Her King

I watch Regina clean the blood off the dagger by wiping it across Carlos’s shirt and he holds his breath when she brings the dagger close to his neck.

“You are not doing right.” He glares at her, only for her to arch an unamused eyebrow at him. “You can’t kill us, we are the hunters.”

“You are not a hunter anymore, because now I am the huntress and you are just my prey.” A deadly smile is settled on her lips, as she raises his face with the tip of the dagger beneath his chin, “So if you don’t want the same fate as them.” She nods her head at the dead bodies sprawled on the floor as she places the dagger back in her belt’s buckle. “Then ask your men to handover those kids to us unharmed. The more time you take, the closer you get to your death.”

“Felix, search them and strip them of all their weapons.” She looks over her shoulder, glancing in Felix's direction, “And if they give you a hard time, then a little twist of the neck is all they need to make them compliant.”

From my peripheral view, I watch Ian placing his gun and the stake on the table while quietly talking with Felix, and from their expressions, I can say that both are enjoying this a little too much.

Ian has a good head on his shoulders, just like his father. Even his father was never into bloodshed and often the other elders labeled him a coward and shame to his bloodline. But he never cared about all those, but always did what was right.

“What is all this happening?” Carlos’s second son, Keith, demands angrily.

“Do I need to spell it out for you?” She walks to me and wrapping her arms around me, she nuzzles her face against my chest as she mumbles something about dealing with idiots, “In case you still haven’t understood, I would like to gladly inform you that we have taken you guys as hostages, and you will only be able to leave this building alive when you will handover our kids back to us. So, I suggest, all of you should make yourself comfortable as none of you are going anywhere for a while.”

I love how she is showing these elders that she is the one who holds power over them not the other way around. Not even in their wildest dream, they would have thought that my Queen would turn the table on them, and they will be at her mercy.

The other vampires present in the room are looking at Regina with respect, the same respect which they have for me. The hope which was flickering is now again getting strong that those kids will be reunited with their families. All this will be because of my crazy and dangerous Regina.

If I want I can handle these bastards in my way, but I choose to stay behind Regina allowing her to deal with them the way she wants. She needs to know that I am always going to support her. Also, everyone else needs to understand this, that Regina and I are not two different people, we are one. Her words hold the same power as mine and no one should consider her as my inferior because we are equals.

Running my finger on the side of her neck, I slightly smirk when she shivers when my thumb caresses her mark.

She let out a small sigh and lifts her head to meet my eyes with slightly puckered up lips, leaning down I peck her lips a few times which makes her smile... a real smile.

“You are going to get the bodies of those leeches.” He sneers, “You are underestimating us, woman. I will just do one call then you will realize with whom you have messed because you are outnumbered. Our hunters are already surrounding this building ready to eliminate you, they are just waiting for my call to take you down.”

If my arms were not occupied holding Regina I would have ripped his tongue for threatening her. But I can’t help the snarl that vibrates inside my chest because his words made me furious.

“Calm down, Atlas, the only person who can take me down is you.” She whispers looking at me with a teasing smile playing on her lips, as I shake my head at her in amusement while my earlier anger slightly dissipating.

“Things I do for you, darling.” She places a kiss above my heart, then she takes out her phone and sends a quick message to someone.

A moment later I sense some footsteps approaching and instinctually I hold her protectively against me, as Theo’s eyes the door warily.

The door opens revealing two men but what made me arch an eyebrow is when I found an unconscious hunter that they dragged inside.

“Now should we discuss, when this was a peaceful meeting why there were hunters hiding here and there around the building?” She glances at the elders they look like deer caught in headlights. I share a look with Theo slightly surprised how did she know about them. We were already aware that there are hunters surrounding the building, but I never told her this.

Maybe, we have slightly underestimated her.

I quietly chuckle hearing my beast’s amused voice.

“Piero, bring rest of them inside,” She orders the man, who was carrying the hunter over his shoulder.

“Yes, Miss.Michaels.” He carelessly throws the body on the floor and walks outside only to be returned with at least ten hunters who were held by nearly fifteen men which I am sure are Marco Russo’s men. Their expression must be calm but you can’t miss the fierceness behind their eyes, which are moving around, searching for any signs of danger. While their body is tensed and alert ready to remove any threat even before it surfaces.

On the other hand, I can’t stop myself from feeling pity for some of the hunters, as four of them look hardly above eighteen. These sick people never hesitate to put even young boys and girls in danger.

“You don’t have to worry, none of you will be harmed.” I walk to them and try to talk to them in a gentle tone because I can sense their fear and confusion. “Are you willingly working for them?”

When I saw the hesitation in their eyes, my doubt was confirmed that they were forced into this life.

“Not every one of us likes to shed blood, just like not every one of you is like your family,” Ian speaks as he stands beside me slipping his hands into his pocket. “You give your people choice to choose their life, the choice which we don’t have. We are trained to be hunters from the moment we start walking.” There is a hint of sadness in his voice, the same sadness which is present in other’s eyes which they are trying to conceal with a passive expression.