Willow blinked rapidly as her mind played the scenes of her painful past. She thought she was past the stage of feeling pain. Past the stage of shedding tears. Yet, a few traitor tears slipped past her control.
Looking at her tears, Lothaire felt the pain in his chest area that he thought long dead to tears. What is this woman doing to him? He wanted to grab her, wipe her tears and kiss those plump lips to make her better. But he restrained. She needs this. She needs to unburden her heart and he shall remain far. He clenched his fists tightly to stop them from doing what he wanted to do.
"Well, at that time I didn't grasp, but later when my mind cleared from the fog of grief, I realized that the murderer..." Willow's voice hitched at that word, the pain still new on her heart, "could be only a vampire," Willow wiped her tears with her right hand, feeling lighter.
"That's why you hate my kingdom, hate me," Lothaire stated, nodding his head, understanding her reas
Willow quickly dressed in a tank top and some shorts and called her teammates.The phone was answered before the first ring went through."I'm one step away from entering the vampire kingdom. You better have a valid reason not to call sooner missy," Reagan"Please do. A welcome team is waiting patiently at the border," Willow replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice.Reagan wouldn't dare enter this kingdom if what the Fae king said is true. She wouldn't risk getting his clutches on her."I'm serious Willow. I would have entered if you have been a day late""Don't Reagan. I appreciate your concern but no need to put yourself in harm's way for me," Willow doesn't spell it out to her about whom she is talking to. Even though Reagan doesn't know the true identity of her pursuer, she is cautious enough to stay away from him."What are teammates for?" Reagan questioned Willow's concern going over her head."I'm not on the team anymor
Willow explained to him as she gathered all of her things from the flat and started packing.Lothaire's fists clenched."You are not coming with me," he said after a minute."No way in hell am I leaving you. Get used to it, Bones. Your skinny ass is stuck with me," Willow said stubbornly over her shoulder as she zipped the bag."It's too dangerous, woman. I won't let you," Lothaire grabbed the passing Willow and held her close to his chest. His eyes looking deeply into hers."News flash vampire. You are not my boss. Drug me, bind me, knock me out cold vampire, but you are not getting rid of me. I will still find a way to be with you until this end," Willow said in a husky voice, his proximity doing wonderful things to her body.Lothaire glanced at the way her chin turned upward. Stubborn to the core. He shouldn't take her with him, not after learning about the danger she will be in. However, he can't help himself but steal these precious mom
"Lothaire!!!" Willow screamed, his name tearing from her insides for the first time. Fear gripped her. It tasted unknown on her tongue. Its intensity increased when she realized that he would also get captured again."Lothaire!!! Run!!! Run!!!"She screamed even though knowing in some part of her brain that there was nowhere he could go in broad daylight. But her heart is acknowledging it. It is stupidly begging her to make him leave.The metal bit into her skin, burning with such intensity that she might crumble to the floor if not for their harsh grip on her.Willow dug her heels firmly on the ground, resisting their hold on her.She might have lost her power. But she didn't lose her fighting spirit. She won't go down that easily.Willow grabbed the chains with both her hands, her palm burning immediately, the smell of charred skin thick under her nose, and pulled hard with her remaining step.The werewolves didn't expect her to tug
Lothaire's face is a blank mask as he faces her. He thought he had time before revealing his secret. Instead, he got blindsided."Say something." The sound had been pulled into the vacuum. She could hear a faint buzz ringing in her ears, similar to the moment before a volcano erupts."Answer me," Willow whispered. A chill of apprehension slid down her spine.Lothaire remained stoic. A muscle ticking in his jaw. What could he say that doesn't make him sound like a manipulative bastard? Though he is exactly that."Is it the truth? Are you... are you the vampire king?" Her eyes pleaded silently to him to prove her wrong. To make it all go away. She wanted to close her eyes like a child and pretend that everything was fine. Alas, if only it is that simple."Willow. You don't know the half of it," Lothaire tried to take a step. Though explaining himself to others is not in his nature, he tried, for her."Stay where you are. Don't come any closer.
