Trusting the Devil

Chapter 6: Sage

Sage

After giving me some time to gather myself, Logan and Thomas shared a look that told me they might back down. I didn't hesitate. "You guys are going to tell me what started all this feud and you are not going to get out of this."Logan nodded, cleared his throat, and started, "It all began when, we, vampires were created. Nature needed to restore the balance humans, that used to fully populate this realm, had destroyed. They were so cruel to Her. So, Nature created the Tree of Life and Death. It created us, the population of the death tree so we can take care of the problematic things, like the overpopulation of bad people. We were ordered to kill them. Of course, I wasn't born yet, since this happened five thousand years ago. Our kind did terminate them, but it got out of control pretty fast. Vampires got greedy for human blood, they craved it, and they wanted more. The animal blood that Nature was providing wasn't enough to stop the lust from burning inside of them. Human blood is the best. Vampires went out and abused the mortals for it. Then, one day, a guy from a noble family, a human one, came to us, my family, the Royals of the kingdom of Death, begging us to stop and put the vampires in their places. We were struggling to keep them in check as we are wild creatures." "Let me guess, this dude is one of my ancestors, right?"He nodded, a grim look taking form on his beautiful face. He scratched his chin and started walking around the garden as he continued, "We worked with him on a plan that would benefit both races and would finally stop the lust from taking over vampires. We began to train every vampire to stay up to a month without feeding. Believe me when I say thousands of vampires died. Eventually, we trained them to only feed on animals and leave the humans alone as bad ones were receding. Many years passed and not a single vampire touched a human. Then, the balance was destroyed again and people were killing Nature again. So, that's when Nature came in again. It punished your ancestors for making us go against our nature and stay docile; defying her orders. Yet, She didn't punish us because she knew our intentions were pure. We wanted peace. She got fed up with the darkness surrounding the land, so she put a curse on your family. Every century, a new psychic girl, from the Raines family, would be born to be the Phoenix Princess. She must keep her family and everybody, including vampires, in their place. She would be the most powerful creature in this realm who then gets turned into a vampire by the Royals to unlock her potential. So, you're now the fucking Nature's right hand." When he finished, our eyes locked. They were bright, they were beautiful and they were red. I couldn't breathe. That was too much to process. But something didn't add up. I needed to keep digging so I could know what I was up against as this could be my only chance at getting answers. "If only my ancestors were the problem, it got taken care of by Nature herself. Then why are you still in a cold war?"Logan chuckled and shook his head, "I can't believe you still want to know more. You truly are something else."He stepped closer to me and without warning, he snaked his arms around my small body. I didn't know I was shaking until I was met with his strong, lean body next to my frail one. I didn't protest. I needed to regain my strength for the speech I was about to make. He continued, his voice vibrating through his chest as I buried my face in his embrace."Your ancestors and parents were mad, greedy, and evil. They wanted power. They felt like they were nothing in front of us. So, after Nature unleashed vampires and a Phoenix Princess on humans, they decided that they didn't want to belong to this race anymore. The first step of their plan was to take all the pieces of information about our nature by faking "our friendship" and taking up an alliance with us. The second step was to threaten to kill the next heir to the principal kingdom's throne, my dad. He was soon to be married and the oldest. The Royals were trapped because his brothers already had kingdoms of their own to take care of–""Why were your grandparents cornered? I mean no offense, but killing the next heir shouldn't faze them in front of their duty to protect their nation."A low, husky laugh escaped him. I looked up at him and his eyes filled with warmth as a smile played on his lips. They were still red. "Well then, Sunshine. Let me have the honor to explain to you how we reproduce–"From her place in Thomas' lap on the ground, Nina protested, "If it is anything like the humans, I don't need to hear it."Logan looked at his brother and they both started laughing. "I didn't mean how we do it. Vampires can't bear children, only Royals have this capability and it isn't unlimited. We have certain periods where the females can carry children and Nature usually has a number of babies set for each couple, that's why my grandparents were cornered. They weren't allowed to have another child, so they had to fulfill their wish. Their wish was to be protected. It might seem like a normal wish but my grandparents knew it went against