3

Amara's pov

           I could feel my guts tighten as I stood rooted to my spot. The sound of the sword swishing through the air came first and a strangled cry like that of a wounded beast was the last thing I heard before being splattered with his blood.

My hands laid limp by my sides. My senses numbing as I stared down at myself. My pink leotard was marred crimson by the abominable liquid, my exposed arms and legs all covered in blood and suddenly the ache I felt in my neck from being strangled earlier was forgotten. I was somewhat glad that I hadn't worn my favorite red leotard, I couldn't imagine it being soaked in blood.

My gaze traveled to the stiff remains of the creature. Its red wings were faltered and dull, and my heart ached as red was my favorite color. Blood pooled from the headless body staining the white tiling of the balcony and the evening sun rays had chosen that time to cast its light on the dead. Its head had rolled a few paces away from it. Its dark eyes, darker than any night sky widened in shock staring straight at me, its skin ashen and mouth wide open revealing bared teeth, all canines.

Right there, in the puddle of blood laid the red rose I had in my hair which had fallen off during the struggle and now it was just there with its trampled petals laying in the blood next to the creature who had meant to slay me.

"Are you okay princess?" The clanging of metal hitting the tile brought me back to my senses as Liam dropped his sword and strode towards me.

The jacket of his uniform was already off revealing his singlet-clad torso and bare arms which I was too mortified to ogle at, "Amara." He breathed once he was near me draping the jacket over me.

"What is that?" My throat tightened taking in its form again trying to see if I have read up on or knew such a creature.

"I don't know." He answered and I felt silly for asking in the first place. He was human, a really strong and special Russian human who fought bears for a living before he was employed. He didn't know much about the existing supernatural creatures despite working with us for years. What made me think he would know about a strange one that had poofed out of nowhere, "You should sit."

"The necklace." I touched my neck to feel it and  the new gift was stained with blood, "I am sorry." I whispered.

"It's fine." He said, not being bothered that his early birthday gift to me was nearly almost ruined, "We can clean it up and if not, your papa pays me well enough, I can always get you a new one." I wanted to argue but I kept mute. I didn't want a new one. I hated when gifts were replaced, it never always felt the same as the original one and this one was really special coming from him. 

He had my middle name engraved in his native language which made me remember how my stalker had called me that and I wanted to ask Liam to teach me Russian curse words to hurl at him if I ever got the chance to text him back and somehow I wanted to relate this attack to him, I could relate it to him. Only a stalker would be out to kill me or send someone for the job.

"You are not fine." He gritted turning me to face him. His hand went to my neck to touch the wound and he hissed, "Your papa is going to have my head."

"I will heal," I told him and a brief sigh of relief escaped his lips like he had forgotten that I was a wolf.

My head was spinning as what had happened dealt a blow to my paunch.

Someone just actually tried to kill me.

I had finished my dance lessons. Magnifique! Which my French tutor kept screaming as the piano music went off as I finished my hop had kept me giddy knowing that I really aced it and then I had skipped from the ballroom, through the halls, and to one of the balconies to bask in self-approval when the winged creature came out of nowhere and attacked me.

"Amara! Liam!" Rose rushed onto the balcony. She flung her arms around me on reaching me and not minding the blood, "Are you okay?" 

"I guess." I gulped even though I wanted to scream no as the only thing reeling in my head now were flashbacks and horrid images of things that I wanted to forget or could have been able to cope with if I wasn't adamant and went through with the therapy.

"I informed them of what happened already." She spoke to Liam with her arms still around me, "They should be here any moment from now." I felt guilty knowing that they were to leave Eros's first sword practice for me. He needed them there and now he would have no parents to cheer him on from the crowd.

"No, they can't come." I curled my fingers around the jacket, "He needs them there."

"My parents are there Amara." She chided me while Liam gazed at the bloody corpse, "He won't be alone."

"It's not the same thing." I was near tears now, my voice was breaking. Everything was caving in, the horrid flashbacks, Eros being left all alone cause of me, I wanted to cry and retch.

"Take her away." Liam commanded, "I will stand guard and await their royal highnesses return, " And please don't let her out." I didn't have enough strength to shoot him a glare as Rose led me away. I just kept mute and followed her lead as she took me to my room.

We both lay on my bed with her arms wrapped around me and she began to talk of other things that we both found interesting to distract me. But, I wasn't distracted. My fingers clutched onto Liam's Jacket, my best friend's voice fading of as I sobbed inwardly at the silhouettes conjuring up in my head.

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