Enchantress

Chapter XXV

Aurora's POV

"Who the fuck are you?" I demanded.
The intruder groaned in pain. The guards came rushing in, checking on Xion and myself before going to seize the man. They pulled the mask from his face. He hung from their hands by his arms, his head lulled facing downward as he ignored me.

"I asked you a question." I hissed through clenched teeth. Not even a full week of Xion being awake and we were already being attacked.

"There will never be peace between the kingdoms. The vampires will rise again under a new king. We will have no witch as our queen." His ramblings resembled what I'd heard over and over again for the past few months. No peace. New King. Revolution.
"You didn't answer the question. Who are you?" Xion cut in advancing toward the captured intruder, chest proud with power. His claws had extended and from the sound of his voice, which had roughened significantly, I knew his fangs had lengthened as well.

The intruder ignored us both, even as the guards tightened their grip on him trying to use pain as an incentive. He didn't budge. Seeing no other choice, I handed Xion my sword and stepped around him to stand directly before the man. Gripping his chin tightly, I forced him to raise his head and face me.

Instinctively, unlike anyone else I'd ever met this man closed his eyes tight.
"Open your eyes" I growled
"Never witch!" He spat at me. His bloody saliva hit my face and in an instant Xion was pressing the tip of his sword into the man's neck. The intruder sputtered but refused to open his eyes although the sword was cutting into his skin more and more with each passing second.

Wiping the blood off with the back of my hand, I urged Xion to lower the sword with a few dips of my chin.

"Okay, let's try this again. Open your fucking eyes!" I growled at the man.

"I'd sooner die, you soul eating bitch! I know what you'll do. You'll have to kill me."

Knowing it was pointless to try to break him here, I focused my attention on the guards. "Chain him up in the dungeon. I'll deal with him later." The intruder tensed but still refused to open his eyes. His resolve was strong. I had to give him that.

"We need to call a meeting. And schedule the announcement of your awakening. Where are Thelus and Shelby? Goddamnit! This fucking coup is driving me crazy." I turned to Xion.

"Why are yousmirking? Some traitorous vampire pricksspat in my face, you know?" I asked him.

"You've become a great queen."
~~~