what Nature wanted. Your family's founder loved his family and power. He wanted to protect both. And we did, by giving them and their future children eternity.""That's when they became official Vampire Hunters. Of course, some humans decided to stick with your ancestor, some decided to stay in the realm but act like they lived in a normal world, detached from the Raines and the rest found a vortex to the human world after it got created and left without a trace. By the time the Royal vampires figured it out, it was too late. Thousands of vampires were murdered in cold blood. They knew how to kill us, they had eternal life and were unkillable since we didn't have any experiences with their nature before that night. Royals from my family died, and my dad's brothers' families were killed. The smaller kingdoms were doomed. We did kill some of the hunters but with a lot of difficulties. Nature retired to Her own land, leaving the responsibility of stability to the Phoenix Princess. She was deeply weakened by all the attacks on her." A pause."Your parents killed the most vampires. They were the most skilled of the Nobles to ever walk through this land. We retreated because my family was the only Royal left from the royal bloodline besides my two cousins." He gestured to the purple castle."This was their castle. They decided to trust no one, not even female vampires but themselves, and ruled amazingly on Bemilis. Even if the vampires here are unhinged, it was their way of living, and didn't harm anyone in the realm. They do kill lots of humans for fun, but it was illegal. My cousins did a great job at keeping them in check. But, it returned the second they were killed. Our duty to turn the psychic girl eventually died down because we couldn't afford another war with your family. Eventually, I came into the picture, alongside my brother. Unfortunately, your parents got bored and wanted to climb up the ladder, so they killed my cousins– Rulers of Bemilis– just two days ago. I think it was more of a revenge attack for turning you, but at this point, I don't think they care about it. They're thirsty for power. We tried to kill your parents for so long but it seemed they were the strongest Vampire Hunters, coming directly from the man that wanted eternity and betrayed us. Psychic girls in your family died whenever we didn't turn them after they turned 19 years old. Nature, of course, was mad, so She told us that She would make the next Phoenix Princess the most powerful one yet so she could put her family in its place and of course, her being the descendant of the most powerful Vampire Hunters... your parents... This Phoenix Princess is you... Sage."Now I understood. I understood their loathing, their desire to torture me and my sister just to get to me. The rush to bring me into the family business to keep me out of my legacy. They were okay with me dying at 19 years old if that meant they could stay in power. A project.A disruption. An obstacle. That was all I was to them. I didn't doubt for a second the history that Logan just gave me. It fitted too well with what my parents were doing. The guns I had seen. The plans, the hunger to become more influential. I also knew it was the truth because of the sincerity in Logan's voice. I was the only capable being that could put a stop to my parents. I turned to Logan, my eyes blazing with anger. "They want power? I'll give them destruction. Time to fucking end my parents." The three of them exchanged worried looks and I pushed on, "They should be punished for all the damage they have caused for people since they were born. No one in the past five thousand years was able to get to them. It's my destiny. I need to put a stop to them before it's too late. No one can do this, except for me and I need you guys to be by my side." I felt tears brimming in my eyes, shining in the moonlight. Tears of happiness, of purpose, of relief that I was meant for something and I wasn't going to be stuck in my parents' simulation life that they gave me and Nina. Logan sighed and shook his head. "Alright. I hope you know how dangerous your parents are."I shared a look with my sister, "Trust me, we've seen it firsthand. Besides, isn't this the reason why you turned me? Other than not dying at nineteen?" Logan's eyes softened, "Not really. I expected you would want to assert your authority and that maybe you'd have to convince or talk your parents out of their plans, but seeing you want to destroy them took me by surprise, Sunshine." I held my chin higher, "You saw how they treated me when they knew I got turned, they're against it. They didn't acknowledge me as a Higher Force. They'll fight me, just like they fought your family to try to become the rulers." Logan nodded, put his hand on the small of my back, and directed my attention to the purple castle. "Very well, my Phoenix Princess. You've got a speech to deliver." He got closer, his lips touching my ear ever so slightly, "Your eyes are red, gorgeous." Now, my eyes weren't the only red thing. I felt heat flush my cheeks as I responded, "Good. It'll give me more authority. And... I'm matching with you."He smiled and I looked at my next challenge.