Laying down on the seat, I closed my eyes and dreamt of a time when my life would not be filled with lies and deception. When someone might love me without any gain for themselves. A time when a person might want to be with me because they enjoyed my company, a time when I wasn't a name on a list of choices.

Hearing a noise, I sat up and wiped away the tears. There were more beating hearts than there should be. I could see four that was a faint flicker on the next floor up, these extras were approaching from the rear.

Scrabbling out of the car, I made my way out of the garage and through the house, racing up the stairs. Everyone was startled when I appeared at the threshold, relief filled Alaric's face until he realized that something was wrong.

We've got company."

"Did you see someone?"

"No, I can see beating hearts, there's quite a few approaching from the rear yard."

Silas frowned and moved through the corridor to the rear of the building.

"You can see beating hearts?" Alaric asked with a burning curiosity.

"Yeah."

"We've got issues," Silas said, struggling for breath as he returned. "Caplan and Morris, cronies in tow."

"How many?" Alaric asked.

"Quite a lot. I would guess that Edwards is out there too. You know why they're here, don't you?"

Alaric nodded grimly.

"Who are they?"

"The last three on the list. I guess they don't like being on the list and have come here to voice their disgust."

"It's fine," Silas grumbled. "We'll deny any knowledge about the list and state that those who are already dead were done by someone else to try and bring Alaric down."

"And if they ask to speak with Hendrick?"

"Then I will step in," Ilsen offered. "I am known as his advisor and they will believe me when I say that he is resting for the meeting and does not wish to be disturbed. They will not push it anymore if they fear his wrath."

"Great. Let's get this dealt with." Alaric grumbled. "Nish, keep Emme company."

"Are you serious?" She snapped. "I am not staying here while you're out there being mister macho."

"Better to be alive in here than dead out there."

Nisha scowled as the three of them walked away, leaving us in the living room.

"Jerks." She hissed.

She turned to me with a smug look of defiance.

"Going to stay here and take their sexist rubbish?"

"Nope, you?"

"Of course not. Problem is, you stand out like a sore thumb. I reckon we could stealth into the back and take out a few while they're flapping their traps about utter nonsense. Come on."

Nisha grabbed me by the wrist and dragged me into her room. Flicking clothes out at me, Nisha found two tight black long sleeve shirts to add to the black jeans we were already wearing. I dumped the white shirt onto the bed and changed into the new one.

"We used balaclavas tonight."

"In the limo." She gasped.

As we made our way down to the garage, I glanced out one of the rear windows and saw there were quite a few people out there.

"How do they think they're going to manage that many people on their own?"

"Not much choice. That's why Silas wanted to try to talk their way out of it."

With the balaclavas on our heads and pulled up, Nisha then turned her sights on our weapons. It was daunting that yet again I was faced with this.

"Guns are too loud,"

Nisha looked at me with distaste.

"Besides, if we're coming from behind, we risk hitting the wrong people."

"Okay. We've got blades of all sizes. Load up."

She started strapping things to her body, stuffing things everywhere. I looked at the box that was filled with a variety of weapons and picked up a throwing star.

"Fill your pockets with them."

Nisha dropped in front of me, strapping something around my legs.

"Throwing knives, I love them."

Handing a pair of fingerless gloves to me, I pulled them on and made my way to the door, pulling down the balaclava. Nisha was right behind me, tucking her hair in under the edge. Going through the front door, we ran to the fence line and into the thick line of trees.

"Right, we go straight through here as quickly and as quietly as possible," Nisha whispered. "Take them out as silently as we can until they realize and then we can just go hard."

Making our way through the trees, we sidestepped a few branches while keeping an eye on the proceedings. The three of them were faced with what looked like an angry mob that flanked the three drug lords. I found it surprising that the three of them would be so close to each other, I thought that it was standard for them to be trying to kill their competition. I guess being unified in one goal would bring them together for a night and then tomorrow, it would be business as usual.

"We know that you have issues with us, Eldon." One yelled.

Nisha pulled me back to the fence line.

"Can you see anything in the rear tree line?"

"No, everyone is out in the open."

"Good. Let's go."

She quietly walked through the trees to the nearest target, I sped my way through to the other side. As I moved, I grabbed the stars and threw them out. When I stopped, Nisha was already pulling victims into the trees, silently robbing them of their life.

Bodies began to fall, soon they realized that something was wrong. As the people at the back of the crowd began to turn, a soft murmur broke out. Catching Nisha's gaze, she gave a firm nod before throwing out her knives. I didn't think I'd be so good at it, I thought that my knives would flop to the ground. But still, I tried and was surprised when a knife drove into a target. One out of five has to be good, I was sure of it.

The melee had begun, Alaric looked from the person on the other side of the mess to me and then started running this way.

"Are you mad?" He hissed. "I told you to stay inside with Nish."

