-Amunet-

''Two days! I leave town for two days and wench manages to fund a gala and exhibit her designs!!! How? How did she do it!'' I bawl out. ''Arrrggggghhh!!!'' How, how does she end up finding ways to one up me?

This is the second time she's done it, first she managed to turn the tables on me at the fashion awards and now, even after I ruined her whole photo shoot she somehow found a way to host a gala and that too in two days.

Estaban who was lurking in the shadows of my study steps out. His hands crossed behind his back as he opens his mouth to speak up.

''My queen, I'd like to believe that all this is because of her mate. Just think about it, he has been by her side since the fashion show and has helped her overcome every attack we throw at her. He's her strength.''

''Ahh yes, yes, yes of course. You're right Estaban. I've been blinded by my rage so much that I completely overlooked the Argent boy. He is her strength, her rock, her mate.''

I walk towards the large window of my study, overlooking the lush garden surrounding my property. ''I know what we have to do Estaban.''

''I think I know what you are about to say.''

''On three then,'' I face him, a smirk playing on lips.

3......2......1......

''We separate the both of them.''

''We kill him!!'' Estaban cries out.

I quirk my eyebrow. ''Okay, that did not go as expected. You want to kill an Alpha, Estaban?''

''My apologies, my queen. I thought that is what you were thinking as well.''

''Not to worry dear. Killing is part of the plan, but not yet, not right now. I was thinking of alienating the both of them, keep them away from each other,'' I pace around my study.

''What if we abduct Theo Argent?'' Estaban suggests. But looks away when I snap my head towards him.

''Hmmm, Go on.''

''We gather a large amount of wolfs-bane, corner him and inject him with it. We will need about fifteen vampires for that.''

''Maybe even more, Estaban. He is an alpha, the strongest one in Canada and most probably the whole of North America. He could crush Alpha's like Leo Grey in a matter of minutes. Fifteen vampires would be nothing against him.''

''You're telling me. He is so ripped; he could easily tear through five vampires without even putting much effort.''

''If you're done praising the boy, mind if we go back to plotting,'' I snap at him.

''Sorry, yes please.''

''First of all we need a very huge amount of wolfs-bane, putting him down won't be easy. We might have to sacrifice some of our own, Estaban. As calm as he looks, he won't come quietly.''

''I will have my best men on this and start working out the details of the plan,'' Estaban says.

''It must be an elaborate one, Estaban. I want no mistakes. We've played a lot of games with the wolves. It's now time to think big, no more sabotaging, no more mind games. This time we will inflict serious damage.''

''So, what happens once you have Athena alone. You'll just kill her?''

I stop my pacing, grab a bottle from the bar cart and pour myself and Estaban a drink. ''Laced with A-.'' I wink at him as I hand him the glass of scotch.

''Hmm, just as I like it. However, you didn't answer my question, Amunet,'' He stresses on my name.

I smirk at him through the rim of my glass before taking a sip. ''Four hundred years and yet every time you say my name, it rolls differently off your tongue.''

''Stop trying to change the subject. You're going to kill her, are you not?''

Estaban looks at me, his eyes holding the answer to the question he just asked. He knows me for a long time and yet he still wants me to say it out loud. Over the years we must have killed thousand people even more. Ripped their hearts out, separated their heads from their body, strangled them to death using their own intestines and so much more, yet he still asks me this.

''Of course I will, but it most certainly won't be an easy death, that I can guarantee. I will of course have to tell her the reason I'm killing her. I mean, come on, I'm not that heartless, am I?''

Estaban chokes on his scotch trying to stifle a laugh. ''That's an understatement.''

''I let it slip by. If it were someone else, their head would be rolling across the room by now.''

''Cool it with the death threats, Amunet. They don't bother me.'' He turns his back to me, pats the pillows and makes himself comfortable on one of the armchairs in my study. ''You are going to tell Athena that the reason you're killing her is because she killed Kovar?''

''Of course I am. She needs to know why I'm going to kill her.''

''But from what Stephanie had reported to us last year, Athena was not the only one who killed your brother. She had help from others too. I mean, of course Kovar was strong, that's why it took three of them to take him down.''

''They will pay too, Estaban. But Athena was the one who separated Kovar's head from his body while the other two held him down,'' I replay the memory Stephanie had telepathically shown me.

''I'm still unable to understand how he got involved with that blue eyed git. What was his name, Sylvester? Was it?'' Estaban says as he struggles to remember the name.

''Sebastian,'' I hiss out the name in anger. ''Sebastian Argent. First cousin to Theo Argent.''

''Ahh yes, Sebastian. Snakey dude he was. Out for revenge to usurp his brothers' title. Though he somehow managed to get the witches and vampires to work for him. He might have made a good alpha.''

''Kovar was a rebel, yes. He always did the opposite of what I told him to. How many times did I warn him not to get caught up in werewolf business? How many times? And yet he went and got himself involved with them and the witches.''

''You're making it sound like he had it coming,'' Estaban quirks an eyebrow at me.

