Zafira hissed as she felt the death of all her creatures. She knew that if they disappeared it was only a matter of time before she would have company. She looked at Lauri, who had tears running down her face, still staring at Zafira with every bit of pride that her husband had once had. She sneered down at her.
"You look like him. My Nathaniel." She said. Lauri let out a shuddering gasp, bracing herself for the next round of attacks. "There is nothing of your mother in you and yet you share her fate. You like her was taken away from your heaven," she smiled cruelly.
"Do you know that you are an abomination? Your mother was never even human. Has anyone told you what she was? Who she was?"
Lauri shuddered at the waves of hate that emanated off her. She could see how much hate-filled her captor. Zafira. Silently she screamed for help. For anyone to save her. Dorian, Terry, Simeon, Raphael. She'd even accept help from her Lord. Terry's father.
Zafira approached the chair making Lauri shrink back in her chair. Zafira gripped both of Lauri's wrists her nails dug into her skin like talons. Lauri screamed her voice drowning out into a wail as she cried out in pain. Zafira leaned in her lips an inch away from her ear. Lauri felt her smile against her cheek.
"Your mother was an angel. My husband stole her from her home. He sought to do an ancient ritual that would be able to take away her powers and make him all-powerful. But he was insane with lust. You see your mother was quite beautiful, ethereal even. He couldn't help himself. So he forced himself upon her again and again. She was able to escape before the ritual. When she escaped Nathaniel. My dearest was overthrown by his own brother. Banished."
"ZAFIRA!" Zafira turned around standing away from Lauri in shock. Dorian stood in the doorway, his eyes immediately going to Lauri, covered in blood, nearly stooped over in her chair. Dorian's eyes flashed. "What have you done? Lauri was never yours to punish!" Dorian said angrily.
"Who said I'm punishing her? My little obedient Dorian." Zafira said smiling cruelly. Dorian turned pale. Memories surfacing of blood-soaked carnage, darkness, and terror all of which was what Zafira and her husband Nathaniel were famous for during their reign. "I no longer need to be obedient to you. You are not mine to obey." Dorian said.
Zafira clucked. "Do you think separating your loyalties is so easy? As for the girl. She and her power is mine. You cannot have her." Dorian moved to the center of the room. "Neither can you," Dorian said. He stood feet apart and moved his hands so they were facing upwards fire and sparks flew out from his fingertips. Zafira cackled with delight. "Are you going to fight me for her? How interesting. The slave and the princess."
Lauri's eyes widened and she looked at both of them. "Dorian, no," she said weakly. Dorian gritted his teeth. "You will never touch her again." Dorian snarled, as sparks flew out of his fingertips. "You have to survive first!" Zafira snarled back, as she hurled a fireball at Dorian. Dorian ducked down swiping left an arc of electricity trailing behind him as he moved. Zafira went right cackling, and Dorian swung his foot out, landing a hard blow on her stomach, making her let out a rough breath as she staggered away from him in surprise.
"Looks like the servant has found claws. "she snarked. "Looks like the servant has been learning Krav Maga." Dorian span out. Moving his fists at her body. Zafira blocked the blows, making an up swipe, three of her fingers slashing his face.
"Dorian!" Lauri shrieked her eyes widening. Dorian took a couple of steps backward glancing at Lauri who was still tied up to the chair, bleeding from her neck and arms. Dorian glared at the dark witch. "Why are you doing all of this? For what purpose?"
"Power you fool!" Zafira said narrowing her eyes. "You never understood that, did you? Power is what runs this blood-soaked kingdom. And when I drain her, I will have all the power I need to take over the kingdom." Zafira said smiling cruelly.
"Too bad, you'll never get the chance," Dorian said throwing a dagger that landed right at the side of the chair, releasing the ropes from Lauri's frame. 'I know it hurts, but please help me. I can't do this without you.' Dorian thought desperately before he was blasted backward by Zafira.
"You aren't getting away from me that easily!" Zafira screamed throwing her hands in the air. "Who said anything about getting away?" Lauri spat, as she rose shakily putting a hand on the chair for balance, her hand brushing Dorian's dagger. She pulled it savagely out of the door and threw it at Zafira. The dagger embedded in her shoulder.
"You think you can hurt me, little girl." She sneered as she pulled the dagger out of her shoulder. "No. I think I can burn you." Lauri said. Raising a hand and squeezing her fingers down a spiral flame appearing above her fist creating a wall of flames that she pushed towards Zafira whose eyes widened at the sight before she was surrounded by fire, being consumed by the heat and hunger of the fire. Dorian hugged the edge of the wall backing away from the fire and turning to Lauri.
She breathed heavily. "Now that's what I call a witch-burning." She said before her eyes rolled up in her head and she fell forwards landing heavily on Dorian. Dorian caught her and swung her up in his arms. He looked at her, feeling immediately exhausted with the power he had used.
It had been centuries since he entered a witch's fight. "Thank you." He whispered softly, before he turned, leaving Zafira screaming behind him. As soon as he left the door of the cottage he immediately heard the thunder of hooves. Looking up he saw Raphael speeding into view, the rest of his army behind him.
"It was a trap," Dorian said. Raphael jumped down his horse and approached his eyes on Lauri. "Is she—"
"She will be."