The Hybrid Princess's Cursed Legacy

CHAPTER 5 - AGORA - AURORA'S POV

I hit something solid as she spoke. It was the wall of the hut, I hadn’t realized I was still moving away from them all, I was trapped. Could I out run them? I thought of the vampire from last night and how quickly he’d caught up with me when I’d run from him and I knew that these vampires would be just as fast.

My head was spinning, I didn’t know what to do, or if I should trust Amelia’s words, I felt the silver force field emerge from my hand that was fisted at my side.

''What’s that?'' Temperance asked, wary for the first time. I dissolved the field the second she spoke, but the others had all seen it as well.

Everyone stood back, everyone except Jasper, who the others all looked at now. He walked straight towards me, his hands outstretched in front of him like last night, his face was warm as he looked into my eyes.

''No one here will ever hurt you.'' He repeated Amelia’s words, but this time I listened to them. ''I will never hurt you, the vampires here do not kill humans to survive, we only hunt animals, please Aurora, you can trust me.'' He placed his hands on either side of my shoulders, I relaxed under his touch.

I couldn’t explain it, but I did trust him. I felt my racing heart slow again as I looked into his face.

''Do I know you?'' I asked, unsure.

He was taken aback by my question. That much I could tell, but when he answered he hid his confusion.

''We have not met before last night.'' He told me, but something in his eyes made me think he was holding something back from me.

''Then why do I feel safe around you?''

''I don't know,'' He said as we looked at each other for a moment, my face confused and his anxious. ''But please, trust me. You're safe.''

''I do trust you.'' I finally admitted, ''But I think I should go.''

For the smallest second he looked upset, he quickly dropped his hands and looked back at his family.

''That’s not such a good idea, sweetheart.'' Delia’s voice was gentle and calming, though her eyes were wide with worry. ''It’s too dangerous.''

''Delia is right, Aurora.'' Tobias agreed, ''There are others in these woods that do not care for human life, they will kill you if they get the chance. We are going to the great city of Agora in three month's time. It would be best for you if you remained on our land until then, and then you can come with us.''

''Yes,'' Amelia agreed. ''You can come with us when we go, and then once you’re in the city, you’ll be safe. You can choose to go your own way from there if you wish.''

I thought about that for a moment and decided that my fear of going back into the woods was greater than my fear of staying here.

''Ok, I’ll stay.'' I told them. ''Thank you for helping me.''

Jasper turned back towards me, his face was expressionless, but his eyes seemed to glow with excitement. This made my heart jump again. I stared at him, unable to look away, until Amelia clapped her hands together, and I jumped a little.

''Great!'' She beamed at me, ''Now you have to tell me everything you remember from last night. Johna, the vampire that attacked you, said that you killed his brother.''

Amelia took my hand and led me towards the fire, where she gently pushed me onto one of the logs placed around it. The others followed, all looking extremely curious but still slightly weary. I noticed Jasper leaning against the wall of the hut in the exact spot I had been standing seconds before.

I retold my tale of the previous night. Everyone seemed genuinely interested and concerned for me.

I looked up and saw that Jasper seemed upset and a little angry. When he noticed me staring at him, his face turned blank, and he looked at the ground.

Perhaps he was friends with the vampire I killed? I thought. Perhaps he hates me now that he knew the truth?

I tried to keep my face blank as well when the thought that he didn’t like me made me feel uneasy.

Once I’d finished speaking, he pushed off of the wall and walked off towards the woods. Stephen ran after him and whispered something to him. From his tone it sounded like he was pleading with him, but Jasper spat an angry retort that I couldn’t hear and disappeared into the trees.

I watched him go, confused, but thinking how I wanted him to stay, and how I felt safer with him around.

When I couldn’t see him anymore, I looked back at the fire and saw from the side of my eye that Amelia and Temperance were smiling at me as though they could read my thoughts. I blushed and looked at the flames dancing around the fire pit, though I could still feel their eyes on me.