''He always made bad choices, but he was still my brother. And the image of him getting his head separated from his body will forever be imprinted in my memory. That's why, I must kill Athena, she showed my brother no mercy, I'll extend the same to her.''

''Okay,'' Estaban slaps a hand on his thigh and gets up. ''I understand your sentiments. Allow me to leave and start devising on a plan to capture Alpha Theo Argent,'' He leaves the study and closes the door behind him quietly, leaving me to my thoughts.

I open the bottom drawer of my desk and remove the antique, wooden box. It has intricate ancient patterns carved on to it. I trace my fingers over the box before lifting the lid open. I lift the dagger that is cushioned on the soft red silk and examine it.

My fingers trace the perfectly carved 'K' on the hilt of the dagger and I'm taken back to the time when my parents caught Kovar sharpening this very dagger on my fathers' anvil. My mother was scared and wanted to take the dagger away from him, but my father stopped her and watched my brother with pride. 'That is a man right there', he would say in his gruff voice. Kovar has had this dagger ever since then and always kept it close to him.

It was the one thing Stephanie managed to bring back from the fight that look place at the witches' graveyard last year.

I hold the dagger by its hilt and throw it across the room. It lodges itself on the wall, right next to the portrait of Kovar and I.

''I will avenge you brother, I swear I will.''

I down my drink and stare at the portrait when my thoughts are interrupted by a series of shouts and shrieks from the opposite end of the mansion. Only one person can cause chaos in this place, Selene.

I flash towards the commotion and there lying motionless on the ground are two of my vampires. I had tasked them to guard Selene's room so that she doesn't do anything stupid, guess I was wrong. I lean downwards to take a closer look at them and its ghastly. There is blood seeping out from their ears and eyes, staining the ivory tiled floor.

''What have you done witch?!''

I look around the area for her but she is nowhere to be seen. I try picking up her scent but I get nothing.

''Estaban!!!!''

In less than a second, he is standing in front of me, his face contorted into one of worry. ''Yes, my queen.''

''Find her!!! And bring her to me alive. Go!!!''

He speeds away, while I scan her room to find anything. ''That bitch,'' I mutter under my breath. ''She cleaned out her whole room. She is going to escape!''

''Lilith!'' I call out to one of the female vampires in my coven. She was just about as old as I was and had been with me for the longest time. After Estaban, she was the only other person I trusted.

''What?'' a bored voice asks from behind me.

''I need a favor.''

''You want me to go get the witch children you brought from Morocco, don't you?'' She asks while looking at her nails.

''Yes.''

''Do I look like an errand girl to you, Amunet? Where is that raven haired lackey of yours, with the stormy grey eyes?''

''Estaban is scouring the mansion looking for Selene. So why don't you be a dear and get me the children.''

''Now, you see, when you ask me kindly, I actually like doing you favors,'' she smirks at me.

''Huh, is that what we're calling it now?''

''You and I both know that's exactly what it is. I'd told you before I agreed to join your coven, I will not be one of your lackeys and be at your beck and call 24/7.''

''I remember our arrangement very well, Lilith. But now is not the right time. We need to get to the children before the witch does. Let's go, I'll come with.''

''Now that's more like it. See, you can do these things too. No need to go around ordering everyone about, you know?''

''Oh come on, I'm the leader of this coven, the queen. That's what I'm supposed to do.''

''Pfft, you and I have very different definitions of what makes a queen, Amunet.''

''What's that supposed to mean?''

''A tale for another time. Why don't we go check up on those children?'' she dismisses me and speeds away.

I follow her to the dungeon like basement half expecting to find Selene there, trying to get the children out from their cells, but what I was not expecting was to see the children still locked in, safe and sound.

''Well that's that. She didn't come for the children. So much for protecting them,'' Lilith scoffs while I do a re-count to make sure all them are still here.

''Something is not right,'' I pose and look around the basement. ''She should have come here to rescue them. Unless-''

My gaze meets Lilith's who raises an eyebrow. ''Unless, that was not her plan at all. That clever witch. Come on.''

The two of us speed out of the basement and come to a stop in the grand hall. I catch of whiff of blood coming from the foyer. ''This way.''

The sight that stood before us made me stop in my tracks and almost trip over the body of one of my men. ''You've been there for less than a week and you've caused more trouble than anyone.'' I take a cautious step towards her, Lilith mirroring me from my right.

''I would not do that if I were you,'' Selene's sharp voice echoes the through the walls of the foyer as she comes into view.

Anger flares in me at her words. How dare she talk to me like that. ''You think you can stand in my house and threaten me!!! I will crush you like a bug, witch.''

''Amunet, stop. Look at her eyes, their pitch black. Think before you take your next step,'' Lilith whispers to me.

I stop in my tracks and look at Selene. Indeed, both of her eyes are black, one of her hands is raised in the air like she is about to summon something or someone.''

''You should listen to your friend,'' Selene's gaze lands on me. Though it was hard to tell, since her eyes were completely black.

''You were right about one thing though, tapping into dark magic sure does make me powerful. I can see why Celeste liked it,'' she says as an evil smirk plays on her lips.

