"Why are you doing this to me mother?" I asked her and she immediately dismissed my help who walked away without fuss.

She turned to me.

"What exactly do you mean Ashlyn?" She asked. She was being pretentious and I knew it.

"This mother. You cannot claim to be oblivious to what's happening. This forced marriage." I said to her in despair.

She walked closer to me. "Eli has confessed his feelings for you Ashlyn my darling. He'd love you and care for you." She said holding my face so sweetly and unable to see my pain or rather pretending no to.

"What about me mother? It takes two to tango. I do not love him and I never will." I said to her.

"You'd learn to. Love comes after marriage." She said. I took away her hands from my face.

"What happened to you mother?" I asked her with sadness in my voice. "I'm your only daughter yet you do not treat me like a prized possession. I'm your only replica and yet you throw me into the arms of a man not worthy of me." I said to her,anger etched in my tone.

"He is worthy of you. You should not be saying otherwise." She said staring at me. What was she trying to say? That I was lucky getting married to Eli and I was not worthy to be with him?

"You married father out of love mother. Why cannot I do the same?" I questioned her with pain in my heart and in my eyes.

She straightened her back and her expression was replaced with her stony look she always had on as the Lady of the Clutch. That's us vampires.

"Eli awaits you." She said and I knew that stated end of discussion as she walked away. I sighed and wiped a tear from my eyes. It was time to get this over with.

I walked out of my room and down the stairs and there was Eli standing by the foot of the stairs. He took my hand in his and placed a kiss on it.

"You still look as beautiful as the horizon in the sky." He said with smiles that did not reach his eyes. What a pretentious swine!

"Shall we get this melodramatic day over with?" I asked, speaking rudely to him.

His hand immediately squeezed my fragile one hard and I gasped. I felt my bones breaking. "Learn not to speak to me in such manner ever again." He said and I squirmed at the impact of his hand,tears stinging my eyes..

Just then,I heard a clearing of a voice. I turned to see Darius leaning on the wall. Eli followed the direction of my eyes and the moment he saw him,he let go of my hand. Darius installed fear in him. He turned on a fake smile.

He knew how much my brother cared for me. He knew it best not to anger him for my sake.

"Darius," he said charmingly. "I was just complementing your sister on her beautiful looks." He said,all full of smiles.

How much more of a chameleon could he be? I wondered rolling my eyes.

Darius raised a finger to stop him from going further. "Spare me the details," he said crudely as he walked closer to us.

Eli moved away to give us space or perhaps in fear of what Darius could do to him.

I shook my head at Darius. "I do not want to go." I muttered to him trying to hold back my tears.

He held my face lovingly. "Go Ash. But I promise you this will be your last outing with him. I'll ensure that." He promised.

"He tried to hurt me." I said objecting to what he wanted.

"Do not go against my wish Ash or do you not trust your brother anymore? Do you not believe in the brother and sister bond we share? Do you have a doubt that I cannot protect my own little sister?" He questioned with a little hurt on his eyes.

I placed a kiss on his forehead as I held his hand that held my face. I knew he'd do anything to protect me. This was now the time I was loving the fact that he was my brother. He was not like the rest of my brothers. He wanted to protect his little one and I was sure if there was two of us, he'd do the same thing for us.

He closed his eyes. "Go." He ordered and I obeyed.

Eli was standing at the door when I walked up to him. He offered his hand to act like the perfect gentleman in front of Darius but I walked right past him. I might be a weak vampire but my self respect mattered a lot to me. I walked towards the carriage and was helped into the carriage by one of the guard.

Yet again,I had become rude to him and only the good Lord knows if he would spare me.

"What did your brother say to you?" He asked me the moment he got into the carriage.

"You're a vampire Eli. It would not be a shock to me that you heard the conversation between my brother and I. You must know what he said." I said curtly to him. I met his dangerous glare.

"I asked a question Ashlyn and I am not fond of repeating them. Tell me or I force it out of you." He threatened.

I cowered a little bit but straightened up,chin lifted,face up ahead. I was not about to let this lowlife ridicule me.

"If you must know Eli,he promised to wipe off your existence from the face of the earth completely if you do anything to hurt me more." I said to him.

From the corners of my eyes,I did not miss the shudder that went through him as he looked out the window. I curved a smile. My brother was not one to be toiled with. Once he makes an utterance,he made them happen. He was a mean and silent killer.

