Chapter 76

ARIC

I was in awe. She had always blown me away. But tonight, she was truly spectacular.

I could not tear my gaze from her as she stood above my grandparents with a bloodied fist, gripping the poor human with delicious-smelling blood.

Her body was lean and strong. Muscles rippled under her toned golden skin.

The torn dress she still wore was ripped down one shoulder, up one thigh, and down the back, but she still looked utterly breathtaking and powerful.

Her skin seemed to be emitting some type of glow. It was as if she was bathed in golden light. I didn’t even think she realized. Her expression was fierce, her full red lips pulled back in a snarl.

Her eyes swiveled back toward me; they were bright blue-green, her human color, but they blazed brighter.

I couldn’t help but smile at her. She gripped the human. I could tell she just wanted to get away from the purebloods, from Alexander trying to get past me to grab her, from Phoenix screeching.

From our parents’ gaping mouths, from the sniveling of my grandparents on the ground, two two-thousand-year-old beings reduced to the fearful creatures cowering below her.

She had knocked them both down with only one punch. I couldn’t be prouder.

My heart soared as I watched her run off with the human. I wasn’t surprised.

She was something else. I had always known it. I just never knew it. I still had no idea what she was. A pureblood, perhaps, but not just that.

Alexander made to run after her, but I grabbed him and held him back.

“Let me go!” he snapped.

“You’re not going after her,” I hissed.

“Let him go, Aric,” Phoenix sniffed. She gave me a pointed look.

I let the prince’s arm go. She immediately tried to comfort him, but he shrugged her off. She glared after him as he sulked and pulled out his phone.

“Get off me,” Grandfather Damon growled when my uncle Angus tried helping him to his feet.

He wiped at his nose, already healed but still covered in his blood. He was hissing with rage. I had never seen him so angry. His usual moss-green eyes were blazing red.

James and Grace appeared. James was wide-eyed and curious. Grace was furious. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she took in the scene.

“What the ~fuck~ is going on here?” she snarled.

“Eleanor again,” Phoenix answered dryly.

“Truly a wonder,” Father murmured. He was gazing in the direction Eleanor had run.

“Isn’t she dead by now?” Grace snapped.

“Far from it,” I scoffed. “She’s a pureblood.”

“How is that possible?” James asked.

At the same time, everyone started speaking again, asking questions, snapping accusations.

“Isn’t it possible to have one fucking wedding day with her getting all the attention?” Grace was hissing, pulling away from James.

“I don’t know how it’s possible,” I admitted, walking toward my cousin. I felt my parents behind me.

“Purebloods are, by definition, pure-blooded. She was human. It’s just not possible,” Mother was murmuring.

“She completely ignored my commands when I changed her. I have no sway over her mind,” I answered.

“And she doesn’t reek of turned vampire. I think it’s obvious she’s not weak like a turned vampire.” I was brimming with happiness. I couldn’t explain it.

“She was glowing,” Father wondered. “Why the fuck was she glowing?”

“Glowing?” James’s eyes widened. “When she fought your parents?”

I cast him a curious glance. His gaze met mine, excited.

“Do you know anything about glowing purebloods who used to be humans?” I asked. James shook his head wildly.

“No, but I think we need to talk to someone who does,” he grinned. “Diana is still in Spain, isn’t she?”

I blinked at him.

“She hasn’t been seen in society for hundreds of years,” Mother said, frowning deeply and shaking her head.

“I will go find her and bring her to us. I’ll leave now.” James’s eyes were wide with excitement.

“What do you think you know?” I pressed.

James shook his head. “I really don’t know anything. But I remember Diana mentioning it once, long, long ago. That she knew a pureblood, who glowed when enraged.”

“Really?” Mother asked. She cast her gaze toward where Eleanor had run.

“James,” Father scolded. “You will not run away halfway through your wedding. Your wife would murder you.”

James pursed his lips, gazing at his new wife. Grace was raging, her eyes wide, snapping at everyone to return to the party.

She ushered them back toward the fairy lights in the trees, the cowering humans, and the overflowing blood fountain. Many hadn’t seen what had happened and were satisfied to return to the festivities.

“Fine. But no one else will have any answers. We’re all too young,” James warned.

“I agree,” I heard a soft voice answer. I glanced as Venus appeared, Henry by her side.

Venus met my gaze calmly. “Eleanor is obviously more than human, more than a pureblood. We need to know what she is. And if she’s dangerous to our family.”

She paused, frowning, meeting my gaze as well as Mother and Father’s.

“Stop looking at me like that. She could be dangerous. She threw Prince Alexander into a tree then beat up Grandmother and Grandfather. We just don’t know.”

She shrugged a slight shoulder, her moss-green eyes twinkling.

“Venus,” I paused. “Eleanor won’t hurt us.”

“You don’t know that, Aric. Maybe not you, or Mother and Father, but she has every reason to go after Grandmother Elizabeth again or Aleesha and Eloise.

“I will go find Diana. Henry will come with me. We should be back in two nights.” She pressed her lips together firmly.

Henry nodded; his dark eyes wide. He looked to be in shock still.

“Fine. Go now and keep us posted.” Father nodded.

Venus grabbed Henry’s hand, and they ran off into the woods, their fine clothes billowing behind them.

“This does somewhat explain why I didn’t eat her that first night I found her,” Mother mused. Father chuckled lightly.

“She’s not dangerous,” I murmured.

“Hmm, I don’t think she is any more than we are,” Father agreed. “But all the same, she is something we have never seen before. Let us return to the party. Grace is rounding us up.”

He clapped his hand onto my shoulder.

As we walked toward the castle, I saw Alexander and Phoenix walking side by side. He was speaking rapidly on his phone.

Phoenix was casting small glances at our bloodied grandparents walking behind them.

“Who was the human she stole?” James asked me.

“I have no idea,” I admitted. “But he smelled a lot like her when she was human.” I pressed my lips together in a tight line.

“Could she have a family? Could he be like her?” James wondered aloud.

“Anything is possible at this point,” I scoffed.

“Aric,” Mother paused as we reached the castle. “Get clean and fetch something for Eleanor. Pureblood or not, the sun will still harm her. It will be up in the next hour. Be home for it.”

“Yes, Mother.”