by E. M. Moore
Just one more obstacle left. Army crawl. I sprinted toward the yellow finish line marker ahead before throwing myself to the ground and rolling. With my hair in braids, I wasn’t worried about it catching on the barbed wire anymore, another trick I’d picked up from all this training. I rolled and rolled and rolled until I counted five rotations. Five was enough to bring me clear of the last barbs. I stood, my legs shaky and unsure beneath me. My whole body trembled. But still, I eyed that finish line and sprinted, my feet once again digging deep into the earth so I could propel myself forward. My chest ached. I wasn’t sure how long it had been since I’d taken a breath.
I ran and ran.
I gasped. The yellow tape broke across my chest. I’d done it. I’d freaking done it. I raised my hands in the air and whirled, making sure I really had beat Zeke. Searching, I found him still in the middle of the army crawl.
I dropped to my knees, my hands coming up to cover my mouth. I knew I could do it. I really did, but it all hit me at once. I’d freaking done it. I did exactly what the princes had brought me here to do. From finding me because of Jake, and then falling for me at a distance, they brought me here to be with them. Sure, they were just trying to get me into their world, but that was never enough for me.
Zeke ran across the finish line and bent over, his hands on his hips, gulping in air.
Oh yeah, breathe, my body told myself. I sucked in air, alleviating some of the tightness in my chest. Zeke eyed me and slowly walked over. He held his hand out and I took it. He shook it once before walking off to the sideline amidst cheers all around. Evan, Shannon, and Liv threw themselves at me, knocking me over. We laughed, and screamed, and I cried as it dawned on me just how strong I’d become. People told me all the time they couldn’t believe how fast I’d acquainted myself with this world, how easily I’d stuck up for them and risked my life for them, but I didn’t believe it, not until this very moment.
I half sobbed, half laughed into my hands as hands shook me, my head bobbing back and forth. I caught a glimpse of fiery red hair. “You did it!” Shannon screamed.
“I did it.”
“Holy shit, girl,” Liv yelled.
Evan gripped my shoulder. “Congratulations. You deserve it.”
They pushed my arm, laughing because I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. This was the most I’d cried since my mom passed away, but it was like a faucet that wouldn’t turn off. Pride and happiness and a deep root of fulfillment passed over me, making it impossible to turn off my emotions.
Firm hands gripped my forearm. I knew those fingers. Knew that hand. I looked up through my tears to find Nic smiling down at me, his lips cocked into a smirk. “I didn’t know you were going to go all girly.”
“Shut up,” I said, smiling from ear-to-ear.
He pulled me to him, taking me up in his arms and swinging me around. “You did it,” he whispered.
I kept repeating those words to myself too. I did it. I freaking did it.
“Yeah, Princess,” Connor yelled, taking me away from Nic and holding me in the air. I slid down his front and he kissed me square on the mouth before Stephan pulled me into his arms.
“I couldn’t be more proud of you. You’re an inspiration.”
My emotions clogged in my throat as I choked back another onslaught of tears. He pulled away and tried to dry my face.
Behind him, Christian walked up, Natalie right next to him. He cupped my cheek and smiled. “I knew you could do it, Ariana.” He half smiled, his lips trembling for half a second before he realized Natalie was right there. He cleared his throat, reigning in his emotions.
Natalie walked forward and held a medal out to me. I blinked, wiping at my face as Stephan had started for me. She placed the ribbon around my head as I bent over to accept it. She let it go and I clasped it in my hand. Winner. Rajyvik Training Facility Obstacle Course. Let not fear hinder the strength inside us all.
Truer words were never spoken.
I jumped up and down and was once again encompassed in an all-consuming embrace with everyone I held dear. Even Soren and Diesel stuck around to congratulate me, their hands coming together in an applause that hadn’t sunk that it was in honor of me and all that I’d accomplished.
I looked up at Natalie. “I choose the Ravanas. I want to be stationed with them.”
She laughed. “I know. Everyone knows.” She squeezed my shoulder. “You deserve it.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Groggy, I stretched my sore muscles out on the bed in my room at The Fort the next morning. When I didn’t hit anyone next to me, I shot up and looked around. I was alone.
I frowned and pulled the covers off me. When I got up, I stretched some more, pulling my hands over my head and reaching toward the ceiling. My muscles pulled, relieving some of the tension. All the aches weren’t just from the obstacle course. The princes and I had a round of celebration ourselves last night that left me sore in a delicious kind of way. I smiled, remembering it all and then padded off happily to the shower.
Today was the big day.
Graduation. The moment where I could officially announce the family I chose to guard even though as Natalie so helpfully pointed out, ‘everyone knew’. Butterflies came to life in the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t nervous about graduation, per se. It was about moving on. About taking life and whatever it threw at me. My life wasn’t dictated by The Fort anymore like it once had been, except for the brief little war in the middle of everything. Now that was all sorted out, there were a lot of decisions to be made. We couldn’t stay at The Fort. We could stay at the Ravanas’ second home, but what would be the purpose? We needed a purpose. As much as lying around and being with one another all day sounded like fun, the princes and I still had to have purpose.
