A Lost Prince

Chapter One

I am so bored. I thought dejectedly as I stared down at the street from my apartment window. It had been nearly three hours since Zachary had left to do some "important buisness." I was starting to worry. It'll be fine, I reminded myself, he's good at his job. It's not like he'll die. A tiny voice in the back of my head reminded me that I didn't even know what Zach's job was. Much less if he'd survive through it.

Shut up, I told the voice.

Sighing, I got up and stretched, my muscles sore from sitting in the same position too long. I flopped down on the couch and flipped through some channels for a few minutes before I got tired of that, too. Finally I just grabbed my sketch book and started drawing absentmindedly. After ten minutes of drawing, I actually looked down at the page. It was a dilapidated castle that sat on a hill surrounded by forests and mountains. I didn't even know where it came from.

Just then, the door opened and Zach walked through, a package in his arms.

"Hey, kid. How have ya been?" He said as he set his keys down on the counter, balancing the package in one arm.

Oh, I'm good. I just was WORRIED YOU WERE DEAD. But you know, other than that.

"I'm good. You?"

Zack smiled. "I got you something...." He set the package on the table.

I looked at the package. Not much, standard brown paper, rectangle shape. I picked it up and shook it, trying to tell what it was. It made no noise. I decided I'd open it later.

"What for? Just because?" I set it down on the table again.

He looked at me funny. "You don't remember? Really?"

I thought back. What is today? Valentines'? No, too cheesy. Not Zach's style. Christmas? Nah, I'm pretty sure I'd know if it was Christmas. It's like the holy grail of my year. Hmmm.... I gave up. "What am I supposed to be remembering?"

Zack laughed. "You really don't remember? Today's your birthday, Einstein!"

"What? Already? I'm friggin' seventeen!" I was euphoric! I ran my hand through my black hair, smiling. "I can't believe I forgot!"

Zach laughed. "This is a moment worthy for a beer!" Zach said, turning toward the fridge.

I must've forgotten to mention that Zach doesn't like age restrictions... As he once said, "Screw those cocky sons of guns! You can do what you want, when you want." And then he handed me a beer. I was thirteen.

He came back, holding two brown bottles. He uncapped one, handed it to me and uncapped the other one. I took a sip and tried not to gag. Still trying to get used to the taste.

I sat on the couch and close my eyes. And then I chugged the beer. For, like, no reason. I sighed,and noticed Zach was staring at me. I looked at him. "What?" I asked innocently.

"Nothing, Nothing." He said, looking away. "Not like you chugged a beer or anything." He muttered, trying to look busy.

"I heard that." I called. He laughed.

And then the air caught fire.

I heard someone screaming, and then I realized it was me. I looked over at the kitchen, frantically searching for Zach.

I kept thinking, over and over: he's not dead. He's not.

I crawled on my stomach toward the charred counter, ignoring the burns that covered me from head to toe.

"Zach!" I called in a raspy voice. No answer. Then I turned on my side and all I saw was a man, standing next to a perfectly fine Zach and busted windows. And then I passed out.

                                                                                                   ° ° °
When I woke up, I was in a fancy - looking plane with recliners, a kitchen, a TV, and a few bottles of whiskey.  I ran a hand through my hair. Or I would, if I wasn't hand cuffed to a table.

The sun flashed painfully in my eyes as I sat up, and then noticed a girl sitting in the recliner next to my spot on the floor. I quickly wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth. She smirked.

She was smoking hot. She had black hair that fell to her waist and had a little feather braided in it. Her eyes were a deep green and sparkled in the sunlight, and she wore a leather jacket and black ripped up jeans that hugged every curve. Her black army boots came to her knees and she had silver bracelets on both wrists. Her shirt was a black AC/DC T-Shirt

But her face. Oh god, her face. She had a sharp jawline and a straight nose. Her lips... Her lips were pink and soft and oh my god, if I could kiss those lips-

"You just gonna sit there and stare, or are you gonna introduce your self?" She said, smirking again.

I looked away, embarrassed. "Yeah, well, I'm not used to introducing my self while hand cuffed to a table."

"Had to do that in case you were difficult." She said, pouring herself a glass of whiskey. "I'm Aria. You're Luke." It wasn't a question. I looked at her.

"If you knew, why'd you ask?" She turned towards me and crouched down, leaning forwards. I started sweating, trying not to look at her breasts.

"Because it's polite to introduce yourself." She said, looking into my eyes. I felt a lump in my throat.

She turned, standing up, and I sighed in relief. As Zach once said....

Wait... Zach.

I started panicking, pulling at the hand cuffs. "Where is Zach?!"

"Ah. See? You're being difficult." She walked toward me, crouching again. She put a gag in my mouth. "None of that, now." Aria just sat and read a magazine from then on.

Struggling with the hand cuffs, I noticed for the first time that I had no burns.

"Mmhm." I said. Aria didn't look up.

"Mmhmmm!" I said, a little louder. She looked at me, annoyed.

"What?" She said. I looked at her blankly. She sighed and pulled the gag out of my mouth. "What?" She repeated.

"Why am I fine?" I asked her.

"You won't be, if you keep annoying me. Now shut up." She went to go put the gag back in my mouth.

"Wait!" I said, panicking. "I mean, why do I have no burns? My skin was literally melting off when I passed out."

She pursed her lips. "I thought you looked better with eyebrows." She looked down again, like that totally cleared things up. I stared at her.

"I totally understand now." I said sarcastically.

She sighed, looking up. "I healed you." She noticed my confused expression and got up, grabbing a kitchen knife. Crouching next to me, She grabbed my arm and put the knife to it, right below the elbow.

"Woah, woah-" And she cut me. "What the he-" She touched my arm, closing her eyes. As I watched, the cut on my arm closed, fading into a pink line and then disappearing. I looked at it, my mouth gaping open.

"Okay, that's weird." I said, looking at my arm. There wasn't even a scar.

I looked at her, amazed. "Who... What are you?" I said quietly.

She looked at me, expressionless. "I'm Aria Thorton." She said. "Half human, half angel."

Aria: Vote cuz a nice angel hybrid asked you to.. ;D