It was not a lunch date but a scenario of disaster. He literally mocked me for being a spineless vampire. All he did was wanting to enhance his ego telling me what a favour he was doing for me. No one would want to be with a weak vampire. He made me understand that he was just getting married to me because of my father. I held myself strong and determined not to let this man see me cry.

"To hell with you." I spat at him and he grew angry. With one hand on my throat,he drove me to the wall.

I gasped as his hand tightened around my neck choking me.

He smiled cynically. "Need I ask where that your brother who thinks highly of himself and threatening to wipe off my existence is if I touch you?" He asked sneering at me. Tears gathered round my eyes. I was suffocating.

"Right here Eli." I heard the unmistakable voice of Darius.

"Turn around." Darius said again and I believed he was really there and I was not hearing things.

I saw a look of fear flash through Eli's eyes as he let go of me and I dropped to the floor.

He turned around to see Darius blazing eyes and in a speed like that of a lightning,Darius had him pinned on the wall.Never doubt a brother's love for his sister. I smirked

"What did you say about me Eli? What did you say?" Darius asked him in anger.

"Nothing Darius. I swear nothing." He said like the coward he was. His panicked voice almost made me laugh.

"He tried to kill me Darius,I swear he did and I promise I was good." I cried out to him.

Darius dealt him a hefty blow and his face fell sideways and when he angled his head back in position,blood had formulated round his teeth and he had blood coming out from his nostrils.

"It would take me nothing to drive a stake into this poor wretched heart of yours." Darius said to him.

"You would not dare." Eli finally said, finding his voice. He had the nerves to speak back at Darius.

In flashes, Darius dealt him several blows and he fell to the ground.

I held Darius. "Desist from disfiguring his face Darius. Remember the groom must look very charming for the wedding." I said to him.

He stared at me with a confused look and then he understood my sarcasm. He let go of Eli.

"I promise you Eli,I shall cut off any relationship you intend forming with my sister. As long as I am alive, you'd never get the opportunity to wed my sister and not to imagine bedding her. This is a vow a brother is making to his sister." He said in anger.

Heat crept my cheeks at his words 'bedding' and disgust crept my skin at the thought of Eli touching me. Never.

Darius held my hand. "Come now dear sister. We must prepare for tonight's feast." He said sweetly and I nodded walking alongside with him. Oh how I love this man! Not in the sense of romance but in the sense that he was my brother who had my back while others did not.

•

How did your date go my child?" Mother asked as we got closer to her. She had seen us walk in together and was full of smiles. Did she perhaps thought Darius came to pick up from Eli's?

I immediately forced a smile. "It was indeed a delightful afternoon." I said to her.

Her eyes brightened. "I'm so glad to hear that. You must have seen the qualities.." She stopped,her eyes narrowing. "What happened to your neck?" She asked with a frown.

I touched my neck. Eli's fingers must have been imprinted on my skin. "Like I said mother,it was a delightful afternoon." I said still using a sarcastic tone. I did not care that she noticed the scar. What was the point of noticing my physical scar and not my emotional one.

"Indeed it quite was and not only did Ash see the great qualities of a husband in Eli,I also did mother. I saw it all." Darius said to her also being sarcastic. She frowned at him. He had my hand again and brushed past her.

I turned back to look at her and she had a worried expression on her face. Getting into my bedroom, Darius closed the door.

"I believe you have a plan so I do not have to go through with this wedding." I said to him and he nodded.

"Do not worry your head little sister. It is my promise to you that you shall not marry Eli and I'll ensure it." He assured me and I went closer to him and hugged him. If it were not for him,my voice would never be heard in this family.

"I know you'd always protect me no matter what." I said, holding back my tears of joy.

He stroked me in a brotherly way. "Now you must prepare for father's feast and watch the drama unfold." He said as we pulled apart and I nodded and watched him leave.

I removed the pins in my hair wondering what my brother had in mind. I had no idea that tonight would change my life forever. Tonight, I'd take a new course in another direction.

At the struck of Nine,I walked down the stairs. The house was indeed beautified in various ways and explicitly exquisite. Such decorations that have not I seen for many years and it was all happening due to mother's watchful eyes.

The house was packed with people. Vampires,travelers,tourists but mostly vampires. The humans were desert for the occasion.

Some were seated while others stood and engaged in small talks. I still wondered what tonight's occasion was all about.

Soon,I saw father standing before everyone and as soon as he did,the whole gathering became as silent as a cemetery. That was the impacts father made around people and I believe he thought he could command such submission from the lycans.

