A/N: The trial begins!
Thanks for my reviewers!: saichick, Lady Talla-doe, sweetlover, Doni, LordxXxofxXxDorkness
Soundtrack: Rain by Klaypex
o-o-o-o-o
Last Time…
"Regardless of what happens, I'm here and always on your side. He's my brother, too." Priestess said, returning Isaac's soft smile.
"Thank you, Dovinity." Isaac said, not bothering to say anything more. He wasn't going to tell her about his relationship with Ezekiel just yet.
The pounding of a gavel was heard, signifying the start of the trial. The room fell into silence.
o-o-o-o-o
The silence in the room was overbearing and already Isaac could feel his nerves thinning. Priestess kept a hand on his arm, not holding on but simply sharing her strength with him, an action he welcomed.
"All rise."
Everyone stood as the Monsignors entered the room and took their seats. Isaac did his best not to glare at Monsignor Orelas when the man looked directly at him, distaste apparent in his eyes.
Everyone took their seats once more and waited in tense silence as Monsignor Orelas looked down at the man in the chair.
"The trial will begin now." The Monsignor said, his voice carrying throughout the chamber. Ezekiel didn't raise his head but Isaac knew there was a smirk on his face hidden beneath his hat.
"Remove his hat."
A guard stepped forward and took Ezekiel's hat from his head. A gasp echoed throughout the chamber as Ezekiel raised his head, grinning. The maroon cross tattooed on his head stood out in the harsh light. All of the Monsignors looked like they had seen a ghost, and in essence they had.
"Dear Lord…" One of the Monsignors whispered.
Whispers of 'Priest' and 'traitor' echoed in the room, and Ezekiel glanced around, smug smile fixed on his face. He was enjoying this way too much. Monsignor Orelas was the first to recover, clearing his throat.
"State your full name."
The room quieted immediately. After all, it wasn't often that you got to hear a Priest's real name. Ezekiel set his eyes on the Monsignors once more, staring them down before answering.
"Ezekiel Raphael Monclair." His deep voice thundered in the room, sending chills down Isaac's spine. He had gotten so accustomed to the way Ezekiel spoke to him that he had forgotten just how much poisonous hatred the vampire's voice usually held.
"Do you know why you're here?" Monsignor Orelas spoke, folding his hands in front of him. Ezekiel cocked his head.
"I will when you tell me." He said. Isaac easily found the tone of his voice mocking, but the Monsignors did not.
"You are before this council to discuss the issue of your betrayal and attack on the Church and this City." Monsignor Chamberlain answered. Ezekiel raised an eyebrow.
"Attack?" The Monsignors didn't reply.
"How could I have possibly have attacked you when I've been locked up in a cell for the past few months?" Ezekiel asked.
"Sources indicate that months ago you attempted to infiltrate this very city. The wreckage of your demolished train outside the walls is evidence of that." Monsignor Orelas answered, avoiding eye contact with Isaac at all costs. Murmurs ran through the room. Ezekiel's grin changed to one of malice and Isaac pleaded silently against what he knew Ezekiel was going to say next.
"You mean the one that previously held my vampire army?"
A dead silence fell over the room once more. Vampires were not a subject lightly discussed, and to hear that they had almost gotten inside the Cities shocked the citizens sitting in on the trial. Monsignor Orelas looked affronted but recovered quickly when Ezekiel spoke again.
"You got nothin' to worry about. They all got destroyed in the blast."
"Explain to us how you not only escaped the explosion unscathed but also got inside the City." Monsignor Chamberlain spoke up. Ezekiel swept his gaze over the timid Monsignor before replying.
"Unscathed? Are you kiddin' me? I was burnt to all Hell. I've just had time to heal." He said, his words biting. Isaac was surprised at how honest he was being. Ezekiel's playful smirk returned as he locked eyes with Monsignor Orelas once more.
"How I got in here is none of your business."
Ezekiel grunted when he was struck across the face with the butt of a gun. His head snapped sideways with the impact. Isaac felt rage surge through him and started to stand, but a firm hand on his arm stopped him. He glanced down to see Priestess shaking her head discreetly. With a quiet snarl he sat back down, gripping his knees so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Ezekiel didn't move his head for a moment, but when he finally looked back at the Monsignors before him, he was smiling. He chuckled, the blood drizzling from his mouth and forehead making him looking all the more threatening. Isaac took deep breaths through his nose to keep himself calm while Ezekiel looked more amused than anything.
"I ask you again. How did you get within the City walls?" Monsignor Orelas said. Ezekiel cocked his head, looking as smug as a child that had just won an argument with their teacher.
"The same way as everyone else, I came in the front door."
When the guard moved this time, Ezekiel was ready. The guard cranked the gun back and Ezekiel shifted all of his weight to the left, lifting the chair on two legs and spinning it, kicking the man's legs out from under him. The other two guards leapt forward but stopped when Monsignor Orelas held up his hand.
"Enough."
Ezekiel continued to smile at him as the guards turned his chair back around to face the Monsignors' viewing stand. The guards didn't step away from him but instead cocked and aimed their guns at his temples, not taking any chances.
"One last chance; how did you get inside this City?" Monsignor Orelas said softly, and Ezekiel easily caught the threat hidden within his words. He leaned forward in the chair, matching the older man's stony stare.
"Let me tell you somethin'. You can sit there and question and threaten me all you want. I ain't tellin' you a damn thing."
"We have ways of making you talk." Monsignor Chamberlain said. Ezekiel spared the man a glance before laughing long and hard.
"You can't make me do anything. Hell, you could drag me outside and leave me in the sun, and the most you'd hear outta me would be 'thank you' because it's fuckin' cold in this room."
Numerous gasps were heard at Ezekiel's use of such strong profanity and Isaac saw Monsignor Orelas' eye twitch. Ezekiel sat back in his chair with a grin on his face, daring the Monsignors with his eyes. Monsignor Orelas narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.
"Given what has been said here, how do you plead?"
Ezekiel chuckled, extremely amused, and looked away shaking his head.
"Repent and ask God for forgiveness and perhaps we will forgo the execution."
All signs of amusement faded from Ezekiel's face and his eyes turned an angry shade of neon yellow. The guards shifted their weight nervously. Isaac tensed, ready to jump down calm Ezekiel if needed.
Everyone waited in tense silence for the vampire to speak. After a moment of Ezekiel glaring angrily at the Monsignors, they started to get nervous. He hadn't so much as twitched since Monsignor Orelas had last spoken.
When he finally opened his mouth, the Monsignors leaned forward.
Ezekiel spat on the ground in front of him and then looked back up at the Monsignors, raw hatred shining in his neon eyes. More gasps came from the crowd and Monsignor Orelas glared.
"Execution it is. Get him out of my sight."
The guards undid the restraints on Ezekiel's chair and replaced them with portable restraints. Ezekiel smiled devilishly at the Monsignors as the guards hoisted him out of the chair and forced him to walk.
Isaac sat numbly in his seat, staring into oblivion.
Ezekiel was going to be executed.
Isaac felt like he was having a heart attack. His chest was constricting painfully and he couldn't breathe.
Ezekiel was going to be executed.
Time slowed down as Isaac slowly shifted his vision to the vampire below.
Priestess touched his shoulder but he didn't respond as he stood and walked down the stairs, following the guards out the door and back to the prison.
o-o-o-o-o
A/N: I hope I got the tense atmosphere right for this chapter. O_o
Leave me a review and let me know! This story has a while to go yet so don't think this is the end. ;D