She stood glaring at him. His face showed no emotion, but she could read the smirk in his eyes.
“No.”
“You have no choice I'm afraid.”
Alika stood behind her, head down. Tara shook her head. He handed her the dress, just looking at her in the same way he always had; distant but warm.
“Either you put is on or I will do it for you.”
She glared at him, but took the garment.
“I swear Kuran. One day, I'm kicking your ass.”
“As you say. I wait for that day with eagerness. Now hurry. Lord Vale will be here soon. And we both know how he expects to see you.”
Their eyes met for a second and she nodded in surrender. He placed a gentle kiss to her head before leaving. Once the door was shut, she locked it. Alika waited for her.
“Help me please. I have no desire to be a vampire's meal tonight.”
She waited next to Satstruiku's so-called throne, sword ready for any sign of trouble. She was not happy with the dress she had been forced to wear, but her weapons made her more comfortable. Her eyes watched the procession as more vampires than she had seen gathered in the same throne room they had used for generations. The servants and warriors came first, then those in the court. A few more nameless dignitaries, and then she saw him.
His hair was the same moonlight silver she had remembered and his amethyst eyes looked at her in approval. He came forward and Satstruiku stood to greet him. Tara came down by his side, playing the faithful servant but heart beating hard in her chest. Face to face, the two men from her past shook hands. Chills went up her spine. It was really happening. She almost couldn't believe it. But here was her proof. Two enemies had come together for war.
“Vale, come talk with me in my chambers. Tara, you come too.”
Her thoughts broke away as the dignified Lord Vale looked her over again. She nodded to both of them and followed as Satstruiku lead the way into his room. Once they entered, Tara locked the door.
“It's a surprise you agreed to our contract, Lance Vale. What was the reason?”
The two looked at each other. When he spoke, Lance's voice held the same charm as Satstruiku's, but with more warmth.
“I heard you had something I want. I've come to retrieve it.”
Satstruiku sat in a chair, pulling Tara into his lap in one smooth motion.
“I'm afraid, Lance, that you can't have her. You see, she is my lamb.”
Lance's eyes narrowed a bit.
“You stole her from her rightful owner, as you have everything else.”
“Begging your pardon's my lords,” Tara began, moving away from both of them. “But I belong to no one in this room. And if you wish to speak to me, use my name.”
Satstruiku smiled down into his glass and Lance studied her for a long moment. Eventually, he spoke to her with true sincerity.
“And what name do we use for a lady of court such as you?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Yes. Please tell us,” Satstruiku said, his voice dripping with pride.
It clicked the moment her eyes locked with his. Not only was he mocking her, but he was provoking her. The reason was clear. She struggled to hold it back, but already knew it was of no use. He had played his cards well and won. She had made the mistake of holding her cards too long. And the secret she had tried to keep was now blown wide open.
“You may call me Lady Tara, Daughter of the King and rightful ruler to the throne.”
The two brothers looked at each other, one smug, the other shamelessly annoyed. She turned her head from them, feeling the change already. At that moment, she could hear the prophecy run into her thoughts as reality set in. She was a prisoner in their game of war.
“No.”
“You have no choice I'm afraid.”
Alika stood behind her, head down. Tara shook her head. He handed her the dress, just looking at her in the same way he always had; distant but warm.
“Either you put is on or I will do it for you.”
She glared at him, but took the garment.
“I swear Kuran. One day, I'm kicking your ass.”
“As you say. I wait for that day with eagerness. Now hurry. Lord Vale will be here soon. And we both know how he expects to see you.”
Their eyes met for a second and she nodded in surrender. He placed a gentle kiss to her head before leaving. Once the door was shut, she locked it. Alika waited for her.
“Help me please. I have no desire to be a vampire's meal tonight.”
She waited next to Satstruiku's so-called throne, sword ready for any sign of trouble. She was not happy with the dress she had been forced to wear, but her weapons made her more comfortable. Her eyes watched the procession as more vampires than she had seen gathered in the same throne room they had used for generations. The servants and warriors came first, then those in the court. A few more nameless dignitaries, and then she saw him.
