Read Forgotten Royalty (Escaping The Throne) Online
Authors: Tiffany Wood
Okay. All I have to do is get into the classroom and change the attendance
sheet before the drill is over. I crawl in the open Biology window and move to
the teacher’s desk. I could change Sara’s to a present and then…wait. The
teacher didn’t fill in today’s attendance sheet. She must have forgotten with the
blood typing still going on.
Alright I would hurry back to Sara and we would be fine. Our table was
in the back of the room so it would be easy to say we had been there the whole
time. I sneak back out the window just in time to hear the principal coming up
the hall. I listened as I moved slowly back towards the field.
“So you’re telling me that Shaun Rusnack pulled the fire alarm? I can’t
believe it. He’s always been such a good kid.” I’ll have to thank him later.
Whether he pulled it for us or not, he had done us a huge favor.
My legs are starting to cramp when I see Damian sneaking around the
back of the field. I start to stand but he motions for me to stay put. I wait
for him to get closer.
“Okay, we can get into class. Just act like we were there the whole
time. The teacher hasn’t filled out the attendance sheet yet.” Great, now I can
add lying to my resume. “Oh and remind me to thank Shaun later.”
I look at him puzzled, “For what, throwing me up on stage with you
yesterday?” My attempt at sarcasm was horrible. “I’m kidding. Unless, that’s
really what you want to thank him for. In that case, you can thank him for me
too.”
He looked around and grabbed my hand, “Do you still want to sneak in? I
have a feeling we won’t see Shaun at your locker later.”
What that had to do with anything I didn’t know, “Yeah, we better.”
*****
We held hands throughout the rest of the day. It was like we were
attached at the hip. We didn’t even go to the bathroom. We walked to my locker
after the last bell and sure enough, Shaun was nowhere to be found. “How did
you know he wouldn’t show?”
He looks down sheepishly, “When I snuck in to see if I could change the
attendance sheet, I overheard the principle saying that Shaun had pulled the
fire alarm.”
I couldn’t believe it, “I don’t know which is more unbelievable, you
sneaking into class and trying to change the attendance sheet, or Shaun pulling
the fire alarm. Did you guys plan this?” I was furious that Shaun had got in
trouble.
“Wait a minute. No we didn’t plan it, at least I didn’t. I don’t know
why he pulled the fire alarm or if he really did. And I only snuck in to change
the attendance sheet because you were afraid of getting another detention.”
I turn back to face him, “Well, thank you for that. Wait a minute. I
never told you that I would get a detention if I was late from class. How did
you know that? What have you and Shaun been talking about? What is this some
kind of dating match game for you guys?”
I turn and run this time. I don’t want to hear what he has to say. I am
so confused. I don’t know who to be mad at or believe. Thai is waiting in his
usual spot and I get in.
“Let’s go, I can’t stand to be here another minute today.”
Thai starts to ask what happened, but thinks better of it when he sees
my face. “Do you want to go straight home? You can go on my route with me. You
know that offer always stands.”
It did too. Thai was so protective of me; I didn’t have to worry about
finding a place to hide.
“Can you just drop me by the library? I’m supposed to do a book report
and the school library didn’t have any copies of the book.” I knew Thai
wouldn’t second guess me having to do homework. As we pulled away, I saw Damian
standing on the front steps of the school. He was pushing his hair back like he
knew he had made a mistake. I had to turn away or I would start crying again.
Crap! Why did I have to tell her all of that? I am so STUPID! I run to
my car and hit the roof. I didn’t care if anyone was around to see it. I jumped
in the window and peeled out of the parking lot. I knew where she was going,
but so did he. I heard his thoughts from a block away. I had to hurry or he was
going to hurt her. He was angry that I had stopped him the first three times
and now it was personal. He wanted to torture her and make me watch. I broke
the speed limit and caught up to the cab.
I followed them the rest of the way to the Library, but stayed back far
enough she wouldn’t notice me. I parked around the corner and snuck down the
street. I watched her get out and start up the stairs.
