking me. Or, was that what your job was when Nick said to get involved more personally?”

  “No, absolutely not. I was not supposed to get involved in that way at all. It’s against the rules. I just needed to be in your group of friends. Preferably, I needed to be in good with Riley, since he was the closest to you.” I nodded, feeling bad that Riley’s friendship with James had been staged and pre-planned.

  “James, does wanting blood really hurt like you said in your story?”

  I hadn’t thought of them having a hard time around me with my blood before. I should have thought to ask that question, since they are vampires.

  “At first it’s difficult, and if we are around humans and don’t feed then yes, it can be hard. The bloodlust is a curse, Ariya. It’s not a gift. While many of the things you believe about vampires aren’t true, that is one that is. It can become all we think about until we get blood. You can imagine how being around humans can be dangerous if we let go and give into the thirst fully.”

  “So is that why it wouldn’t have worked then? Is it painful to be around me?” It was a question I shouldn’t have asked, but what the heck, at this point.

  “No. I can control myself around humans. For me, it’s a dull pain at this point. It’s still there, but not uncontrollable. It’s not that. Protectors and the royal bloodline have never been mixed. Both were be-spelled by the same warlock, but kept separate in the spell, and that, in our minds as Protectors, means we are different. The originals decreed that we shouldn’t join.”

  “With Caroline, her blood is so diluted that we felt it was safe for her to use it on you to heal you after the incident with Devon and for you to use it to save her. My family though, we are full Protectors. What if we did start something and one day you wanted to turn? I couldn’t turn you. I believe what the other Protectors said, that it would be dangerous for the royal line to combine with another spelled line. And, what if you wanted children one day? I couldn’t give that to you, and it would kill me to watch you with someone else. The two of us wouldn’t make sense, since I can’t reproduce, and the line must continue. It’s better to not be involved at all from the start than to risk any of that.”

  It wasn’t worth arguing with him, but it was a little late not to be involved from the start. The start had been long ago, and I was past the point of no return now, although I didn’t want it to show. Caroline said James was descended from the original Protectors. He took what he did seriously. If he hadn’t changed his mind yet, he never would. There were other things to think about now. Like figuring out how I was going to survive this mess.

  I had to realize that. Maybe we would slip every once in awhile, maybe we would do things and say things we shouldn’t, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t going to work out between the two of us and that was the reality of it.

  “Good night, Ariya.” James squeezed my hand tightly before turning and walking out of the house.

  He moved so fast I couldn’t even get a response out before he was gone. That was a lot for me to take in, and after all of the revelations tonight, I just wanted to lie down.

  I crawled into bed and started thinking about all of it. I was part of a bloodline that could save vampires. There were Protectors. James was a Protector. James was my Protector. Nick and Caroline were Protectors, too. Devon wanted me to create a werewolf bloodline. I could save dead vampires. Emma was working with Devon and who knows what oth
er werewolves. The thoughts kept coming and coming and continued throughout most of the night.

  Chapter 12

  When morning came around, I decided to go to the gym. After all, at this point, an extra self-defense class couldn't hurt. My body would need to be on top of things, especially if I was going to have to figure out how to defend myself against werewolves and vampires. I wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  The group exercise room was empty when I arrived. It was too early for classes to begin yet. The punching bag had been set up already, though, which was perfect. I walked over and stood there for a moment, staring mindlessly. Then I started hitting, kicking, anything to release the tension and fear that had started welling up within me.

  Noticing that I was holding my breath, I pushed it out forcefully. Remember all your training Ariya, I told myself. Relax, breath, go. Once I took a calming breath, I started up again. Rhythmically punching the bag in front of me, using the training I’d been getting since I was a child, I unleashed everything inside of me. I was starting to sweat. It was hot in the room.

  Needing to pause for a moment, my hands fell and rested on my legs. It was then that I realized I wasn’t alone in the room. My body stiffened and I prepared to attack until I saw James walk into my periphery.

  “I guess leaving me alone is out of the question now, huh?” I looked at him a moment before putting my hands on my hips and facing the punching bag again.

  It had been silly of me to think that with a monster werewolf on the loose I would have some quiet alone time. I understood things more clearly, now that I knew the whole story.

  “Sorry.” He looked like he truly meant it.

  I finally understood why they were trying to keep things from me now. It wasn’t to keep me out. They had hidden my bloodline from me to keep things as normal as possible. I felt bad, I had been so angry.

  “What are you doing here so early?” he questioned.

  “I couldn’t sleep and I’m going to take my self-defense class more than one day a week now. It couldn’t hurt, right?”