Garden of Roses ✔️

Chapter 1

Zara

         Present

The sound of my alarm clock drills through my head as I desperately try to turn it off. After the alarm, the lights and the coffee machine are automatically turned on. The warm yellow lights are a pathetic excuse for sunlight, but since this is an underground complex, it's as close to sunlight as we can get.

The complex consists of several small apartments that have bedrooms and bathrooms in them and then there are several other rooms, all located in one long hallway. We have a big main kitchen with a white marble floor and black appliances that all of us use together, a living room, an armory, and a small greenhouse.

I decide to take a quick shower until my coffee is ready.

When I exit the bathroom, I see Luca sitting on my bed with a large cup in his hands. "Morning, Regina!" he exclaims and stretches out his arm to give me the cup of coffee.

"Don't call me that," I retort, already getting frustrated.

"Why not? The rest of the world calls you that."

"Well, the rest of the world doesn't know my real name. You do so stop it."

"Fine, fine, sorry. Aren't we a little agitated this morning?"

"Get out and wait for me in the living room. I'll be there shortly." I sigh as I take the first sip of my coffee. It's way too early for me to listen to Luca's jokes right now. He remains sitting on my bed for a couple more moments and then finally gets up and leaves.

Regina. The nickname is now stuck in my head. People who don't know my real name call me Regina del Sangue, or Blood Queen, if you will. I guess that's the name I've made for myself. Not that it was my intention. I did what had to be done and I'll keep doing it until I get justice for my parents that they deserve. They didn't deserve to die the way they did and everybody who was in our house that night will die. One by one.

After I gather my thoughts and drink most of my coffee, I open the closet to find something to wear today. I don't plan on leaving the bunker so I decide on some casual light blue jeans with a simple white t-shirt and boots.

As I walk into the spacious living room, I see the whole gang is already there. Luca is sitting behind my massive dark wooden desk, spinning in my chair like an excited toddler. Gabriella is sitting on one of the couches with her legs crossed and a laptop on her lap as per usual. On the opposite couch Bianca and Alex are sitting while bickering about each other, also in their usual behavior.

I stand by the door and watch them for a few moments, thinking about how this group of completely different people came together to work for me in the first place.

Luca was my friend and mentor from the very beginning. He was the one who saved me that awful night my parents died. Luca and his father brought me to this complex that my parents had prepared in case of emergencies. He taught me everything I know and has been by my side always. He also knew me better than anyone. With that thought, I smile as I watch his honey brown hair flap around his head while he's spinning in the chair. Although he's older than me, he's always acted like a child, no matter his real age.

Gabriella is the total opposite of Luca. She's the youngest of us all, but I dare say the smartest, and sometimes, too serious. I recruited her about a year ago from Stanford University. Although she was afraid at first, eventually, she came with me willingly. I believe she feels more comfortable now, even if she doesn't show it much. Her petite figure looks even smaller on that big couch and now she's frowning at her laptop, tugging a strand of her golden blond hair behind her ear and adjusting her glasses, completely ignoring everything that goes on around her.