Poison Rose(Roses & Kings #1)

Lisa, John and other couples, some of them half naked all followed suit towards the commotion. A crowd has already gathered outside one of the bedrooms, two doors down from the room John had taken Reyna. The gatekeeper stopped in their way, not allowing anyone besides the roses entry into the room, even John.

Reyna could hear a female voice speak in a voice choke with tears. She recognizes it as Olivia's voice, even before she got inside the room. The poor girl was naked and crying hysterically as she explained what happened to Sabrina.

A man lay dead on the ground in a pool of his own blood. More blood trails down his eyes down his face, there's also blood on his mouth and his bare chest. You could tell he'd bled through his eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

His body is contorted, like his bones had broken and had tried to fix itself but failed to align itself back to the way it was. It was a horrifying thing to see. Reyna's eyes were wide with horror and pity for the agony the man must have suffered before death finally claimed him. Her stomach knots and twisted, bile rushing up her throat, somehow she managed to force it down.

“I swear I didn't do anything to him, Sabrina! We were only kissing and touching then we…we had sex. He got out of the bed to get me a drink from the table when he suddenly just fell and started convulsing and…and he became like this,I tried to help him but…but it happened so fast!” Livie wailed bringing Reyna back to her senses, the young woman was shocked, terrified and devastated.

“I don't understand what happened! He was okay! And…and then he suddenly wasn't! Do you think it's my magic Sabrina?! Did I unknowingly kill him with my magic?” she asked, blowing her nose. Her eyes wide with panic, her naked body trembling. Reyna went to the bed and pulled the sheet then wrapped it around the young witch.

“No! No, I don't think it's your magic Livie,” Sabrina argued, consoling the girl, her hand smoothing back Livie's tangled hair.

“Then what is it? Sabrina you didn't see him, it was so bad! So horrible! He was dying and I… I couldn't help him, Couldn't save him, Sabrina!”

“Hush, quiet down now Livie. You did your best. He's gone but you're okay, everything will be okay,” Sabrina said reassuringly, that's when she glanced at them, her eyes falling first on Lisa, some kind of understanding passed between the two women. Then her eyes met Reyna's, she must have seen horror written on Reyna's face.

“Lisa get Reyna out of here, then come back with Jane and Alisson, I will need your help,” Sabrina ordered.

“Yes Sabrina. I will be right back,” Lisa replied and began to push Reyna, who had frozen in place—out of the room.

Reyna allowed Lisa to get her out of the room, her body shaking. Sure she'd seen people die countless times but she'd never taken a life and had never seen someone die so horribly, not even the other beast death had been this terrible and horrifying.

This man's death reminded her so much of the blue mist outbreak years ago when she was just a little girl. Dead men grotesque in death,with blood coming out of all the sense organs.

Reyna was shocked to say the least, but it seems Olivia and she were the only one who was shaken by the death of the man. Because Lisa didn't look shocked when she saw the man, her face had been completely blank of all emotions and neither had Sabrina.

Reyna had also seen the exchange between Sabrina and Lisa. She suspects both women knew what happened and didn't want her to know. But Reyna isn't to be kept in the dark, she's going to find out the truth. She suddenly stopped walking.

“Lisa what just happened, I know you know what is going on. You knew what killed that man didn't you?” she asked,watching her childhood friend for any tells or indication that confirms her suspicions that Lisa knew.

“I don't know what you are talking about Reyna,I'm as shocked as you,” Lisa replied without giving anything away, dragging Reyna along.

“You're lying Lisa. I know you are. Please tell me what is going on,why are there so many goddamn secrets in this Queendom?”

“Look I can't, okay? It's not for me to tell. You will have to find out for yourself. Luckily for you, you might never have to.”

“What does that mean? What aren't you saying Lisa?”

“It means nothing! You need to go Reyna, I suggest you forget what you saw and use this opportunity to get out of here,” Lisa said, then opened the door and pushed Reyna out of the front door before shutting it closed in Reyna's face.

Reyna stood there gaping at the shut door, not moving for a while. Her mind churn with so many thoughts, she contemplated between the two options she had, to either knock on the door until someone opened for her so she could go back and question Sabrina and Lisa until one of them told her the truth.

Or she could go and find the key to free her beast. Her heart made the decision for her, her feet racing down the tunnels to get to Cassandra's room. She knows there are two copies of the same key, one is with her mother the other with Lydia.

Her mother rarely took the key out of her room considering she had no intention of ever freeing Casvan. Lydia is the one who had been using her key whenever they needed to take him out of his jail to doctor Elizabeth's for his daily dose of torture.