They’d avoided talking about it with me and I hadn’t understood why. There were other things to decide, of course. Possibly things that had more relevance, but I didn’t like the idea of my life being so up in the air. I needed it grounded. I wanted to know who was going to be there and where we were going to live and what we were going to focus on.
Clan politics was a possibility, I thought as I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair. Now that we had recruited some Dumont Clan members into staying, there was a lot to still acquaint them with. There was still Stephan’s work with the ‘feeders’ who weren’t yet weened or healed from their addiction. He’d been going back and forth from a makeshift vampire hospital they’d started near the estate to The Fort so he could visit with me. Christian preferred to stay at the estate as well, helping his father guide the new laws and decisions. Not the least of which was the one concerning human guards not being able to be with vampires. That one had been stricken first. It wasn’t on official record yet, but we’d celebrated in a completely meaningful, beautiful way. We were free.
Very free. As of today, the ties I had to everything in this world except for the Ravanas was gone. It was terrifying.
I finished up in the shower and dressed quickly. The Fort had become home to nomadic Dumont vampires who’d pledged their allegiance to us. They preferred to live closer to the center of things and since The Fort had open dorms that’s where they’d ended up. Little by little they were leaving to find their own homes, however, and the Rajyvik training camp would slowly return to what it was put here for. In a couple months, the young vampires would be returning here. Added to their curriculum would be a healthy dose of fight training. I was looking forward to seeing some of them in action. A part of me wished I could stay. The Ravana Estate was home because the princes and Isabelle and Gregor were there, but I dearly loved The Fort too. It had been the closest thing I’d ever had to a home since my mother passed.
I stood in line at breakfast and smiled as the workers heaped piles of eggs and potatoes on my plate. I didn’t think the excess amount of food they put there was my imagination because others had noticed as well. Ever since I’d fought in the battle against Clive and returned here, they’d been putting extr
a food on my plate. So much extra that it was virtually impossible to finish. Once out of the line, I scanned the room and found Shannon, Liv, and Evan at a table in the back. Shannon and Liv both wore dresses. I cringed, remembering the usual training outfit I’d thrown on that morning. I supposed it wasn’t too late to change before graduation if I needed to. A dress didn’t seem like a good way to say I was taking over the Ravana guard spot though. At least to me.
Evan flagged me down, and I went over, dropping my plate next to Shannon. A second later, T.J. dropped his plate on the other side of her. She looked up at him and giggled, twirling a piece of her red hair around her finger. I chuckled to myself. She certainly wasn’t keeping her feelings a secret. Although, T.J. didn’t seem to mind either. I looked over at Liv to catch her eye. A good eye roll was in order, but she and Evan were staring into one another’s eyes. They’d been doing that a lot lately. I bit down on my lip, happy that my friends had found people they enjoyed being around just as much as I had.
T.J. had been asked to stay here to help Natalie with The Fort until graduation. He’d be taking over Lex’s head of clan security position after today. I didn’t know what would happen to this thing with Shannon after that. Shannon hadn’t— “Hey,” I said, poking her. “Did you pick a family yet?”
She blinked and turned toward me, surprised, as if she hadn’t heard me sit down. “Oh,” she said, blushing. She peeked at T.J.. “I have one in mind. I’ll just have to see if they’re available by the time it gets to me.”
I was the lucky one. I’d graduated number one so my choice was my choice. No one could take it away. But the others, they had their first choice, and then backups for their backups. And after all that, a family could still choose another guard, though they rarely did. They were just as happy to have the ones assigned to them.
Evan and Liv had already chosen their number one picks since before the obstacle course. Two families in close proximity to one another. We’d lost some guards and gained even more families to protect with a few of the Dumont Clan higher-ups deciding to stick it out with us, so hopefully everyone would get their first choice. Guards-in-training Shelby and Rick had left us. I wasn’t all that choked up about it. It was clear they didn’t trust the Ravanas. We didn’t need any more people around like that, especially when it wasn’t warranted. Their available choices would now to go someone else.
“I heard Matthews is coming today,” T.J. said.
My mouth dropped. “Really? How is he?” I hadn’t seen him in so long.
“He’s good,” T.J. said. “Pretty much all healed up. He’s using a cane. I talked to him yesterday, and he was thrilled to get out of that wheelchair. I can say I know exactly how he feels.”
T.J. stretched his legs out and sighed. The whole table laughed.
I liked T.J. as an instructor. I wished they’d offered him a position at The Fort and they probably would have if they didn’t need someone for Lex’s open spot. Maybe they’d bring in Matthews to take his place here. They needed a guard who had experience now that there was no Samuel. Someone to give them field training and know exactly what it was like to be under duress in a hostile situation.
Liv scanned the empty seats next to me. “So, where are your men?” she teased. “I didn’t think they’d leave your side today.”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure. Haven’t heard from them. Gregor probably needed them for something.”
I pulled my cell phone out from under the table and checked the screen. I’d texted them before I left my room and they hadn’t gotten back to me yet.
“You know, I’ve been wondering,” Liv said. She trailed off, waiting until I looked at her. “How long do you think you’ll stay a guard for?”
