General Sterling

Six

Ada:

    The prince is a mess. Seeing him like that made me realize that maybe, just maybe he's not a shitty person. He's just had a terrible fate and the Queen completely broke him. He's latching onto the hate the others are spitting out of their tongues so he doesn't lose what little authority he has left. It also brings me back to the General. Does he feel that way on the inside? Is this why he jumps into danger headfirst without thinking of the consequences? His luck can and will run out one day. Then what?

    "I apologize for that," he pushed my door open without walking in. 

    "No, need. We all have our problems," I placed my sword on the table. Using my flames the way I did tonight, depleted me. I need to replenish soon. 

    "Thank you for walking away when you did. Alex is complicated. He's driven by his emotions. Always has been," he explained. "The Queen really f****d him up,"

    "Maybe one day he'll tell me the story. For now, it's none of my business," I shrugged.

    "Get some rest. You have a big night tomorrow," 

    He went over to the room across from mine. We were informed that we have the entire floor to ourselves. I went over to the balcony and peeked from the edge of the thick material covering the archway. In the distance, I can see the sun starting to peek. I stepped out feeling my fire regenerate with the heat of the sun and it's not even noon yet. 

    I had heard that the heat here doesn't compare to the heat back home. But, I haven't had direct sunlight since I entered the camps. It feels amazing. My skin is glowing again, my dragon scale markings are shinning. I laughed feeling ten times better. It's beautiful here. I can get used to this. 

    Below, the mortal servants are cleaning up. They're enjoying each other's company. I sat down on the edge of the balcony to see them all just walking around enjoying their morning. It took them a while to spot me up here. One of the females panicked. She rushed over to me. 

    "My lady, you shouldn't be out here," she called up to me. 

    "It's alright. I need the sun," I waved her off. I pushed my flameout creating a tiny dragon. It swam down to her twirling around her chilled skin, warming her. She laughed when I pulled it back making it disappear. 

    "Forgive me. We've had a few incidents with this prince," she bowed. 

    "It's alright," I smiled kindly at her. 

    "Do you need anything? Food, blood, drink?" she offered. My mouth watered at the mention of all those things. I jumped down in front of her. 

    "Sure. I can hold off on the blood. I have someone for that," I looked over her sun-kissed skin feeling the thirst in my body ache. 

    "Come," she beamed taking my hand. I laughed letting her guide me. I probably shouldn't have left my weapons behind but, they're humans. How threatening can they be?

    "Lina," someone shouted. A blanket was tossed over my head and I was pushed inside. "She's lamia,"

    "I know," the girl laughed. "She's fire," 

    "What?" the other woman looked over at me. I pushed the blanket off. 

    "It's fine. I don't burn," I reassured her. 

    "Forgive me," she knelt down. I bent down and helped her up. This is going to take some time to get used to. 

    "There's nothing to forgive. I'm sorry I frightened you," I chuckled. 

    "You're the new Major General," she stood up with me. 

    "Yes," I nodded. 

    "Beautiful," she reached for my hair. She's almost as tall as I am. It's a relief. I'm used to the vampiresses around me being tiny. Most of them hate me for it. They call me the tall one. 

    "Thank you," 

    "My name is Loren. This is my daughter Lina," she introduced herself and the other girl. Their scent is so young. So, alluring.

    "My name is Adaliegh. Everyone calls me Ada," 

    "Pretty," Lina smiled. "She's hungry," 

    "I'm sure we can find a male to come up,"

    "No, mama. She feeds on the General. She's actually hungry," perceptive. 

    "Oh," she nodded. "Are you sensitive to any kinds of foods?" 

    "No, not that I am aware of," 

    "We made breakfast," she beamed. The two of them led me deeper inside the castle. 

    I haven't had real food in a long time. As soon as the scent of food over a fire surrounded me, my fangs elongated with delight. Lina led me into what looks like a dining area. There are dozens of mortals here. All of them gathered in one area. She pointed at the pillows on the floor. Everyone is sitting on them. There are smiles on their faces. I took a seat with her. 

    There are mortals all around me. A lot of them are looking at me with curiosity. I take it most of them have never seen a vampire up past dawn. My belly gurgled when several plates of food were placed on the low table in front of us. I looked up at Lina embarrassed. She laughed.

    "You just came out of the camps," she noted. Smart little mortal.

    "I did. Two nights ago," 

    "Have your fill," she chuckled. 

    I looked down at the food and stood up. I got down on one knee and said a prayer. Everyone is definitely staring now. I bowed to Lina and her mother for gracing me with food this morning and blessed them in the old ways. 

    "You honor us," Loren bowed. 

    "It's you who honors me. Allowing me to sit at your table and feeding me is a great gift where I'm from," I smiled at her. 

    "Let's eat," Lina motioned to the table. 

    I'm not sure what it is I'm eating. I know there's pig in here. Chicken. Turkey. All of it is seasoned with the most intense flavors I have ever had. Charlie is going to love this. I listened to them talk about what they had to do today. Lina is very respectful to her mother. Despite her mother being mortal, she has a strong will. The way she looks at her daughter says how protective she is of her. It makes me miss my father all the more. 

