Roses Wither: Into the Darkness
Eleven

Three years later

Chase

It was a sunny day in Italy, but that didn’t matter to me. Everyone spoke of feeling a change between the sun, moon, rain and everything else, even my brother Matthias spoke if it, but I never felt any change.

I had noticed the difference in the light it allowed to filter through and clear my vision, but it had no effect on my physical or mental being.

I lived a hunter’s life. I wasn’t raised to feel, smell, or even think. I was raised to kill the evil beings that were sent from the devil himself.

“Ah, Chase! There you are!” Mathias’ use of our native tongue was normal, as he came into the foyer to welcome my arrival home, it was him being there that was not.

He wasn’t my brother by blood, but at arms. We had fought together for uncountable millennia, and I trusted him with my home and people, while I was away.

He was, for all intents and purposes, my second in command, even though he wasn’t a vampire. No, I was the only one of our kin to go through the transformation.

We were part of The Five, also known as The Boys of the Church, The Hunters and once, The Seven.

We were all tall, bulky and strong, but the feature that was most prominent was or unnaturally blonde hair. It was a trait we only gained after being fed Angel blood as young men, to cleanse us of our impurities.

We became emotionless warriors. Bred to fight the demons and cleanse the world of their evil doings.

“How did it go today?” He grinned wildly at me, his brown eyes glinting with mirth.

I was just around the town, dealing with business per usual, making sure that our town was happy and content. It was nothing special, but he stood frozen, that wild grin still there.

Something was up.

“Why are you here, grinning like a moron? What did you do now?” I paused to glare at him.

“Well, to start with, I broke up a fight between Fallon and Sondra,” He gave me a knowing grin, “They both wanted to be in your quarters when you arrived home."

"Send them both in different directions." I gave him the order with a nod, "Fallon to Ireland, and Sondra to Romania."

He gave a nod in return, "Marta reported that Marcus called.”

“What did Marcus want?”

“Rumor has it that the Royal family has been back in town.” He wagged his eyebrows at me, "For around years now."

“I have known." My mouth went dry, "I have also kept my distance, due to the fact that the last time the Royal family came back to Romania, I fought Nico and turned his son.”

Having seen the Prince’s life through his own eyes, having seen his visions and declarations, pushed a lot on the forefront. Having such a gift should be seen as a blessing, but he saw it as the complete opposite.

“That was years ago,” He waved a hand at me, “Another rumor is spreading though, that there has been a female wolf seen amongst them.”

“Nitala.” My upper lip curled. That woman irritated me, and I knew that she was the reason I had been removed from my post two decades ago.

I was The Guard of the Royal family. For centuries, I fought by their side, then I was simply dismissed. Only to return to train their son.

“Isn’t Nitala’s wolf brown?” His eyebrows shot up, “This one is pure silver, like a certain male we know.”

“It must be the princess then.” I gave a nod and continued on.

Marcus’s sister was a said to be a true Queen, one who would rule over the vampires. She would be the Moon Goddess, and Marcus had seen me fight beside her, in a vision of the future, so it wasn’t news that they had returned with her.

I had almost made it to the stairs, when Matthias called me back.

“Did I mention that when Prince Marcus couldn’t reach you by phone, he decided to show up?”

I froze.

“Hello, old friend.” The voice was familiar and had me smiling as I turned to face Marcus.

Demons and the creatures they created, I could sense from hundreds of miles away, it was the angel blood in my system, but vampires were another story completely. Even though their power was there, it just had a different twinge in the air, almost electrical, and some had the ability to mask it, like the mahogany haired man, standing in my hallway wearing only a pair of sweatpants.

“Did you wolf out to get here?” I snorted my welcome in English for the man.

“You know it.” He gave me a lopsided grin, “Fastest way to travel.”

“No private jet for the Prince?” I cocked a brow at him.

“Please,” He snorted, “Prince, my ass.”

“It’s only been a few years since I have seen you,” I stood in front of him, “Don’t tell me you have already forgotten what I taught you.”

“Not at all,” He chuckled, “I’m still healing from our last spar. You got a minute to talk?”

“You have more than a minute, since you’ve come all this way.” I gave a nod and ushered him into my office, once I closed the door he grinned.

“Dude, your house is fucking awesome,” His green eyes were wild with excitement, “Matthias showed me around. No guards, which I don’t agree with, but fucking wow! It’s all open and bright, not at all like I would have pictured.”

“I don’t need guards because I don’t leave loose ends,” I shrugged, taking a seat at my desk, “Even if I did, this is a former monastery, with a church. It is holy ground. No one would dare attack here. Even vampires.”

“I know.” He gave a confirming nod.

