CHAPTER THREE

It was a few hours before Amelia woke. She sat bolt up right. "Sonja!"

"She's dead, Amelia" Markus whispered from the darkness by the window. "Has been for hours."

"No!" Amelia got up and ran from the room. Markus followed. "He wouldn't!" She cried.

The guards stopped her at the door but Viktor came up at the same time. "Let her in. There is nothing left for her to interfere with."

Amelia ran in and Lucian looked up. Amelia knelt at Sonja charred remains. Gently running an hand down Sonja's cheek. The ashes rubbed away under her fingers. "No…How could you? Your own daughter…"

Viktor took a pendent from Sonja's neck and threw it across the room. It landed near Lucian. "I loved my daughter…but the vows she took with that animal," He pointed to Lucian, "were a betrayal of us all."

"She was with child, Viktor" Amelia yelled, turning to him. "You're grandchild."

"That…thing growing her womb was an abomination" Viktor hissed.

Amelia bowed her head and sobbed. Lucian looked up at the sky, a full moon appeared. He began to change. He broke free and charged at Viktor. Lucian slammed Viktor into the wall, scratched Amelia's shoulder as he shoved her from his path and grabbed the pendent from the floor. He let out a loud roar, before jumping out the window.

Amelia looked down at the cut…it bleed slight before closing. Viktor rose from the ground. "Hunt down that beast and slay him."

Amelia stood slowly. Markus glared daggers at Viktor but said nothing. "What of us, my lord" he said through gritted teeth.

"Get that girl out of my sight" Viktor yelled, pointing at Amelia.

Markus and the guards took a step towards her. She turned, scratching Viktor down his chest, her nail cut through fabric and flesh. "To remember your daughter by" she growled before storming from the room.

"The venomous serpent" Viktor said, running a hand down the now bleeding marks.

"It better than you deserve" Markus said, before he too, followed Amelia's lead and left.

Markus didn't know how much more he could take of this. He had created Viktor as a companion but he had taken everything. The only thing he had left was his life and Amelia. He walked slowly down the hall. He reached Amelia's room, he knocked. She appeared. "I'm sorry, Amelia"

Amelia nodded, and allowed him to walk past her. She closed the door. "I just can't believe he did it. Sonja was everything to him." She walked out onto her balcony. "His last remaining thing that connected him to his human life. His memories were wrapped up in her" She could see the moon bright. Markus followed her and stood behind her, watching her.

"He's not the man he was" Markus said, stroking her long black hair as she looked down over the railing. Without warning, she began to sob. A dark sob, of anger more than sorrow. She slid down the bars of the balcony and sobbed against them.

Markus knelt behind her. "Don't let it turn inward, Amelia. It'll tear you apart."

"It already has" she said, turning to him. She caught his lips in a passionate kiss. "Marry me. Today"

"Amelia, this isn't a good idea." Markus said before she pulled his lips back to her. "Viktor could call for either of us at anytime"

"Please" Amelia looked up at him. Her green eyes shining gently.

Markus knew he loved her. "Alright"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Markus woke the next evening with a start. It took him a moment to realize where he was and remember what had happened. He looked next him. Amelia was sleeping peacefully. Markus ran a hand down her arm. He remembered now, marrying her in secret during the day, while Viktor slept. She stirred and opened her eyes.

"I didn't mean to wake you, my love"

Amelia smiled. "It's fine." She sat up and leaned her head against his shoulder; her hair draping around him.

"We can't tell Viktor" he said, as he looked down at his ring finger.

Amelia looked down at her ring; it was a slightly smaller version of Markus'. It was the Corvinus crest. "I don't care if he knows"

Markus looked up at her. "I suppose he'll find out one way or another"

"If he doesn't know already" Amelia said, pulling Markus in for a kiss.