The Incubus King

Chapter 16

Tegan

The sound of my heels- once again, clicking against the pricey marble flooring, was bittersweet. I stared down the long grand hall, littered with ancient paintings, sculptures, and other beautiful things... maybe I did miss this place. Amara and piper trailed closely behind me, often gasping or 'oo'-ing at the new scenery before them.

"I wonder how it would feel to jump, and land face first off of this staircase." I sarcastically rolled my eyes while walking up. "Great idea mommy! Let's try it." Piper shouted as she tried to step over the railing. "Piper, no!" I picked her up.

Amara chuckled behind me and Luca remained silent. "Oh, hey. I almost forgot you were here." I tightly smiled at Luca.

"I wouldn't have let her fall, calm down." He laughed. "Come here Bella." He held his arms out. "Um, my names Piper." She sassed, her tiny hand on her hip. With a chuckle he continued, "it means beautiful in Italian." He spoke, looking between Piper and I. Gosh, why did he have to be so cute.

Rocking on her heels behind me, Amara awkwardly cleared her throat. Piper wiggled out of my grasp and ran to Luca; lil traitor.

As Luca, Piper and Amara walked on, I straggled. I had to admit that I missed the palace. The people, the smells, the library, Maggie and Carolyn, my mom and- my mom...

The realization that my mom had yet, to see Piper, dawned on me. My stomach felt empty, yep that was guilt. "Tegan. Come, love." Luca called out. Butterflies. That man sure knew how to get to me. "I'm coming."

As soon as I rounded the corner I heard Piper shouting with joy. Oh Lord, what now, I thought. "This is all for me?!" She jumped up and down. "Yes sweetheart, this is your new room." Luca smiled widely, his eyes never leaving her. Then I smiled, my Babygirl was happy. "Thank you daddy!" She ran into his arms. "I love it, I love it. Mommy look!" She ran around, exploring her new home. "I see Babygirl, that's wonderful." I said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could've sworn that I saw a stray tear running down His face. "She called me dad." He mind linked me. Everyone in the room had a permanent smile etched into their face.

"Ooo, let me stay in here too!" Amara shouted, ruining the moment. Her body swiftly slid down the slide, her hips getting stuck on the way down. "Damn, I'm so thick." She said seriously. "OK. Moving on. Luca, where's Amara's real room?" I turned to Luca while he laughed at Amara, behind me.

"It's just down the hall, she's close to Piper just Incase." He walked out and we followed. "Does it have a slide?" She walked around me.

"No." He side eyed her, pushing her door open. She dramatically gasped walking deeper into her new room. There was thick, pure white crown molding around the walls and white decorations with hints of gold.

After she admired the room, she turned around to face Luca and I. "Bye now!" She waved, kicking her shoes off.

"I'll send a maid to Pipers room, but for now let's-" Luca began on the way out of Amara's room.

"Wait!" I yelped. "I-I need to see my mom... she hasn't seen Piper yet." I stared up into his green eyes. "Oh. Right, let's go then." He ran his fingers through his hair. Before I could journey back to Pipers room, she wandered out, her small hand vigorously rubbing her eye. "Sweetheart, let's go meet someone." I scooped her up, then she leaned over to Luca and stretched her arms in a pick-me-up motion.

This was going to take some getting used to.

"She's in the same room as before, Love." Luca informed me while rubbing My Babygirl's back.

•••

"Grandma?" Piper looked skeptically at my mom, her grandma. She was sitting on Lucas lap, and occasionally bouncing up and down or wiggling.

"Yes dearie." My mom smiled.
"Well how come I have never seen her?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you remember when we lived in California Babygirl?"

"Yes!"

"Grandma lived here, and that's why you didn't see her." I tried to explain as best as I could, but this was a lot for her. "Oh, I see." She smiled an adorable smile. "Daddy I'm tired." She yawned.

"Ok, I'll take you to bed. Say goodnight to mommy and grandma." Luca suggested.

"Goodnight." With her hand she blew kisses and hugged her grandma. Wow everyone gets the love, but me. "She acts just like you." I looked up at my mother to see her smiling softly, and i did the same.

"Mom.." I commenced. "I'm so sorry. I was selfish and immature." I exclaimed. "Hey, hey, you're here now. That's all that matters to me!" She said back.

She was always one to love, even when it wasn't deserved by the other. I stood and shuffled around the table, directly to her. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me, Tegan. There's nothing you could ever do, that would make me love you any less." She cried, engulfing me in her warm embrace. "Your father would have loved her!" She told.

"I miss him." I frowned. "He's gone on, and thought we'd much rather have him here, he's in a better place." Wiping my face, I hugged her again and gathered my things.

"I better get going, mom. It's getting real late and I don't want to walk around a dark castle." I laughed.

"Ok. I love you baby." She smiled a proud smile. "I love you too, momma."

After closing the heavy door to my moms room, I walked out of that hallway and towards Lucas room. As I neared the double doors I heard people talking. "Your highness, you've to take these pills, and this injection to stop the process."

"Ok, let's do it now." Luca rushed the doctor, who-  mind you, certainly wasn't Dr. Sherika.

I quietly walked into my old room, and greeted everyone with a polite nod and a smile. "My queen." The Man bowed, his hand out-cast for a handshake. That's weird...

Out of kindness, I returned his notion. The instant that our hands made contact, my eyes illuminated, and before me was a picture.

The illustration was of Luca. His eyes were golden again, as he was taking the pills that the Man had just handed him. The urge didn't go away, but it grew stronger. They became addictive. Then all at once, the vision flashed again. It showcased Luca later, in his chambers. He glanced at me, worry sunken into the deepest parts of his deep green eyes. "don't let me take them. Don't let him inject me."

His eyes pleaded with me.

"Luca. Stop!" I spoke. All eyes were on me, prompting me to explain why I interrupted. "I need to speak with you." He didn't move, he only looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "Now." I pressed.

"Excuse me." He stood next to the small man, but continued to walk.

"You can't take this stuff, Luca." I spewed out.
"I don't want to hurt you again." He touched my shoulders. "I had a vision" I confessed and he listened. "It was you, telling me not to let you take that stuff... I have a bad feeling about this." I explained.

"I trust your gut then Babygirl. I'll hold off for now, but if I'm waiting for long, I'll have no choice."

"Then you won't be waiting for long."

•••

This chapter was kinda rushed :/
It's 2am and I'm supposed to get up at 6am
ANYWAYS... enjoy...