The Demon Princess and the Vampire Princes

“Hey, Nix!” Abel says with his typical merriment, followed almost immediately with Tyrone’s enthusiastic, “Hi, Sarah!”

“Hello,” I say absentmindedly, continuing to comb through my wet hair.

“Can Tyrone take me to Wal-Mart?” Abel asks with his I want it, Nix voice

“That depends,” I say, “on what Wal-Mart is?”

“It’s a store where we buy stuff,” he answers immediately, un-phased by my lack of knowledge on some of the simplest of subjects.

“Alright,” I say uncertainly. “But I want you to take something for me.”

“What?”

I dig around on the desk that was stacked high with papers. I finally found it. It was a golden necklace with a small bronze key dangling from it. “Promise me you’ll keep this in your pocket.”

Abel rolls his chocolate brown eyes. “This isn’t more of your weird Witch voodoo, is it?”

“Abel, just promise me, please?”

“Alright,” he sighs, defeated. He snatches the necklace from in between my fingers, stuffing it into his denim jean pockets. “Better?”

I nod, my eyebrows drawn together with concern. “You keep that safe, Abel. It was my mother’s.”

His eyes instantly held understanding, and his nodded thoughtfully. “I will. Pinky promise.” he grins at me to lighten up my mood.

“You better hurry,” I say teasingly. He rolls his eyes at my dramatic changes in mood, already heading toward Wal-Mart with Tyrone.

“Where are they going?” Blaze asks with an eyebrow raised in question.

“Out,” I say simply, resuming to brush my hair. “I think they’re just gonna go get some new video game of some sorts.”

“Yeah, probably,” Blaze says, shrugging. He sits down beside me, and starts playing with my hair.

“Blaze, quit it! You’re messing it up!”

“You have really pretty hair,” he says, running his fingers through it.

“Stop that,” I say, pulling away sharply.

“Alright,” he says with a nonchalant shrug, reclining back so that he laid on the bed. “So, whatcha wanna do today?”

“I don’t know. Why? Did you have some kind of plans that involved me?”

“Nope,” he says, “just bored.”

“Well, go entertain yourself.”

“Why won’t you entertain me?”

He attempts to persuade me with his eyes. “No.”

“You’re sometimes just no fun at all, Pixie,” Blaze says, sitting up on his elbows.

“I know,” I say, rolling my eyes at him.

“Are you —”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

He groans, flopping back down on the bed, sending me jumping a little ways up, and falling back down on my back with the brush stuck in my hair. He chuckles. “That, Pixie, is very entertaining,” he says teasingly as I try to get the brush out. I glare at him.

“Not funny, Blaze.”

“Oh, c’mon, lighten up,” he says, sitting up beside me. “Look, you’re doing it all wrong!”

He sticks his fingers into my hair around the brush, and within a matter of seconds, manages to get it out. “Thanks,” I mumble lamely.

“Turn around,” he commands. I obey, crossing my legs Indian-style as I face away from him. He starts combing through my knotted hair. “Did I ever tell you I have a sister?”

“No,” I say, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“Yeah, well, I do. I have three, actually,” he says. “Sapphire, Andy, and Lila.”

“Those are beautiful names.”

“I guess,” he grumbles. “Well, see, Sapphire’s older than me by about ten years. When I was little, Sapphire used to have me grow my hair out so that she could braid it or something. I don’t really remember.”

“Is that what you’re doing right now?” I ask confusedly.

“Yep,” he says simply. “A French braid, I think. I don’t really know the difference. It’s pretty easy, and just a few more minutes and I’ll be finished.”

There was a moment of comfortable silence. I couldn’t stand it, so I asked, “What about your other sisters?”

“Andy’s Sapphire’s twin, and a complete tomboy. I have a feeling you and her would get along. Lila’s just barely five years old.”

“How come I haven’t seen them?” I ask curiously.

“Sapphire and Andy have been out for awhile, but will be coming back later today.”

“What about Lila?”

“Lila usually stays in her room. Maybe her and Abel could become a thing someday, though.”

“I doubt it,” I say, laughing.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

There was another moment of comfortable silence. “Alright … done!” Blaze announces, smirking proudly at my hair. I roll my eyes at him, peeking out of the corner of my eye at myself. I had to admit that my hair looked good in a braid. I try running my fingers down it, but Blaze whacked at my hand. “No! Don’t touch it, Pixie! You’ll mess it up!”

