Maeve hated being a bodyguard , especially now . The coronation ceremony was SO long she thought she was going to fall asleep on Gabriel . Making it even worse , she could hear the noble ladies behind her talking about her :
- I can' t believe that a hybrid could become the prince's bodyguard .
- I agree , how shameful .
She was used to it , but it still hurted a little , as always . Next to her , Gabriel squeezed her hand and threw his lethal look at the ladies , making them shut their mouths . She smiled timidly at him as a thanks , and squeezed his hand back , making him smile . Finally , The new king, Lysander, was crowned , and they could attempt the ball . Letting go of her hand , Gabriel asked :
- Why did you let them speak of you that way , Maeve ?
She sighed :
- Because that wouldn't change anything , Gabriel . I have known it since I was five : Some people just don't like hybrids .
- Even though , how did they knew ? You smell just like any panther shifters ...
She locked her eyes with his ,, making the answer obvious , but answering anyway :
- My purple eyes ... It is vampire 's eyes . So they knew pretty easily .
He growled , and seemed to go back to pass his anger on the noble ladies , but she stopped him :
- Don't , it 's not necessary .
Then , nodding to another soldier :
- Sebastian is going to replace me for a little bit , I need to get some fresh air .
- Wait , Kitty . Maeve !
He wanted to stay at her side , to help her like she helped him at the funeral , that she stayed at his side , so he tried to reach for her . Too late , she had already vanished into the dark garden .
Maeve took a deep breath , letting the anger and the pressure go as she set her power free . The purple light escaped her hands like a jeyser , and burned some wild flowers . That' s because of this power that the young woman was not been able to stay with Gabriel . She couldn 't risk her power of exploding , and her secret with it . The truth was that Cara , her mother , had been a vampire born by the vampire Leanne and the jaguar sun god Solas , the shifter' s god . If Cara hadn't inherited anything from her father , her child , Maeve , was born with some of her grandfather' s powers and a variant of his animal form . Cara had hidden that fact from most people , for her child's sake , and Maeve wasn't going to throw her mother' s sacrifice out of the window . As she kept walking through the gardens , the memories of the first time she understood , as a child , that she was different began to flow through her brain:
It was a sunny day , and Maeve was playing in the park with her parents , a big smile on her face . Finishing her sand-made snowman , she turned to her mother :
- Mommy , Mommy , Look !
Cara smiled , but before she could reply to her daughter , someone shouted behind her :
- Aren't you ashamed to bring that disgusting thing into a public place ?!
Her mother had frowned her brows and showed her fangs .
- That thing is my daughter !
Her opponent smirked and said :
- Well, you should be ashamed to have birthed such a monster .
Her father had held Maeve as her mother threw herself at the stranger before he could reach the little girl .
After that , everything had become so blurry. Maeve only remembered her mother telling her : You are Maeve Black , daughter of the sentries Cara and Stem , grandaughter of the god Solas , and you won't be ashamed . You are strong and powerful and you won't be afraid. Never forget it . And she hadn't forgotten what her mother said . Taking a deep breath , she took the way to go back to the palace when she felt something behind her . Turning around , she faced five men , armed to their teeth . They stared at each other for a moment, then the men rushed at the young woman. She intercepted the first two, and engaged in combat with the last three. She killed two, fighting one on one with the last. This one whispered in her ear, while pressing his blade against her throat: you fucking monster . Eventually , she found the strength to push him away, and once he was down, she slit his throat wide open. Whiping the blood off her face, she was about to leave when she suddenly felt dizzy . Falling to the ground, she realized that she had been poisoned. Just before she closed her eyes, she heard someone calling her name, but no longer having the strength to keep her eyes open, she fell into unconsciousness.
Gabriel was going to go crazy. His wolf was rushing against the walls of his mind , howling . How could this happen ? To his fierce and strong bodyguard on top of that ? Maeve was laying on the young prince's bed , her white skin even paler than usual and glowing with a strange and soft purple light . Poison, they said . Who the hell would poison his kitty ? Right , she was a sentry . But she was nineteen ! She couldn't possibly have that many enemies. But there she was , unconscious for hours now and weirdly glowing . He was about to scream from frustration : he was stuck there , not trusting anyone with his bodyguard' s life , rather than hunting down the asshole who ordered the attacks . gritting his teeth , he rested his head on the bed , next to her , praying that she would wake up . The doctors had told him that they didn't know when or even IF she would wake up , but he knew , he was sure she would . His kitty was strong , and she wanted to live , she had already fought for it in the park. He was sure she would keep fighting . So , she would come back to him . There was no way she wouldn' t . In spite of himself , a tear rolled down his cheek.
- Are you crying , Princeling ?
He raised his head abruptly, surprised to hear her voice, and, meeting her violet eyes, he thought he was about to faint with relief. He quickly brushed away his tears and whispered , scared to startle the young woman :
- You' re awake , you' re really awake !
She giggled :
- Yes , I really am awake , Gabriel .
He lifted his hand, pressed his palm against her cheek, and she leaned on it, closing her eyes. Feeling his tears coming back , he repressed them and said :
- I was so scared you wouldn't open your eyes and call me princeling again .
She made him a weak smile :
- Do not worry , Princeling , I am stronger than a little bit of poison .
The next day , as Gabriel entered the convalescence room , he found Maeve in battle clothes , smiling at him .
- What the fuck are you doing ?
The young sentry grinned even more.
- It appears that I have some business in the shadows , so I' m going to make it clear .
He positioned himself so that his body was blocking the door.
- I am NOT letting you go the day after you wake up from a coma , Kitty .
Her grin became dangerously lethal.
- That's why you' re coming with me , Princeling . I may have been poisoned , but I am still your bodyguard .
That' s how they ended up at the front door of the sentries' main base two hours later . Not bothering to call or at least ring the door bell , she stormed inside , looking for someone in particular. Her lethal smile showed up again as she found that particular person and shouted :
- Roge , I think we need to talk !