He cleared his throat as he began to speak. "Tonight is a special night," he said and I paid no attention to him as I sought for my brother.

I found Otis beside a blonde. He looked bored of the occasion and I knew he could not wait to compel this lady,feast on her and commit fornication with her. He's my brother and I knew what most of his thoughts were.

At the other side was Josh sipping whiskey. I did not see Darius. I turned to go in search of him when father's voice stopped me.

"The official engagement of my daughter Ashlyn Ambrosia and Eli Manning." He said and I stopped moving. I was frozen on the spot.

I was terrified and horrified. They did not tell me about this. They knew if they did,I would have escaped. I would have been anywhere but here. I turned around and father's eyes met mine.

He smiled. "There she is." He said and the gathering turned to look at me and applauded.

Joshua had a smirk on his face as he raised his glass at me in form of a toast. A toast?! I almost shrieked. How could he be raising a toast to me at this crucial end point of my life?

"Come up here daughter." Father said,more of a command that I dared not disobey. Meekly like a lamb for sacrifice,I walked to where father was

"And you Eli,my son. Come up here." Father gestured to Eli who smiled radiantly. The wounds Darius inflicted on him was healing. Perks of being an hybrid. He walked towards us. His father had huge smiles plastered on his face. Now he'd be rubbing shoulders with the masters. How pathetic. Father smiled. I was sure he was glad. Not glad that I was getting married but glad he was getting rid of me in a flimsy excuse of a marriage.

He would need not bother about my well-being any longer. My inability to act like a vampire will be less of a problem to him. He was handing me out. Practically I was being sold to this pretentious pervert of a vampire

"Tonight I am glad to announce to y'all of this engagement that I am well pleased with. I'm sure with all the fatherly love in my heart that Eli will be a good husband to my Ashlyn." He said and the gathering applauded agai

Fatherly love? I scoffed. Fatherly love indeed He could not even see my pain or feel it. Worse,he was ignoring it

Where was Darius when I needed him the most?

I forced a smile as father held my hand. "Tonight,I give my blessings and join my daughter and Eli inna.

"Stop!" Darius voice echoed loudly as he interrupted father. Sweet relief washed over me. I've never felt this much glad to see my brother.

"What is the meaning of this Darius? In my presence?" Father said trying not to sound angry but he was. He was raging in fury and I was well pleased.

"Forgive my manners father but it is what it is." He said with a rude curtsey. Classic Darius.

"What is this insubordination Darius? And in the presence of my subjects?!" Father said and clearly this time,he showed his anger.

He felt downgraded by Darius actions. Darius bowed. "Pardon my manners again father,but I must interfere in this matter. The marriage shall not hold." He said,his eyes holding father's in that same steadfast tendency as his.

Darius turned to the gathering. "I'm about to reveal the truth about this man here and the fake love he pretends to have for my sister." He said and I saw Joshua rolling out the kinetograph. He was in this too? I wondered. Despite making it look like he did not give a damn about me getting married to Eli. Perhaps Darius forced him to do so.

Mother walked up to Darius. "What are you doing? You're embarrassing your father." She said to him through gritted teeth as she faked a smile across the gatherings who were staring at us in curiosity.

"If saving my sister from the clutches of this mad man,then embarrassment shall we all face." He said to her and she was forced to leave his side.

The kinetograph revealed the lunch date of Eli and I earlier today. It revealed the way he mishandled me and the people gasped. Heat rose to Eli cheeks and he knew he was in trouble.

"Do you think this man is worthy of my sister?" Darius asked directing the question at the gathering and they shook their head negatively.

"A man not respecting a woman deserves to remain unmarried." One of the women in the gathering said and the others nodded in agreement.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I was going to be free from this animal. Just then,I heard a loud crash outside and I wondered what was going on.

I believe a few people heard it too as they looked around. Father was oblivious to it. He was fuming with rage that his own son had defiled him. His own son had defended me. Was I not his daughter too? Why did he hate me so much not to even notice me or my feelings?

"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for this." He said defending Eli. He was defending a man who hurt his daughter! His own flesh and blood.

"Eli?" He said turning to him.

Eli nodded. "Yes there is." He said a bit shaken while his father looked quite horrified and terrified and disappointed at the same time.

"We do not need any explanation for this. It's final. My sister will not and shall never marry a spineless swine." Darius said in a voice that father often used. Then I realized his authority he got from him.

