Baby after One Night with the Prince

Tanya's POV.

Fear infects my insides as the three of them stand there with devilish glints in their eyes. Marco immediately releases a warning growl, and stands defensively to block me with his body, guarding me. I have to move slightly to the side to see past him.

It's Lily who speaks first, releasing a conniving giggle. "You're wanted dead Marco," her eyes shine with terrible mischief. "I knew it would be hard to get to you when you were still at the palace. But look! You delivered yourself right to our door instead," her gaze narrows. "How perfect."

I see Marco's shoulders tense, with only being able to see his back, I watch his muscles shift with each breath before finally hearing him speak. "Even if all three of you fight, you're still all no match for me," I doubt Marco is trying to bode them into combat, he's instead trying to ward them off, making them second guess trying to fight him. If Marco has to fight, he'll be pulled away from me.

But his warning does nothing, Eric launches himself at Marco, and the two Lycan Princes battle in their human forms, throwing blows and taking punches as they clash with terrible snarls and growls emitting from their human lips. But as expected, Marco has the upper hand, his taller frame and more muscular body have Eric at a disadvantage.

Seeing that Eric alone is no match for Marco, Dorian jumps in. They tag team, hitting Marco from either side. But Marco's reflexes are sharp and quick, he splits his focus between them, blocking and attacking each correspondingly. In the midst of this, I watch Lily's gaze grow more desperate and concerned. And soon she too jumps in to help.

The third member increases the workload for Marco, and whilst he's still able to maintain control over the situation, he's slowly growing overwhelmed, and is drawn further and further away from me. And yet still, the three cannot take him down.

Eric's gaze is hardened in anger and frustration. "Lily, we need to use the perfume!"

"No!" Dorian snaps. "It's still not ready yet! It's only a prototype with multiple defects!"

But Eric doesn't drop the topic whilst they continue to fight off Marco's blows. "We have to risk it! Marco is alone, this is the perfect time. If we let him retreat back to the kingdom of Mador it may take years before we get another opportune moment to attack him in the open like this!"

Despite his disapproval, Dorian eventually gives in to Eric's logic. Lily hastily takes out the bottle of perfume from her pocket and tosses it to Dorian. He then quickly sprays himself with it, and the concentration of black magic around him seems to get stronger, a thick black mist surrounding him, swirling with danger and animosity.

I notice Marco's steps falter slightly as his gaze shoots to Dorian, clearly trying to calculate and analyse this new strategy the three are using. But he's given little time to react, as Dorian erupts, and lets out a flurry of blows at Marco. The perfume seems to have increased his strength, and he darts and attacks in multiple combat combinations, that halt Marco's forward attack. Dorian moves with terrible grace and efficiency, as the black swirl follows his body and movements with deathly precision.

However, I begin to notice that Dorian's gaze every so often flickers to me. With Marco distracted I start to be left exposed. And I begin to wonder why Dorian is more focused on me than on his opponent. Till I realize his ploy. He's forcing Marco to move further and further away from me!

Suddenly Dorian's feet shift positions, and his form turns towards me. Marco then suddenly realizes his mistake. I can barely move. My body is so weak that I'm even unable to save myself. I feel myself almost surrender to whatever attack Doran has planned, and I close my eyes in fear and hopelessness.

Even with my eyes closed, I can feel the powerful black magic coming at me. Dorian must have used all power he had accumulated and delivered his strongest blow.

Till the blows never come.

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I open my eyes to see Marco's as he faces me. He cages me against the bed and wall with his strong arms leaving his back vulnerable to the onslaught from Dorian. My eyes well up in tears as his face flinches in hurt. The scent of blood is now prominent in the air and Marco is losing a lot of it.

Eventually, his injury is too much, and he collapses beside me, and passes out from his injury formed by the black magic. Exactly as he does so, Eric's eyes widen in surprise, somewhat puzzled that Marco has been taken down by them so easily. But then his breaths are fast and rapid as he comes to realize that he has in fact defeated Marco, finally. Dorian on the other hand also stares at his hands in surprise, twisting and turning them to study the black magic that swirls around them, before the mist eventually disappears.

Eric then lets out a malicious laugh, satisfied with the outcome. He then looks at me with a devilish smile and proceeds to laugh again before saying. "You know, we have no one else but you to thank Tanya. You helped us take him down. This is all your doing."

I cannot stop the tears that rush down my face as I huddle in my own shame and guilt, completely at a loss and mortified that I caused this. Marco would have still been safe if he hadn't come looking for me. I am the one that put him in danger.

As the three approach, I push myself to stand, wobbling slightly from weakness. But my willpower to protect Marco overrides everything else I feel. I push myself despite the pain and discomfort. I go to stand in front of him, willing to fight if it came to it. But I won't allow them to hurt him anymore before I die. I know my strength is weak now, but I will do all I can to protect Marco.

I stand in front of him, arms out wide as I block the rest of them from getting any closer. "Go away! Just leave us alone! You've already got what you wanted!" I plead in desperation.

Dorian slyly smiles at me. "Not quite yet little Tanya. I still need one more thing."

My gaze snaps to him, unsure of what more they could want.

"Marco must die. It's the only way our plans can go ahead. But you... you have a chance. If you want to live, you will live as our slave, making all the perfumes I will ever need. You will willingly do as I say and there will be no consequences. After all... you have inherited the Montenero family bloodline. You're still of some use to us," his head tilts eerily, gazing at me, curious to see my response.

My gaze flickers to the rest, and I notice Lily's frown. She's obviously not happy that I'm being kept alive. But she doesn't question or go against Dorian's decision. I guess that Dorian granted her sanctuary after she fled the capital, and therefore she must submit to his ruling, no matter how much she hates me.

Of course, that doesn't mean she can't continue to berate me with her malicious words, she grins at me and says. "I mean... you did abandon Marco five years ago for the money. We won't blame you if you choose to abandon him once again to save your own skin. He's going to die anyways. You might as well survive."

I'm still encased in fear, however, her words spark anger in my system. How dare she mention such events that were all but a lie. She used me against Marco for her own sick benefit. I snap from grief and pain, staring into her eyes fiercely. "If you didn't force me to leave Marco five years ago, I never would have left him. You threatened me! You lied to me. You gave me no choice, that you would only cure Marco's curse if I left. And I couldn't tell him the truth. How could you be so cruel?"

Course Lily didn't expect me to retaliate, but I ignore her hardened gaze as I continue speaking, now looking back down at Marco. "What I regret most in this life was leaving Maroc when he was at his lowest point, even when I thought it was for the best. I never should have left. But I won't make the same mistake twice. This time, I will never let him go, no matter what happens."

I brush the strands of his hair away from his face and smile at him. "I love Marco. With all my heart. I love you, Marco. And I'd rather die," my gaze snaps to Dorian. "Than live for eternity being your slave."

The trio don't truly know how to react to my refusal. But before any of us can say anything, I feel Marco's body twitch beneath me. And I look down in surprise and astonishment to see his eyes flutter open to look at me. He's smiling! I stare down at him in awe, but before I can say anything, he speaks through a light-hearted chuckle. "My beloved. Did you really think I was that weak?"