When I am sure the cab is gone, I follow her in. She stops at the desk
to return a book she has out and I duck behind a shelf. I know if she sees me,
she’ll probably run. I can’t risk her getting hurt.
She heads to the section she was in the first day and I follow her from
behind the bookshelf. She stops. She walks back toward the tables. She stops
again. She must have heard me. Think fast. I jump up and climb the railing of
the second floor. She walks around the bookshelf looking slowly. She knows she
heard someone. I lean back so she can’t see me.
“I know you’re there! I can hear you breathing.”
Just then, I realized that I was holding my breath. I could hear someone
else breathing also. How could I be so stupid? I quietly jump down behind Sara
and put my hand over her mouth. “Don’t make a sound!” I whisper. “When I say
run. Run!” We both sprint for the door. She trips over a rug and begins to
fall. I turn and pick her up. I carry her out of the library to my car. “Lock
the doors!”
She grabs the door before I can shut it. “NO! Get in!”
I begin to argue, but decide it would be pointless. She wouldn’t lock
the door and I’d still have to protect her. I slide over my hood and jump in my
window. She had hit the lock while I was crossing the hood.
“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” I ask as I’m speeding down the
street.
“Take me home.”
She has to be kidding. “He knows where you live. I can’t do that.”
She hits the button for the locks. “Take me home or let me out. Either
way I’m not going with you.”
I just saved her life and she’s still mad at me. “I’m not leaving you!
If I take you home, he’ll show up there and that will put you and your aunt in
danger. I can’t just let you get out because he would grab you off the street
and then I would have to hunt him down and…hurt him.”
She starts crying again. “Please just let me out. I need to go home.
Stop the car!” She tries to open the door but I manage to stop her.
“Are you crazy? I am not letting you jump out of a car that’s going 70
miles an hour.”
She starts hitting me and shouting. “Let me out! I need to go home.
Just let me out.”
I wrap my free arm around her and hold her tight as she pounds her fist
against my chest. She screams into my arm.
I pull off the road. “Sara, I know this is confusing. I can’t let him
hurt you. He wants to hurt you because of me. Originally he just wanted to take
you, but now since I’ve been keeping him away from you, he’s decided that it’s
personal. He wants me to suffer.” She quits fighting and I let up on my grip.
“If I let go, are you going to try to run again?” She looks away from me.
“Sara. I can’t let you go. Not until I know that you’re not gonna try to jump
out of the car.”
She looks down. “I promise I will not try to jump out of the car.”
I try to search her eyes but she still won’t look at me. I let go of
her and put both hands back on the steering wheel. I put the car in drive and
she throws the door open. Crap!
“Sara, stop.” I grab her jacket to stop her, but she slips it off. I
jump out of the car. She looks back as she’s running away. She’s afraid of me
stopping her.
I hear a vehicle coming. I run toward her. I smell him. She stops and
starts waving her hands at the vehicle as it approaches. She doesn’t realize
that it’s Bane coming after us. He pulls over and gets out. She sees him and
looks at me. I’m not close enough to get between them. He turns to me and
smiles. I can’t wait. I jump into the air as I’m running toward him and when I
land I’m a wolf.
I run faster and he starts to transform. I give Sara a look that says
get back to the car and she doesn’t move until I’m between them. He was fully
transformed now. He darts toward her and I grab his leg in my jaw. I toss him
back toward his vehicle and Sara starts running for the car. He darts for her
again but I jump in the way.
He tears into my neck. I let out a, “YELP!” Sara turns around as she
reaches the car door. She winces as she sees me trying to shake him off. I get
my legs pushed around where I can kick him off. Sara is still just standing
there. I jump up and run to the car. I push on her leg with my head and turn
back to where I threw him.
He’s already running at us again and I charge him at the same time. We
jump up as we reach each other and I grab a hold of his ear. “YELP!”
