The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe) (49 page)

“Sophia!” David called from the black SUV they rode in, parked a few meters away. “Are you coming?”

A muffled groan sounded behind the backseat of the BMW.

“You go ahead. I'll ride with General Bradford.” She waved, her curiosity piqued.

She waited for her cousins to drive away before she opened the rear door on the passenger side. The scent of a human filled her nostrils.

“Can we help you with anything, Your Highness?” she heard a voice behind her.

Sophia closed the door and smiled at the two Royal Army soldiers who bowed in deference. “Oh, no, thank you.”

“We have to dispose of the car on General Bradford's orders,” the blond-haired one said.

Sophia quickly decided on what to do. “I’ll take care of this,” she said with a note of authority in her voice. “I'll inform General Bradford to transfer the r
esponsibility to me.”

“If that is your wish, Your Highness,” the other so
ldier with curly dark hair glanced at the damaged car. “If you need our help, we'll be patrolling the clean-up on the other side.”

Sophia showed her appreciation with a quick nod and waited for them to take their leave.

A weak cough caught her attention and her eyes settled on the trunk of the vehicle. She climbed into the driver's side and rummaged around for the remote control car key. She found it on the floor amidst the glass debris and pressed the button to pop the trunk open, before stepping out to investigate. Inside the trunk, the beautiful countenance of a human male greeted her. Astonished by her discovery, she glanced up and down the street before reaching in to feel for his pulse. His throat was badly bruised and his pulse was very weak.

Before she could make up her mind on what to do with the human, she saw General Bradford approaching.

“Princess Sophia, Prince David said you are going to ride with me.” His eyes darted to the open trunk.

Sophia swiftly closed the cargo compartment. “I was, but I took an i
nterest in this nice car. If you don't mind, I would like to dispose of it myself.”

General Bradford narrowed his eyes at her. “Is there anything in partic
ular inside this vehicle that interests you?”

Sophia felt flustered. Although she and her cousins had trained under him all her life and he was fond of her, she knew General Bradford was not to be trifled with. “Yes, there is.”

The General's mouth lifted at the corners and his eyes settled on the trunk once again. “Very well. But I expect you to do all that is necessary for this encounter to be forgotten.”

“I will dispose of the car and r
eplace it with another just like it, and make certain my tracks are covered.”

“Excellent.” The General inclined his head and turned to walk away.

“General Bradford?” Sophia called after him, to thank him.

He raised his hand without turning to face her. “Don’t mention it.”

It took almost a half hour for Sophia to secretly ca
rry the human male from the trunk, settle him into the back seat and search for his driver’s license. She discreetly lifted the car out of the ditch, careful not to attract unwanted assistance from the soldiers doing the clean-up. Then, as she got the car started, she located the human's residence in the car's navigation screen before driving away.

The grandeur of his home astounded her. She parked and concealed the car a good distance from the house. After observing that the entire household was asleep, she ventured inside through an open window in the second floor to locate his room. The task was simple enough. The human had pictures of Elizabeth and him in his room, which aroused her curiosity even more.

Fifteen minutes later, she had the human settled cozily in his bed. She felt his pulse again, but detected nothing.

Alarmed, she pressed her ear to his chest and di
scovered that he had stopped breathing. She frantically gave him C.P.R., a method General Bradford had trained them to do on humans.

She pinched his nose and raised his airway, fa
stening her lips to his to give him some oxygen. To her surprise, the human tasted sweet. She drew away to curb her baser instincts and focused her will on pumping his chest. After several strokes, she felt for his pulse again and was relieved to find that he had started breathing on his own.

Sophia sat in vigil next to him on the bed. After several minutes, color began to tint his cheeks and lips once again. He was safe. Her presence was no longer needed, but somehow, she could not pull her gaze away from his face.

She reached out to touch a strand of his blond hair that was almost the same color as hers. It felt silky. Her fingers drifted to his tawny brows. They were thick and well defined, arching over his closed lids fringed with long lashes. She gently pressed a curious finger on his lips. They were soft, supple,—and warm. She stared at his lips for a moment before an intriguing idea formed in her thoughts.

What if—she stole a kiss? Just one—, no one will know.
Just to taste that sweetness again—, to experience what it was like to kiss a human male. She leaned over, angled her head to indulge her fantasy... and discovered that she enjoyed it very much. Especially when the human was responding. She abruptly pulled away and found deep green eyes watching her.

“W-who are you?” he asked in a weak voice.

“Sshhh.” She placed her fingers over those perfect lips. “You're dreaming,” she whispered.

“Please.” He grasped her wrist with a feeble hand. “Tell me your name.”

Sophia hesitated, but then thought of what she needed to do before she left him. It really wouldn't matter if she told him her name. “Sophia. My name is Sophia.”

“Sophia,” he murmured with a small smile before closing his eyes and floating away into another slumber.

She regretfully caressed his cheek with her fingers.

“I'm sorry,” she said softly in his ear. “But I have to erase your memory now.” She placed her palm on his forehead and wiped away all traces of his encounter with their race, all the way back to the beginning of the battle.  

After she was done, she took one last look at him. Unable to resist, she dropped a parting kiss on his lips. “Goodbye, Bryan.” She placed his I.D. on the bedside table and left as swiftly as she had come, through the open window.

Rewards of the Faithful

Institute of Bioscience

Switzerland

Six months later

       Prince William followed Dr. Carl Goetsch, the top Bio-scientist at the Swiss research installation of the Highest Royal Coven of Europe, as he led him inside the sophisticated laboratory of the facility.

