Marked (Book 1 of the Royal Monsters)

4

Did..wait. No. It didn't happen. He did not just fucking speak in my head. I stared up in shock at Arlo. He smiled amusingly at me.

"He-" I paused for a minute and looked around. It was still just us two in the room. The doors to my room was shut and now that I'm looking closer. The doors are locked? Who locked it?

I looked around one more time. My balcony doors were still opened, but the sheer pink curtains were drawn. The wind was softly blowing against them softly. I focused more on the balcony to notice a long lean leg, clad in white trousers. The brown designer loafer was glistening in the still high sun.

Is that? No. Arlo just said he was in New York still. I point towards the doors. "Who's out there?" I said still in disbelief. Arlo tilted his head at me. "Has he been there this entire time?!" I asked incredulously.

Not only that, he read my thoughts! Oh my god he can read my thoughts. Is he reading them now? What am I saying? I waited for a minute.
Nothing. What?

"I can't read your thoughts, little one. I can only speak into your mind." The baritone in his voice ringed through the air. The leg bounced off his other one. I could see part of the chair through the curtains actually. His side was facing me. So, I could see the long pale white fingers curl around the front piece of the bars of the chair.

A long lean body stood from the chair. I watched as he buttoned his suit jacket with one hand then tucked it into his pocket of slacks. He pushed the curtains and stepped into the room. I stepped back in shock but was stopped because Arlo has an arm wrapped around my hip. I just realized that.

Rysand was extremely gorgeous. I can't even fathom the correct words to describe his beauty. His curly hair was shoulder length, it was practically a halo around his head from just how bright it was. His bright red eyes were practically gleaming at me. His full lips were pulled into a smirk one of his fangs gleamed in the sunlight.

He stopped next to Arlo and eyed me. I stopped breathing. Was he gonna kill me? Oh no, I'm gonna die a damn virgin. My god, he's always been scary, ever since I was little, I used to not go near him with a ten foot pole. At times I felt like he hated due to the fact Arlo like me more.

At the end of the day we both starve for one thing. Arlo's attention.....okay maybe I want his too but don't tell him I said that.

"My, you were right my love. She has changed." He said his eyes dragging down my body. His head tilted at me when he met my eyes again.

"Do you remember me, little one?" He asked. Goosebumps rose but I didn't show it that I felt anything.

"Mhm." I said stiffly. Arlo's hand raised up towards my hair. His fingers went through my hair in one go.

Rysands eye brow raised. "Mhm?" He side eyed Arlo. "I remember her being a lot more mouthy than this, love." He said in a mocking tone.

"The her you're referring to is right here and can speak for herself." Cutting him off rudely. I'm not 5 years old anymore. I will not allow him to talk down to me like I'm not standing in front of him.

"You asked for it." Arlo said chuckling at Rysands dark look on his face. Rolling my eyes and with great effort I moved away from their circle they had me in.

"So, where exactly is this school I'm supposed to be staying at?" I asked while walking back into my closet. Opening my shoe drawers, I started taking out my favorite pairs.

The place they are taking me to couldn't be far off season then here. But I'll take both open climate shoes anyways. 

"Where is all the jewelry the Rysand and I got you?" He asked. I looked over my shoulders to see he has opened my vanity area.

A flashback shot forward from when I was crying once again because they got another one of those all gold bracelets, necklaces, and rings. At first I loved them. I would wear them to school and hoped someone would ask where I got it just so I could brag about how my favorite two people in the world bought me jewelry.

But then I noticed they would send me gifts as if that would smooth the wound of them not being here with me and leaving me by myself. After I came to that conclusion, I took every piece of jewelry, present, item, anything that they ever gifted me and stuffed them in boxes and never thought of them again.

The memory faded and I was back staring at Arlo's eyes. Turning to the island in the middle of the closet, I bent down and hit the small button on the floor. The walls lifted and revealed boxes with names carved on them. I walked around until I saw the word jewelry carved on one of them.

I grabbed it and sat it on the counter. "They're all in here."

I walked back to my shoes and busied myself again. I could feel eyes burning my back and never leaving me as moved around the room.

"Vanessa." Rysand's stern but soft voice called out. I stopped but didn't turn around. "I know you are upset with us but we need to talk to you."

Oh goody. "What is it?" I asked grabbing the last pair and turned to see the jewelry all laid out on the island. My brows furrowed, I didn't even hear them jingle.

"Do you remember the pale aqua necklace we gifted you? The first piece we ever gave you?" Arlo asked. His long hair swished as he walked slowly towards me.

Oh. I swallowed and looked away to avoid his eyes. Arlo stopped in front of me and grabbed my face again and tilted back towards him again.

"It was in the shape of a oval and it had our heirloom on the front of it." My chest started to burn. I know exactly what they are talking.

Fingers dipped into my shirt and the chain was pulled up, revealing the shiny pendant. I quickly grabbed it and took a step back. But Rysand didn't allow me.

"Stop, calm down little one." He said softly.

"Don't worry Nessa. We're actually glad you have it on." Pride shining in his voice. Have it on? It has never left my being since I was 6.

"Then why are you asking for it if you don't want it?" Still clasping it hands, Arlo smirked.

"Because love, you're gonna need that pendant if you want to stay alive as a human in Bloom Academy." He said, grabbing my hands, he gently removed them from the pendant and tucked back into my shirt.

"Stay alive?!" I yelled.

Man. Im craving a milkshake rn.