— Who are you, and what are you doing in my house? — My body shuddered when my father used his dominance on the wizard, who just ignored him and continued to walk towards me, his eyes fixed on me.
— My sweet Zoe, haven't you told your parents about me?
I was freezing from head to toe, cold, unresponsive. All my movements were paralyzed, I could barely breathe properly.
— Tell you what?— My mother stared at me, waiting for an answer from me. — Zoe, who is this witch?
She knew he was a black wizard, she was feeling it, just like Megan and I were.
— Come on, sweet Zoe. Tell her parents the truth.
My hatred for him only increased. My tongue was numb inside my mouth, I couldn't speak or respond, nothing was going through my head other than the contempt I felt for him.
Megan, noticing my inability to explain what was going on, stepped forward and answered for me:
— That bloody man is Zoe's mate. He's the one who killed Jony and Holly to force Zoe to agree to marry him.
— Thanks, half— blood, — the wizard said and buttoned up his suit, not caring what truth had come out or my parents finding out what he had done. He didn't care how my parents would react, the wizard didn't care. Had an ounce of fear or love for life itself.
— Did you find your mate?
— Did he kill Jony and Holly?
— To force you to marry him?
— By the moon! What's going to happen here? I'm sure heads will be chopped off, and I hope it's that damn wizard!
— Allow me to introduce myself, — the wizard spoke in a loud voice, drawing our attention. My name is Lucian Duncan, and yes, I am your sweet daughter's mate.
— Lucian Duncan, — my mother whispered as if she recognized his name and suddenly, her eyes flashed violet and what sounded like a roar escaped her lips. — Get away from my daughter and get out of my house, now!— she ordered her.
His magic spread through the air, the atmosphere heavy around us.
— You seem to know me, Arabella.
— My name is Hayley and yes, I know who you are, — he growled through clenched teeth, putting himself on the defensive.
How did Mom know him? Who is this man?
— I'm not going to walk away from Zoe, and no one can force me to. She belongs to me, Arabella.
Everything happened very fast, I just blinked and when I looked forward, my father had pushed Lucian hard and the wizard flew and hit the wall hard, but dad didn't wait a second and cornered him on the wall, with his claws on his neck. My heart missed a beat for some reason unknown to me.
— Jack!— My mother called him, but my father didn't listen to her, he just punched Lucian, followed by another and another and pinned him against the wall again, hitting his head.
— You will never touch a hair on Zoe's head.
It was the first time I saw my father that way, out of control I would say, but it was inevitable not to feel the relief go through my body to see how the Witcher was hurt. But to my misfortune, he opened a smile with his teeth covered in blood, which flowed from his bruised mouth.
That wasn't a good sign.
— I'll do a lot more than just touch her hair.
— Kill him!
— Don't kill him!
A voice screamed inside me, causing pain throughout my body, my head throbbed hard, and my eyes felt heavy.
I saw my father's gaze harden and his pupils dilate, at that moment I knew, Lucian was a dead wizard and I would be free again. His grip released his neck, and I held my breath as I saw his fist sink into Lucian's chest. Eyes.
— I wouldn't do that if I were you, — Lucian mumbled with no emotion on his face, it was as if he wasn't feeling my father's claws almost piercing his heart.
One simple move and he was a dead man!
— And why shouldn't I end your race now?— Your life is in my hands!
— Because if you kill me, another war will start with my people and your whole damned race will be ashes on earth.
I swallowed hard, my heart hammering hard in my chest. My palms were sweaty.
— You are no one to threaten me with, — my dad said, and Lucian spat the blood onto the floor and turned back to face my dad, something gleaming in his eyes.
— Tell him who I am, Arabella.— His eyes flicked to my mother. — Tell me what will happen if he kills me.
I stared at my mom, waiting for her answer, but only silence hung between us, a heavy silence.
— M—mom?— My voice shook as I called out to her.
And the look she gave me made my legs go weak.
— He is the heir.— His voice made my heart squeeze inside my chest. — He is heir to all of Kisa's magic, and that makes him the leader of the Labonair clan and all clans of the species. The Supreme Ruler of Witches.
— No, that's not true.— I shook my head, dissatisfied.
— If he dies at our hands, a war will be waged against us.
No, no, no. It couldn't be real, it was a nightmare. It had to be!
— We've already beaten Kisa's army, we'll beat him too, — Megan stated. — Kill him!