I roll my eyes at his dramatics, sighing in agreement. He was probably right.

“Wanna go swimming?” Blaze asks randomly. I nod, standing up to go and get changed. It was a matter of seconds later I came out to see Blaze already in his trunks. “I swear that supermodels are jealous of you right now.”

“Shut up,” I grumble, groping for my locket in the drawer. I quickly clip it around my neck, and follow Blaze downstairs to the pool. There was already a little girl there in her pretty pink bathing suit, floaties, and glittering auburn hair held up high in a ponytail. Kenton and Adam there, too, and sent me glares that were probably meant to scare me. I merely smirked right back at them.

“Hey, Lila,” Blaze says, kneeling at the edge of the pool.

“Blazie!” the little girl shouts, swimming over to him. She wraps her pale arms around his neck in an embrace. She peeks over his shoulder at me, and whispers, “Who’s she?”

“That’s Pixie,” Blaze says, grinning.

I roll my eyes at him. “Phoenix Seraphina,” I correct with mild irritation.

The little girl jumps out of the pool with Blaze’s help, running over to me. She studies me very closely, making me fidget awkwardly under her analyzing gaze. She nods to herself with some sort of satisfaction, and her entire face lights up with a giant grin. “You’re pretty,” she says, taking a step closer to me. I study her a moment more. When she grins she gets just about the cutest dimples. She raises her arms at me, and I instantly knew what she wanted. I pick her up, balancing her on my hip. Kenton and Adam jump up defensively.

“I’m not nearly as pretty as you,” I say, grinning back at her. She giggles, and sniffs.

“You smell kinda like human … and something else,” she says inhaling deeper.

A moment of panic engulfs me so that I couldn’t reply. “I-I-I —” I stutter nervously. I gulp down my fear. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I set her down gently, and take a step back. “But, you do,” Lila says, pouting.

Think, Phoenix Seraphina, think! I shout silently, mentally shaking myself. “I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“She probably just smells Abel on you, Pixie,” Blaze says, quirking an eyebrow. “What’s up all of a sudden?”

“NIX!” Abel yells excitedly, tackling me from behind. “Nix, guess what!”

“Chicken butt,” I say automatically.

“Drat! You’re too smart!” Abel pouts. “So, anyway, whatcha doing?” he asks with his normal cheerfulness.

“Other than having you on my back and the pool in front of me? Nothing,” I say sarcastically.

“Chill on the sarcasm.”

I glare a warning at him. “Sorry,” he squeaks. “I’ll get off now.”

“PARTY!” Tyrone yells, running straight into the pool, making water spew everywhere.

“God, Ty, give me a heart attack, why don’t yah!” Adam yells sarcastically.

“You’re cranky.” Tyrone states the obvious.

“Ty-Ty!” Lila yells, running in after him.

“I’m coming, too!” Abel yells, running after them.

Blaze and I look at each other before jumping right in after them.



“So, what’s your schedule for today?” Blaze asks three day. I shrug nonchalantly. “Pixie, is something wrong?”

“Everything’s fine,” I say, turning the page in my book.

“Really? Because you’ve hardly spoken to me these past few days.”

I sigh, and set down the book to give him my full attention. “Better now, Blaze?”

“No,” he says like a stubborn child.

“Whatever.”

He groans at my lack of cooperation. “What the hell is wrong with you, Phoenix Seraphina?”

“Nothing,” I say indifferently, shrugging.

“Yes, something’s most definitely wrong. Any other day you’d be prancing around this place like you own it.”

I roll my eyes. “I don’t do that.”

“You do! You live to tick off Kenton and Adam! You’d take care of Abel! You’d call up Tobias or some other person who I’ve never heard of! You’d be doing something!”

“Whatever.”

“No! Don’t just ‘whatever’ me! You’ve been doing that for the past three days, and I’m sick of it! You are getting out of this room and pretending like you’re alive!” Blaze yells, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the room, down the hall, and toward the ballroom.

“Blaze, let me go!”

“Nah-uh.”

I groan at him as we pass the ballroom. We walked hallway after hallway with Blaze half-dragging me from my reluctance to move.

“Where are we going?” I ask out of boredom.

“To find my sister.”

“Which sister?”

He refused to answer, but merely smirked like it was obvious.

