CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Damian's POV

Seeing Susanne come to the dining table was like a harbinger of death holding up its scythe to reap out life from one of its helpless victims, seeking that a meeting be called that she had some news up her sleeve, the ominous feeling seeping into my soul

Breakfast with Anya had turned into an all-out war as the people in the arena started to throw stones and anything they could lay their hands on, Anya stood still, her movements, ripples from the hits that landed on her, she held her pose, regality, holding an auto around her, Daemon came to her rescue, fending off as many missives he could, slashing any that he could the his hands could get to, his fangs bared, I join in the mix, stones pelting against my face.

"Sho should be killed at this moment." Someone shouted.

"Give us her head." Another echoed.

"Kill her." The most common as they continue firing at their target.

"This would get worse if we don't do something about it," I whispered to Daemon swiping at a pebble that was aimed at my face, he turned to look at Anya, and I joined to look at her, still still, almost like a statue if not for the ripples on her body when one of the things thrown manage to hit her and her constant flinching if it was hurtful.

"I don't know what to do." He replied in a whisper, returning his attention to the imbalanced crowd, I sighed, our dilemma was worse than I had anticipated.

"Enough!" I screamed, letting out a long howl, some of them backed down, quiet, but some still stood mighty, staring at me, expecting something to be done, Daemon looked at me, grabbing to the unfortunate attacker that had dared to come too close, grabbing him by the neck and sinking his fangs into the neck, ripping out the throat, the body falling to the ground as he grabbed his neck, the blood gurgling from the exposed neck, the stoning stopped on seeing the gruesome attack.

"The next one who comes close would experience a fate worse than this," Daemon said, fangs baring, his mouth stained with blood, the victim's body still spasms as his body tried to heal, I would align the feeling of being buried alive, hopefully, his brain would still be active by the time his neck was completely healed or it would be over for him. The crowd gave way after the incident, their attacks still, I took Anya to my room where she immediately spilled the tears she had painstakingly held back.

"That wasn't supposed to happen." She said, sobbing, I pull her into my arms, letting her spill her tears over me, my short wet with her cascading pain, she had held a false bravado all through the time we had told her everything would be alright, but with the creator of the poison right here to expose her secrets, it was good as over.

"It is not." I replied, still holding on to her, "What we need is a solution and if we keep trying to shelter you, the uproar and unrest in the clan would be too great to handle." I continued.

"What do you mean?" She asked, raising her head to stare at me, blinking back her tears.

"You know what I mean," I said unflinchingly.

"That's what I gave to go to prison?" The tears returned to her eyes as she said that.

"Yes." I answered resignedly, "With that way, there wouldn't be unwarranted attacks on your life and we can quell the people's uprising before it even starts." I tried to explain to her.

"Fine then." She answered, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"We would find a solution soon, ok?" I said to her, a smile on my face to cheer her, she nodded, straightening the creases on her clothes, and she resumed her regal position, the aura just brimming around her.

"Can we go now?" She asked after taking a deep breath, I nod at her, taking her by the arms until we were back to the common ground, the man whom Daemon had taken a chunk out of his throat had miraculously survived and was standing, his throat back in place as his skin tried to heal, I nodded at Daemon as I walked to the podium, taking a deep breath.

"Arrest the both of them." I said, "Anya and the witch." I continued my voice, almost a whisper, watching Daemon stare at me with hostility.

"What are you doing?" He mouthed, his shoulders raised in a shrug.

"The best for all of us." I mouthed back.

"You must be joking." He said and began to walk out of the common ground, I follow after him to explain things to him and as well not see as the guards placed the nerve bracelet on her to take her away, grumblings from the crowd towards the decision, I block my ears to their grumblings, already the first elder's older had been for them to be arrested. I sigh as I step out of the common ground, Daemon nowhere in sight.

"Daemon!" I called out, my voice traveling through the hallway and receiving no reply, I turned around to walk away when I noticed someone running towards me, "Daemon." I muttered, before trying to talk about the incident when his fist came right up my face, my neck loose as my legs left the floor, going headfirst into the hallway wall.

"What was that for?" I asked him, holding on to my jaw, still surprised by his attack.

"That's for you betraying Anya." He fumed, his fangs bared.

"I didn't betray her," I said, trying to defend myself from his accusation.

"Oh shut the fuck up." He growled at me, "I've always known you never really loved her." He continued, his tone showing he was very angry.

"I do care about her." I said, standing to my feet, "And what I was doing was what I considered best for all of us.

"The best for all of us, was letting her go to prison, even ordering for her arrest?" He asked angrily.

"Even if I hadn't done it, the first elder had already ordered for it," I said, walking close to him.

"It never mattered to you, never did." He said, shoving me away, "I'll find a way myself." He said, turning to stare at me angrily for a moment before leaving me alone to my own hurt, guilt, and humiliation, I cleaned the debris off my clothes, staring at the passersby that had dared to stand and watch.

"What are you all looking at?" I almost scream, seeing them scrambling away before I return to my sulking, walking dejectedly to my room.