The day after Queen Shuriki married her chancellor, Rico and Gabe were assigned to to act as the leads of Isabel's personal guard detail. They'd been told to protect Isa at all times and to do whatever she demanded so long as her orders didn't go against Shuriki's own commands.

Isabel didn't have much to say about the matter. Or any say in it. The child was healing-albeit slowly, from what Shuriki had done the night she'd first returned to Avalor and took back the throne.

Isa herself seemed to have little or no memory of what'd happened. All she remembered was turning in for the evening and then hearing a strange tapping upon her balcony door. The girl had gotten up thinking the noise might be Luna or some other jaquin looking for a safe, dry place to wait out the upcoming storm, but it had been Shuriki. The rest was a blur.

Whatever the witch had done, it seemed that Isa was content to forget. Gabe quit asking after Isa had insisted she couldn't remember.

Shuriki insisted on caring for Isa while she recovered. This made Gabe uneasy. He'd lived in Avalor all his life. Not once had the witch cared for or about anyone or anything, except herself, of course. It was disconcerting.

He kept a close eye on the witch when she was around Isa. Not that he could've stopped her if she'd wanted to harm the princess. His sword was no match for a wand. He, Rico, and the rest of the royal guards watched her every move praying she'd let Isa be and not hurt the child.

One afternoon Gabe poked his head into Isa's room and what he saw shocked and nauseated him. The witch had curled up around the sleeping princess almost as if cuddling the young princess while they slept. Blood stained Isa's lips bright red. It looked as though Shuriki had bitten into her own wrist.

The wound, though closed, still seemed raw, as if it had just begun to heal. Had the witch really bit into her own wrist? Was she forcing Isa to drink her blood? Isa didn't have any injuries from what Gabe could see, so why would Shuriki, who'd never shown any sort of maternal instinct toward any living creature ever, suddenly become so protective of a child that wasn't even her own? And one sired by her eldest enemy no less? It made no sense.

Rico joined him in the doorway. They exchanged worried looks. What in the name of Maru was going on?

"Do you think the rumors are true?" Villalobos asked quietly after they returned to their posts at Isa's door.

"I don't know," Gabe admitted. "Shuriki's actions match some of the stories we've been told, but none I've heard mention a vampiresa being capable of maternal instinct or genuine romantic affection."

"She could be faking to make herself look better in the eyes of the people."

"Yeah, but why even bother pretending? Everyone in Avalor already knows how she really is."

Shuriki yanked the door open to scowl at them. "I can hear you." She folded her arms and continued to glare. "Has it ever occured to either of you that I might not actually be the cruel dictator your people make me out to be? Contrary to popular belief, I am a living, breathing person. I have feelings."

Gabe frowned. "You kill people."

"I have reasons for doing so," Shuriki replied, giving the nails of one hand a nonchalant once over.

Gabe's frown only deepened. "What are you?"

There it was. The one question that everyone was too afraid to ask.

Shuriki bristled. "I am Avalor's queen, and those who dare to stand against me will suffer fates far worse than death at my hands. You'd do well to remember that in the future, Lieutenant Nuñez."

She spat his rank as of the position itself was meant to be an insult, like the very word alone had left an unsavory taste in her mouth.

Rico stood frozen in place terrified Gabe would retaliate and end up getting them both killed. Much to his credit, Gabe was smarter than others realized. He hit one knee and bowed his head, apologized to the witch, and tried to reassure her that he'd never meant to offend her with his inquiry or question her authority. They both knew it was a lie, an act to placate the witch, and keep them away from the executioner's block. It worked.

Shuriki's demeanor shifted. She allowed Nuñez to flatter her for a moment or so before telling them to get back to their post.

Shuriki paused to ensure everything was indeed to her liking, then turned, and went back into Isabel's apartment closing both doors behind her.

Rico lowered his voice to a whisper. "What are we going to do?"

"There's nothing we really can do," Gabe replied. "At least for now. We protect Isa. That's our job. She's the rightful heir."

Rico nodded in agreement.

Esteban was in his office looking over the accounts when Shuriki seemingly appeared right out of nowhere beside his desk. He yelped, but his fear quickly turned to irritation, and he slammed his fist on his desk hard enough to rattle the contents on top and inside the drawers.

"Will you stop doing that?"

"I didn't mean to sneak up on you, Esteban. I'll make sure your guards inform you of my arrival next time."

"Please do. I'm too old for you to just pop up like that. I could have a heart attack then what?"

Shuriki reached over and ran her fingers through his hair. "We can't have that. I'd be a widow, Isabel will have lost her only remaining cousin, and Avalor would be without a chancellor. We can't allow that...now can we, husband?"

Esteban tried not to shiver or step away when she traced the curve of his jawline with her fingertip.

"Certainly not."

It had been over a month since their wedding, yet they still hadn't "sealed the deal" as Shuriki called it.

Esteban was torn. Part of him feared the consummation. The other still held a glimmer of desire for the woman he'd met so long ago.

I must be sick in the head to still love her despite all the things she's said and done," he thought. What is wrong with me?

"You need to eat," Shuriki said as if reading his mind.

Esteban tensed. No. Surely she couldn't do that. The power to read minds was an ability that even the greatest master sorcerers had failed to achieve. He didn't believe Shuriki was an exception to this rule. She had talent, but such a feat was still far beyond her capabilities.

Esteban fought the sudden urge to sigh in relief. Thank the spirit tree for small mercies.

Esteban was so lost in his own thoughts he failed to see how close Shuriki was to him until he felt her lips on his pulse. He started to panic and retreat, but she dug her almond shaped nails so deep in his shoulders he swore they scraped bone.

"Don't..." she warned.

He stood stock still as the witch trailed kisses along his jaw and gently nuzzled his quickened pulse before burying her face in the crook of his neck. He heard a soft, contented sigh escape her lips and wondered why she was even showing him such affection.

After she'd become queen the first time, Shuriki had stopped showing any sort of love or affection. It had upset and hurt Esteban at first, but he'd grown used to her cold demeanor over the following four decades. Now here she was, being affectionate to him again-something he had once hoped and yearned for, and all Esteban could think about was was how to distance himself from her.

Shuriki cupped his face and made him look her in the eye. "You will come to me, Esteban. If the love that you once had for me hasn't turned to loathing or resentment by now then it's still there. I want it. I want you. And I'll have you. One way or another."

She kissed him and left his office. After several failed tries, Esteban succeeded in swallowing the lump of emotion in his throat.

There was no doubt Shuriki would make good on her threats. She'd done so in the past multiple times. Esteban kept telling himself that he had no choice. He had to go through with the consummation.

The witch wouldn't have any reason to harm his cousin as long as he gave her what she wanted. His body for Isa's life. It was a fair trade, one he was willing to make.