(Kate)“DID you receive the flowers, sis?” I remembered Terrence asking me before via phone call.I embraced the bouquet of yellow roses and nodded even if I know that he couldn’t see me at the moment. “I did, but what are these for? It’s not like it’s my birthday today-oh, wait.” I stopped and glanced at the calendar that I hung on the wall when I realized the date today. “It is indeed our birthday. I’m sorry, Terrence. I forgot again. I just came back from a mission. I didn’t notice the date.”We treated the day we were found by the nuns as our birthday. Between us, Terrence had always been more thoughtful. He would always send me flowers during days like this.“It’s okay. I understand.”I bit my lower lip. We were both busy. And yet, he still remembered. “This is so embarrassing. I didn’t even get you a gift again.”He laughed. “I told you it’s okay. You don’t have to buy me anything. For my birthday gift, can I just make a request instead?”“Anything, Terrence. Anything at all. Ju
(Zachary)THE SPELL had been lifted. Unlike the first time when Kate got emotional in the rose palace, tonight, there was no rain. The wind was calm and gentle. Silence filled the air. No one was moving, including the guests and the owner of the manor, as if they were afraid to create even a little sound that would distract her.Kate remained staring at the knight’s face. We now knew who he was. We had heard their conversation; we heard them weep for all the lost times. We had witnessed their final reunion. Terrence may be using another person’s face and body, but we clearly saw him break down.We saw how the siblings shatter. The royal family died a tragic death. Kate was now officially the last surviving member from the Gregory clan. They were all victims of the century-old war between the witches, hunters, and vampires. The twins were the ones who loved each other the most in this world, and yet, they ended up pointing their swords at each other. All we could do was watch from afar
AFTER confirming the witches’ location, I did not waste time anymore. I kicked the steel gate of the two-storey house where the witches had been hiding and immediately set their hideout on fire.I heard them shriek. The furious warriors broke the door. We found the witches in the middle of casting their spell, all of them were sitting on the floor. They formed a circle and were holding each other’s hands while chanting but Jonathan and Damon were quick to throw their swords at the witches’ heads.Despite the two witches who died, the chanting did not stop. Instead, their voices became louder. The warriors’ ears bled, but none of them stopped from marching forward.I allowed these little devils to live before. I gave them mercy when they begged me thinking that they could not do any harm to me and my people anyway. It was just recently when I discovered that they were the ones backing up Dimitri’s disciples.Showing them mercy was my mistake. That same mercy I gave them had bounced bac
I OPENED the bathroom door and saw Kate throwing up all the food she had eaten at the restaurant. The morning after we went in the witches’ den, she invited us to go to the beach. I obliged; I was somehow relieved that she didn’t lock herself up in our room.Mira was also excited because it was our first family trip together.Just like before, we didn’t use any of our magical prowess. I drove the car with Kate on the passenger seat and Mira on the back. The warriors followed but they kept a low profile and made sure to put a reasonable distance between us as they fulfill their duties.The three of us watched the sunrise together. Kate was even smiling as she created a sandcastle with our daughter. And when lunch time came, we ate in the closest seafood restaurant. It looked like a normal day.Except that it was not.Kate tried all the menu in the restaurant. She had eaten more than she normally did. She listened with a smile to Mira’s stories about our date in the amusement park. She
Three months later…(Kate)THE VIEW was worth it. Terrence’s grave was located on top of the hill along with our parents. I’d seen it from below, the colorful flowers which could only be found here. There were nine petals in each flower and every petal had a different color. I heard they bloom all year round and give off this amazing scent.The hill was a two-hour climb. I didn’t use my abilities because I wanted to climb it through my own efforts.I lit three candles in front of their tombstones and sat on the grass. I only gained the courage to leave my room and visit them all today.I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it yet. I thought I would need more time. I thought it would still hurt so much.But this morning when I woke up and found Mira and Zachary sleeping by my side, I remember smiling for the first time after three months. When I opened my eyes and saw them, I no longer felt cold. Instead, I began to feel warm inside again.Unlike me, I knew that Zachary and Mira had been
THE WEDDING was only a month away. We could no longer postpone it. The Council had given us enough time already. Even if Zachary was the king, he could not afford to stop it anymore. The ministers were rushing the wedding because of the crowning ceremony. It would follow right after the wedding.The public also feel obligated to put me-Dayanara and Valentino’s heir-to the throne, and to officially recognize Mira as the kingdom’s princess.I’m currently sitting on the bed and was reading the wedding details when Zachary had stepped out of the bathroom wearing only his white robe. He was busy wiping his hair when he caught me staring at him. He smirked before he sauntered towards the bed.It had been a while since we had a time like this together.Back then, even if Mira was in school and he came home early, he didn’t do anything beyond giving me a hug and a kiss on the temple. His monthly rut had finally stopped although I knew he still had needs.How many times did I see him going to
