Chapter 11

Chapter 11
It was the realization of my worst nightmare. A few feet away from me, Lucien had declared that I was going to be his, that he was going to take me away. I raised my head to get a better look at them, my heart racing with terror. I managed to sit up ans I looked from the brothers to the door. It occured to me that I could run out. But to where? And if — when — I were caught, wouldn't it just mean more problems? Wouldn't it be seem as an admittance of my involvement in Janice's death. And so I tried to stay still while they decided my fate.

"What?" Elias said. "Fuck no, Lucien! You're not going to do that. The girl is mine and mine alone. I handpicked her, and amongst the troop of servants we got, I made sure to keep her to myself because I knew you could pull off something like this. So no."

Lucien laughed. He turned and looked at me briefly, and shook his head. His eyes bore holes in my body and I thought I would become engulfed in flames.

"I am Lucien, ruler of all of Rendall, and whatever the fuck I say goes," Lucien said, his voice laced with authority. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Elias. You don't even get to suggest, unless I ask that of you. Also, I don't give a shit if you handpicked her. She murdered my girl, and now, I want her!"

There was a brief silence. Almost as if Elias was slowly taking in the implications of his brother's words.

"I won't allow that," Elias said. "I always let you have you want. You get the best maidens, the most beautiful of them all, and leave me with nothing. But this time, I won't let you do that. Before you take her away, you're going to have to go through me first."

And with that, Elias stood between me and his brother who watched him with a kind of awe, as if amazed that his brother would dare resist his authority. I knew that the fight that had been brewing between the both of them was about to explode, and so I shifted on the ground. Fights between vampires would be deadly.

"Really?" Lucien said. "You're really going to do this? For this no good human, this lowlife, this dirty witch of a girl who killed her fellow girl in the space of only a day? You're going to disobey me for her?!?!"

Lucien started calmly, but as he spoke, his voice crescendoed until they reached the roof of the room, the walls, and even made me quiver. I was scared for my life, but there was little I could do, so I only sat watching.

"If she's no good, then why don't you leave her, then, Lucien?" Elias said. "If she's a lowlife, why don't you let me have her for myself? What do you need her for?"

"Punishment," Lucien said. "She'll pay for what she has done. Also, I've said you shouldn't question me. I do whatever I want to. Now get out of the way."

"No, Lucien," Elias said vehemently. "She's mine."

"You sure you want this, little brother?" Lucien teased. "I'm so not in your league. Come on now, get away."

He sounded conciliatory, almost playful, but Elias stood his ground. He readied himself for attack.

"You should leave, Lucien," Elias said. "Because I won't back down. Not now; not ever!"

"Okay, then," Lucien replied. "You asked for this."

And with this, Lucien ascended into the sky. His eyes shone with a reddish glow and when he bared his teeth, I could see fangs. He sped towards his brother and landed him a punch, sending him flying into a wall. The wall shattered, the debris covering Elias. But as Lucien moved towards him, Elias shot upwards ans moved towards his brother with such force that he knocked him to the floor.

The surprise had obviously taken Lucien by surprise as he did not expect his brother to recover so quickly. But he did not stay down for long. He was up on his feet. He spread his hands, revealing sharp claws on each hand. He moved towards his brother and grabbed him by the throat, driving his claws into his throat.

"I could kill you now, Elias," Lucien said, his voice sounding deeper than ordinary. "I could end you right here, right now. How dare you test me?!?!"

"You're nothing but a bully!" Elias managed to say, choking. "You're nothing but a fucking bully, and one day, you'll be dealt with."

"Dealt with?" Lucien said, laughing. "Dealt with by whom? No one, in all the kingdom, in all the world can stand my sheer power. Haven't you heard? Don't be stupid, brother. Who's going to stop me? You? Don't play yourself, Elias!"

He hurled him towards another wall, but this time Elias did not get up so quickly. Lucien, not done with him, moved towards him at such a slow, comfortable space and beginning dealing him blows on his face, even butting him on the head.

"This is a warning, Elias," Lucien said.

"Fuck you!" Elias said, spitting saliva mixed with blood on his face. "Fuck you, Lucien!"

Lucien wiped the saliva from his face. He grabbed Elias again and hurled him away, and this time, Elias landed very close to me. His face was battered and his body was slick with sweat. He looked terrible, and I had the urge to run my fingers through his white hair and stroke it, to soothe him from his pains. He and I locked eyes and I saw that he was defeated. Soon, Lucien came over the both of us.

"Aww, won't you look at yourselves," he mocked. "You look like the perfect couple. But I don't give a shit. Get up!"

He was talking to me, and I quickly got on my feet. He looked at me with a mixture of disgust and puzzlement. A small frown appeared on his brow.

"There is something about you," he said. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's there."