That was why those who I changed stayed by my side. Once they were turned, they knew my sins, my past and they knew that they were safe.

“Why are you here, Marcus?” I asked.

“My sister needs your help,” His eyes averted to the mural of angels on the wall, “She’s used to fighting as her wolf. Having her power change made her stronger, but she can’t open it on her own. I think it's because she’s afraid of it.”

"I did not get the feeling that your family wanted me around the princess." I eyed him brought to his thoughts on the day I turned him. He loved his sister and would do anything to keep her safe. Including becoming a vampire, but I also saw his parent's fear, should I become involved.

"You are the only one who knows how to help her. I've seen it."

“What makes you think that I can help?” I snorted, “Isn’t that something the Moon Goddess taught her?”

“She died when she gave her power to my sister.” His eyes darted to me and he stepped to my desk, meeting my gaze with a severity I had only seen from him when he asked me to change him.

“Feed from me and see what I know,” He stepped forward, pointing to his neck, “You can see my newest visions.”

“What have you seen, Marcus?” My brow furrowed.

“I have seen so much more and it’s all so clear now. The war has begun, Chase. It began before even my father was born, and you will help Rosa end it all.”

"Me?"

"You are The Guard." He told me, "You cannot be defeated."

Rose

“I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal,” I scoffed at my father as I slumped on the couch in his office, “It was one little shift, not the opening of a Hellmouth.”

“Tell me you are joking!” Tati looked back at me with a sneer, “That is not funny, Rosa!”

“Eh,” I shrugged and put my feet on the coffee table as he glared at their bareness. He hated when I didn't wear shoes. The castle was technically our house, and I didn't wear shoes often back home, let alone in the house.

“I bet I could make it happen," I teased, "A couple of vampires, and a virgin sacrifice over a pentagram. It could be fun. Although, a virgin may be harder to replace since I can't leave the house...”

My father cursed and gave me a look of exasperation. It was obvious that I was not the daughter he had been hoping for. I was not the graceful, elegant Queen that I was born to become either.

Sure, I played it up, to push his buttons, but after years of my tricks, bending of the rules and quirky clothes, he was finally exasperated.

He stood and went to the door, calling my brother in with a shout.

Great, I’d pissed him off so much this time, that he had to call for reinforcements.

“What’s up?” He looked between Tati and I, then chuckled, “Nice shirt, sis.”

I looked down at my shirt and grinned. I had been wearing it all day and no one had said a word. Sure, standing next to Tati in a shirt that read, “I’m with stupid” would have gotten some killed for snickering, but leave it to my big brother to fully laugh about it. It brightened my day.

“What is up?” Tati gaped at my big brother who leaned against the door frame with a snort, but corrected himself, with a pointed look at me.

“I am sorry, Father," He cleared his throat, "I can tell that Rosa has already pushed her share of buttons today. What can I do for you?”

“I want it known that Rosa is not aloud to shift anymore.” He ordered, “I want it known amongst the men, if she shifts they are to report to me immediately.”

“Yes, Father.” Marcus’s eyes roamed to me. He could feel my anger, I knew he could, but what I didn’t expect was his annoyance over the matter.

“Clara and I went for exercise.”

“Clara is also a vampire now, Rosa,” Marcus gave me a scolding tone, “If you run, you run both run as a vampire.”

“Marcus shifted a few weeks ago,” I glared at my brother as I ratted him out, “When he was gone for three damn days!”

“Brat.” He growled at me.

“Dick.” I hissed back.

“Marcus can control his abilities as a vampire,” My father glared between the two of us, “He also leaves in three days and was running an errand for his departure.”

“What?!” I gaped at my father, “Where is Marcus going?!”

“Back to the US.” Father cleared his throat now.

“We’re going home?!” My excitement grew in a crescendo that threatened to bury me, but was short lived when Tati spoke again.

“Only Marcus and your mother are returning.” I could hear the underlining. He was pissed that he couldn't stay with her.

“Why only them?!” I shouted, "What about us?!"

“That is for their knowledge, not yours.” He bit out.

“This is bullshit!” I snapped.

“Rosa, ENOUGH!” My father shouted, “Once you learn to harness your power, and stop acting like a petulant child, you will be free to come and go as you please, but until then, not another word!”

“A petulant child?!” I shouted at him as tears stung my eyes, “Every day, I spar with you, Marcus, and all the guards! I try! It’s not like I don’t! I want to go home!" I began to whine, "I want to see my friends and be with my mate! I am trying here! Don’t you get that?!”

“Rosa-” Marcus took a step toward me, but I stepped to the side and away from him.

"THIS." Tati shouted, "Here and now, is your home!"

I began to cry, and stormed past the two of them, to my room.