Under the Blood Moon by Jenny Garcia (latest books to read TXT) 📖

they are above ground the roots wriggle and the trees pull away from each other. Everyone stands still as we watch these trees move away from the flat stone and form a perfect circle. It leaves a clearing about 50 feet all the way around the stone. One by one the redwoods drop back down to the ground and the roots dig into the earth. The middle of every tree begins to bend and the huge tops of the trees create a canopy over us leaving a circle in the middle directly above the flat stone. The rain has stopped falling on us accept for the hole above the stone. Rain pours onto the stone and there is nothing I can do to get my body to move. Travis finally grabs my shoulder, “Are you ready? Its time.” Nausea begins to crawl up into my throat and I try to swallow it away. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and leads me to the flat stone. The closer I get to the stone, I can see the engravings around the stone begins to illuminated in a bright red. The markings of the rulers who have come before me.

 

I look back to everyone behind me and my mother holds out both her hands conjuring fire in her palms. The small amount of light that it produces gives me some comfort. At least we can see our surroundings. I look back to the flat stone and the rain is still pouring down on it. Travis leans over the stone and looks up into the small circle clearing. He looks back down to me and grabs my hand. “It’s time Niki you need to lie on the stone. Remember when the red glows comes down every part of your body needs to be covered. Once it starts, we cannot help you.” Hearing that makes my heart quicken. I slowly walk over to the stone. I touch it with my hand and its warm. I begin to hear whispers though I cannot understand what they are saying, I can tell that its not my inner wolf. It must be coming from the stone. I turn and to see my mother and father standing close to me. THey both rush to me wrapping their arms around me and give me a tight hug and kiss me on either cheek. They release me and i sit down on the stone. My body begins to warm slightly and i swing my legs over onto the stone and lay down flat on my back. THe rain is beating down on me and i shield my eyes trying to look into the sky. There it is.... the Blood Moon. It has covered half of the small circle clearing and every second it inches closer to filling it completely. I look to the side to see Travis, mom, dad and Asclepius standing close by. Having them with me gives me some comfort but fear has enveloped me and the anticipation is killing me slowly. I look back to the sky and the moon has almost completely covered the small opening. The rain abruptly stops and everything is silent. No wind, no birds...nothing. My breathing quickens as I watch the moon move, covering the clearing completely. A crimson glow begins to illuminated from the moon and drifts slowly down from the sky. It creeps through the clearing and it is only a few feet from from my body. My blood begins to boil, it stops inches from my face. I can smell a metallic tinge to the crimson mist and tears begin to stream from my eyes. I am so scared and there is nothing I can do but wait. The mist floats above me and I hear my mom talking to Travis, “WHat is going on why is it just hovering?” I can’t move any part of my body and then i hear Travis respond, “It’s looking into her soul. There is a mark on the soul that it ment to determine royal blood from everyone else. If she were not royal the blood moon would turn on her.” RIght after his words stop the mist pushes aggressively down onto my body. Pain ripes through my body and it feels as if a thousand knives are ripping into my flesh. I scream out in pain and try to lie still but it is becoming increasing difficult. Images of my life flash through before my eyes. Everything that has ever happened to me is running through my mind. My skin is burning and my bones contort.  I can hear my mother screams and I fight to turn my head towards them. Its as is my bones has been fused together and the force I have to apply just to get my head to turn emits the worst pain that I have ever felt. Tears are streaming down my face and  finally my head moves to see my family. My dad has his arms wrapped around my mom as she fights him trying to get to me. “Something is wrong! Why is she is in pain?! We have to stop this its killing her!” I feel warm liquid run from the nose and down the side of my cheek. Travis is trying to help my father contain my mother but her anger and fear is making her body steam and small sparks begin to fly from every part of her body. Travis shouts at her, “If you stop it now, you will kill her for sure!” Every slows down. It seems as if everyone is moving in slow motion. I watch as my mom falls to her knees reaching out for me screaming out into the darkness. Her entire body bursts into flames and I see my father try to console her but Travis is now trying to hold him back. Asclepius is staring at me without blinking. Travis falls to the ground releasing my father and begin to contort on the ground. My heart best begins to slow and everything start to fade into blackness. The last thing I see before I pass out completely is TRavis change completed into a midnight black wolf. He raises his head and a deafening howl rips through the screams from my mother. THe pain that was crippling me slowly subsides. I look up and the crimson light begins to release me and i fade I submit to the darkness.