It was merely seconds later that I could hear the sounds of a piano’s keys gently playing an unfamiliar tune. Blaze attempted to turn me around in the other direction, but I kept on stubbornly in my quest to find the pianist. It was none other than Adam in his casual jeans and random t-shirt.

Once he finished, I applauded him. It must’ve startled him as he jumped back, flat on his back from surprise. His face was set in a permanent scowl as he looked at me.

“That was very good,” I say, smiling at him.

He rolls his eyes. “I don’t have a clue about what you’re talking about.”

“That piece you were playing.”

“I wasn’t playing anything.”

“Really?” I ask with eyebrow raised in challenge, and hands on hip. I walk over smoothly to him, and sit down on the pianist’s bench.

“I really wouldn’t —”

“Oh, relax,” I say with a playful smile, and I began replaying the piece that Adam had prior.

“I didn’t know you played,” Adam says half-jokingly.

“Only a little,” I say with a small laugh. He sits up beside me, and starts playing in sync with me, only on lower notes.

“There’s lyrics to this song.”

“Really? Why don’t you sing it?” I ask teasingly.

He smirks in reply. “I just very well might.” He slaps my hands away. “Now, watch and learn, trainee.”

His fingers professionally find each and every key, and his voice sang the apparent lyrics that went with the harmony. It was a very sweet song about love, and Adam sang it with too much passion to not feel it from experience. His eyes seemed unfocused, like he was reliving a memory that made him want to laugh and smile, but also cry.

When it was over I clapped, shocking him back from his reverie. It was almost as if he had completely forgotten of my existence on the bench beside him.

“That’s very beautiful.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Adam says, going back to his scowling-self.

I roll my eyes at him. “You know, it’s sometimes okay to show different sides to yourself,” I say, standing up off the bench. He raises an eyebrow at me with interest. “Because then someone might want to be around you.”

He looked back at the piano’s keys.

“Come on, Pixie,” Blaze says, gripping my elbow impatiently. “Goodbye, Adam,” Blaze practically growled, dragging me away.

“You know, you should be nicer to your brother,” I say, jerking my arm free, glaring at him. He scoffs at me. “I’m serious, Blaze.”

“He’s not worth it.”

“Then maybe you’re less worthy than he is of kindness.”

“You should speak for yourself, Phoenix Seraphina,” he says angrily.

I glare at him, fury sending me in an uncontrollable trembling. “Forget you, Blaze,” I growl, spinning around to start running.

“Pixie!” he shouts after me with his speedy footsteps echoing his voice. I quickly reach my bedroom, and lock the door behind me. Blaze bangs a fist on it in frustration. “Pixie, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!” he yells through the wooden door desperately.

“Then why did you say it?” I hiss angrily.

“I don’t know!” He bangs on the door again. “I guess I was … jealous … maybe of … Adam.” Each syllable seemed like it was causing him pain to admit.

I scoff from the other side of the door. There was a loud, muffled thud on the door, as if Blaze were trying to knock it down.

“What are you doing?”

“Making tacos. What do you think?” Blaze says sarcastically.

I open the door just as he goes charging at it, making him flip over onto the bed. “Where’s my taco?” I ask indifferently, leaning against the doorframe.

“What’s with all the noise?” Kenton asks furiously.

“Blaze was making tacos,” I say, rolling my eyes as I look at him.

Kenton’s eyebrows shot up to his forehead in surprise. “Really?”

Blaze grunts, rolling off the bed. “I was actually trying to break down the door.”

“So, no tacos?” I ask with mock-confusion.

“No! There is no stupid tacos!” Blaze yells out in frustration.

“That sucks. I really wanted a taco.”

Blaze groans. “Would you forget about the dumb tacos?”

“No,” I say stubbornly, sticking my tongue out at him.

“I’d like a taco,” Kenton says, shrugging.

Blaze groans again. “Fine. I will get you your idiotic tacos.”

“Thank you,” I say, grinning. Blaze grumbles as he walks out of the room with me tailing behind. “Where are we going?” I ask out of boredom.

“To Cascade Mountain,” Blaze says sarcastically.

“But I thought you were gonna make me a taco,” I say just to annoy him.

“Are you stupid or something?” Kenton asks bluntly. I stick my tongue out at him. “How come your tongue isn’t forked?” he asks, examining my tongue more closely.

I shrug. “What am I? Your personal science experiment?”

“Are you offering?”

