Invictus

A gentle cool morning breeze lingers in the air as three elite council members and five witnesses stood by watching. Soldiers stood in a line as they looked ahead at the two individuals kneeling on the wet morning dew grass with heavy chains wrapped around their body.

My father looked at his brother with a pained expression. I am sure this was tearing him apart. I felt a pair of hands slipped into mine. I looked down to see it was Deidre. Akoni stood to her right followed by Marc, Caden, Ron, and Max.

Marc didn't come home until late at night and when he heard what happened he was just as surprised. My wound has started to hell after the bullet was removed. My gaze flickered to Ron who was still bandaged but there was color on his face now.

My father began his speech and explaining the situation that occurred yesterday. Everyone listened intently before my father stood up from his chair and walked over to stand in front of them. His gaze flickered to his brother. His brother looked up at him and tears were running down his cheeks.

"Ebenezer Mikhailov and Gilda Rossi, you two are hereby sentence to death for treason in an attempted death of Prince Invictus Mikhailov." He ordered and then he kneeled down on his knee as he looked at his brother.

"Good bye, brother. May the Moon Goddess show you mercy in the afterlife. When I do cross over, I hope that you will be there to greet me with open arms and no malice." My father whispered. "You will always be my little brother."

An almost strangled sound came from my uncle as he felt torn between what he has done. My father stood up and didn't turn to watch as one of our elite royal guards yanked out both their spines. The sound of bones snapping and blood gushing was heard in the silent air.

Deidre's hand tightened around mine as she watched what happened in front of her. I was so consumed in watching my father that I forgot that she was next to me. I removed my hand from her hand and moved it to wrap around her shoulder, pulling her closer. I hid her face under my chin.

"That was horrible." She whispered as her voice cracked.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have allowed you to see that."

"It was so brutal." She mumbled.

From my peripheral vision I saw Marc tug on his collar and something that looks like a deep scratch was revealed on his neck. What was he doing last night? I thought he was just running an errand. Akoni turned to us.

"One thing down. One more issue to resolve." He looked at Deidre.

He was right. We needed to figure out who has been working with the vampires. How did Aldric get into Deidre's bedroom and what was the motive behind Aldric wanting Deidre. I nodded before as I glanced back at my parents where my father now was kneeling down on the ground next to his brother who laid there lifeless. Everyone began dispersing as some lycans stayed behind to clean up the mess.

Everyone else followed Deidre and I into an open study. Marc mumbled something about having to go clean up a little before joining us. Deidre moved to sit on the couch. Ron and Max sat in the sofas adjacent to us and Akoni stood by the fire place.

"I have been doing some observing." Akoni said as soon as we all settled down. "At the moment I can't say any names but this person has been leaving the palace at certain hours after since you guys came back. I followed this individual one night."

"Who is it?" Deidre asked.

"I can't say." Akoni grimaced as he didn't want to deny Deidre at the same time.

"Ok, fine, tell us what did you find out?"

"Not much. This person knows how to lose anyone who tails after him or her. He or she travels into the human city to lose any trackers but when ever this person returns he or she will empty handed but not this time. The more recent return of this person, he or she brought back a strange vial." Akoni murmured and pushed himself off the mantle and began pacing.

"That doesn't tell us anything." I growled. "We still don't know who opened Deidre's window. We still don't know who is betraying us."

Akoni sighed. "I can't tell you who this person is."

"Why the hell not?" I asked.

"Because I want to confirm my suspicion first." Akoni said.

"Tell us and we can help you confirm it." Ron suggested.

"That is a bright idea, Ron." Caden slapped Ron on the back proudly.

Akoni rolled his eyes but Deidre spoke again. "I think its Elena."

Caden whistled.

"Deidre, we can't point fingers-" I started.

"Listen to me! I am not saying this because I hate her guts. I am saying this because she told me she was the one who did it that night Invictus was injured and unconscious in his bedroom. She told me she had to kill him." Deidre growled angrily as she pounded my fist on the coffee table cracking it a little.

"Ok, calm down." Akoni urged as he moved closer. "What exactly did she say?'

Deidre inhaled slowly before exhaling. "She said and I quote, he was a really good fvck. It's a shame to have to kill him."

"But she didn't indicate-" I began but Deidre growled and stood up walking away from me. She whipped around to look at me.

"Why are you always defending her? I know it's her. I just know it! Something in my guts tells me."

"But what if your gut was just telling you that it is hungry?" Caden butted in. She turned to glare at Caden. He rose up his hand in surrender.

"You know what? Fvck it. I don't need to convince any of you. Please don't feel like you need to protect me. I certainly can protect myself and if she comes after me, I'm going to kill her and if you want to kill me for killing her than go ahead. I'm sick of this life." Deidre spat angrily.

It was my turn to grow angry. I slammed my fist on the coffee table breaking it in half and in a flash I had her nailed onto the wall. "Don't you ever say that again."

"Why do you care?" she spat. "You don't care about me. You always seem to be defending her."

"I do care!" I roared.

"Then why aren't you showing it? Why are you defending her?" She shouted just as angrily back. She pushed against my chest with so much force I went flying across the room landing on the opposite wall.

"I'm leaving." Deidre announced.

"We are not finish here." I growled back.

"No, we are finish. You and I are finish. This right here is finished. We don't need to continue anything. I am not staying in this god forsaken place for another second. I'm going back home and I am taking my chickens with me." She muttered as she stalked toward the door.

"Deidre." Akoni started as he walked towards her. I pushed him aside and moved to grab her arm.

"You aren't leaving me." I warned.

"It's too late." She whispered and I can hear the sadness in her voice. "I'm so tired of this, Invictus. I can't do this. I am not made for this. Let me go and I will defend myself in whichever way I can. You can stay here with everyone el-"

"Fvck that. I'm not staying anywhere that you aren't. If you are going back home then I am going with you." I interrupted her. She turned to look up at me and unshed tears were in her eyes.

"Let me go." She pleaded weakly.

"Never." I responded.

"Why are you doing this?" She cried out as a tear slipped. "Please just let me go."

Akoni, Ron, and Max silently walked out of the room. She pounded on my chest hard several times and I allowed her to let out her frustration on me. I knew she needed it. I knew this was hard on her and I wish I can be more understanding but women are hard to understand.

"Because I need you, little moon. You are my everything. I am not defending Elena. I am just pointing out that we need to be careful before we accuse anybody of anything. Elena has been here for a long time. People know her."

"Then they should know how slvtty and cruel she is!" She growled angrily and hit me again in the chest. I grunted and pulled her into my arms. She struggled for a minute before she calmed down and buried her face in my chest.

"I am just so confused." She cried.

"Please don't cry. Will it make you happy if I told you I will have someone look into Elena for us?" I pleaded.

She sniffled before looking up at me with sad tear brimmed eyes that had my heart shattering and my knees weak. Seeing her like this I would do anything she wanted to not see her like this. If she wanted me to crawl on my hands and knees I will. If she told me to jump off a bridge I will do it.

"Ok." She mumbled. I pulled her back into my arms and propped my chin on top of her head.