“A guard? Forever. What do you mean?”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, let me put it a different way. How long do you think you’re going to stay human for?”
I gasped in surprise. Liv raised her eyebrows and Shannon kicked her under the table.
“Ow,” Liv said. “I was just curious.”
“It’s kind of private,” Shannon said.
I pulled my hair behind my ears, my cheeks turning red. “I don’t know, actually,” I said, telling them the truth. “There’s been a lot going on. I haven’t thought that much about it.”
Liv bit a potato off her fork. “I’d turn in a heartbeat.” She side-eyed Evan and then put her hands around her mouth so he couldn’t see what she said. She mouthed, “Hunks. Lucky.”
I chuckled into my hand as Evan tickled her side. “I know, I know. The Ravanas are hot.” He rolled his eyes.
“Aww,” a voice came. “Thanks, bro,” Connor said. The blond-haired prince plopped himself next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. “What’s up, Princess?”
“See,” Liv said. “You could be a princess. An actual freaking princess. What’s not to want? I would’ve asked them to change me already so they couldn’t back out.”
My shoulders caved, and I hid my face. Connor massaged my shoulder. “Good luck trying to talk to Princess about this, Liv. She seals right up. I expect we’ll know about a second after she makes up her own mind about it, and not a moment sooner.”
He kissed my temple, and I relaxed. That was true. Thinking about becoming a vampire gave me heart palpitations. It wasn’t that the idea of spending an eternity with my princes didn’t appeal to me. It did. On the flip side of that, there was a lot I wanted to accomplish before I turned. I wanted to be a mentor to a human guard while still being human. I wanted to show them how good you could be without all those extra powers. Kind of like what Lex did for me.
There was more too. There was the whole idea of having a family and if I wanted little Ravanas that resembled me, I had to do that while still human, too.
I shook my head and Connor chuckled into my neck. “No need to decide right now. Don’t let anyone pressure you.”
I lifted my head and placed my chin on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
“Always. Now,” he said, standing up. “If you aren’t busy, I’m going to need you to come with me.”
I looked down at my still mostly full tray.
He pushed it out of the way. “Forget that overstuffed food complements of the kitchen staff.” He grabbed a muffin from T.J.’s plate and pulled on my arm. “We have things to do.”
I waved bye to my friends as I followed Stephan out the exit. He handed me the muffin, and I chowed down on it. Instead of leading me outside, however, he took me right back to my room. “What’s going on?”
“We didn’t think you’d be up yet,” he said, throwing a wink over his shoulder at me.
He twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Inside, a bouquet of balloons swayed in the center of the room, vases of flowers adorned the dresser, and about a dozen boxes of chocolate were piled just outside my closet. I stopped just at the entryway. “What’s all this?”
“Oh, just the first part of your presents. Letting you know how proud of you we are.” He picked a purple flower out of one of the vases and handed it to me. “It’s not every day your future mate graduates from The Fort.”
I shook my head and laughed at him. “No, I guess it isn’t.” I breathed in the deep, fresh scent of the flower.
Connor took me by the shoulders and spun me around. “I’m also glad I thought of this because you cannot show up at graduation in your training outfit.”
On the bed, laid out, was a beautiful black pantsuit. I picked it up, letting the fabric cascade down the front of me. The top wrapped around with thick black bands, leaving peeks of skin showing through. The pants were like leggings all the way down except extra fabric billowed out beyond them like a slitted dress. I sucked in a breath. “This is perfect.”
He kissed the top of my head, his blue eyes shining. “Do I know my baby or what?” He stepped back and smiled. “I’d love to stay and watch you get dressed, but we all promised Natalie we’d help her get ready. You don’t have much time left so get that outfit on and
come meet us.”
He turned to leave, but I held on to his hand. I pulled him to me and kissed his soft lips, closing my eyes to drink it all in. “Thank you.”
Smiling, he left, leaving me to myself. The suit/dress was perfect. How did he always know what I wanted to wear? It was uncanny. Not too feminine, but also didn’t make me look like I was still a trainee. I tore my training outfit off and carefully stepped into the jumpsuit. Once on, I hurried into the bathroom, turning this way and that. It flattered me in all the right areas. I stared in the mirror and looked at my hair. It certainly wasn’t pantsuit hair. I took it out of its usual ponytail and plugged my curling iron in. I even dug out my makeup and put some on. My skin had really evened out after Stephan used his miracle cream on the bruises to my face. I told him we could probably make millions selling his cream to the public as acne medication. They didn’t need to know that vampire blood was the secret ingredient.
Within half an hour, I’d curled and primped as much as I’d cared to. I slipped the obstacle course medal around my head and pinned the Medal of Valor on a scrap of black fabric close to my neck. When I opened the door, others were already on their way to the graduation. They’d staged the main courtyard for the ceremony. When we came around the side of the building, white chairs dotted the landscape along with a temporary stage. I saw Soren and Diesel and gave them hugs. The princes stood with me for a little while, but when the ceremony was about to start, they had to go up on stage next to Isabelle and Gregor. Before I made my way to my seat, T.J. and Matthews found me and we talked before sitting down, my nerves causing my leg to bounce up and down.