Relinquo

"lupus sanguis" The witch queen says dipping the blade into a jar of blood. "Vampires sanguis" She says slicing Thorne's palm. "Cinis mortuorum" She sprinkles ash on the blade.

Thorne rips open my dress at the chest right through the middle of my bra. The witch slams the blade into my heart. The pain is blinding. She removes the dagger and starts carving into my torso.

"Lupus relinquo" She carves again, I can't see what she is carving but the sound and pain is horrific. "Vampire relinquo" The feeling of the blade twisting on my skin is making me want to throw up.

She moves the blade. The point digging into my forehead. "memoria relinquo" She scrapes an agonising image as she speaks. The witch queen removes the blade from my skin and nothing happens.

Her spell must have failed. You just wait until I'm out of these chains my dear.

"Cor memoriam ac anima" My eyes widen as she speaks again and the blade is driven back into my heart. A flash of red light engulfs the room and floods into my chest. I'm not in pain but I'm convulsing. I feel completely numb.

I'm able to move my head, I see whisping white light flowing out of each carving she made on my skin. The light circles and spirals. When the mesmerising sight stops. The pain returns but I feel it all over me and internally. The convulsing picks up pace and I'm thrashing against the chains.

Thorne cups my face and brings my eyes to meet his. The snakes are swirling. "You won't feel pain" His voice silky smooth hypnotising but his hazing doesn't work the pendant prevents it. The witch queen raises her hand over it. "Enchanted"

Thorne gently removes the necklace, like it's the most precious thing he's ever encountered. His finger traces the middle and it pops open. He grits his teeth then takes out the contents. Placing the pendant in the witches hands. "Reverse it" He pulls the knot of the ribbon loose and his lock of hair descends into pieces to the floor.

The ribbon wrapped in his fingers he brings it bellow his nose and rests it in his lips. "Soon my love" He coos. He hazes me successfully this time and the pain subsides. He throws the ribbon to the witch queen "reverse the spell on this too" She nods and works her magic on the items.

Thorne sits me up. I'm still shackled, and I'm not really with it, but lucid enough to feel whats going on. He holds his hand out to the witch queen. She is scowling at his gentleness towards me. Thorn takes a seat behind me and puts the necklace back.

He pulls my hair back, his fingers graze my shoulders. The witch queen comes up and grabs me out of his hold. "What are you doing? This is not what we intended" He chuckles behind me "Not what you intend, you mean. I am her maker. Her final moments should be respected. She should be treated with care and love. I'm just returning her possessions" He places a delicate kiss on my neck.

He takes the ribbon and I feel him weaving it through a braid. He stands up and takes a pin out of the witch queens hair and she huffs. He clips the braid under my hair by my ear on the other side. Creating a half band across back of my head. He then shakes my hair in front to fall over my shoulder. "Just like the day I found you" He whispers in my ear.

He places a long black dress on me after removing the chains. I'm still hazed so I stay in place. Sitting on the bed. My wounds are healing but my skin is gaining colour. A sharp pain flows through me taking my breath away. I fall back on the bed and drift off to sleep.

------- Alarich P.O.V --------------

Making my way into the dungeons of the Palace. I hear the commotion ahead. I stride straight to the rabble of men. 50 of them standing in the large space between cells.

"What is it now?" I demand. They all go silent and one of them steps forward "We have waited long enough, what say the queen?" They all in unison fold there arms in front of their chests.

Oh give me a break, like herding cats with these guys. "Her Majesty the hybrid Queen looks for the best opportunity. We will remain patient and ever serving. Showing her the upmost loyalty. Understood?"

The one who spoke before steps closer to me "Understand Alarich, We are most loyal. That is the problem. To keep up the pretence to the serpentine queen. I'm still shocked no one has scented out different forms. I fear we will be sitting ducks here the longer time goes by the more time she has to discover us." He shakes his head but looks back to the men.

"I understand. Our Queen would never leave us in that position. She will come and we will be ready. Janice believes that our vampire side is dominant. So we will appear as vampires" There is a collective sigh of relief around the room.

I turn to leave after telling them to go back to their posts before arousing suspicion but it's too late. The serpentine queen glides towards us. Felix to her right "Well, well, well what's going in here?" She asks. Felix steps in front of me "Perhaps a secret gathering, I wonder what the secret is?" They both laugh in a devious tone.

She walks towards us. "Good thing you are already down here" With a movement of her hands, the cell doors swing open. We are thrown of our feet inside. Whilst most of the others are thrown to the cells in groups of ten. I am in a cell alone.

Felix and the queen come to the bars separating us "Your majesty, we are just friends. We apologise for slacking off to have an impromptu gathering but thats all it is" I plead. Her snakes glide out from the bottom of her dress. They slither and wrap along the bars before wrapping themselves along me. Constricting. To look at them they appear as shadows but they feel real. The power of the queen's mark.

"Is that so? The dungeon seems rather odd for a gathering unless....." She flashes a devilish smile at Felix "Unless you have some secrets dungeon sex club?" Felix laughs. How could he be so cruel to even suggest I'd have relations with another. Mara although dead is still very much in my heart and he knows it. Snivelling rat scurrying up the power ladder.

They both laugh again. "Oh I don't think so Felix. This was the usurper most loyal advisor. Your loyalty should be given to me unquestionably by your nature but I knew there would be teething pains. However, for it to last this long. I suspect something is amiss"

"Majesty, I assure....." I don't get to finish a snake wrapping around my arm and pulls it through the bar. Oh I'm screwed now. The queen bites down on my wrist and pulls my blood. Her hauntingly pure white eyes flash a snake like black pupil and she retracts.

Horror and disgust evident on her face. She spits the blood out of her mouth. "Kill them" She calls out and her snakes flood from her. The men behind the bars use their collective hybrid strength to pry them open. They all change and prepare to attack.

They gain speed dodging the snakes. Before they reach the queen they all collapse, writhing in pain. Symbols appear on their foreheads. I'm overcome with the same pain. I feel warm liquid is trickling down my face and chest. Blood. Like the others I collapse.

I'm in agonising pain and my thoughts drift to Mara. I see her beautiful face. If I'm dying at least I will be reunited with her. "Interesting" Felix comments. The men are passing out and I feel my consciousness departing. "Arlo?" The queen asks Felix and with that they leave.

What about Arlo ? Whats happening. Oh god... Her sires ....