Chapter 3 - Losing Sense Of Normality

Malia's POV

The Windows were all broken, there were bodies laying all over the front lawn. As soon as I pulled over on the side of the road, not bothering to go into the garage, Bruce and I fled to the front door with Aaliyah on our heels. Bruce swung the door open, almost taking it right off of its hinges. There is a lot of blood, dead people, some beheaded, a man and a woman who looks like Bruce and I but older, were standing before us with blood on their hands and cheeks. Mom laid in dad's arms on the floor. They both looked weak.

As soon as my mind processed what had happened, my power flared up. My skin started to glow, colors danced on my skin, red, yellow, purple, blue, green, and my eyes turned from brown to a crystal green. I was angry. As I was about to attack the two strangers, I heard mom, "Wait! Baby No! They're family!"

My eyes found where my parents sat on the floor, the entire room was silent until I heard my brother whispering in my ear for me to breathe. My eyes never left my mother until my sister came into view. She inched towards our parents but also looked at me with fear in her eyes. My heart sank and I took a step back realizing what I had just done. My powers recoiled into me and a hot stream of tears rolled down my cheeks. I made a ninety degree turn and fled from the house. My vision blurred but I continued running. I only stopped when I got to the lake. "What is wrong with me?" I cried. My legs gave out and as I was about to let myself fall to the hard ground, strong familiar hands held me up.

    

"Don't shut down on me now. It's okay, everything will be fine. Nothing is wrong with you." My brother tried to cheer me up. "I'm stupid. I'm so stupid. They hate me Bruce. They all hate me. Did you see how she looked at me? I'm a monster!" I cried in his arms. "Shhh. You're not, no one hates you, and Aaliyah is just confused that's all. She needs time to process this." There was silence between us for a minute. "Mom wants to speak with us." He gave me time to compose myself before taking my hand in his, like a real gentleman does. We both walked hand in hand to the house.

Mom, Dad and Aaliyah are now cuddling on the couch and our supposed to be family members are opposite them on the twin set couch. The room was clean, no dead bodies, no blood, no broken glass and no curtains on the windows. The room was spotless as if nothing had happened. I tightened my hold on my brother's arm. I was scared. "Have a seat." Dad said. All I did was shake my head from side to side not wanting to move an inch from where Bruce and I stopped when we came in. Thankfully Bruce stood by me and leaned into me to hold me upright . I did not know where to look so my gaze fell to my feet.

"This is My brother, Ryan Alcander Valentina and King of Vernon. His wife Queen Mia Audelia Valentina, your mother's sister, is actually your... Your biological parents." My head rose so fast that I almost popped it. I felt Bruce's hand tighten over my hands. "What?" I asked in almost a whisper as my voice croaked. I looked from my parents to my supposed biological parents and back again.

"I know it's a lot to take in right now but we don't have time. Aaliyah is our daughter." Dad informed us.

My mind could hardly process the revelation of this truth.

"The power you possess will be explained to you later on. We can see you're both confused as to what had happened-" Mom started to cough up blood before she could finish what she was saying. I untangled my hand from my brother's and ran to her.

Two doctors came in not long after but there was nothing they could have done for them. Dad had internal injuries which wasn’t healing on its own nor was the medicine given to him doing much help. In Mom’s case her wound was too close to her heart so it’s just a matter of time for both of them. Mom asked us to take good care of Aaliyah and make sure she grows to be a respectable woman in the near future. An hour after our parents died in each other's arms. Mr. and Mrs. Valentina conducted their burial. 

Aaliyah confided in Bruce and ignored me so I pulled away and went to my room. "This is one hell of a birthday party." I said to myself. Never in my eighteen years of life had I ever locked my room door but tonight… tonight I did. I needed space. My mind was in turmoil to the events of the last few hours after we came home. I needed a bath. I filled the tub with water and squeezed some Jasmine soap in the bath. While undressing I looked in the mirror. 

For the first time after my power flare I’m seeing myself in the mirror. Who I saw looking back was no one I recognized. This girl… No... this woman in the mirror is no one I've ever seen before but yet she seemed so familiar.

I unbounded my hair from its wrap. Shiny, black, silky hair cascaded down my back to stop just above the start of my butt-cheeks. My breasts are definitely different, they looked somehow a bit fuller. I no longer had freckles. I looked back up to my now green eyes and saw tears rolling down my cheeks. I hated this woman I saw before me. I did not know her but yet I do. What the hell was going on with me!? No wonder Aaliyah is avoiding me. I'd avoid me too.

I got into the tub and tried to relax in the water. The pain I felt in my heart was suffocating me. I cried until there were no tears left to cry. I wished mom could take me into her arms and say it’s just a bad dream.

I had a restless night which made me fully awake at 4:00am. I needed a walk so I decided I would go to the lake. I didn't feel like changing my nightshift to wear anything else, I’ve never felt cold anyway. I left the house without a sound and by the time I got to the forest I was lost in my thoughts. 

