The Hanged Man (Work In Progress)

Chapter Three


Our battle was endless. We were well matched opponents in our abilities, cunning and execution of our fighting skill. I feared I would never win and would spend the rest of eternity locked in this prison fighting for my life. We fought like street dogs. My right fist made heavy contact with the demon's jaw and my left punched his stomach hard. He flew up and backwards to land on his back in the snow. He was jumping to his feet before I could follow him and running relentlessly towards me with murderous intent in his eyes. We locked horns once more.

'Nathan,' the angry female voice cracked through the air like a whip.

Startled, we ceased our struggling. The demon stared at me for a moment mimicking my own confusion in his features and then his eyes widened with joy. It was the first time I had witnessed the vulnerability of his feeling. I felt Juliet's presence wrap around and warm my body in the cold air. I briefly closed my eyes savouring the delicious moment as our minds touched and the pain of absence ceased.

The demon let go of his tight grip on my arms and I followed suit. We turned to face our Queen to see her standing a small distance away from us on top of a bridge. The bridge straddled a narrow frozen over river. Her small hourglass figure was taut and indignant with annoyance at our conduct.

'We must not let her leave,' the demon urged in a low voice. 'We must postpone our fight until we have secured our connection to her mind once again. I cannot bear this pain of loss any longer. And we must know of the danger that surrounds her on the ship,' he instructed.

I glared at him.

'I will not let you hurt her.' I turned back to gaze upon Juliet as I spoke. 'But I agree to your plan,' I informed him. I began to walk towards the bridge shaking the snow from my hair and clothes. He agreed and separated from me to walk upon the ice to gain access to the other side of the bridge.

Juliet's eyes widened as she watched us approach her from both sides. I fancied I saw alarm in them as the demon and I worked together to trap her where she stood. I was glad of it. It was time our Queen learnt that she could not escape me.

I slowed my pace after mounting the crumbling stone structure the same time as the demon behind her. Juliet moved her head back and forth from the demon to myself to gauge our progress towards her.

'Nathan, stop this. You will not keep me here. I only came to bring you to your senses. You make me fear for your safety. I cannot believe this is the way you have chosen to face . . .' She turned to look towards my other half as he came up behind her a deadly smile curling his lips that heightened the dark brooding menace in his eyes. 'Your demon,' she finished with regal haughtiness.

She raised her chin defiantly at me despite the coldness of fear entering her eyes. I found my own eyes narrowing darkly dismayed by her continued resistance to my possession. How long would she continue to taunt me with her absence? Did she not have a heart for my feelings?

I stopped as she turned back to face me full on. No doubt deciding it was better to reason with my human half. That was her first mistake. The human and demon within my soul were united in our endeavour to keep her by our side. I watched with approval as the demon wound his arm around her small waist trapping her arms by her sides and pulled her backwards towards him making her his prisoner. I stood firm.

'Nathan, are you going to allow this?' she demanded in a fragile voice as the demon's seductively trailed his fingertips over the delicate paleness of her throat and lightly over the embroidered lace and pearls that adorned the top of the sky blue damask gown just before it moulded perfectly over her young pert breasts concealed within her bodice. Her chest heaved with agitation from the tempest of desire and fear that consumed her within.

The demon pressed his face against the rich silky texture of her hair piled elegantly on top of her head and richly entwined with small pearls, inhaling her intoxicating scent. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again as though swooning with the simple action.

'You will not leave us, Juliet. You are trapped here with us now,' he whispered brushing his lips against the skin of her neck. I walked forward and cupped her face in my hand lifting it to me as she struggled against it. I caught her lips against mine silencing her protests whilst the demon cast his lips over her neck and stroked the tip of her breast as we assisted each other in our pleasurable assault upon her.

'I won't have you like this, Nathan. It's madness. If you desire to possess me as you say then you will make yourself whole. . .'

Her whispered sentence against my lips was interrupted by the calling of a male voice. It was one I recognised. My eyes narrowed at her and I heard her cry out as the demon savagely tightened his grip upon her waist and breast.

