The Pure-Hearted Princess and the Kiss of Darkness
Chapter 28

- ENRIQUE ~

The sound of the waves hitting the shore are violent, almost as if agitated, trying to contain the impending storm. I exhale as I look at the Manatees that litter the shore. Drained of blood, and they have a circular bite that reminds me of a piranha's teeth. There's a few bruises on the body where it had been held down.

"And not just Manatees..." Carlos says as he places a bundle he's holding down. I glance down, my stomach churning, before closing my eyes. The sight before making me sick.

There in the blanket was a child with the same puncture marks covering his face. His body is grey and swollen with water deforming it, proof he's been in water for a while.

Something is out there, and it is hurting more than just animals. This is the third attack where it's a person that has been found dead. "Still no sighting?" I say, lifting the child's head and wrapping him up in the cloth properly. He barely looks above five years old. Somewhere... someone's lost a child.

He's human, and it wouldn't be the first time the humans have come across these disturbing marks and dead animals but doesn't mean it's not going to be hard to explain this to the authorities, no matter how much respect and power I hold among them, this is the first human that's been found dead.

With each passing year, I feel that keeping ourselves hidden is getting harder... too much is going on and how do we explain it? Where are these things coming from and what exactly is it?

"Do Vampires exist, Enrique?" Carlos asks suddenly, staring at the boy.

"They do... although we've not seen them in decades, there are rumours that there are still a few out there. This is no vampire, this thing is void of humanity."

"Maybe a rabid vampire?" Carlos questions.

"Really cabrón? When do Vampire's teeth look like this?"

"Well, have you seen a vampire?"

"No one has." I counter. He sighs and I look up at him, knowing he just wants answers. "Alert the authorities, and I know we all want answers, but we have nothing. I'm placing you in charge of this now." "Jose-"

"I don't care about him. He lied to me and disobeyed me. That is not the kind of man I want as my Beta. Do your job Carlos, or I'll replace you too." I warn coldly, standing up.

"I will. I will do my job. I will be honest and obey you. But I'm also scared that you are no longer thinking straight, Enrique-"

"Enough." I say, cutting him off as I scan the waters. Waters I've swum in and cruised across for years... "Have we scoured the waters?"

Carlos looks up at me sharply. "Divers have been down there. But you mean something else... right?"

"Has there been any shift in power in the waters or a change of any kind? At any time?"

"No."

"Or you just haven't been looking for the right thing." I murmur. "It might be a fissure in the veil."

There were rumours about cracks in the barriers between this world and another... but that's something we knew already. The places that are home to great power, the veil, begins to weaken in those areas. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Narugi.com. Visit Narugi.com to read the complete chapters for free. The Djinn's long-lasting presence here made the veil weaker. That was something I was told by someone when I was younger. I just don't remember who it was.

The memory is weak, but their words lingered... A fading memory I clung onto for some reason.

'Listen to me... the Djinn's presence in Puerto Rico has damaged the barrier... darkness will draw darkness... remember this warning for a time will come when things from the otherworld will seep through... always remember this warning...because you're going to have to fix things."

I'm not even certain those were his exact words, but that is what my mind has morphed it into.

There's been some strange oddities over the year, but nothing so frequent like now. It's not just a concern or a worry but a full-blown problem. I stare out at the water. The land I call my own is far less than the waters that I rule over.

The vast part of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea are ruled by me, alongside parts of the South Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico is also under my watch. Some replace this strange, yet to me the power of the sea is far more than that of land. I control the trade between packs or any crossing over these waters, something I set my gaze upon as a child.

There was a weird girl I met when I was in England, when I was held hostage by the Lycan.

There was no pity in her big eyes when she saw I had no hand... There was no sympathy. Instead, she looked to the positive, joked that I was Captain Hook and how I'll be the Alpha of the Seven Seas. I don't think she really understood what that meant, but her energetic and positive attitude did give me a sliver of hope...

I wonder where she is now. I think she was related to the Queen Luna, but I am not sure. There's a vague memory of her hanging from a tree.... Or am I imagining it? A foolish memory from the mind of a foolish boy. I've shut those memories out and those that do seep back into my mind are vague and cloudy.

I push the thought away as I look at the crashing waves. If there is something brewing in the waters, then it's my duty to fix it... but how deep down could the problem be? What if we don't replace it?

The bodies show up after they are badly destroyed by the water... I think I need to ask the chief to allow me to perform our own postmortem. We could take this child, but I don't want to do that to the family, who are probably waiting for any news of their child, no matter how much easier that option is.

"Alpha? Can I say something?"

"If it involves a certain cabrón, then no," I say, turning and glaring at the fool.

Everyone around me annoys me.

"Ah... well... I was going to say even if you have stripped him of rank-"

"I said shut it." I snarl.

"Let him still head the search-"

"Carlos!"

"-because he knows the most about this!"

I glare at the man who has his head bowed, but even if it irks me, he has a point.

"Starting anew will set us back. And please don't strip me of rank, my Madre will disown me..." he mumbles.

I scoff. "I like the sound of that. Maybe I should do just that so I can see her beat your dumb ass, cabrón!"

He mumbles an apology, and I storm away. "Organise a meeting with the governor. It's time I take matters into my own hands." I command before leaving him behind. I'll head back to have dinner before I tackle the large pile of paperwork that awaits me, but even as I try to occupy my mind with other thoughts, the memory of the dead child's face refuses to leave my mind...

There is nothing more painful than seeing a child suffer.