 

“Awaken Queen.” I hear a soft familiar voice and my eyes flutter up. I look up to see Renee leaning over me. I sit up to see a group of people dressed in the most elegant clothes I have ever seen. I seems like each one has been plucked from a different time period. Each one has a grown glittering on there heads. I sit up and try to get to my feet. Renee grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet. “Welcome Queen Niki.” All at once each male bows and every woman curties. I look to Renee, “Am i dead?” She laughs and everyone else joins in. “No darling you body is trying to accept everything that the Blood Moon has gifted to you. You are unconscious.” I look around and then down to my feet. There is a pair of glittering silver heels on my feet and a floor length silver dress covers my body. I run my hands over the dress and feel and the diamonds and are sewn onto it. My hair is now past my breast and silky to the touch and perfectly curled. I reach up to my head and feel a metal object on my head. I grip it and remove it placing it in front of me. It is the most glorious crown that I have ever seen. It sparkles like nothing I have ever seen. Even more than Renees. Its the purest silver with diamonds and rubies.“Renee what happened?” She walks over to the strangers that have circled me. “You have been awakened Queen. You are now a royal. Everyone that has come before you is here to welcome you. Shortly you will be taken back and you will have to face Khan. We will be watching over you, be brave Queen.” Before I can respond they all seem to be drifting away from me into darkness and I am ripped back into the forest. I flutter my eyes open and see the small opening where the moon was. The storm has dissipated and there is nothing but bright stars twinkling in the midnight sky. Slowly the trees bend back to their erect stance and the sky opens completely. If I wasn't so terrified I would enjoy the view that is before me. I slowly move my arms and regain feeling in the rest of my body. My hearing returns and I sit up. I hear the cries of my mother and father. I look to the where they were before I passed out and see them hugging each other tightly on the ground. “Mom…” She whips her head up and when she see’s she tears of joy fall from her eyes. “Oh my god Niki, Are you alright?” She rushes to me and then stops in her tracks. “Honey you look...amazing.” I look down and realize that I am still wearing the diamond dress. I feel the top of my head and feel the crown is still sitting on my head. My mom walks towards me and I can’t help by cry. SHe runs her hands through my hair and wraps her arms around me. She pulls me back and i See Travis laying in a motionless lump on the ground. I rush over to him and fall to the ground. He is not moving and I look to Asclepius, “Come here now!” She rushes to me and places her hands on top of his body. She looks to me and smiles, “He is fine. He shifted during the awakening and you dad had to put him down. “Now that you're stronger than Khan you control the race and he shifted back. He can control it now!” He begins to stir on the ground and rolls to his back letting out a grown. He opens his eyes looking straight up to the sky. He sees that the trees have opened back up and he sits up, “Niki!” I put my hand on his chest and he realises that I am sitting right next to him. He looks to me and I have never seen a man look at me the way he did. “Niki, you look...amazing.” I begin to blush and look towards the ground.

 

“Well isnt this just a picture perfect family.” There is a deep booming english voice coming from the darkness that surrounds us. We both get to our feet quickly and look around searching for Khan. We all group together and then from the deeps of the darkest part of the forest Ares, Aaren and the two men I saw from earlier in the day step into the clearing. My mother rolls her hands over and ignites flames in her palms giving us some light. I look up to the sky and the moon is finally uncovered by the clouds and it’s bright white light illuminates the clearing. I can clearly see the two men that I dont know. There is one man that is dressed in tight fitting black pants and long sleeved shirt with a red silk robe that drags across the floor. The wind blows back his robe and I see a dagger tucked in his belt. He walks slowly to me and I stand erect, this must be Khan. The last thing that I want is for him to know that that I fear him. “Well Well Well.” he bows sarcastically, “Royalty suits you well Queen.” I nod my head back at him. “We have been expecting you King Khan.” He throws his head back laughing.