Damned Pure-blood Royals [Book #2 of the Damned Series; Completed]

I'm Through With the Sidelines.

     ASHLIET IS CANON AND SHALL FOREVER REMAIN CANON (as of now anyway).

     Like the pics? Yea I know you like the pics. Don't deny it. :)

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     When I heard those words my eyes were wide and filled with tears. I never thought I'd ever hear those words once more. I looked up at him. When he found out I was awake his face turned red enough to rival my own.

     "I-I...um..." Ash stuttered. Tears slid down my cheeks and I wrapped my arms around him, half-tackled him.

     "I-I th-think I - I think...I love you too."

     He pushed me back and kissed me. I returned it, our bodies pressed together. I do. I always have. It's just gotten more advanced and confusing over the years, seeing as I couldn't remember who I was in love with. Once we broke apart due to the need to breathe (ok I guess we didn't need to, or at least he didn't) there were grins on both our faces.

     "Ha! We found you!" I turned, smiling at Jordan, Damion, and Alex. They all smiled back, content in their victory.

     Once we'd found our way back to the castle, we found a huge crowd awaiting us. Ashborne was able to walk through them but the rest of us had to sneak in through the service door. We saw some staff, most of whom were humans that we vampires use as blood-bags. My smile faded and disappeared. They look starved, weak, beaten, broken. That's the first thing I'm going to change. The kitchen staff was human too but the punishment for stealing food without consent of the owners (in this case the current King and Queen) made it not at all worth it to steal. It was never like this when the Lockharts ruled. It was so much better for them.

     I've never hated humans, I've always liked them. My faith in humanity wavered because of growing up at the mercy of true monsters. However, the very first thing on my long list of stuff to change, is to change how humans are treated here. Servants, not so much of the sex/blood slaves that they are now. I can't give them full freedom, but I can have some influence on who ends up here. I'd rather those who have no home or life end up here than those with family and friends. They'll still be slaves, I can't change that, it's been around too long, but I can make it so their fed, more or less healthy, and not as broken. Just as how it was with my parents. I know how they feel, to an extent, and I want to revert back to how my parent's treated them, with care.

     "It hurts you, doesn't it." I turned to Damion, who was looking at me. Jordan split off a little bit ago.

     "What?"

     "The way they're treated, it's completely different. When your parents ruled everyone in the realm was happy. Now everyone's fallen into a depression and is treated horribly by the crown." He turned and looked forward as we walked, a more or less blank expression on his face. "They live in fear, that's why everyone instantly has a spark of hope when the rumor spreads that you're alive. We need you. I'm sorry for all the pressure we put on you, but you're not just the princess. You're our savior. You bring hope and a light no one has seen or felt in a very long time."

     I turned forward, nodding a little, keeping a blank face as well. He's right. I can't sit on the sidelines any longer. I'll rule this damn realm. Whether they want me to or not.