Beautiful Sins: Leigha Lowery Read online

  "I look like I'm about to attend a yoga session." I grumbled.

  "Don't be difficult Leigha sweet heart. This is a new life for us. Please, try to be civil. I know you don't like to be forced into change but, this is a good transition."

  "Mother, I think I've heard the word "transition” enough for one day." I grumbled.

  "Ladies, she's here." Randy called from the bottom of the steps.

  "Let's go." My mother chanted, pulling me out of my room.

  In the living room, sat a young beautiful brown-haired girl. Alongside her, stood Prince Alexander. As the girl met my gaze, I smiled as the familiar face smiled back at me.

  "I trust the two of you have met?" The Prince murmured.

  "Hello Leigha." She crooned. Her beautiful voice was like silk.

  "Mina." I murmured.

  "Well, I didn't know the two of you knew each other." My mother chided, nudging my shoulder.

  I sighed. "Yes, we attend Banks High together." Mina chanted. Mina rose from the sofa and approached me. I was stunned by her grace and her beauty. She held the most striking amber eyes. Her smile was perfect—too perfect for a human.

  "Well, aren't you going to give me the grand tour?" She chanted.

  "Umm, su-sure." I stuttered like an idiot.

  "Leigha, Mina's going to be your etiquette tutor. She came highly recommended by Alex." Randy explained. Mina stared at Randy a bit bewildered by his casual use of Prince Alexander's name.

  "Leigha, why don't you show Mina your room?" Randy suggested. I was ready to protest but, with one swift look into the Prince's chocolate eyes, I was suddenly leading the way up the steps to my room.

  "This is where you rest?" She asked. I nodded and allowed her to enter ahead of me. She walked over to my bed and pulled the quilt up to her nose. A wide grin flew across her face as she inhaled the quilt.

  "Just as I assumed." She chuckled.

  "What?"

  "Nothing of importance. It's just that my assumptions are confirmed.

  "Oh." I murmured. She turned to me, appraising my appearance.

  "You know, you look lovely in black. Did you know that?" She asked, fiddling her fingers through my long straightened hair.

  "Thank you." I murmured.

  "Your gratitude is unnecessary. You hold the beauty of a goddess."

  "Now, let's see what you've been reading." She murmured, heading over to the junkie bookshelf. I had been meaning to shelve the books I had purchased a few days ago. She pulled the chronicles from the shelves and grinned.

  "Fan of the first evil are we? Hmm." She murmured. Mina opened the book, and her slender fingers began to skim through the pages.

  "You seem to have more of an interest in the love story behind the Chronicles. “You don't care for the history?" She asked. I stared at her, bewildered yet shocked.

  "How—how did you know?" I asked. She held the book out to me.

  "Your favorite chapters are muffled." She said as I took thick encyclopedia. She held they heavy book effortlessly in one hand, like a magazine. As she dropped it in mine, it felt like it weighed ten pounds.

  "The love story is the best part of the book." I defended.

  "Ah, why yes it is." She agreed, walking over to my computer desk.

  "But the history is far more important." I chuckled this time.

  "You speak like the Chronicles are real." I laughed. She stared at me blankly.

  "Every Chronicle, fiction or not holds some truth. Remember that." She chided, turning over to the files of police reports. She picked up that latest file and examined it.

  "You should be careful where you cite your interests Leigha." She warned, still examining the file.

  "I've always had a niche for the unsolved mysteries." I joked, but she didn't laugh.

  "Leigha, have you ever heard the saying "Curiosity killed the Cat"?" She asked.

  "I believe I've heard it once or twice before." I answered, sitting down on the bed. She smiled, flashing her perfect white teeth.

  "You are completely clueless to the power you hold. I suppose that explains why you are so worthy of it."

  "Huh?" I said.

  "Never mind my verbal reverie. We should start preparing you for the wedding." She crooned, placing down the file.

  "Wedding? I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you are talking about." She stared at me confused.

  "The formal wedding of your mother and Dr. Murphy." She explained. I laughed again.

  "Why would they have another wedding? They wedded in Vegas just a few days ago." She shook her head.