Reyna used the tunnels that would lead her straight to the servant quarters,she was mindful of the guards. It was late in the night as such the castle was bare of people except for the guards.

She took the steps two, three at a time, hiding whenever she heard any sounds or movement. When she finally reached Cassandra's room, she was surprised to see the soldiers guarding her mother's room were not there.

Reyna didn't waste any time. She quickly got into the room and went straight to the inner bedroom directly to the chaise drawers, searching for what she came there looking for her body shaking with fear of being caught especially by Cassandra herself. Fortunately she found several keys and was taking a close look to determine which one would free Casvan.

She knew the key, and had touched it a time or two. She knew exactly how it looked. Unfortunately to her frustration it wasn't among the bunch of keys she found. Reyna searches inside all the drawers,her mother's closet and under the bed and pillows.

But didn't find the key, then she remembered her mother sometimes hid little things like the silver tokens she rewards people with in her jewelry box.

“Yes!” Reyna whisper yell with excitement when she finds the small silver key among the silver tokens. She quickly began to right the room, putting everything back in its rightful place exactly the way it was. In her excitement she failed to notice the people who had suddenly entered the room until a sinister voice spoke out loud.

“I thought I would find you here and I was right!” Reyna whirl around, startled with the unexpected arrival. Doctor Elizabeth, Mark and two guards stood in the room with her.

“I'm sorry what? What are you doing?!” Reyna asked even as her stomach knots with dread, she discreetly hid her hand holding the key. Doctor Elizabeth looks at Reyna with disappointment and something that resembles disgust. But that can't be, the woman adores Reyna.

“You know,” she said, walking fully into the large room.

“I convinced your mother, when she was going to flush you down the toilet—that if you're molded just right, you could be one of our best roses yet. She said she didn't want to give birth to an abomination and that you'll be as evil as the monster who raped her and spawn you.” Reyna shakes her head, her face pale white with denial.

“My father was an honorable man, he was Cassandra's consort. And my mother would never call me an abomination. Though she's strict with me and doesn't show it. I know she loves me, I'm her daughter! I won't believe your lies,” Doctor Elizabeth smirks, her hands buried in her lab coat pockets.

“Cassandra doesn't love you and she never will. She tried to, but your face reminded her so much of the monster who raped her that she could never see beyond the resemblance!” she said, shattering Reyna's heart to pieces not caring how shocked and devastated she suddenly was.

“I told her the other part of you that came from her and her genes would balance you out. I hated being proven wrong little ray ray, you really disappointed me.”

“Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to you? Where's Cassandra? Where's my mother?!” Reyna was angry, her voice shook with devastation. She refused to believe the nonsense coming out of Elizabeth's mouth.

“Your mother is disgusted by you. She couldn't stand the sight of you after I showed her everything you and that abominable beast have been doing, letting that animal touch you! I'm glad I don't have a daughter. Because if you were mine, I would gut you myself. But I have special plans for you!

“Take her away and and get the key,”

Reyna's eyes widened, her hands went straight to the dagger strap on her thigh under her dress, but she was a second too late because one of the guards already had her gun in her hands, before Reyna could defend herself. The gun smashed into her head dragging her into unconsciousness.

CASVAN

Vampires,Dakkuth warriors and others descending to the Queendom, women fighting, beasts being slaughtered, blood,smoke, fire and screams, chaos everywhere, Reyna strapped,defenseless in pain, so much pain! Casvan bolted up with a gasp, his body drenched in sweat. The chains all around him clunking and rattling with his movement. The time he has been waiting for is finally here.

Casvan knows his dream was a vision, his warriors are on their way here led by his brother Kayak, not only that but somehow the other creatures of the lore had found out about the women Queendom and are also coming though he wasn't sure when. It's going to be a fucking bloodbath.

He needed to see Reyna. His mate needed to know the danger coming to them, though his plan wasn't much different from the vampire's.

He knows even with their volatile nature, his warriors were more stable than the Vampires, Those fucking leeches! He needed to stop playing weak and get rid of the chains. He fisted the chains and pulled his bulging muscle straining with his efforts, his green eyes glowing so bright.

Casvan was surprised that he's taking longer to break the chains. Must be those damn shots they'd been injecting with. He'd been feeling weak for days with the injections and the blood loss he wasn't at his full strength.

But he could do it, nothing could stop him. Just then an agonizing scream pierced his brain accompanied by pain so intense he suddenly dropped on his knees. Casvan clutches his head that feels like a nail is being hammered into, even as other parts of him scream in the same agony.

Hot tears slip from his eyes blinding him, then more liquid from his ears. He reached out to wipe the tears but there was nothing. His heart lurched with the sudden realization that this was not his pain. His mate is in danger!

Reyna!