“We've done everything, Your Highness.” The do
ctor unveiled the body lying on the aluminum stretcher.

Prince William viewed the lifeless body of Colonel Alexus Gunter. General Maximillian Rochester had been instrumental to his rescue. He removed and hid his r
emains just before John Drake's men incinerated the fallen soldiers.

Prince William examined the Col
onel's injuries. His wounds have healed and the scientists at the Institute where he had ordered General Rochester to take him have repaired the massive damage to his heart.

“As you can see, we have been successful in stim
ulating genetic regeneration.” Dr. Goetsch pointed at the faint scar on the Colonel's chest. “But what we cannot understand is why the Colonel has not responded to our efforts to rejuvenate him. All his wounds have mended and his cells have made a complete recovery. It is beyond our comprehension why he remains devoid of life.”

Prince William regarded the ange
lic countenance of Colonel Alexus Gunter. He had kept his whereabouts unknown to Elizabeth until the institute scientists could give him a definite answer on his survival. He could not bear to let her grieve all over again, as she had done in the past few months if the scientists failed to revive him. She had been through so much already. He belatedly learned that aside from her Mother and Colonel Gunter, her human friend, Bryan, had also been a casualty.

“Perhaps the Colonel had lost his will to live,” Prince William said to the baffled Dr. Goetsch.

“But Your Highness, scientifically speaking—,”

“No amount of medicine or science can mend a broken heart, Doctor Go
etsch.” Prince William laid a hand on the Colonel's forehead.

Dr. Goetsch looked even more pe
rplexed.

“Leave us.” The Prince waved a hand and the one-way glass observation decks surrounding the laboratory closed all at once.

Dr. Goetsch hurriedly bowed, strode to the door, and closed it behind him.

Prince William closed his eyes and muttered a pet
ition to his father, the Omni. When he opened his eyes again, a brilliant white glow began to emanate from his hands.

“Alpha D
eimon Alexus.” He placed a hand over the Colonel's heart. “In the name of my father, The Omni, I summon you to rise.”

The white glow in his hands intensified and from the Colonel's chest, it traveled slowly to every part of his body until his entire being was covered in blinding light.

Colonel Alexus Gunter listened to the song playing in the distance. The magical voice sounded familiar and it beckoned to him like a long-lost friend. He fought his way through the darkness surrounding him, swinging his sword at the thorny branches blocking his way that kept catching on his massive wings. With every step he took, the voice of the maiden became more distinct, adding to his resoluteness to find her.

As he burst out of the confinement of the treache
rous forest, a glimmer of light flashed from afar. He replaced his sword in its scabbard on his back and spread his wings, propelling himself in the air towards the light.

He found her sitting by the lake. She was facing the water, humming a tune as she rocked back and forth. Her long waist-length red hair flailed softly in the breeze.

Colonel Gunter gently alighted a few steps behind her and folded his immense, glistening wings.

She looked over her shoulder and the blue-violet eyes he adored, lit up upon seeing him.

“Chad!” she exclaimed with a wide smile.

He went to her and wrapped his arms around her, enfolding her in the security of his strong wings.

A small giggle sounded from her lap.

The Colonel pulled away and stared in amazement at the rosy-cheeked, dark-haired baby in her arms who met his gaze with bright, yellow-green eyes.

“And who could this be?” He pointed at the baby who clutched his finger and squealed in delight when he wiggled it.

“He's my son,” a deep voice r
eplied close to his ear and he flinched, turning abruptly to find silver eyes looking down at him.

“Your Highness,” he whispered, his throat strangely parched, as if he hadn't spoken in a long while.

“Alpha Deimon Alexus.” The Prince smiled at him. “It is good to see you again.”

“Where am I?” He looked around the unfamiliar sterile surroundings. Elizabeth and the baby were n
owhere to be found.

“You are in a recovery facility,” the Prince replied. “You died in ba
ttle and our scientists restored you—, but you refused to live. Why?”

“I've done my job, Your Highness. I see no reason to go on.”

“Is that how much you love her?” The Prince's silver eyes bored into his.

“Yes.” he countered his gaze. “Do you not despise me? Why did you summon me to come back?”

“I wish for you to become my future son's mentor and guardian,” Prince William replied evenly.

“Your future son?” He straightened, remembering the baby in Eliz
abeth's arms.

“Yes. The one you've seen in your vision. He hasn't been born yet, but he shall be my sole heir, the future King of the Highest Royal Coven of E
urope after me.”

“But why me? What can I possibly teach the son of a King?”

“You have proven yourself worthy, Alpha Deimon Alexus. You have given up your life and your beloved for the greater good. Because of your unquestioning obedience to the Will of the Omni, you have glorified His goodness, His trustworthiness and have exalted His sovereign love. You have carved an example for the rest of his creation to follow. Your faithfulness and unconditional love, earned you a place in my Father's kingdom. Him and I as one, entrusts in you the most precious lamb—, my only beloved Son.”

The domed ceiling of the laboratory opened, revea
ling the thunder and lightning in the clouds. With a deafening roar, the heavens parted and a ray of light shone through, casting a brilliant luminescence upon the Colonel. A silver sword and shield fell from the skies, settling gently by his feet.

“I appoint you as the Supreme Commander of the Omni's Army, to defend all that is good according to His Will.” The Prince lifted his palms u
pwards and three small silver-bound journals materialized in his hands. He offered them to the Colonel.