Love Comes In Many Dangerous Forms

“What?” I asked confused, “I thought demons went extinct.”

“The royal family went missing about three years ago and the race went extinct with them,” he said and led me up the stairs.

“Where is your library?” he asked as he looked through the hallways.

“It’s the door to your right,” I told him and he pulled me into the library.

“Why are we here?” I was confused, why was he making a big deal out of this.

“Jimmy looked familiar to me when I saw him but I didn’t know where I have seen him before,” he confessed scanning through the books.

“What do you mean?”

He didn’t answer but he pulled out an old dusty book and set it on a table and flipped through the pages. I looked over his shoulder, and he stopped at the page that had a black and white picture printed across the page.

“Is that Jimmy’s mother?” he asked pointing at the woman.

I looked down at the page he was pointing and my jaw dropped. There was the woman I saw in the forest, but she looked happier in the picture. She had light colored eyes and hair. She had the necklace that I had found three and a half years ago around her neck. She had a perfect smile and she was holding a baby. That was Jimmy.

“Who is she?” I asked.

“That is Clara Night, the queen of demons,” Shane told me.

“So that means, Jimmy is royalty,” I was shocked, “But he’s a vampire, not a demon.”

“Clara was a vampire and Blaine Locke, her husband, was only half demon and half vampire. A full demon could not survive on earth, so there were hybrids.”

I took the book and looked up the symptoms of being a demon. Getting extremely hot… fire flaring… leaving touched things singed… And if there was a member of the royal family alive, the heart would be red, and if they were all dead, it would turn black.

All of that pointed to Jimmy.

“I’m a terrible mother,” I confessed, “I didn’t even think of the idea of Jimmy being a demon.”

“No you’re not,” I heard Shane say; “I can see that he loves you, like you love him.”

“Thanks,” I smiled, and started reading more about demons.

I saw Audrey burst into the library.

“You!” she shouted pointing at me.

“What did I do now Audrey?” I asked her.

“You almost gave me and Vera a heart attack! No pun intended.”

“But Vera told Zach that I was fine,” I told her.

“She lied! She said that to calm him down, because he looked like he was going to rip off the head of the next person that came up to him!” she exclaimed and tugged on my wrist.

“Bye Shane,” I smiled at his amused expression, “Thank you, again.”

He nodded his head and scanned through the books.

Audrey dragged me to my room and forced me to lie down on the bed.

“What are you thinking?!” she shouted at me.

“I don’t know,” I answered her.

“Shane almost killed you yesterday, Cassie. And you just let him out, unpunished, and you let yourself be alone with him. Do you know how dangerous that is?” she scolded.

“Yes, I am perfectly aware of the situation. But he was helping me,” I told her.

“With what?” she sighed.

“Jimmy’s a demon, Audrey,” I told her, “And I didn’t know. But he did, I don’t know how he knew, but he did. And I owe him for that.”

“Jimmy’s a what?” she looked shocked.

“A demon,” I repeated, “But not only is he a demon. He’s the prince, and I was too blind to see that.”

“Are you going to tell your parents?” she asked.

“Absolutely not. This is between you, me, and Shane. They will force me to sell him if they found out, so don’t tell anyone, not even Zach, okay?” I plead.

Before she could announce her answer, Vera walked in with a tray of food.

I smiled at her as she set the try down on the bed and put a thermometer in my mouth.

“You are a worry wart,” I commented as she pulled the thermometer out.

“I have the right to be,” she smiled, “You’re doing better, 102.4, but stay in bed, now eat.”

I rolled my eyes and picked up a small bowl that held soup and started eating until I was full.

I sighed and set the bowl down.

“Where’s Jimmy?” I asked remembering Colton and Carly were with them in my room about an hour ago.

“I saw them in the gardens about ten minutes ago,” Vera told me.

“Oh, well that’s good,” I smiled.

“Yeah, but Jimmy is as far away from Colton as possible,” Audrey said looking out the window.

I frowned.

“When can I get out of bed, I have a job to do you know?” I asked Vera.

“I know, you’re the princess of ruling everything,” she smiled, “But you are not leaving this bed until you get better.”

“I agree,” Audrey piped in, “I need you up in ready in time for your birthday.”

I groaned, and pressed my face against the pillow. I hate my birthday parties. Audrey just has to make a big deal out of it, planning, decorations, and the dress – the dreaded dress. I would have to wear the most expensive fabrics, with the blinding jewelry, and the highest heals. I absolutely hate my birthday.

“Can we just skip my birthday this year? Please?” I brought my head up and faced her.

“No a chance,” Audrey grinned, “It is your eighteenth birthday, and you are not going to miss it.”

“What is the theme this year?” I asked defeated.

“Masquerade,” she answered.

“Do I have to wear a mask?” I questioned.

“Of course.”

“Why do I have to wear a mask, when everybody knows who I am?”

“Because I will not let my best friend stand out like a sore thumb,” she stated stubbornly.

I rolled my eyes and pulled the covers over my head, wishing for sleep. And for once, my wish was granted.