Mandragoro

"Psst, hey Zita?" Nico whispered as he tapped on my shoulders. Mrs. Beth was busy so I quickly turned around to look at him, and just like any other time I looked at him my heart beat sped up. He had the most beautiful hazel eyes and I try not to stare at for to long, because if I do I know I'll get lost in them. He shook his head to get his black hair out of his eyes. He was different than all the other guys. It's like he really cares. "Want to hang out with Rosabella and me this afternoon?"

Rosabella is his twin sister, yet they look nothing alike. Her hair was dirty blond and her eyes blue. The only thing they have in common is the fact they're both really tall and super skinny. They've been my best friends since freshman year, and we're all Italian though we live in America. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

He just laughed. I quickly turned back around as I heard Mrs. Beth's chair scoot back. I quickly looked down at my work so she wouldn't notice I had been talking. My face was shielded by a sheen of black hair and I smiled to myself. I loved every second I spent with Nico. I just wish it could be like in movies and he was confess his secret undying love for me.

After class I went to my locker really quickly while Rosabella and Nico waited for me outside. Once I got there, there was no one in sight. Which was really weird. I opened my locker and reached inside for my notebook when I got the feeling that I was being watched. I quickly looked around and there was no one in sight. I just shook my head and put my notebook in my Hello Kitty bag. When I closed my locker door there was someone there. They were decked like a total ninja, which meant I couldn't see their face. All of a sudden they went to hit me. I quickly side stepped and screamed. They pulled out a stake, yes a stake, and started stalking towards me. "I will kill you, demon." The person spat with disgust.

"Demon? I have no idea what you're talking about! I'm just a normal girl."

"I would feel bad for you if I didn't know what you are. You don't even know how special you are. Ha, and you'll never find out."

By this time I had been backed against the wall. The person drew their hand back, ready to stab me, when their eyes went wide. I saw the sword sticking out where the heart would be and I gasped. Please don't be someone else who wants to kill me, I sent up a silent prayer. As the body fell, Nico's face appeared behind it. "Ugh, Nico. You always make it so bloody!" Rosabella said as she looked down at the body. I also looked down and watched in horror as blood seeped from her clothes onto the floor.

"What the hell is going on here?" I asked, shocked.

"Oh, hey Zita." Nico just gave me a mischievous grin.

"We have some things we need to tell you." She looked over at Nico, "And it's best we do it somewhere safe. Looks like the closer she gets to eighteen the easier she is to find."

"What are you talking about?"

"People have been trying to find you and kill you since you were a baby. We've been protecting you ever since." Nico said like this was something you hear everyday.

"What? How is that even possible? You guys are only a couple months older than me. You would've been a baby too."

"We're actually ten years older than you." I looked at Rosabella like she just went insane.

"What? You guys aren't making any sense to me."

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in." Nico patted me on the shoulder.

"Let's just get you somewhere safe, okay?" Rosabella grabbed my hand and quickly led me to their car.

The whole ride to their house was silent. I refused to talk to them, or even look at them. They were crazy. This had to be some kind of sick joke. I couldn't be a demon. Everyone knows they don't exist. We're not episode of Supernatural.

We pulled in the driveway and I opened the door and went straight into their house, not speaking to either of them. "Zita, we know this is a lot to take in. We were going to do it more subtly, when your powers came in. But you're a demon. A demon princess to be exact. I know you don't believe me but it's true." Nico looked at me, pleading me to understand.

"It's true. I know what you're thinking, this has to be a sick joke." I just looked at her, wondering how could she possibly know that I was thinking that. "We're soldiers of the Mandragoro clan. My powers are from the element, spirit. Which means I can read minds."

"No. You're lying. You just know me to well, that's how you knew what I was thinking. That's all."

The next thing I knew the air around me was stirring and I was lifted off of the ground. "I'm doing this. Me, Nico. My powers are of the element Wind. You will have all of the elements. Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and Spirit. You are destined to be our future Duce, or queen as the Americans say."

"Haven't you ever wondered what happened to your real parents? They died in a fire. With your mom's remaining powers she sent you here, and us with you. No one is exactly sure about what happened to us three and that's the way your mom had planned it. She gave us a journal to explain what was going on, and that we needed to give it to you when you found out the truth. Here you go."

She handed me a leather bound journal. I turned it over in my hands. Zeta was carved into. "This isn't how I spell my name."

"We know. It's another form of your name, and it was your mother's." Nico looked at me as if he felt bad for me. I didn't want to see the pity in his eyes, even though I knew I wanted to cry. I never thought I would have something from my birth mother right here in my hands.

I walked away from them, into Rosabella's room, and locked the door. I know it's rude since it is her room but I needed my privacy, and I'm sure she understands. I sat there and cried for a little while, while holding the journal to my chest. I sniffled and wiped my nose with my sleeve. I took a deep breath as I opened it.

My lovely Zita, I know right now you are confused but whatever the twins have told you is true. You're the future queen of the Mandragoro clan. I know that you want to refuse your destiny just like I wanted to refuse mine, but you have to go with it. Please, for me? As your mother I need you to do this for me. As you read on this journal will tell you the ways of our clan. I hope it'll help you on your journey back home. I love you, figlia.

As I flipped through the pages I realized there was a lot about me that I never knew. How could there be a whole other world and no one ever know about it. There was a detailed drawing of the island, Bellisma Isola, where the Mandragoros lived. It looked rather astonishing. I couldn't believe this is what I was supposed to rule over. I also couldn't believe that I was believing all of this. Shouldn't I be denying it? Then again, I always knew I was different.

I come to realize that the twins were really twenty seven which is like babies to the Mandragoro. I also come to realize that Nico was a Soldato, which meant my love for him was forbidden. That's so not fair! I've liked him since I first met him. How could they take him a way from me?

I always imagined when I turned eighteen that it would be something great, a fantastic freedom. Instead I find out that my powers will unlock and I'll have no control over them. I won't have control until I'm twenty-one. This is utter crap. All I wanted to do was be a normal senior who was going to graduate in a month. Instead, I'm about to go on the run to find this Island where I'm supposed to be Duce. Great, just great.