Blood King | Book Three of Blood Trilogy

Chapter 7

Alexandria 

Awakening to a headache was definitely a great way to start the night. I must've fallen back asleep after Zayden came into my room. I rubbed the side of my head while letting out a long yawn. I stretched with all my might and was satisfied when I heard my back and a couple other joints pop. 

"Sweet relief," I sighed then slid off the bed towards the bathroom. One glance at my own reflection made me roll my eyes and not want to look back at myself until I was at least in a decent physical state. 

I then glanced down at the bitemark that was still very much visible on my left forearm. I touched it lightly with my fingertip but retracted my finger immediately since the pain was still powerful and throbbing upon any contact with the raw wound. 

"Great," I mumbled to myself. I then trudged over to my walk-in closet then spun in a couple circles with trying to pick something suitable to wear for the night. I wasn't even sure if I was too late for supper yet. Maybe I could sneak a glass of blood into my room and nobody would notice. 

I dressed into another pair of decent clothing with a long-sleeved shirt in attempt to hide my bitemark. I tiptoed down the hallway in my ballet flat shoes and glanced past each corner to check one vacant hallway at a time. Nobody was in sight. 

I turned the corner into the kitchen entrance and saw Hazel, Zayden, and Uncle Aidan all sitting along the kitchen counter on barstools. They all greeted me and I sent them greetings in return. They didn't question why I woke up so late at night for dinner. 

"Mom and dad understood why you didn't attend dinner with everyone else by the way," Zayden stated while observing my every move very closely. I nodded to what he said then went into the fridge to retrieve a glass of blood. I haven't had enough blood throughout the whole day so I felt fatigued and wobbly on my feet. 

Hazel suggested that we all go out into the garden and enjoy the clear night sky tonight so we all agreed and filed out the castle and into the garden. 

I was the first to lay down with the cup of blood beside me. I was itching to take a drink. I could almost taste the sweet nectar trickling down my throat. Zayden laid down beside me on the right and Aidan on my other side with Hazel laying right beside Aidan. 

I smiled warmly at all the faces that I have grown to love so much. The evening was so calm with the stars glittering far above and the leaves on the trees swaying in the wind. 

Breathing in a deep breath of fresh air, I was at peace with some of the people that I love the most. Fresh air filtered into my lungs and washed out like the wind carrying flower petals. My heartbeat was in-sync with the way the leaves were moving in the dark. They sounded like waves crashing against the shore. It all felt so calming. 

I then sat up for a second to take the first sip from my glass of blood. My face wrinkled when I drank a bit. I then held the glass away from my mouth then handed it to Zayden. 

"Zay, try this out. Does it taste funny?" Zayden sat up, just like I had a few seconds before, then grabbed the glass from my hand. He drank a little then frowned while shaking his head. 

"There's nothing weird with this, Alexia." He stated then sent a glance at Aidan over my shoulder. I felt Aidan's glare staring right at the back of my head. 

The headache that was there when I woke up intensified to a sharp ringing. I groaned out loud and gripped onto both my ears. My hands clenched tightly onto the side of my head. I let out another groan. My body was rocking back and forth. 

Zayden acted immediately. He set down the glass of blood beside him and placed both his hands on my shoulders. My eyes shut down tightly. My headache was like someone stabbing their dagger into my brain and playing with it, while repeatedly poking at it. There were so many feelings going on. 

"Zay-Zayden? Help me. Please." I choked up. He laid me down on the ground, flat on my back. 

"Alexia, what's happening? Where are you hurting?" Aidan asked while panicking. He didn't know what was going on. Hazel was already sitting by my head and holding my head still. She smoothed down my loose tendril then repeatedly ran a hand along my forehead since fresh sweat was perspirating it. 

A voice echoed loudly in my mind and it seemed like it was shouting at me all while the constant screeching was evident. A male voice. A male voice that I had recognized immediately. His voice was imprinted into my mind and it stayed there. 

"It's okay, Alexia. It's going to be okay. We're all here for you." Zayden exclaimed after grabbing onto both my hands and squeezing them. Now my eyes were open and I was staring directly at the calm sky. Nothing seemed to be disturbing it at all. 

"Alexia?" Hazel's concerned voice rang out but it seemed so far away. I was numb to all feelings and the screeching began to dial down as if it were fading into the distance. Like it was a wave of screams and now it was washing away with the wind. 

I was stuck in a trance and was slowly reconnecting to reality that when my thoughts and senses were intact again, Zayden was shaking my shoulders violently; only I hadn't felt that he was trying to grab my attention for the last minute by shaking my shoulders. 

I blinked rapidly and focused my eyes on my older brother. I blinked a couple other times before hearing him and feeling him fully. 

"Alexia? How do you feel now? I've been trying to get your attention for the past minute or so. Please tell me you're somewhat alright." His eyebrows were furrowed and the creases on his forehead, which looked identical to Aidan and Hazel's, should that they were all worried about me. I remained laying then let out a long breath.

"Yeah, I feel better now. Thank you." I stated hesitantly, but in confusion as well. Aidan, who had been holding his breath, let out a sigh of relief. 

"I actually don't remember much of it. It all felt like a dream, so why are you all looking so worried?" My eyes grew wide while flickering my eyes from one person to the next. Their expressions were blank and they only stared back at me with their mouths slightly ajar. 

"I can't believe it," Aidan exclaimed under his breath.