  "They are not truly bonded until they receive blessing from the King. Now, we must prepare you for the Islands. We wouldn't want your "ignorance" to annoy the King." She explained.

  "Wait… Excuse me for a moment please." I said angrily. I hurried down the steps into the living room where Prince Alexander sat with Randy and my Mother.

  "Alright, I've had just about enough of all this secrecy. I want to know what's going on, and I want to know now!" I said, snatching the charm off my neck and tossing it on the coffee table.

  "Leigha! How dare you!" Randy chided.

  "Calm yourself Dr. Murphy. She is well within her right to be a little disturbed by all of this." The Prince defended. Randy drew in a deep breath and sat back down beside my Mother.

  "Leigha my sweet, you'll have calm down if you'd like us to explain ourselves." He warned.

  "How can I calm myself? This place is filled with secrets, monsters, and scandals! How can you ask me to be calm in this situation? What was that thing that attacked me? It wasn't a man! I know it wasn't!" I screamed.

  "She's having an anxiety attack." My mother spoke.

  "Leigha dear, you need to calm down. Breathe sweet heart, breathe." She chanted.

  "I can't! Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?" I cried.

  I can't stand this! I can't stay here." I yelled, running for the door.

  "Leigha wait!" Randy yelled but I ignored his pleading.

  I grabbed my coat, and the car keys off the table. As I opened the garage door, the chocolate eyes of my Prince were suddenly a golden brown. He stood before me, and I tried to comprehend how he could have gotten into the garage so swiftly.

  "Leigha." He crooned, and the sweet air from his breath made me dizzy. I fainted in his arms.

  The muffled sounds of arguing whispers finally awoke me from my slumber.

  "This is too much for her. Too soon. We should wait." Mina argued.

  "How can I wait when she stands before me? Do you have any idea how long I've waited for her?" The Prince was furious.

  "You'll drive her away. Her mind is strong, but too much, too fast will make her unstable."

  "Ha! I find that difficult to believe. You were begging for this life once you became aware of it." He countered.

  "It is not my place to argue your decision but, my opinion of it still stands." I groaned and turned to my side. Their intense conversing was making my headache even worse.

  "Leigha? Leigha my love, are you alright?" He asked.

  "Give her a moment will you?" Mina scolded.

  "Leigha dear, your mother is right here with us. Can you open your eyes?"

  Slowly, I opened my eyes to three faces. I scowled at them.

  "What—What happened to me?" I grumbled, trying to position myself up on the bed. The Prince reached out to adjust my pillows, but Mina had already beaten him to them. He scowled at her. I looked up at the Prince and stared at his chocolate brown eyes.

  "Your eyes, they were different earlier." He frowned, turning away from me.

  "Leigha sweet heart, drink this." My mother ordered, handing me the glass of water.

  "I think that the men should leave the women to tend to Leigha." Mina suggested. She placed her cool hand over my forehead, brushing away the wet strands and I sighed.

  "I think that's a good idea. We'll go get her something to eat." Randy suggested. He placed a hand over the Prince's shoulder and he follow
ed behind him.

  "I won't be far." The Prince said, meeting my gaze.

  "She's aware of that. Now go." Mina ordered. He frowned at her, but he complied, closing the door behind him. I pushed Mina's hand away from me and slammed the glass down on the table.

  "Something's going on, and it's more than this damn lady in waiting" I scolded both my mother and Mina.

  "Now, I'm curious, and if you want to talk superstition, a cat has nine lives. Now, is someone going to tell me what's going on, or are we going to put the cat's curiosity to the test?" I warned. Mina grinned at me.

  "Your daughter is witty. Does she get this trait from you, or the male?"

  "I believe she get's this from her father." My mother joked.

  "Leigha, you are over stressing yourself. Just relax and let us take care of you." Mina pleaded, stroking my hair. I pulled away from her.

  "Will someone please tell me what's going on?" I begged.

  "Please?" Mina looked to my Mother, who looked away from me. She seemed ashamed of something.

