Chapter 11

At first light Daemon and Jaenelle were entering the coach that would take them back home. Wilhelmina came to say goodbye to her sister with hesitation. There was shame in that embrace. Sadi was cool and distant. Jaenelle dismissed the strained interaction as a result of her breakdown yesterday. She knew Daemon would blame Wilhelmina, even though he did not say a word. On the way back home, Jaenelle decided to make an unscheduled stop, much to the dislike of her husband.

The older woman stared at her with disbelief and pure hate. "How dare you come here? You do not know dignity. Was our absence too subtle for you to get the message? I am disappointed in you Queen". The look of disgust Alexandra gave her granddaughter was painful to watch Daemon was riding too close to the killing edge. Alexandra stepped back.

"Have you come to finish what you started years ago? I mean, you already broke me out of my jewel. You took everything from me. After you broke me, I could not held my court. I was forced to signed a decree and name Wilhelmina as the Queen of Chaillot. It was either that or nothing at all. How dare you come to Chaillot?"

"I wanted to give you one last chance to change your mind. Things have changed. I have changed". Jaenelle touched her belly lovingly. She expected Leiland and Alexandra to reconsider their stand.

Alexandra looked at her in horror. Then she stared at Sadi with repulsion. "You got her pregnant. You sick bastard. Have you lost your mind? I have seen this monster. She is not my granddaughter. She has hooves, claws and a horn in the name of Hell, this is an atrocity." She paused for a moment. "Why am I surprised? They call you The Sadist. I have seen what you can do. A woman can lose her mind for a lover like you. I've had a taste of that. Have you forgotten? I have not my ardent lover". She licked her lips and savored the memories.

She used craft to show Jaenelle images of all the things the Sadist did to her on her bed. The fury inside Daemon had taken a hold of him. Ice was all over the walls. His breathing was erratic. The temperature in the room had dropped in a nanosecond. The pain he saw in Jaenelle's eyes was unbearable. This is the moment he had feared. He felt unworthy of Witch. As a man, he had been ripped of everything he had to offer to her. How dare this bitch do that to him? All the power in the world could not undo the damage that those images created. Bile rose to his throat.

"You are a pervert who lusted after a child. You warmed my bed and ran after her. You are nothing but a filthy whore. You have been on every Queen's bed in almost every territory. You both disgust me with your filthy ways. Have you thought about what that child will look like? What a horror!" She yelled at them.

Instantly, Daemon sent a blast of Black power that threw Alexandra against the wall. Her skull was gushing blood. Ribs were broken. Leiland ran to aid her and Daemon was ready to blast her again. "No!" Jaenelle shouted in agony. Daemon stopped and shook his head, unable to understand his wife. She still cared for the bitches.

"Why do you defend them? They've done nothing for you, only made you suffer. I can't watch this anymore. They can't comprehend who you are. They're blinded by their ignorance and jealousy. Do you expect me to listen to this witch insult my child and my wife?"

Jaenelle turned to Leiland. "I tried to understand your indifference towards me. I blame it on Alexandra but I can no longer excuse your rejection. Did you not carry me inside your womb? I know what is to carry a child. I came here to tell you both that it ends here. That you failed Wilhelmina and I. Both were victims of your incapacity to protect your children. I suffered immensely by your side. No one has hurt me more than you two. I will never be like you. I will cherish and never fear my child. I won't be ashamed of who I am. I am only shamed of you. I suggest you find your mother a healer and soon. She will need it".

Jaenelle led the way to the coach. Daemon grabbed her hand and Jaenelle let go. His eyes widen with uncertainty. Would his Queen reject him after what she saw? After all, knowing something and seeing it with your own eyes is never the same. He was ashamed. Would she ask him to leave her bed? Tears strolled down his face. Jaenelle saw him and grabbed his face.

"Never feel ashamed in front of me Prince. You did what you had to do to survive and to find me. I know your heart and it belonged to me even before you knew I was coming. I came for you and I stayed for you. You are everything. Take me home darling, I just want to forget about everything in your arms. I need you".

For the first time since they arrived to Chaillot, he allowed himself to smile.

Several months passed and Jaenelle was getting restless. Without craft, Jaenelle could not descend to the abyss and see him. The arrival of her child would be soon. The Keep was turned upside down with Jaenelle's baby shower. Marian organized it there in order for Saetan and his wife ,Sylvia, to be present. As a guardian and with a demon-dead wife, he had retreated from the living world but remained in The Keep as the High Lord of Hell. The only thing keeping Jaenelle from complete happiness was Wilhelmina's absence.

"Witch-child, I can sense an incredibly strong psychic scent and power coming from your womb. Even more powerful than Daemon's when he was inside Tersa. This child will be incredibly gifted. The strongest male in the history of the Blood with abilities unknown to our kind, he is Other like you". Saetan commented fascinated.

"Father, that was to be expected. You did not sire any children with Cassandra. She was the last Witch that walked the realms before Jaenelle. Never before did the 2 strongest bloodlines in the history of the Blood had been combined. The bastard aimed high and delivered a bull's eye with his magical cock." Lucivar replied.

Everybody laughed. Only Lucivar could say things in such a bold way.

Everything worked out as planned. Lord Argon set Wilhelmina up. He wanted her ruling to fail. How did he know these things? How it is possible for this man to designed and systematically put a plan in place and achieved the expected results? Theran shook his head.

He looked down at the bed and studied the beautiful raven-haired, fair skin and blue-grey eyes woman lying peacefully on the bed. She was blissfully ignorant to what just happened. She is just as beautiful as the Queen he longed for a long time. His stomach twisted at the memories of all the times he made love to Wilhelmina. How many lies he said? He was a skilled hunter and lured his prey in.

Months ago she landed on the Mark's Building to engage in confidential negotiations to save her court. She was drawn to him. He was very attractive. Immediately she was seduced by his charming ways, an innocent by-stander to a merciless revenge. She was the key to Jaenelle Angelline. He was no match for Daemon but Wilhelmina would guarantee his victory. Lord Argon would take care of that arrogant bastard. It was too late now. What was done could not be undone.

He courted her, a lovely Queen in need of love. She loved her sister but felt inadequate in comparison to her. He broke down her walls and worked himself into her bed and heart. She had said those three words. I love you; three words that turned her into a dependent creäture of his touch. She trusted him. They were lovers and carried a clandestine affair. Now she wanted more and he knew the time had come to collect the debt.

With the help of Argon and his spells, she was forced to sign some compromising documents. The territory would be broke in no time. Theran had no choice. He signed his life over when he took on this vengeance. He knew that more than ever. He was a dead man. The only salvation would be Argon's victory.

Ironically, he had never felt any more alive than the time he spent in Wilhelmina's arms. He felt in love. This was a doom love, a love that grew of out hate. Her feelings for him overwhelmed him and somehow, she reached his dark heart. The tables turned and it was him who was suffering. He got dressed and left the room before sunrise like he did many nights before.

Days later the paperwork reached the Queen's residence. The Stewart of the Guard and the members of the First circle confronted her with the news. She did not believe them. There had to be an explanation for this. This was a blasphemy! She would never agree to those terms. It had to be an error or a conspiracy of some enemy. Someone must have found out about Theran and wanted to tear them apart. She had to see him