''You were to come up with a permanent solution for Athena's condition. That's why I brought you here.''

''I may have tapped into dark magic like my sister, but I will not help you hurt Athena anymore.''

''She killed your sister, Selene! Her mate's father wiped out your whole coven. And you want to save her?''

''And they paid for that. Countless lives were lost, but no more. I will not let you cause any more damage to the packs.''

''Why the sudden care for them, huh? You think they will forgive you for what you did to Athena, do you?'' I question her, trying to get something out of her but she shuns me out.

''Maybe they will, maybe they won't. But I won't make the same mistake my sister did.''

''You're are already going down that path, Selene. You've have been tainted by dark magic and pretty soon it will consume you. Just like it did Celeste.''

''Not unless I can control it.''

''Oh honey, no,'' Lilith chuckles from beside me. ''Many have tried and failed before you. You think you're in control and before you know it, the darkness is controlling you.''

Selene's gaze snaps to Lilith and with a single wave of her hand, she tosses her to the nearest wall. She bounces off it like and ball and with a sickening crack falls to the ground. I look at the unconscious body of my friend and face the witch.

''What do you want?''

''I will walk out of here unharmed and don't you dare send any of your vampire minions after me. Trust me when I tell you this, I will know,'' she seethes in anger.

''So you're going to leave those children that you took care of for months here, in this mansion filled with vampires? With no one to protect them. Surely you're not that heartless, Selene.''

''Oh, but there is someone who will protect them while I'm gone.''

''And who might that be?'' I inquire.

''Why you of course,'' she smiles widely.

''Me! You think I will take care of those little people? I will have them killed the moment you step out of that door. How daft you do you think I am?''

She chuckles humorlessly and waves her finger in the air, like she was summoning something. My eyes follow her actions as a floating body appears from behind a wall. ''Would you like to say something or should I give you minute to recollect yourself?''

''Is that, is that Estaban?'' I gasp.

''It sure is. Now, here is the thing, you will do everything in your power to make sure no harm comes to those children. Because, whatever happens to them, happens to him.'' She points to Estaban's unconscious form floating midair. I could make out wisps of magic encircling him like a barrier, so that he could not be touched.

''You linked him to those kids.''

''Damn right I did.''

''But how? I had kept the kids away from you all through the journey here.''

''You really underestimated me, Amunet,'' she shakes her head. ''I had a drop of each of their blood stored with me in case something like this were to happen. I knew the wolves were looking for me, it was only a matter of time that they'd find me. But you did first.''

Damn it! I really did underestimate her. I couldn't let Estaban die. I try to come up with every possible outcome of the situation but fail to do so. The little witch bested me.

''Fine, I will let you walk away from here. But keep in mind, I will find someone to undo this and then I will hunt you down once again and present you with those children's hearts, mark my words.''

''You will do no such thing, vampire! See, I'm the only one who can break this spell. So there is nothing much you can do about it,'' she smirks at me and starts walking towards the front door.

''I will find you again and I will kill you Selene. I swear I will!!!'' I ball my fists in anger and shout at her.

''Not unless Athena kills you first,'' she looks over her shoulder and grins. ''A war is coming, Amunet. You best be ready for it.'' And with that she slams the mansion doors shut.

Her departure lifts the magic she had cast on the mansion and in a second all the vampires appear in the foyer. Some of them looking dazed and confused while others looking around for Selene. A grunt of pain is heard from the corner of the room as Lilith regains consciousness and stands up.

''What the hell just happened?''

''Selene escaped,'' I mutter quietly, even though every vampire in the room heard me.

''And you let her?!?! What were you thinking?'' Lilith yells at me.

''I was not, okay!! I was not thinking!'' I yell back. ''Look at what she has done.'' I point to Estaban's still form, which is now one ground after Selene's departure. The barrier was still on however as dark wisps of magic were circling around Estaban's legs, waist, chest and head.

''What is keeping him alive?'' Lilith asks, as she observes the swirls of magic.

''The children. Their life force is tied to his,'' I reply to her. ''They're all linked.''

''Listen here everybody.'' I turn to the remaining vampires, ''No one and I repeat, no one will harm those children. Not even a single drop of their blood should be spilled. Should I hear that the children have been harmed in any way, I will decapitate the one responsible for it. Am I clear?''

I hear murmurs of yes and others nodding in fear. ''That should be all. Somebody come forward and take Estaban to his room.''

Slowly they all disperse and Estaban is lifted to his room, where I will keep an eye on him. Lilith walks up to me and places her hand on my shoulder.

''What now, Amunet?''

I heave out a sigh and sit down on one of the couches. Lilith follows me and sits next to me, waiting for me to answer her. After a minute of silence, I look at her and shake my head.

''I don't know; I really don't know.''

''Do you know where she is headed?''

''I think I have a pretty good idea where.''

''So that's where we start then.''

***

I hope  this gives more clarity on why Amunet wants to kill Athena.

Slow claps to those of you who figured out beforehand that this whole thing started with the vampires short appearance in The Equal Claim. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Please vote and comment as usual.

-Jessica.S