Chapter six

"What is the meaning of this, Darius? In my presence?" Father asked, trying not to sound angry, but he was. He was raging in fury and I was well pleased.

"Forgive my manners, father, but it is what it is." He replied with a rude curtsey. Classic Darius.

"What is this insubordination, Darius? And in the presence of my subjects?!" Father said and clearly this time, he showed his anger.

He felt downgraded by Darius actions. Darius bowed. "Pardon my manners again, father, but I must interfere in this matter. The marriage shall not hold." He said, his eyes holding father's in that same steadfast tenacity as his.

Darius turned to the gathering. "I'm about to reveal the truth about this man here and the fake love he pretends to have for my sister." He said and I saw Joshua rolling out the kinetograph. He was in this too? I wondered. Despite making it look like he did not give a damn about me getting married to Eli. Perhaps Darius forced him to do so.

Mother walked up to Darius. "What are you doing? You're embarrassing your father." She said to him through gritted teeth as she faked a smile across the gatherings who were staring at us in curiosity.

"If saving my sister from the clutches of this mad man means embarrassment, then embarrassment shall we all face." He said to her and she was forced to leave his side.

The kinetograph revealed the lunch date of Eli and I earlier today. It revealed the way he mishandled me and the people gasped. Heat rose to Eli cheeks and he knew he was in trouble.

"Do you think this man is worthy of my sister?" Darius asked, directing the question at the gathering and they shook their head negatively.

"A man not respecting a woman deserves to remain unmarried." One of the women in the gathering said and the others nodded in agreement.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I was going to be free from this animal. Just then, I heard a loud crash outside and I wondered what was going on.

I believe a few people heard it too as they looked around. Father was oblivious to it. He was fuming with rage that his own son had defied him. His own son had defended me. Was I not his daughter too? Why did he hate me so much not to even notice me or my feelings?

"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for this." He said, defending Eli. He was defending a man who hurt his daughter! His own flesh and blood! How callous can he be?! 

"Eli?" He called, turning to him.

Eli nodded. "Yes, there is." He said a bit shaken while his father looked quite horrified, terrified and disappointed at the same time.

"We do not need any explanation for this. It's final. My sister will not and shall never marry a spineless swine." Darius said in a voice that father often used. Then I realized his authority he got from him.

Father was about to speak when the sounds of gunshots echoed into the walls of the palace Everyone gasped in fright murmuring amongst themselves in despair.

A guard rushed into the palace. "What's going on?" Father demanded of him.

"The town is under siege. The lycanthropes are taking over." He said in a frightful voice.

"Darius!" Father called out despite Darius being close to him. "Fetch me my sword." He ordered. Joshua had already moved out of the house in a speed as fast as lightning.

Darius returned with father's sword and in a flash too, they were out.

"Come on now," Mother said pulling me away towards the stairs in agitation.

As I followed her panicking, something broke through the window, exploding everywhere and bringing out smoke. It was a smoke bomb.

Everyone was screaming and scampering away looking for where to hide. But, there was no place to hide. Everywhere was smoky and I panicked. I had warned father about this and now the lycanthropes had taken us by surprise. What happened to the almighty barrier he set up?

I could barely see, but I could hear the screams of the people. I wanted to see what was going on. I took my hand away from mother and searched my way towards the door.

"Ashlyn." Mother called in a panic voice, but I ignored her.

I fell along the way on some people, but I made it outside the door and started coughing, the effect of the smoke bomb taking a toll on me.

I raised up my head and saw how the lycans shifted into their forms and dealt harshly with the people who tried to fight back, but they were like ants in the presence of the Lycanthropes.

With fire and silver flying around, I knew we stood no chance against these beasts.

I gasped as I saw Darius and Joshua thrown off by a lycan who had not shifted, just by the flick of his hands. From his back, I could tell he was massively huge. I could not see him well.

Father was fighting off some lycans with a lot of effort. These people were quicker and faster than we were.

I should be there. I should help my brother, but what could I do? I was a weak vampire, spineless and unwitting. How could I take down these huge men. I watched as the town I've come to love rendered into dust.

The Lycanthropes have made no empty threats as father had thought. They carried out exactly what they had in mind. Vulgar barbarians.

I looked away wracking in sobs. I looked back to see Darius still entangled in a fight with this powerful man including father. I could do nothing, but I was not about to let my brother die.

"All you had to do was pay the rites, but you did not heed to it!" He raised his voice at father. His voice thundered into my ears. He was not speaking to me, but his voice was dangerous yet in a way, felt silky to me.

Despite at the verge of losing everything, father was still egocentric.

"A vampire never bows down to anyone. Not even his enemies." Father replied in pride.

"Then watch me take away everything you own including your family. Starting from him." The Lycan said and threw father far away from him and turned to attack Darius.

"No!" I screamed running towards them and immediately he turned around to my direction and I felt completely weak to my knees. One of his people grabbed me. He let go of Darius and moved closer to me. He made a sign with his finger and the Lycan let go of me.

He was unlike any man I have ever seen. He had the looks of a god with his strong chiseled jawline. His height towered against me and I gulped in fear. His demeanor was condescending and royalty, I could smell all over him. His dark eyes danced around its sockets.

"Mate." His voice came out gruffly. I stared at him in shock and fear took over me. I saw Joshua try to take him by surprise, but was thrown off by an already shifted lycan.

The Lycanthropes gathered behind him and the whole pack he came with, surrounded I and my family.

"Take her." He ordered and turned to leave.

I gasped in shock. "That's impossible. I shall go nowhere." I said in disagreement. He turned back, his eyes spitting fire and I shuddered. I believed he was not acquainted with being turned down.

"Would you rather die?" He asked and he meant it.

"I would rather die than go anywhere with you." I replied, having a boldness I did not believe I'll ever have despite quivering in fear.

He towered over me once more. "Then death you shall get." He said with a cold expression on his face. His appearance commanded authority that one must succumbed to and I stared at him, horrified. His pack raised up guns loaded with silver and I panicked.

He took the nearest lit torch, and brought the fire close. With a mean look, he lowered the torch closer to my skin and I was terrified as I closed my eyes, believing tonight was the night I would die.

He saw the horror on my face and a wicked smirk tugged a little at the corner of his lips.

"It will be more pleasurable to watch your family die before your eyes and this town burnt to ashes like it never existed and then your death shall follow." He said as he straightened up and casted the torch aside. His pack immediately turned to my family and snatched their daylight rings from their fingers.

"Take her," I heard father's shrill voice. "If she's what you want, to end this, take her away. Do whatever you want with her." He said and I turned towards him in shock.

Would he never get tired of trying to get rid of me? And to an enemy as great as this, he was still willing to exchange me? and for what? A town? How little he thought of me.

"See," he said with a smirk. "Your father is giving you away without much thoughts. Typical vampires." He scoffed and a frown creased on his face.

"Let them go." I pleaded falling down on my knees. He made his pack return the daylight rings and lowered himself to me. He held my face hard and I felt agonizing pain. The silver guns were still pointed at everyone.

"Listen, I'll spare this whole town and your pathetic family only on the account that you return with me as my mistress." He said and I gasped.

'Take her." He commanded as he straightened up and walked away.