  "We have to go about this slowly. You're too young right now. Please be patient. You will understand all of this as time passes. Let's just take this one day at a time. If you rush things, it will only become more difficult for you. Please—please just take my advice on this." Mina begged.

  "Why?" Mina sighed.

  "Because I want this transition to go smoothly for you. Why are you so eager to learn the truth?" I sighed in defeat. So no one was going to tell me. Well, I would find out on my own.

  I looked over to my mother, whom was fiddling curiously through the Chronicles. What…?

  * * * * *

  The Forest Park Killers

  Out of spite, I confined myself to my room for two days. Only allowing my mother inside to feed and check in on me from time to time, I buried myself in the case files, trying to put together the pieces in the Forest Park slayings.

  I had to remind myself that I was on a deadline. I needed to get out of the house to investigate. I had promised Maria via instant messenger online to meet her at a small café just a few miles outside of town. But how was I supposed to get out of this house, with Randy, Mina, the Prince, and my mother pacing all the exits? I scowled at the very thought of Prince Alexander. If I had never gone to that stupid café, I would have never met him, nor be in this predicament.

  "Why won't he just go away?" I grumbled. Each time I asked my mother if he was still downstairs, awaiting my presence, she nodded.

  There was a light thud on the door. It didn't sound like my mother's style of knocking at all. I decided to remain silent, and wait for this stranger to speak.

  "Leigha, it's me Alex. Can I please come in?" His pleading voice sent a flutter of butterflies in my stomach.

  "Go away!" I snapped. There was nothing but silence. I looked at my watch, becoming more furious that I was low on time. My purse, all my money was downstairs. There was no way they were going to allow me to leave, especially to go investigate a crime scene. I groaned.

  "Leigha please." He pleaded once more. His voice made my heart skip a beat. He sighed roughly, and his heavy breathing sounded defeated.

  "Alright Leigha. I will leave you be. But I am not leaving you, not until we have spoken." He warned sternly. I didn't answer. I listened to his footsteps as they trailed down the steps.

  I paced around my wide room, pricking through my brain for any idea that would get me out of the house. I looked to the balcony and an idea sparked in me. I hurried to my pc and logged onto instant messenger, praying that Maria was still online.

  "Yes." I said, as her avatar began blinking at me.

  Princessleigha: M, there's been a change of plans. Gotta ditch the fam, meet me two blocks from my house in exactly twenty min.

  Maria Goth: Gotcha, I'm leaving out the door now.

  All my coats were downstairs. I groaned and ran for my dressers. I pulled out a heavy sweater, and found an old pair of gloves in a sock drawer. Thank you mom! I thought to myself. I slipped on my boots and opened the balcony doors. It didn't seem like that far of a jump. The bushes would break my fall. Well, that's what I kept telling myself.

  I drew in a deep breath and climbed over the balcony. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the jump. It was tougher than I thought. The fall was hard and rough. I would pay for this later. I pulled myself up, dusting the snow off my aching butt. I crouched beneath the bushes as the drapes began to flutter open.

  The curious eyes of Randy skimmed the area for a long moment, and then he let them fall back into place. I ran through the snow as quickly as I could to the open road. Maria was already there waiting for me.

  As I climbed into the car, she tossed me a brown skull cap.

  "I figured you'd need a hat." She joked. I rolled my eyes.

  "Let's just get there so we can hurry back. My mother is going to want to check on me in a few hours." I warned.

  "Alright, let's get on with it then." She said, pulling her small silver Chevy Camaro swiftly into drive.

  We arrived at the park within twenty minutes. Her erratic driving nearly had given me a heart attack, and I had to restart my heart as she parked the car in a secluded space. Yellow tape surrounded the area, leaving a trail to our destination.

  "Do you have the recorder?" I asked. She nodded.

  "Do you have the camera?" She asked. I nodded.

  "Let's go then." We said in unison. We chuckled and climbed out of her Camaro. Maria pulled off her coat and slid a can of pepper spray in her pocket.

  "What's that for?" I asked curiously. Maria rolled her eyes as she pulled her hat over her head.

  "Er…duh Leigha. Do you realize that we are two extremely hot women, and we are about to travel alone into a forest, where a serial killer harbors his victims?"