A snarl left her lips. She then lifted herself, standing straight, her back stiff, uncaring about the wounds that are still read and hurting on her skin. Her eyes wild, her teeth clenched, she looked like an Amazon ready to go into battle.With the daggers in her hands, her feet apart, she made the tree fold back into itself, giving a feet gap for her to go through.Cold air brushed her cheeks, riffling her tangled hair. Their eyes met- his worries and hers filled with hatred.A few seconds passed before Willow asked him with no emotion in her voice,"You come here and mock me that I couldn't kill you. Is that it?""What!! No. Hear me, Willow," Lothaire scoffed, taking a step back for her to pass through.Willow took two steps to the side giving him a wide berth and never showing him her back. When he repeated the same thing, a crack appeared in her mask. Her voice rough displaying her simpering anger she said,"NOO!!! I don't want to
Henrietta, the king's mage is antsy. The men she had sent to capture the real king and his aid must have returned by now. But they haven't.It means something is wrong, terribly wrong. Are they too late already? Has he regained his powers?No. If so, then she wouldn't be standing here alive. It means that they are missing something vital about the aid.No matter. She has to capture them both. Just then the vampire enters the room she is locked in."You promised a captive Henrietta. Yet you failed. Tsk... tsk... tsk. That's so bad of you. Now, what shall we do?" He asked, staggering inside the room at a leisurely pace."My... my king, it's just a minor hitch. Nothing more. We will capture them soon""Is that so? Not according to my reports Mage""Wha... what does it say?""That they are going north. Farther from here. Why do you think they are traveling on that route?""I... I...""Let me tell you. Because they are
The terrain they stood on was rustic and beautiful. Upon high, Willow saw green and brown mountains folding into the horizon. So beautiful that they will soon see the ugliness of their world.Lothaire and Willow sat still inside the idle truck, both deep in their thoughts.Willow doesn't know what will happen next. Whether the mage will restore him or will the imposter's army catch up to them. They don't know even if an army remains but since he is imposing as a king, anything is possible.She looked at Lothaire next. Her emotions in turmoil. She doesn't know whether she will be alive by tomorrow or not. Whether he will be. It is so final.Willow wet her lips. "Lothaire I-," she tried to tell how important he became in her life, but couldn't."This isn't over Willow. Whatever you have to say, say it after. I won't let anything happen to you. You have to believe me Tinkerbell," Lothaire professed. He is in awe of her strength. Even knowing she has t
The land soon became crowded as werewolves and vampires came out of the vehicles. The vehicles alone exceeded 40.A chill slid down her spine in apprehension. Willow has no doubt in mind that she is not coming out of this harmless. She is brave, not stupid.She took a few shallow breaths, clamped her back teeth together, straightened her spine as she held a gun in each hand, and faced the enemy staring them straight in the eyes.From her peripheral vision, she couldn't locate the impersonator nor the mage. They must be watching from one of those vehicles. Enjoying the show, no doubt.Some laughed, some snickered looking at her all alone in the field. They jabbed each other with their elbows as if they couldn't believe a woman can stand alone before an army of over 100 hard-core mercenaries.Willow blanked her mind. There is no room for panic, for error. She has to believe in herself. Lothaire is counting on her.With her powers, she made arm
Willow puked her guts out."Don't laugh, vampire. This is all your fault. I'm not letting you touch me. Ever again," Willow said vehemently before covering her mouth and beelining to the bathroom.It has been 2 months since Lothaire restored his powers and his throne.After the ritual that bound Christopher completely, they returned to the city dragging their feet. They don't speak about their relationship. No words are needed. They both know what they feel for each other, what they are willing to do for each other. It is inevitable.Willow called Azrian, her team leader on the way to the city. She related what the mage said about the she-wolf and a spell.Azrian is shocked and thanks to her for the information. She said it is the proof she needed to help the werewolf king.Lothaire and Willow set into the routine as king and queen as if they were born for it. There were minor hiccups in the kingdom but nothing that can't be ironed out with
Lothaire opened his mouth and uttered his secret, which he never told to a soul."I can manipulate darkness. The dark does my bidding. The shadows are my slaves," he said without even showing a hint of hesitation. He trusts her that much.Willow is blown away imagining the magnitude of his power. No one walking in the dark is safe from him. And now he can walk under the sun too.Willow realized she is looking at the most powerful vampire in this world. Not just a vampire but one of the powerful beings if any. No wonder he is a king."You can turn their own shadow against them""I can do pretty much anything I want""And no one knows it?""I keep it close to the heart but my council senses some of my power. They have to if I need to be a king. Everyone only knows that I kill people with a blink. They don't know how""And only I know how it is done?""Yes""That's heavy Bones. Then how come you got captured in the f
The land soon became crowded as werewolves and vampires came out of the vehicles. The vehicles alone exceeded 40.A chill slid down her spine in apprehension. Willow has no doubt in mind that she is not coming out of this harmless. She is brave, not stupid.She took a few shallow breaths, clamped her back teeth together, straightened her spine as she held a gun in each hand, and faced the enemy staring them straight in the eyes.From her peripheral vision, she couldn't locate the impersonator nor the mage. They must be watching from one of those vehicles. Enjoying the show, no doubt.Some laughed, some snickered looking at her all alone in the field. They jabbed each other with their elbows as if they couldn't believe a woman can stand alone before an army of over 100 hard-core mercenaries.Willow blanked her mind. There is no room for panic, for error. She has to believe in herself. Lothaire is counting on her.With her powers, she made arm