Angered, I caught her slender throat in my hand and squeezed.

'You would betray me, with him? A lycan?' I snapped demanding an answer. My jealousy burned hotly as I glanced over the bridge to see the lycan, Richard making his way towards us across the field calling to Juliet.

'You mean just as you betrayed me with the witch?' her tone was as sharp as a blade cutting through sinew.

I glared at her.

'I have not betrayed you, Nathan. That has never been my desire.'

'Then why is he here in your mind?' I demanded squeezing a little harder and forcing her to strain her head upwards.

'I don't know. Let go, you are hurting me. Perhaps Marcus, has sent him. Ever since I brushed his mind he has used his connection to keep a protective watchful eye over me. I assure you I would never betray your love for me. Let me go, sir, or you shall never have me.'

I leaned in close and hissed, 'Mark my words, Juliet, if you even think of betraying me with this lycan . . .'

'I have no intention of betraying you Nathan,' she interrupted quickly. 'The lycans are my friends. They seek only to make my life a little more bearable after recent events . . .'

'Taking refuge with the lycans puts your life at risk. They are not adequate in providing you with protection from the knights and our enemies. They do not possess our gifts and psychic abilities. They are not fit to guard the Queen,' I argued forcefully as she shrank away from me and the firm grip I maintained upon her tender throat.

'I will no longer tolerate the wilful neglectful way you disregard your safety. If anything should happen to you I would tear this world apart,' I told her harshly.

The ferocity of my anger at such a happening shook my body and I found myself struggling to master it's energy. I looked down into Juliet's eyes and saw her fear of me. It brought me back to my senses and I fought to contain my temper and dampen the fire, softening my tone before I was lost in the blaze.

'I do not seek to rule your mind or your thoughts, Juliet, I only desire to keep you safe and if my methods are sometimes cruel then so be it. It is my role to protect you and I will not be deterred from it. I will not let you down again or disappoint our people with the death of the Queen they have waited so long for. I have seen what you plan for the unification of our people and the way you will tackle the problem of the slavers. You have much work ahead of you. I will not allow you take anymore risks. I will master your will with both my human and demon side until you capitulate.'

I pulled her by the throat towards me and shouted loudly, 'Do I make myself clear?'

She furiously nodded and then stared at me, a sudden curious relief in her eyes and something I did not expect to see after my cruel vicious treatment of her, love. Satisfied that she would no longer test my patience with her defiance I let her go. I pushed the remorse I now felt to the back of my mind. She had given me little option but to press my point and she would learn of my dominance as her mate and protector.

Juliet put a shaking hand to her throat and smoothed her fingertips down it. I wondered at how she could now move her hands when the demon had held her prisoner so tightly against him. She smiled as my eyes widened in disbelief. The demon was gone, vanished.

'I do confess, Nathan, it is such a relief to me that you are now whole again. It was becoming somewhat tiresome to have two of you quarrelling with me.'

I raised an eyebrow at her and smiled feeling the pleasure of my own relief as I stretched out my arms and looked down at myself wondering how and when the transformation had occurred.

'You have learned to incorporate both sides of your nature and use them to good effect, Lord Valancourt,' she said with humour. 'Although . . .' Her fingers briefly touched her throat again and rubbed at the gentle mark of red I had left upon it. 'I do wish you would learn to curb your enthusiasm for it a little more.'

I gave her a dark smile,' Then do not provoke it so hotly by flaunting your disregard for your safety with wilful disobedience, your majesty.'

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. 'Perhaps, I should question Richard on his take upon the matter.'

I turned quickly ready to take the lycan, Richard to task for daring to penetrate the mind of my mate without invitation. He stood at a small distance on the bridge poised for attack and then suddenly vanished. I heard Juliet giggle.

'You didn't really believe I would allow him into my mind, Nathan? Shame on you for doubting my loyalty to you. I do not trust the man,' Juliet informed me.