“HOW was the boy?” I asked, my heart was pounding. “Please tell me that he’s okay.”Jonathan smiled. “He is okay, your highness. I talked to the school director and according to him, the princess managed to come back to her senses on time. She had him drink her blood. I heard that the boy is doing fine now; he had recovered faster than usual because of her blood. Still, the princess must be shocked that’s why she ran away.”I was not aware that I was holding my breath while waiting for Jonathan’s answer. Mira had not fed again ever since living in the city.“I grew up in this city, your highness, so please trust me when I say that what happened was a normal occurrence to young vampires,” Jonathan assured me as he glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “We are all immortals here, there was no way the princess could kill her friend through feeding alone unless that boy is a human. They would study about that in their next lessons.“Not to mention that the princess acted fast and too
I CLENCHED my hands as I stride inside the castle. We made a rule the day Mira accidentally fed on her classmate to make sure that it would never occur again. And I thought we were already clear on that matter but as soon as I finished trying my wedding gown, I received news about the father and daughter duo.I think it was time to break their tandem.Zachary had volunteered to personally teach our daughter about feeding.I didn’t want Mira to get used to feeding on her classmates and friends. I didn’t want her to lose control again and to hate herself for it again. We agreed that she would only drink through the blood bags.It had only been a few days since we set the rule and now, I heard that Mira fed on a black rose and her wonderful father allowed her to do so.I didn’t need to search for them anymore. The two walking disasters were already in the living room. I was so furious that I wanted to hit Zachary in the head and lecture Mira, but I stopped when I saw the duo kneeling on
(Zachary) IT WAS almost five in the afternoon. It was time to pick up swan from her campus. I was about to call the twins who were running around the lawn when I saw how Mira swooped in and carried Alain in one hand and Algernon in another. The twins were playing with their guards who were now sweating so hard. After getting caught by their sister, the boys pouted and lowered their heads. Their playfulness had never worked on my eldest. “What time is it now?” she asked the twins. “Five,” Alain answered. “It’s still three minutes and eleven seconds before five in the afternoon,” Algernon added. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Mira asked again. The twins gasped and together, they said, “It’s time to pick up Mommy from the human realm!” “You finally remembered. Now go to your rooms and fix yourselves. Don’t come to her campus looking like that. Both of you were the ones who insisted on picking her up today and yet, you forgot?” The t
(Kate)IN THE middle of checking the photos the butler had sent regarding Algernon, I noticed Jonathan peeking at his wristwatch. There were more photos to look at. Others were about Mira. She sent the pictures herself. She was getting along really well with her friends. She had completely adapted to her hybrid life.Whenever I’m away, I can’t be at ease unless I see the reports about my children. Even with the blood link, the trauma the witches and the hunters had caused me will take a while to get rid of. And I was glad that Mira understood. She was the one who volunteered to send her daily pictures to me to keep me posted especially whenever they had school activities.But in time, I know the trauma will disappear.The other photos were regarding my husband and Alain who had caused troubles in the office. Violet sent them to me after giving me a call since she visited Damon there and brought him his blood bag. He caught the general in the l
“GREETINGS, your majesty and the prince,” everybody greeted. The women held onto the bottom of their skirts because the wind kept blowing them away.I held my little guy’s hand and put it down. The wind vanished. But when he looked up at me, he looked like he was about to cry as if I ruined his fun.“Don’t look at Daddy like that. Here. I brought your favorite toy,” I said and gave him his teddy bear. His smile came back as he grabbed the toy.The people sighed, relieved. But the aftermath of the trouble my son unconsciously caused was still palpable. I snapped my finger. In a blink of an eye, everything had turned back to normal.When we rode the elevator, Damon caught up to us. After bowing to give his greetings, he looked at me curiously.“My wife is in a meeting. I can’t leave the twins under the servants’ care. They already looked so stressed. I had to bring one of them. That’s the only way to appease my wife as well. I didn’t want her to worry all day,” I said before he could as