Father was about to speak when the sounds of gunshots echoed into the walls of the palace Everyone gasped in fright murmuring amongst themselves in despair.

A guard rushed into the palace. "What's going on?" Father demanded of him.

"The town is under siege. The lycanthropes are taking over." He said in a frightful voice.

"Darius!" Father called out despite Darius being close to him. "Fetch me my sword." He ordered. Joshua had already moved out of the house Ina a speed as fast as lightning.

Darius returned with father's sword and in a flash too,they were out.

"Come on now," Mother said pulling me away towards the stairs agitated.

As I followed her panicking, something broke through the window exploding everywhere and bringing out smoke. It was a smoke bomb.

Everyone was screaming and scampering away looking for where to hide. But there was no place to hide. Everywhere was smoky and I panicked. I had warn father about this and now the lycanthropes had taken us by surprise. What happened to the almighty barrier he set up?

I could barely see but I could hear the screams of the people. I wanted to see what was going on. I took my hand away from mother and searched my way towards the door.

"Ashlyn." Mother called in a panic voice but I ignored her.

I fell along the way on some people but I made it outside the door and started coughing,the effect of the smoke bomb taking a toll on me.

I raised up my head and saw how the lycans shifted into their forms and dealt harshly with the people who tried to fight back but they were like ants in the presence of the lycans.

With fire and silver flying around,I knew we stood no chance against these beasts.

I gasped as I saw Darius and Joshua thrown off by a lycan who had not shifted just by the flick of his hands. From his back,I could tell he was massively huge. I could not see him.

Father was fighting off some lycans with a lot of effort. These people were quicker and faster than we were.

I should be there,I should help my brother but what could I do? I was a weak vampire, spineless and unwitting. How could I take down these huge men. I watched as the town I've come to love rendered into dust.

The lycans have no empty threats as father had thought. They carried out exactly what the had in mind. Vulgar barbarians.

I looked away wracking in sobs. I looked back to see Darius still entangled in a fight with this powerful man including father. I could do nothing but I was not about to let my brother die.

"All you had to do was pay the rites but you did not heed to it." He said to father. His voice thundered into my ears. He was not speaking to me but his voice dangerous yet in a way felt silky to me.

Despite at the verge of losing everything,father was still egocentric

"A vampire never bows down to anyone. Not even his enemies." Father said.

"Then watch me take away everything you own including your family. Starting from him." The Lycan said and threw father far away from him and turned to attack Darius.

"No!" I screamed running towards them and immediately he turned around to my direction and I felt completely weak to my knees. One of his people grabbed me. He let go of Darius and moved closer to me. He made a sign with his finger and the Lycan let go of me.

His height towered against me and I gulped in fear. His demeanor was condescending and royalty I smelled all over him. His dark eyes danced around it's socket.

"Mate." His voice came out gruffly. I stared at him,shock and fear taking over me. I saw Joshua try to take him by surprise but was thrown off by an already shifted lycan.

The lycans gathered behind him and the whole pack surrounded I and my family.

"Take her." He ordered and turned to leave.

I gasped in shock. "That's impossible. I shall go nowhere." I said. He turned back,his eyes spitting fire and I shuddered. I believed he was not acquainted with being turned down.

"Would you rather die?" He asked and he meant it.

"I would rather die than go anywhere with you." I said having a boldness I did not believe I'll ever have despite quivering in fear.

He towered against me. "Then death you shall get." He said,his appearance commanded authority that one must succumbed to and I stared at him horrified. His pack raised up guns loaded with silver and I panicked.

He saw the horror on my face and a wicked smirk tugged a little at the corner of his lips.

"It will be more pleasurable to watch your family die before your eyes and this town burnt to ashes like it never existed and then your death shall follow." He said and his pack immediately turned to everyone and their daylight rings snatched from their finger.

"Take her," I heard father's shrill voice. "If she's what you want to end this. Take her away. Do whatever you want with her." He said and I turned towards him in shock.

Would he never get tired of trying to get rid of me? And to an enemy as great as this,he was willing to exchange me.

"See," he said with a smirk. "Your father is giving you away without much thoughts. Typical vampires." He scoffed and a frown creased on his face.

"Let them go." I pleaded falling down on my knees. He made his pack return the daylight rings and lowered himself to me and held my face hard and I felt agonizing pain. The silver guns were still pointed at everyone.

"Listen, I'll spare this whole town and your pathetic family only on the account that you return with me as my mistress." He said and I gasped.

'Take her." He commanded as he straightened up and walked away.