I roll my eyes just as we enter the kitchen. “Alright, what do you want on your taco?” Blaze asks irritably.

I sniff the air, and instantly find the fridge. There was two, side-by-side, both a gleaming stainless steel. I open one, which appeared to be filled with normal-looking human food. I quickly pull out a soft taco shell, some lettuce, ketchup, cheese, bacon, eggs, and a lot of other unidentifiable foods. I wrap up my taco, that more resembled a burrito. I open the other, and am face-to-face with bags of scarlet. I grab one, my burrito, and head out to the dining room with Kenton and Blaze following me.

“Are you sure that’s edible?” Blaze asks, eyeing my burrito doubtfully.

“She won’t be hold it down, anyway,” Kenton says confidently.

“Oh, yeah? Watch me,” I say with a smirk.

Minutes later, my burrito had disappeared into my stomach, and I was ripping open the bag of blood with my teeth.

“I don’t believe it,” Kenton says, jaw agape. “She actually ate it.”

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Blaze says. “How could you eat that thing?”

“Easy,” I say, licking my lips clean of the blood. “I just take a bite, chew, and swallow.”

“And you don’t feel sick? At all?” Kenton asks, persistent to prove himself correct.

“Nope.”

“You’re lying.”

“I think I’m gonna hurl,” Blaze repeats himself.

“What? It was just food,” I say, shrugging.

“No! That was a freaking dumpster! It even smelled bad,” Blaze says, turning a bit green. I shrug again.



“I’m fine, dad, really.”

I suppress a groan of irritation.

“Seraphina, I very worried about your safety with intruding the Vampire Palace.”

“It’s already done. It’s now or never, like I’ve always said.”

I could hear him chuckle on the other line. “Yes, you always did say that.”

“I’ll be fine. You need to stop worrying.”

“Just promise me one thing, Seraphina.”

“Anything,” I say automatically, self-conscious that Blaze was so obviously eavesdropping on my conversation.

“At the first sign of trouble, you come back home.”

“I will.”

I sigh with relief as he hangs up.

“Are you really gonna go?” Blaze asks.

“I have to.”

“You don’t have to do anything, Pixie.”

I glare at him. “If I don’t go back then my father will assume something is wrong, and send every Demon in Hell to invade this castle to bring me back.”

“Well, then, maybe we could —”

“This is not up for discussion, Blaze. It is my duty as Princess of Hell to return as reassurance.”

“Reassurance for what?” Blaze asks stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Reassurance of a future,” I hiss angrily. “I am the only heir. If I do not accept the throne, then who will?”

We glared at each with a mix of frustration and stubbornness.

“Blaze! Sapphire and Andy are here!” Tyrone says, popping his head in. “Umm … can someone say awkward?”

We both turn to look at him.

“Uh, I’m just gonna … go.”

He runs out of the room.

“This is still up for discussion later,” Blaze says to me before following Tyrone.

“No, it isn’t!” I hiss, following him. “Besides, it’s not your decision to make.”

“Do you want to go?”

“It’s not about what I want, Blaze.”

“So, you’re basically saying that you’d be miserable there,” he says with triumphantly.

“I shouldn’t have expected you to understand!”

“And why not? What is it that I seem so incapable of understanding?”

I snarl in his face, my wings unfurling without my consent. I barely noticed the guards as they circled around me.

“Watch it, Phoenix Seraphina,” Blaze growls.

“No, you better watch it,” I hiss as the guards grip my forearms, and begin dragging me away. “Let me go!” I snarl at them, thrashing violently to break free. One stabs his spear into my shoulder blade, and I let out a screeching scream. I jerk the spear out, and begin to fight them. I punch and kick wildly, not sure if I was making any progress or not.

“Enough!”

The voice was one that I hadn’t heard a lot of. The voice was usually filled with irritation, suppressed rage, and mockery — but at that moment it sounded full of authority and compassion. I looked up to meet Adam’s brown eyes. The guards quickly circled around me like an electrical circuit.

“Didn’t your mothers ever teach you how to treat a lady?” Adam says with mockery directed toward the guards.

“She is a threat to your family,” one of the guards replies, spitting at me. I growled dangerously.

“Then, by law, she must go through trial,” Adam says indifferently, “before my family and myself.”

“Of course,” the same guard says gruffly.

“Then take her to the bathroom right away.”

With that said, Adam spun around, and began disappearing down the corridor.