I growl as I pull on his ear shaking his head. Sara gets in the car and
I hear the locks engage. I know she is safe now and I can concentrate. I bite
his front paw and swing him around. He hits his SUV. He starts to get up but
I’m already there. I tear into his side and then bite another paw. I push him
into his SUV hard. I repeat it two more times.
He tries to stand but can’t. I grab hold of the scruff of his neck to
throw him again and Sara screams, “Damian stop!”
I let him go. He won’t come after us again tonight. He’s hurt too badly.
I limp back to my car and begin to change back. I watch him as I do to make
sure he isn’t faking.
Sara unlocks and opens my door. She pulls me in gently and relocks the
doors. She won’t look at me. I don’t blame her. I transform and tell her, “I’ll
take you home now.”
Neither of us spoke the whole way back to the apartment. I pulled into
the garage and shut off the car. She just sat there. I got out of the car and
walked around to her door.
As I open it I realize that she has fallen asleep. She must be exhausted
from everything that happened today. I gently pick her up and shut the door.
I take her up to the apartment and expect to find her aunt waiting by
the door. She wasn’t home yet. I carried her to her room and laid her down on
her bed. I pulled her blanket over her and sat down in the chair that she has
in her corner. I wouldn’t leave her after what just happened.
I woke up to Aunt Lynn calling me. I ran out to the kitchen and we had
dinner.
“I wasn’t sure you were home yet. You were so quiet.”I looked up at
her. “I must have fallen asleep. I didn’t feel very well when I got home.” What
am I talking about? I don’t even remember getting home. “I’m gonna go back to
bed if that’s alright. I still don’t feel too hot.” That much was true.
Aunt Lynn reached over and felt my forehead. “You are a little warm. Do
you think you’ll be well enough to go to school tomorrow? I can stay home with
you if you need me.”
Having my aunt at home with me was the last thing I wanted right now.
“I think I’ll feel better by then. Don’t worry about it.”
I go back to my room and turn on the lamp beside my bed. As I turn
around to change my clothes I see Damian. He’s sleeping in the comfy chair in
the corner.
He saved me again and then he must have carried me in. I was so mean to
him today and he still saved me. If I would have just listened to him, I
wouldn’t have needed to be saved in the first place.
I almost thought he said “that’s right” but his lips hadn’t moved. I
decided it wouldn’t hurt to change my clothes with him sleeping there but I’d
turn away from him just in case.
I put on my spaghetti strap night gown and then pull off my pants. I
stand back up but I feel someone behind me. He puts his hands on my shoulders
and rubs them. I lean back against him and he sniffs my hair.
“You saved me again. After everything I said and did today you still
saved me.”
He turns me around and I look into his eyes. “I told you, I couldn’t
let him hurt you.”
I can tell how hurt he was by what I had done. “I’m sorry I didn’t
trust you. I was just so confused and afraid. I’m still afraid. What happened
out there? You changed into something else. Was that you in my room before?”
He looks straight into my eyes. “Yes. I was one of the wolves in your
room. He was the other. When he cornered you that first day at the library, I’m
the reason he disappeared.”
I looked down, “Wait, you’ve been following me?” He drops to his knees.
“No, I was following him. I knew he was after someone and I had to stop
him. It’s my responsibility to stop him. His people are at war with mine. We
are trying to protect the people they want to hurt.”
I stumble backwards. “You mean this whole time, I was just a job? That
you were protecting me because it’s your responsibility?”
He starts to stutter. “N-no, I mean. Yes at first, but then it changed.
Sara please listen to me It’s not what you think.”
I can’t listen to this. “Get out.” He starts toward me, “Get out. I’m
not your responsibility anymore. I know he’s out there.”
He reaches for my arm, “Sara, please just listen. It’s my fault he’s
still after you. I can’t stop him if I’m not with you.”
I shake my head and step back again. “I don’t care. Let me die. Just
get out. I’m not your problem anymore!” I’m crying again.
“What? No, don’t think like that. Sara, you were never a problem.