I swung back to her. 'This was all you, wasn't it?' I caught her face between my hands and laughed. 'You devised this. You knew the demon and I would act together and bind as one to keep you here. You are a beautiful, clever Queen and I love you.'

I lowered my lips and kissed her passionately feeling my joy rise high as she reciprocated with longing.

'Nathan, you must let me go. I cannot stay any longer.'

She lifted my hands from her face and held them brushing their backs with a kiss. She looked up and viewed me nervously.

'You must let me have the peace I crave . . . do not follow me to Italy. I will return to you . . .'

'No,' I told her firmly. 'Have you not listened to all that I have said? Do you continue to . . .'

'Please, Nathan, hush' she requested putting a finger to my lips to cease my speech.

'I have disregarded nothing that you have said to me. I understand the pain and distress I have caused you and I no longer question your command as my protector but I must have my time. I want peace to think and I am safe with Marcus.'

I caught her arm and pulled her to me. I spoke firmly.

'No. I am coming for you. Do not try to evade me because I will hunt you down and you will be lucky if I do not confine you to your room for an eternity, like a child when I catch up with you.'

'You will do no such thing. I have much to think about and plan for as Queen of Talus and I wish to deliberate alone for a while.'

'No, Juliet, and that is my final word. Do not raise the discussion again. I will not talk of it. I have seen your vision of the future that you hide from me. I will take no more chances.'

Her lips trembled and her eyes filled with water.

'You were not meant to see that.'

'I won't let it happen.'

'And I won't let you use something that may or may not happen to curtail my freedom and make me live in fear,' she challenged with a desperate voice.

I felt her frustration well inside me. I shook my head.

'I do not wish to curtail your freedom but we must be mindful of the threat. It is a cruel world that we live in. You must realise how dangerous life is for you, villainy seeks you at every corner because of your gender and your position in our race. You must accept that I cannot grant you the freedom you crave so much. I would be failing in my duty and in my love for you. It is just the way things are. I wish that it was not. Besides if you love me as you say you do you would not wish to be apart from me.'

'Do not use emotional bribery to twist me to your way of thinking. I just wish some time to myself. I believe it would be no hardship for you to respect my wishes and not treat me as a child.'

'It is out of the question. A knight from the elders pursues you and there is talk of Queen Victoria taking action against you.'

'Really?' she sounded disappointed.

'She does not wish for there to be two Queens in her realm. She will have to be made to understand that any action she takes against you will be met with force,' I dictated.

Juliet pulled her arm away from me and I stood quietly composed and unrelenting. She turned and began to march away from me in a flounce betraying the characteristic folly of her young age of eighteen. I could not help but smile even though I quietly sympathised with her unhappiness and wish for independence in her life. I was dismayed it was I that was charged with forbidding it.

'I will be on the next ship to Italy. Be careful and stay close to Marcus until I reach Venice. There is something coming, Juliet,' I called after her but she did not care to hear me.

I started after her as she began to walk towards the darkness that had suddenly appeared at the end of the bridge. But just before she stepped into it a black cloaked and hooded figure appeared unseen by Juliet and began to follow her. I picked up my pace disturbed by the figure calling out to Juliet in warning.

The dark stranger turned and revealed a face mostly stripped of flesh exposing bone and red and bloody muscle clinging to its human skeleton. Strips of melting skin hung in remnants from his features here and there and smoke effused from his monstrous face and permeated his cloak from inside out. It was as though the figure had been burnt in the fires of hell and it still raged inside him.

'Xavier,' I questioned with disbelief knowing that his burnt body was still locked in the dungeon of Marcus's castle. Could it be? Surely, it was not possible. Yet I felt the stranger had a connection to him. I inhaled the smell of burning flesh and sensed the ancient dark evil that surrounded the cloaked figure before issuing him with a challenge to show himself and state his intent. I was to be ignored and he turned to follow Juliet into the darkness. There was nothing I could do to help her as she coldly shut down her mind again to keep me out.