    I never truly interacted with my mother. My father rarely let me. He knew that there was no room for kindness in what he was teaching me. I resented her for what she did to my brother and I never got around to building any kind of relationship with her. The moments I remember are those of her bowing her head and serving my sisters and me when we got home. Her fate was cruel and in the end, we ended her. I hope my sister finished her quickly. In the very least, she deserved mercy. 

    "There you are," everyone in the room stood up. I turned back to see the General standing behind me. I stood up and bowed respectfully. 

    "Here I am," I smirked standing up straight. "Were you worried?" 

    "It's daylight," he shook his head. 

    "I was hungry and I rather prefer the daylight," I showed him my arms. My abilities are fully charged. He reached for me looking them over. 

    "I didn't know that," he scoffed but not in a mocking way. If he thought my attack had been powerful then, he should see it now. 

    "I was having-" I turned to look at Lina questioningly. 

    "Breakfast," she reminded me. 

    "I was having breakfast with Lina and her mother. Would you like to join us?" I asked. He looked between the two women and shrugged. 

    "Sure," he nodded. Like I had, he bowed to them respectfully and blessed them and their food. Everyone went back to what they were doing but continued to sneak peeks at us. 

    "Have you ever had this before?" I asked looking down at our food. 

    "Yes, this is my homeland. Where my parents were born," he nodded. "My mom used to make this for us," 

    "I didn't know that. I thought you were from the Heart of Darkness," 

    "I joined the Queen's armada at twenty-six. My father died eighty-two years later and my mother took the Sterling Covens soon after that. I relocated to the Heart of Darkness with my sister when Queen Millianne found out that Ava is mated to the Prince. They wanted her to get the same training and schooling as the princess," 

    "Is that when you found out?" I asked. He nodded. He smiled at Loren and told her that her food is getting better. I smacked him. He laughed. 

    "You haven't had Lady Sterling's food," he smirked. Loren laughed. 

    "He's right. She knows what she's doing," Lina nodded. "She's here you know," 

    "My mother?" he asked almost choking on his food. I laughed. 

    "Yes, with lady Amara," she whispered. Her mother smacked her. 

    "Lina," she scolded. 

    "Amara?" I laughed. "Your cousin?" 

    "Yeah," he sighed. "She's going into vampire maturity and my mother wants a full-blooded Sterling heir before I am mated. We're the oldest in our coven, so the task lands on our lap," 

    "You do know that the princess will murder not just her but your heir and the entire clan for that right?" 

    "What the princess doesn't know, won't hurt her," he smirked. "Besides, I don't want to do it. I have to. It's law," 

    "Right the coven purity laws. You'd think they would have changed now that the heirs are only half-vampire," 

    "They're half but they are pure. The Incubus king is the first of his kind. The Queen is essentially a double of the Duke bloodline. The only reason the covens on both ends haven't gone for them is that their blood isn't exactly a mix of the two. They're vessels of both houses,"  

    "I see," I nodded. "What if both sides require two separate mates?" we all jumped when his cup shattered in his hand. I laughed, shaking my head. "Temperamental, General," 

    "You're going to pay for that, Ada," he growled. Lina and Loren looked away trying to hide their smiles. 

    "I'm just teasing you. Is it safe to assume that I'll be alone this evening?" 

    "Yes," he cleared his throat. "I have to go see my mother. Talk my way out of this one. You have to talk to the council and make your decisions on who stays. Don't hold back," 

    "If she doesn't sway you, let her know that when you have an heir with the princess, he or she will burn down your home along with everything your mother has built. I'd start with that and then show them scroll reports of Prince Phillip's a*******n," 

    "You heard about that?" his eyes turned to me. 

    "You can't disappear and expect no one to talk about where you go. Those bastards got what they deserved. She's just got her wings," I sighed. The princess takes after her mother. 

    "You sound sympathetic," he cleaned up the mess he made. Loren got up and took the pieces of hardened clay from him. 

    "I am. I know the kind of burden she carries to have something she didn't ask for raging inside of her. I've learned to control this," I let the flames flare around my scale marks. "I had people who knew what they were doing teach me. The princess is the first of her kind. 

    "Not only does she have to learn what she is and what she can do on her own. It falls on her to show the rest of her siblings what they are. Ashleigh is close to what I am and trust me when I say, teaching her wasn't easy. Especially with a mother like ours. The Queen is powerful, but she's not like her and she doesn't have the patience to teach her young what they need to know. If she lives long enough to see them come into their own," 

    "You ability to walk in the sun. What are the consequences?"

    "To me, nothing. I just am. However, my powers are stronger the longer I am outside. My stamina, strength, senses, it's all stronger. The fire is just a little harder to control. I can overdo it," 

    "Are all dragons like that?" 

    "The ones in my bloodline, yes. However, there are special cases like my sister. Instead of fire, she can make lightning. The amount of power she can wield during lightning storms is amazing. Useful in the Heart of Darkness," 

    "Of course, plenty of lightning there," he agreed. 

    "What about the middle sister? What can she do?" 

    "Aside from taking care of our mother, nothing. Mother's blood was dominant in her," I shrugged. He looked me over. 

    "Do you recent them?" 

    "Of course, not. At least, not for what they are. Their actions are a different tale. I am well aware of my position and the differences between some of us. I know how to kill and protect. My mother knew how to heal and to nurture. Two qualities I don't have,"