SEEING my wife like this reminded me of the phone call I received while I was still inspecting the border. That was around six in the evening.‘Your majesty?’ she asked in a low voice.I smiled and loosened my tie. There was something in her voice which made me feel hot even if it was windy outside. ‘Yes, swan?’‘What time are you going home tonight?’‘I’m not sure. There are still areas we haven’t visited yet. Why? Do you miss me already? What’s up with this sudden call?’ I teased.I never needed phone calls when I could always teleport whenever I miss her which happens constantly. Most of the time, I would show up in her workplace or in the twins’ room to steal a kiss from her and if I get lucky, we would do it quickly. I just could not get enough of her.I guess I never gave swan the chance to miss me that’s why after two years of our marriage, this was her first time calling me first.‘Nothing. I just called to say that… I’m not wearing any underwear tonight. And I’ve already prep
Two years later…I KNEW I would find her here. These past few months, I rarely see my wife in our chamber. She was constantly in Alain and Algernon’s room. Even if our twins had their own servants, she was still hands-on when it came to them.It was past eight in the evening. I normally come home at five in the afternoon but today, I went with the knights for the monthly inspection around the borders. Mira greeted me at the doorway a while ago and told me that she already had an early dinner with her mother. Still, I caught her stealing a blood bag in the fridge for a snack.When I heard that her mother was sleeping upstairs, I sent our eldest to bed after her snack and after monitoring her mana and her blood intake since today was Thursday and it was my turn to monitor it to keep her mana and her powers in check. The kingdom may be peaceful now and there were no more threats but after what Kate and Terrence had experienced, it would not hurt to be careful.Our children’s blood was li
(Zachary)I FINALLY get it. What they say about family, about parents. I thought I knew enough about parental love after being a father but Dayanara Gregory had shown us what a mother’s love was and why it was important.I had seen it when Swan covered for Mira after she bit her, when she looked at our daughter with wonder and affection in her eyes as she watched her play in the garden, when she brushed her hair, when she worried whether she had taken her meals or not, and when she kissed her at night as she wished her a sweet dream.Lastly, I saw it the night Swan was shackled. I saw how she strived to make sense of the situation when Mira ran to her, barefooted and with tears flowing down her cheeks. I saw how she broke her heart to appease our daughter’s heart while I stood there, unsure what word to say and what step to make, because I never understood the gravity of having a parent and losing one.All I understood was the pain of a husban
(Damon)ON the way to the castle, no music could be heard. Unlike before, there were no festivities. There were no children playing on the streets either. All the establishments were closed. The people I saw were wearing white.They hung lanterns in every house as their way of sending the queen off believing that the lanterns will light up her path towards another world.I continued to drive and stopped in front of the castle. The gates were opened for everyone who wished to visit the queen. There were more and more people coming by. I stepped out of the car and instantly heard the sound coming from the flute. It was from Jonathan who was in the garden, her highness’ favorite spot.He looked so lost as he played the flute which gave off a heart-wrenching sound. He hadn’t spoken a single word since yesterday. He hadn’t changed his clothes either. The queen’s blood on his uniform was still there. Even his hand still had her blood on
I KNOW it was wrong to feel this way because swan is still alive. She has to be alive or else, all those traveling, all those twelve duels just for one silly flower would not mean a thing, or else I would regret not being by her side for the past two days as she waited for me while enduring so much. “Swan, hang in there,” I whispered and forced a smile. “We are about to reach the top. Just take a nap for the meantime. I know you are tired. I will wake you when we get there.” It was already bright when we reached the top. I took the final step and stopped to look around us. The wind blew. My chest felt like it was being squeezed when I said, “Wake up, swan. Open your eyes, come on. We are on top of the mountain now. We fulfilled your wish. Do you see it? The scenery is as lovely as you said.” Again, there was silence. “You also said that it would feel liberating when you are one with nature like this. But swan, I don’t feel liberated at all. The beauty I
I WAS stunned. I could not move. I could not even speak.But when Kate was about to fall, my body automatically moved to catch her. The wind and the rain had stopped at once. The hunters vanished one by one as if their lives were linked with hers. Blood was still gushing from her chest when she tried to open her eyes.They were back to being blue.Jonathan pulled out the sword from her and kneeled before us.Kate proudly smiled at him and said, “T-thank you, Jonathan. You did well.” And then she turned to me. “Where have you been? I missed you, my husband.”I held her hand. “Doctor Juno is preparing the medicine. Wait a little more, swan. I will take you back home and-““No, Zach. I don’t think I could survive this anymore,” she whispered as she caressed my face. “Love, what took you so long? Where were you? I waited for you.”Tears streamed my cheeks. “I’m sorry, swan. I’m sorry for leaving your side. But why did you do that? I don’t need to live forever! What the hell am I going to