Please, just hear me out.” He reaches for me again and I try to take another
step back but my bed is there.
“Stay back. I’ll scream if I have to Damian. Don’t touch me.”
He steps forward and looks into my eyes. He reaches his hand over and
takes my hand. He pulls it to his face and kisses my palm. “I am not leaving
you. I never want to leave your side ever again. Please don’t push me away.”
I look away. He reaches for my other hand. I push him hard. “I said don’t
touch me.”
Just then the phone rings. It startles him enough that when I push him
again, he stumbles backward. I turn to answer the phone.
“Hello?” I hear heavy breathing. “Who is this?”
Damian comes over and takes the phone. “Who is this?” I hear a howl
coming from the phone. “Don’t call here again!” He slams the phone down. “Are
you okay?” He tries to take my hand again.
“Quit saving me!”
Aunt Lynn starts down the hallway. “Who was on the phone dear?”
I ran over to my door. Damian stopped me and pushed his hand against
it. “If she finds us in here together again, she’s going to think we’re doing
something, especially when you’re wearing that.”
I hadn’t thought about it till now. I don’t usually wear this nightgown,
but when I changed, I picked it over the other ones.
“Sara?”
I better answer her before she tries to barge in here. “It was a wrong
number! I’m going back to bed.” She was still coming down the hall. I ran to my
bed and jumped under the covers. When I looked back at the door, Damian was nowhere
to be found.
“Aren’t you feeling any better yet? I better check for a fever again.”
I look up at her like I was half asleep. “Aunt Lynn, I’m just tired
really. I’ll be fine in the morning.”
She looked down at me concerned. “If you’re sure dear, I’ll let you
sleep.” She turned my lamp off and shut my door behind her.
I looked around my room and found that I could see without a light.
When I looked at my closet, I saw something moving through the grates. I walked
over and threw open the door. Damian lunged forward and kissed me. I pushed him
off of me, back into the closet.
I wanted to shut the door but instead I launched forward and kissed him
this time. He wrapped his hands around me and lifted me up. I kept kissing him
and he turned me against the wall. He took my hands and pushed them against the
wall. He kissed me back hard.
He started to move from my lips to my neck. He let go of my hands and I
wrapped my arms around his neck. He ran his hands up and down my back as he
kissed my neck. I started to kiss his arm and tried to lift his shirt. He
pulled back. I lunged at him again but he grabbed me and held me back.
“Sara, please stop.” He was breathing hard.
“I don’t want to.” I lunged at him again. He couldn’t hold me and we
kissed again.
He took my hands and pushed me back against the wall breaking the kiss.
“Yes you do. We have to stop.”
Our eyes locked and he starts kissing me again. We are both breathing
heavily as he moves toward my neck again.
“Ugh! No! We can’t do this. You don’t want this. You smell my pheromones
and that’s what’s making you want this.”
What was he talking about? “I don’t care. I want you to kiss me. Please
Damian. Just kiss me.”
He looks into my eyes again and that’s it. I’m kissing him again. He
picks me up and carries me to my bed. He lays me down and takes his shirt off.
He straddles me on the bed and kisses me again. I don’t want him to stop. He
kisses my ear and moves to my neck. I pull his mouth closer with my hand. He
tries to pull away. I hold him there. He kisses me softly again and starts
across my collar bone. I let go of his head and he jerks back.
“Sara, we have to stop. I don’t want to do this to you.”
I stop. “You don’t want to do what to me? Damian, I want this, I want
you. You’re not forcing me to do anything. I don’t want to stop. Please, don’t
stop.” I look at him with puppy eyes but he won’t meet my gaze.
“I have to stop. I can’t do this to you.” He stands up and grabs his
shirt.
I sit up on the bed and pull my blanket up. “You don’t want me? You
never did, did you?”
Before he can answer I run out of my room. Aunt Lynn had gone to bed so
I ran to the bathroom and locked the door. I started crying again.