His hair was the same moonlight silver she had remembered and his amethyst eyes looked at her in approval. He came forward and Satstruiku stood to greet him. Tara came down by his side, playing the faithful servant but heart beating hard in her chest. Face to face, the two men from her past shook hands. Chills went up her spine. It was really happening. She almost couldn't believe it. But here was her proof. Two enemies had come together for war.
“Vale, come talk with me in my chambers. Tara, you come too.”
Her thoughts broke away as the dignified Lord Vale looked her over again. She nodded to both of them and followed as Satstruiku lead the way into his room. Once they entered, Tara locked the door.
“It's a surprise you agreed to our contract, Lance Vale. What was the reason?”
The two looked at each other. When he spoke, Lance's voice held the same charm as Satstruiku's, but with more warmth.
“I heard you had something I want. I've come to retrieve it.”
Satstruiku sat in a chair, pulling Tara into his lap in one smooth motion.
“I'm afraid, Lance, that you can't have her. You see, she is my lamb.”
Lance's eyes narrowed a bit.
“You stole her from her rightful owner, as you have everything else.”
“Begging your pardon's my lords,” Tara began, moving away from both of them. “But I belong to no one in this room. And if you wish to speak to me, use my name.”
Satstruiku smiled down into his glass and Lance studied her for a long moment. Eventually, he spoke to her with true sincerity.
“And what name do we use for a lady of court such as you?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Yes. Please tell us,” Satstruiku said, his voice dripping with pride.
It clicked the moment her eyes locked with his. Not only was he mocking her, but he was provoking her. The reason was clear. She struggled to hold it back, but already knew it was of no use. He had played his cards well and won. She had made the mistake of holding her cards too long. And the secret she had tried to keep was now blown wide open.
“You may call me Lady Tara, Daughter of the King and rightful ruler to the throne.”
The two brothers looked at each other, one smug, the other shamelessly annoyed. She turned her head from them, feeling the change already. At that moment, she could hear the prophecy run into her thoughts as reality set in. She was a prisoner in their game of war.
The final sneak peek for the fifth book in the Red Revenge/ DC Comics crossover series.
“No.” Revenge breathed. He ran over to the two girl’s bodies, kneeling next to them. Police sirens screamed around the corner and slid to a halt in the road. Several dozen officers filed out and all pointed their guns at Red Revenge.
“FREEZE!”
Revenge didn’t move.
“HANDS UP! NOW!”
Revenge slowly raised his hands in surrender.
“MASK OFF!”
Revenge didn’t move.
“NOW!!!”
“You should’ve left that last part off.” Red Revenge said, still not moving. Then in one quick blur, he shot a dagger into the road and it exploded, spraying smoke everywhere. Revenge grabbed one of the girls and ran, police firing into the smoke.
Red Revenge V: What Matters
Now Publishing
“No.” Revenge breathed. He ran over to the two girl’s bodies, kneeling next to them. Police sirens screamed around the corner and slid to a halt in the road. Several dozen officers filed out and all pointed their guns at Red Revenge.
“FREEZE!”
Revenge didn’t move.
“HANDS UP! NOW!”
Revenge slowly raised his hands in surrender.
“MASK OFF!”
Revenge didn’t move.
“NOW!!!”
“You should’ve left that last part off.” Red Revenge said, still not moving. Then in one quick blur, he shot a dagger into the road and it exploded, spraying smoke everywhere. Revenge grabbed one of the girls and ran, police firing into the smoke.
Red Revenge V: What Matters
Now Publishing
Name: Fern Elizabeth Ameer.
Alias: Delirious.
Appearance: Pale. Blood red hair. Sapphire eyes. Scar that runs from her eyebrow to cheek. Golden Wings.
Civvies: Green hoodie, black t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
'Stume: Picture.
Powers: Flight(wings)*You didn't see that coming, did ya?*Wink**.
Skills: Hunting. Extremely advanced senses.
Past: Escapee from the School, took shelter at a circus. Hid her wings from others, started accidentally killing everyone. Fled to Germany, hiding her wings for a year, came back to USA.
Notes:
~Fear of heights, despite her birdy-nature.
~Can make her wings blend into her skin, but only for a short period of time, due to it getting extremely uncomfortable.
~Finds interest in rain.
I just had to! And if you request, I will delete her...