DUSK.
"Should I bring it some other time, or will you call for me when you feel better?” Marcus asked, and Lucius sighed.
"I'll call for you very soon.” He said, and Marcus bowed, and before leaving, he glanced at me.
When Marcus had gone, Lucius looked up at me, and a faint smile appeared on his features.
"I doubt you have any more paper work for me.” He said, and I managed to smile.
"I just came to keep you company.” I said and sat next to him.
"You came to keep me company?” He asked, turning to me, and I realised it wasn't the perfect lie to tell because I haven't exactly been trying to spend time with him.
"What's this?" I asked, trying to touch the two little holes in his neck.
He touched it and looked at me.
"Is there something there? He asked, and I saw the smudge of blood and nothing else. It had healed.
"So, did you have a nice sleep yesterday? He asked, and a look of uncertainty crossed his face.
"I slept, but these days, I wake up feeling tired.” He said, and I felt for him. He was being used without his knowledge.
"You don't know anything about your sleep. You don't think you tossed or turned." I said, and he looked at me with a questioning eye.
"Oh, just don't mind me. I'm just trying to find conversation.” I said, but he didn't stop staring at me.
"Do you still want to reject me as your mate?” He asked, and I gulped and avoided his gaze.
"I..." I was about to say something, but the door burst open.
"I'm so sorry, Alpha! Another body has been found behind the palace. He's at the physicians' quarters.” The guard that burst in said, and Lucius sprang to his feet and ran out of the room.
I ran after him, and as we approached the physicians' quarters, I stopped, as I didn't know if I was ready to face the man whose last moments I witnessed.
Just then, Seline came behind me.
"Dusk! I heard about it.” She said as she took my arm and started leading me inside, and there he was. Pale, with his throat torn out. His eyes were wide open, and they seemed to be watching me.
Marcus looked at me, and his eyes seemed to be asking if that was the man, and I nodded.
~
Athena seemed cautious because I and the men waited nights for her to attack, but she didn't.
However, on the fourth night, we saw all three of them. The guard, Athena, and Lucius.
"Are you certain? Lucius asked. "This isn't the first time you're telling me you know where the murder always takes place.” Lucius said, and Athena looked at him.
"Listen to me. And don't say any more.” She said in that compelling voice, and the guard turned back. He was probably wondering why Athena had talked so disrespectfully to the Alpha without him lashing back.
Athena looked at him, and he looked away.
They got into the old storage room, and we immediately followed them.
They closed the door, and I knew they must have been shocked to see the door burst open a minute later.
"There's no place to run now, vampire." Marcus said and jumped on her; she had amazing skills and rolled away just in time.
"What? She's the..." The guard said, and his mouth fell open as he looked at Lucius.
“It took you quite a long time to figure that out.” She said with a smirk as she twirled her hair around her finger.
"Alpha, do you see us?” Eugene asked, and Athena laughed from where she stood watching Marcus.
"He's still under my command; I'm still in control here; he'll do anything I want, and I'm sorry to say, but you guys made a great mistake by coming here. I guess the physicians' bed will be full of more dead bodies to study. Get them, Lucius. Every single one, including that thing you call a mate.” She said, referring to me, and in a second, Lucius attacked. He threw the guards one after the other, and Marcus had to leave Athena to join them in holding down Lucius.
Even with their numbers, they were still struggling to keep Lucius down.
"I guess it's you and me then, old friend.” Athena said, and I turned to see her bloody eyes staring at me.
She opened her mouth, and I saw her fangs get longer.
~
I was battered, yet I still fought for my life.
Athena threw me across the store room, and I hit a shelf, causing all the utensils to fall on me, and the shelf came crashing down too.
I groaned as the impact was hard on me.
She dragged me out and spun me around hard before letting me go.
I landed on the men, causing them to lose their balance. They fell, and Lucius threw them out of his way.
Athena yanked my hair backwards, and I elbowed her in the tummy. She lost balance, and we both fell.
She rolled quickly on top of me and grinned.
"Let's finish this, pretty.” She said and bent to suck my blood.
I felt her fangs sink in easily, and I happened to see my hairpin, which had fallen earlier. I grabbed it and stabbed her neck; she withdrew sharply as the place in her neck burned.
She looked at me in anger, and I remembered quickly.
The book says vampires were affected by silver, and my hairpin was made of silver.
I stabbed her arm, and she screamed again. I used it to regain my balance and hit her arm continuously. I watched as it turned an ugly red.
"Stop! Stop it! I'll kill you! Lucius!!" She screamed, and I saw Lucius throw his men off him. He looked at us, and I felt scared as his red eyes narrowed on me.
"Lucius!" She called again, and Lucius took quick bounds towards me. He raised his claws, and I watched in horror as he prepared to bring them heavily down on me.