TEASER FOR DAWN OF YOUR NEW LIFE

TEASER

"I–" he threw one frame. It shattered against the wall, the glass shards scraping away parts of the painting.

"HATE–" he swung around, the spider appendages on his back knocking a family picture of the current royal family off the wall.

"THESE–HUMANS!" he seized the picture between his hands, ripping it in half. He threw it to the floor, and a part that must have been previously folded behind the rest of the picture fluttered into view.

Raymond stared at the revealed picture. He gasped.

It looked like... him.

Sure, its eyes were brown and there were only two of them, and it was noticeably missing the eight spider legs on its back, but still, there was no denying it was him.

This was him.

He knew he used to be human... that all Hybrids did... but royalty?

He used to be royalty? The thought made him sick.

"Halt!" screeched a voice behind him. "Halt in the name of the royal family!"

Raymond whipped his head around.

"Guards! Seize him!" screamed Ruby.

Now Raymond could see the family resemblance. The streaked strawberry-blonde hair, the pale skin, the thin features...

For a moment, he was frozen, paralyzed by shock.

Then, his instincts kicked in.

"S-stay away!" he shouted at the four guards flanking Ruby. He felt the spider part of his energy flare, putting him on defense. The black appendages on his back shot out, ready to attack, and his eyes shifted to red, glowing.

The first guards stepped in front of Ruby, shielding the young princess. "Stay back, monster!"

"I am!" cried Raymond, feeling his human energy suddenly take over. "I'm here because you hurt us first! I don't even want revenge! I just want this to end!" he felt a sob wrack through him, and his eyes dulled.

The second guard, unmoved by the display of emotion, stepped forward, aiming its spear at Raymond's stomach. He jumped backwards in the nick of time, his spider half kicking in once again. His spider legs latched into the wall, the human part of his body hanging as he skittered up.

Within seconds he's injected just enough venom in each guard to immediately knock them out, leaving Ruby alone, shaking in fear. Her hazel eyes met Raymond's luminescent red ones.

"What? Scared now that there's no one left to hide behind?" he asked.

Ruby grit her teeth. "How dare you speak to the royal princess like that?"

"And I'm the prince!" screamed Raymond, his voice cracking. He felt tears prick his eyes. His human energy began seeping through.

Ruby flinched, but she didn't seem surprised. This hit Raymond like a punch in the gut.

"You knew?" he said as the tears spilt over, running down his face.

"What? That we're related?" Ruby stammered, her face contorting, as if the confession tasted bad.

"That too. And that I've been locked up in that graveyard for who knows how long," he sobbed, tears pouring from all eight eyes. "You knew everything–and you still sent your hunters after me?"