Why are my parents dead? The supposed king and queen, who are they and why are they our so-called biological parents and not Mom and Dad? Who the heck am I? Eighteen… eighteen and my whole world came crashing down. Tears rolled down my cheeks again, I hugged myself and allowed the tears to flow while I stood staring into the lake. "It is beautiful is it not?" I almost jumped out of my skin when the voice spoke. I slowly turned to the voice that came from my left. A man with light gold eyes, straight, blond, ruffled hair that kissed his eyebrows, he looked almost thirty years.

The king of my nightmares is sitting by the edge of the lake, just the way Bruce does. Both hands behind his back in order to prop himself at an incline with his feet dangling into the water, I looked anywhere else but at him, he looked intimidating. "I didn't think anyone was out here." I said turning to leave.

"Please stay. There is enough space for both of us." He stopped me from going back to the house so I turned to face the water again. The tears in my eyes ceased. I will not allow strangers to see me cry willingly. "You loved them?" He asked. "They are... were... They were my parents, why would I not?" I said without a smile and feeling the grief of losing my parents anew, how could he ask such a thing? Is he insane? Why would I not love my family? My grief was mixed with anger "My apologies for upsetting you. I am trying to make conversation with my daughter for the first time and I can see I am doing a poor job." What the hell! Did he just call me his daughter? "Please do not refer to me as ' your daughter ' you may be one out of the two who brought me into the world but Bryan is my father and Alyssa is my mother, I will not allow anyone else to take their place." He was now looking directly at me, however I continued to look deep into the lake. "I see. My apologies once again, I do not wish to take his place nor does my wife wish to take her sister's place however you need to know that what we did eighteen years ago and up to this day was to protect you and your brother." I heard a little bit of hurt in his voice which made me turn to face him. "Protect us from what exactly? Those people who were slaughtered to death?" He looked at me intently. "They were not people. Those who we slaughtered were vampires and our comrades died to protect you and your brother. Yes, protect you from them and many other evils that are out there." 

I laughed. "Vampires! really, you don't expect me to believe that do you?" Unbelievable, does he think this is a joke? What the hell! "Everything you know to be myths and fairy tales are all real Malia. For example You. More precisely Us." My eyes locked on his with a confused and questioning gaze. "Me? What… what am I?" I looked at him pleadingly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "What do you know about the Greek gods?" He asked. "Uh unfortunately not much, I was never really interested in it and frankly I'm still not." My legs felt a little wobbly which made me sit. "We are descendants of Zeus and Metis. We have human emotions but the strength and power of gods." I sighed, "Demigods." This is ridiculous. "Demigods are half god half human." Am I actually considering what this guy is saying? "Yeh yeh I know what a demigod is."

"You are annoyed." He bluntly stated. "You can tell?” I said sarcastically. “Why are you talking like you're from a different era or something? This is Trinidad. You're not visiting the queen of England." Oops me and my tempered mouth. I hope I didn't offend him, my irritation got the better of me. But he just chuckled "It is, however, I am speaking our native tongues . Speaking of natives, from now on you are to be addressed by all natives and equals as ' Your Royal Highness, Princess Malia Amari Valentina '" I snorted, "Princess? You don't expect me to ride a unicorn do you? I've had enough of this bullshit." I got up and gave him an exaggerated curtsy and left. By the time I got to the house my dad's grandfather clock chimed 6:00am.

I heard noises in the kitchen which made me open the door and saw Bruce and Aaliyah sitting together by the kitchen counter with Mia preparing breakfast while talking to them. I decided to join them. "Morning" we greeted each other except for Aaliyah. Taking a seat on the right of her I automatically reached for her hand that was laying on the counter to comfort her, however, she pulled away and went to the seat on the other side of Bruce, putting him between us. My heart felt a sharp pain from her reaction. Bruce grabbed my hand which made me look up. I completely forgot that the bond we share makes us feel what the other's heart feels when we are close to each other. I needed a cold shower pronto, I can't handle my emotions right now it's too much and I don't want Bruce to be hurt because of me. I removed his hand from my own and gave him a weak smile. I went to my room for a shower. I sat on my bathroom floor under the shower and allowed my tears to mix with the cool water. After crying my eyes out on the bathroom floor I dried myself and curled up in my bed allowing a fresh batch of tears to flow again. Some time in between my sobs I fell asleep.

There was a familiar tug on my heart which made me fully awake to see everyone in my room and looking at me."What? Can't I not sleep in my own room now?" I asked, irritated. "You're attracting animals of all kinds." Bruce informed me. There was a white fluffy cat sprawled out on my bed and three birds on the windowsill. “We need to leave this place. Pack a few things you need nothing much." Mia spoke to us all but looked at me with sorrow in her eyes.

An hour later Bruce and I went back to the lake for one last training before we left our home forever. Somehow the lake felt different. "Bruce what's happening?" I shouted to him then I saw that the same thing was happening to him on land. "Mother nature is giving back what belongs to you. All of your power from over the years when you two were seeking for control.The time has come for you to use them." Ryan informed us. 

"Do not fight it, simply receive. She knows the time has come for you to leave." Ryan looked confused for a moment “Bruce is no longer receiving power. That is impossible..." He closed his eyes and shook his head as if he wanted to get rid of something. " What's supposed to be impossible?" Bruce enquired. "My apologies, for my thoughts have got... Do you know the reason for this lake being here? And what does it mean?" Bruce and I just stared at him confused.