My dad glared at my mom, his gaze dropped to Megan and me, and he kept his fist in Lucian's chest, clutching his heart in his claws.
— Kisa's mistake was attacking alone.— He pressed his lips together. — I won't make the same mistake.
— You're not alone.— My mother spoke what was on my mind, only making my fear rise.
— It doesn't matter, — Megan screamed hysterically. — He killed Jony and Holly, he wants to destroy us.
Lucian made a noise of denial.
— We would be one family, Meg. Sweet Zoe and I...
— Shut the fuck up, you asshole!
— And the half— breed with the hybrid.
I saw my mother step back, and her hand went straight to her stomach, I took a step towards her, but she raised her hand, stopping me from going to help her.
— I'm fine, honey.— He tried to calm me down, but I saw the pain in his eyes, that wasn't a good sign.
— Hybrid?
— Your partner, Jason Labonair.
For the first time in my life, I saw Megan step back, saw the courage and determination in her eyes fade and her barriers crumble.
— No.— Her voice was nothing more than a whisper, her body slumped onto the couch. —You have ganged up against us, — she completed with contempt in her voice, her head snapped up, and her eyes filled with tears of rage. — I'll finish each one of you off without mercy, — she muttered under her breath in a promise.
— You're like a bitch who only barks and doesn't bite.
— I'm going to love torturing you and watching you cry out for mercy as I tear your throat out with my teeth.— Megan had the same red eyes as Dad's that were mine, they grew stronger and more intense with rage.
I looked at my mother, searching for a solution, an answer, but seeing the desperation and fear in her eyes, I knew I was lost. Lucian was a strong threat, a danger and killing him would be trouble, my father could not kill or that night would result in war. He knew it, my father knew that killing Lucian was shooting himself in the foot.
— I won't kill you today, — my dad said in a snarl, hate and anger flashing in his eyes, his chest rising and falling rapidly from his rapid breathing. — But you will never touch, Zoe.
With that said, he pulled the hand that was on Lucian's chest and walked away, the wizard nearly fell to the ground and pressed his hand to his wounded chest. His eyes were dark, black, something horrible to behold.
— It's my right, you can't stop me from having it, — he replied.
His blood dripped from my father's hand, dripped from his transformed claws, and fell to the floor.
— My daughter is not an object and much less your possession for you to have any power over her.
— Jackson Labonair, — Lucian muttered and stood up, his suit was covered in blood, the wound was big, but he didn't seem to care, he just approached my father without fearing the certain death that was facing him. — Do you really prefer your people to pay for their choices?
— Do you really think I'm going to hand my daughter over to a monster like you?— Never!
— Then you and all your people will pay dearly for your actions, Supreme.— He was getting irritated, I could feel his disquiet.
— Lucian, what will you gain by declaring war between the species?— We're at peace!— My mother tried to ease the tense atmosphere between us. — Why end it? It would only result in innocent blood being shed in vain.
— We were never at peace, Arabella, — he replied coldly. — Throughout these years, many species have banded together, rebelling and denying their own blood, planning the day of revenge against their lineage. It's only a matter of time before they attack.
— Then handing over Zoe would be for nothing, it would result in a war anyway, — Megan said after minutes of silence.
— I have control over them, — Lucian declared. — Both the witches, the rebels and Jason, they would obey my orders not to attack.
— But I would have to marry you.— My voice sounded bitter and his eyes fixed on me.
— Yes, my sweet Zoe, you would have to be mine.— The shadow of a creepy smile flitted across her face. — Everything has a price. A life so that hundreds more don't die, including the people you love. What do you think? It's fair! How far does your love for your family and people go?
Bastard! He was using the love I had for my family as a way to blackmail me into giving in.
— That's not going to happen — Dad snapped me out of my thoughts. — Get out of my house, Duncan, before I reconsider my decision and tear you to pieces right here.
— The proposal was made. — He looked at me. — Your daughter, in exchange for true peace between the clans. The choice is in your hands, who is worth more?
And as he always did, Lucian disappeared before my eyes, taking all my peace with him, at the same time that a loud cry escaped my mother's lips.
— Hayley?!! — My dad lunged forward, but my mom screamed again, doubling over in pain, and the lights in the house exploded. He didn't back down at all, he went to her and took her in his arms.
— Mother? What it was?
I saw your pants get wet.
— My water broke, — she said with wide eyes. — Aaron is coming!
— Holy crap!