The terrain they stood on was rustic and beautiful. Upon high, Willow saw green and brown mountains folding into the horizon. So beautiful that they will soon see the ugliness of their world.Lothaire and Willow sat still inside the idle truck, both deep in their thoughts.Willow doesn't know what will happen next. Whether the mage will restore him or will the imposter's army catch up to them. They don't know even if an army remains but since he is imposing as a king, anything is possible.She looked at Lothaire next. Her emotions in turmoil. She doesn't know whether she will be alive by tomorrow or not. Whether he will be. It is so final.Willow wet her lips. "Lothaire I-," she tried to tell how important he became in her life, but couldn't."This isn't over Willow. Whatever you have to say, say it after. I won't let anything happen to you. You have to believe me Tinkerbell," Lothaire professed. He is in awe of her strength. Even knowing she has t
Henrietta, the king's mage is antsy. The men she had sent to capture the real king and his aid must have returned by now. But they haven't.It means something is wrong, terribly wrong. Are they too late already? Has he regained his powers?No. If so, then she wouldn't be standing here alive. It means that they are missing something vital about the aid.No matter. She has to capture them both. Just then the vampire enters the room she is locked in."You promised a captive Henrietta. Yet you failed. Tsk... tsk... tsk. That's so bad of you. Now, what shall we do?" He asked, staggering inside the room at a leisurely pace."My... my king, it's just a minor hitch. Nothing more. We will capture them soon""Is that so? Not according to my reports Mage""Wha... what does it say?""That they are going north. Farther from here. Why do you think they are traveling on that route?""I... I...""Let me tell you. Because they are
A snarl left her lips. She then lifted herself, standing straight, her back stiff, uncaring about the wounds that are still read and hurting on her skin. Her eyes wild, her teeth clenched, she looked like an Amazon ready to go into battle.With the daggers in her hands, her feet apart, she made the tree fold back into itself, giving a feet gap for her to go through.Cold air brushed her cheeks, riffling her tangled hair. Their eyes met- his worries and hers filled with hatred.A few seconds passed before Willow asked him with no emotion in her voice,"You come here and mock me that I couldn't kill you. Is that it?""What!! No. Hear me, Willow," Lothaire scoffed, taking a step back for her to pass through.Willow took two steps to the side giving him a wide berth and never showing him her back. When he repeated the same thing, a crack appeared in her mask. Her voice rough displaying her simpering anger she said,"NOO!!! I don't want to
Lothaire's face is a blank mask as he faces her. He thought he had time before revealing his secret. Instead, he got blindsided."Say something." The sound had been pulled into the vacuum. She could hear a faint buzz ringing in her ears, similar to the moment before a volcano erupts."Answer me," Willow whispered. A chill of apprehension slid down her spine.Lothaire remained stoic. A muscle ticking in his jaw. What could he say that doesn't make him sound like a manipulative bastard? Though he is exactly that."Is it the truth? Are you... are you the vampire king?" Her eyes pleaded silently to him to prove her wrong. To make it all go away. She wanted to close her eyes like a child and pretend that everything was fine. Alas, if only it is that simple."Willow. You don't know the half of it," Lothaire tried to take a step. Though explaining himself to others is not in his nature, he tried, for her."Stay where you are. Don't come any closer.
"Lothaire!!!" Willow screamed, his name tearing from her insides for the first time. Fear gripped her. It tasted unknown on her tongue. Its intensity increased when she realized that he would also get captured again."Lothaire!!! Run!!! Run!!!"She screamed even though knowing in some part of her brain that there was nowhere he could go in broad daylight. But her heart is acknowledging it. It is stupidly begging her to make him leave.The metal bit into her skin, burning with such intensity that she might crumble to the floor if not for their harsh grip on her.Willow dug her heels firmly on the ground, resisting their hold on her.She might have lost her power. But she didn't lose her fighting spirit. She won't go down that easily.Willow grabbed the chains with both her hands, her palm burning immediately, the smell of charred skin thick under her nose, and pulled hard with her remaining step.The werewolves didn't expect her to tug
Willow explained to him as she gathered all of her things from the flat and started packing.Lothaire's fists clenched."You are not coming with me," he said after a minute."No way in hell am I leaving you. Get used to it, Bones. Your skinny ass is stuck with me," Willow said stubbornly over her shoulder as she zipped the bag."It's too dangerous, woman. I won't let you," Lothaire grabbed the passing Willow and held her close to his chest. His eyes looking deeply into hers."News flash vampire. You are not my boss. Drug me, bind me, knock me out cold vampire, but you are not getting rid of me. I will still find a way to be with you until this end," Willow said in a husky voice, his proximity doing wonderful things to her body.Lothaire glanced at the way her chin turned upward. Stubborn to the core. He shouldn't take her with him, not after learning about the danger she will be in. However, he can't help himself but steal these precious mom