I found it surprising that he figured out it was me. Maybe the differences in our skills were extremely obvious.

"Something that you need to learn quickly is that I don't take orders, I don't bow down to demands."

I pulled a knife from the strap on my leg and threw it at the approaching man. With an erk sound, he dropped. Alaric turned his frown back to me.

"If you want me to do something then I'd suggest that you ask. I am not some little woman for you to order around and if you don't like that then you don't have to marry me."

Pushing past Alaric, I grabbed the body in front of me and turned him to the person that was about to shoot me. Pushing the bullet-riddled body aside, I took his gun and fired at the second guy.

"You've changed."

"Of course I have," I snapped hard. "You try finding out that you were the last on a list of potentials. You try finding out that the so-called obsession was nothing more than gathering information."

With a huff of frustration, I glared at Alaric.

"Is this the time for a discussion like this?"

Alaric picked up a gun, firing at the people around us. When one dropped near him, Alaric picked up the second gun.

"Any time is an appropriate time when you're hurt."

"Fine. I don't like the fact that you lied. I think I've been pretty accepting so you would have surely known that telling me the truth would be okay. I don't like the fact that you don't really want me, that there were others that were better than me. You don't care."

"No different from what you think about me."

Alaric stepped aside, I turned and saw the nightmare that had been unleashed. Silas was moving through the masses, Ilsen not far behind him. He was scouring the dead for guns, probably ensuring they were dead too. Silas was keeping the crowd at bay, dropping the spent guns and taking the full ones from Ilsen. Nisha was making her way to them, avoiding all manner of issues with nothing more than a slash of the blades in her hands.

Silas had taught them well, I could see that easily. It was necessary, this was a cutthroat world and to walk into it with nothing more than words was foolish.

A hand slapped over my mouth as I was drawn back to a body, cold metal pressed to my neck. Another figure appeared in front of me. As the hand slid from my mouth and wrapped around my waist, my balaclava was removed. He stepped aside and I could see Alaric had no idea I was caught.

"Eldon," The man behind me boomed.

Alaric turned, his eyes widened as he stepped forward. The blade pressed harder against my neck.

"Uh-uh. Stay where you are."

"Let her go, Caplan."

"I don't think so. We're going to wait here until you've finished decimating my competitors and then we're going to discuss the future. Off you go now, be a good boy and do my bidding. In the meantime, I'm going to keep a firm hold of your pretty prize so that I have a guarantee that you will behave."

"She will remain unharmed?"

"You have my word."

Alaric looked like he didn't believe Caplan.

"My dear boy, I might be a gangster but when I give my word, it is done with honesty."

He didn't look impressed but Alaric turned back to the fight and continued. Caplan's men began to move out of the mess, standing near Caplan to ensure his protection.

"He will make a fine king," Caplan purred in my ear. "And you will make a fine queen. I look forward to forging a deal with the two of you. When tomorrow night comes, we will give Alaric the backing he desperately needs. It is obvious that this monarchy has fallen into hard times. Perhaps we could start the negotiations now."

The arm that held me against his body began to move, the hand curving over my breast. As he groped me, Caplan's lips ran over my ear.

"You are quite stunning, my dear. I heard your little tiff with Alaric and I know that it is of no consolation but many royal relationships are formed in such a way. They are about strategy, not love."

The hand squeezed the flesh, forcefully caressing me. I sneered, feeling the loathing build fast.

"All you need to do is produce an heir and then you are free to do as you please. He can live vicariously through his offspring and you can entertain those who actually want to be with you. Keep that in mind when we begin the negotiations."

I couldn't take it any longer. He touched me when he had no right to, he whispered words that were nothing but an attempt to turn me against Alaric. They were just desperate words from a sleazy lowlife that knew he was struggling to win.

Taking his hand, I pulled it from my body while grabbing the blade from my neck. As I turned, I rammed it into his stomach.

"I don't negotiate with people who thrive on the misery of others."

Caplan's eyes were wide, remaining that way as I pushed him back. Grabbing the knives on my legs, I threw them out and then scrabbled for a gun. Caplan only had five men left, two went down with my abysmal attempt at knife throwing. I really had to learn these things. There was no grace, no swift movements. Still, I could get the odd one here or there so I guess I wasn't that bad.

Three remained, I pressed the trigger and several rounds fired quickly. The pushback was harsh, I fell back onto the ground. Sitting up, I saw that I'd managed to get one down. The other two were advancing. Pushing the trigger again, I held tight, hoping that I wouldn't struggle a second time.

The one on the left flew back into the air, blood spurted up in a long streak. One remained, he stopped as fear ripped through him.

"Want to be the one that lives to tell the tale?" I asked as I stood.

He nodded, dropping his guns and raising his hands.

"On the ground over there, flat on your stomach with your hands and legs wide. Don't move, don't reach for anything. The gun is pointed directly at you and my trigger finger is oh-so-very itchy."