  "Oh yeah. Now, I remember." I joked.

  "Can we just get this over with?" I said, holding up my hand to remind her of the time clock I was running on.

  "Sure Leigha, just follow the yellow tape." She said, gesturing towards the open path. We both drew in the cold crisp air and began down the path.

  We walked in silence for a long moment. I remembered hearing Maria mumble something about King Royce a few days ago back in class. So, to spark a conversation and to block our minds from the blistering cold air, I decided to bring it up.

  "Do you remember the debate you had that boy in class the other day?" I asked.

  "Yeah, what about it?"

  "Well, I was wondering about what you said about King Royce. You know, my stepfather is his personal physician." I said as we headed down a small hill. Maria froze, meeting my gaze.

  "What?" I stared at her blankly.

  "Are you telling me that your stepfather is Dr. Randy Murphy?" I nodded.

  She grabbed me roughly by the arm and tugged me back up the hill.

  "Maria ow! You're hurting me." I yelled, snatching my arm back.

  "Why didn't you say anything? We have to get you back home, now!" She yelled.

  "I don't see what the big deal is. Let's just get the footage, and then you can take me back home. We're already half way there." I argued. She shook her head.

  "Leigha, you don't understand your social standing. Let's just get you back home, and I'll get the footage." She suggested. I glared at her for a long moment, then I began to head down the trail.

  "Leigha!" Maria yelled. She groaned and began to stomp behind me, mumbling something to herself.

  I climbed under the tape, stomping through the snow to the crime scene. There were markers, traces where the bodies were left, the snow stained with blood and mud. The area reeked of death, causing me to put my hand to my mouth.

  "This is wrong Leigha. You hold a very high standing with the court. You could get into a lot of trouble for this." She warned.

  "I'm pretty sure the Prince would have a few words for me." I laughed. She stared at me.

  "Yes, you're knight and shining armor. You know, he's never showed interest for any female until you
." She reminded. I rolled my eyes, and began inspecting the deep blemishes in the trees.

  "Wow! Maria, come look at this." I said, grazing my hand through the deep claw marks. Maria hurried to my side and gazed at the tree.

  "Umm, I think we should get out of here." She mumbled. I stared at her, bewildered.

  "You know, I think all the residents of the Coast have serious issues." I grumbled, pulling out my camera and began taking photos.

  "Leigha…" Maria murmured.

  "Yeah, I'm almost done. Just a few more…"

  "Leigha, don't move." She ordered. I turned, confused by her request. I froze in place, shocked by what stood before us. The largest dog I had ever seen stood just a few feet away. His black coat of fur stood up; and I gulped as my eyes assessed that he was merely the size of a horse. His silver eyes bored into mine, and the camera slipped out of my hand. The crashing sound of the camera made him anxious causing him to growl and bare his teeth.

  "Leigha, when I tell you to run… Run!" She yelled. I whirled, not looking back and plunged through the forest. The monstrous dog stood up on its hind legs and howled. His loud howls echoed through the forest.

  "Don't look back Leigha, just keep running!" Maria yelled.

  I screamed, panting from the pain of traveling through the heavy thick snow. This time, I heard several growls. Crashing through the forest, a pack of seven or more knocked down trees as they hurried to fetch us.

  I shouldn't have looked back, but my curiosity had gotten the best of me and I tripped over a branch, twisting my ankle.

  "Ouch!" I screamed.

  "Leigha!" Maria yelled. She turned and hurried over to me.

  "I think it's broken. Go! Just get out of here!" I yelled.

  "No!" She screamed. She pulled me to my feet and one of the beasts landed just inches before us. We froze in place.

  The others stood behind him, growling and fighting with each other. Maria held me tight. The huge dog barred his teeth, and began to slip into a crouching position. Maria closed her eyes.

  It all happened so quickly, my brain couldn't process what was happening. The Prince landed in front of us, positioning himself in a crouch as the huge dog pounced into the air. Alexander hissed and rose to his feet, and in one swift motion, he slammed his arm into the beast, sending him back roughly into a tree.