The others ran out of questions for me quickly, as I couldn’t remember anything, there really was no point in asking me anything about myself.

After a couple of minutes, they all drifted off until finally it was just me and Amelia sitting alone by the fire.

''Why will I be safe in Agora?'' I asked curiously, ''Aren’t there any vampires there?''

An angry shadow crossed Amelia’s face, and I found myself back tracking.

''I didn’t mean any disrespect.'' I began, but she shook her head and I fell silent.

''No, no it’s not that, it’s just-'' She paused for a second, she didn’t finish what she’d started saying. Instead, she smiled at me, and answered my question. ''Yes, there are vampires there, but they are forced to wear a Corta bracelet. If they drink human blood with in the city, the bracelet will poison them, and they are taken away to the Kings''

''Oh.'' I said, thinking over Amelia’s words, it sounded reasonable to me, at least it would stop them from hurting people.

''You seem angry about that.'' I said cautiously.

''Sometimes I am.'' She admitted, ''I don’t care about the other vampires so much, I only care about my family. Every time we go to the great city, they place those horrible bracelets on us all, and it's quite painful, even though they have ways of finding out if we kill humans or not.''

''But you're not a vampire.'' I stated, looking at her in shock.

''It's not just vampires that they put them on.' She told me, angry again. ''Every non-human that goes into the city must wear one. I don’t like it, and it suppresses my power.''

I couldn’t think of anything to say about that, instead I changed the subject.

''What happened in your vision?'' I asked, ''I was going to ask you before, but I got a little side tracked.''

She smiled at me before answering, ''I saw you run into the clearing covered in blood. Joana appeared after a second, his face was full of rage. He killed you but didn’t drink your blood. I thought it was bit odd, so I decided to help you.''

I was quiet for a few minutes. I was glad she hadn’t gone into details about my death. Amelia sat patiently and watched my face.

''Why do you think you had the vision of me in the first place?'' I asked after a while.

''That’s a good question.'' She said approvingly, ''But I’m not too sure. I’ve been wondering about that myself. I only ever get visions of things I ask to see, like if I wanted to see if it would rain tomorrow, or something like that, then I would see it.''

I didn’t know what rain was, but I didn’t interrupt her tale to ask.

''But yesterday, you just appeared in my mind, and I knew that I had to save you.''

''Why?'' I asked. I noticed an odd expression in her eyes.

''Again I’m not too sure.'' Her tone sounded as though she was trying to brush me off, but then she added, ''I get the strangest feelings around you, like you’re important, and I need to protect you.''

I shook my head in disbelief, I wasn’t important. If I was, then why was I all alone in the woods? I was a freak, unloved, and clearly forgotten.

''Do you know what I am?'' I asked, scarred of the answer.

''No.'' She told me sadly, ''Stephen says you smell human, but also, I guess the closest scent would be vampire. He said other then my scent, it’s the second most wonderful thing he’s ever smelt''

I cringed at her words and she rushed on.

''I can sense a lot of power coming from you, but you're not a witch.'' She laughed then, and I looked up at her confused. ''Its like you're everything rolled into one.'' She explained, seeing the puzzled expression on my face.

''But that’s not possible. Is it?'' She said, though she sounded unsure.

I felt my face pout as I looked at the fire again.

''I’m sorry I couldn’t give you any answers.'' She said sincerely, "This must be very frustrating for you not knowing who or what you are.''

I tried to smile, but it was weak. ''Maybe I’ll find my answers in Agora?''

''Maybe.'' She agreed as Jasper came back into view. We both looked at him, and my heart raced. ''Or maybe you’ll find everything you’re looking for right here.''

I looked at her again, there was a tone in her voice I didn’t understand. I was going to ask her if she knew something she wasn’t telling me, but she suddenly got to her feet.

''Put this on.'' She ordered me, holding a large golden bracelet. ''It will protect you from anything that tries to hurt you while you’re on our land, but only on our land, Jasper!'' She said, slyly.

I thought. Why don’t you show Aurora our perimeter, so she knows where not to cross?