Mara's POV
That was a threat. I knew one when it was staring me in the face. This vampire was lucky I was powerless.
I wished I had my powers which I would use in attacking him right now.
Of course I was powerless now so he could misbehave and threaten me like I was nothing. He was lucky I was powerless.
"My answer is no," I said. "I will not get mated with you. I will rather have myself hanged than go with you."
He straightened up with a disappointed look on his face.
"Then so be it," he said, snapping his fingers as the doors flung open, the same guards getting in. "Throw her in the silver cage. I've had enough of this."
"Is that all you can do?" I growled at him as the men grabbed my arms, dragging me out while I yelled at him.
I was led out of the room and down the halls.
***
Klaus's POV
I watched them walk out of the room as I punched a wall in anger.
"Did she just reject my proposal?" I asked myself before walking to the window to look out and see her being dragged out of the palace.
I was so mad I could not control my rage.
Other vampires would do anything to be with me. Male, female, it didn't matter what gender, they would kill to be my partner. But this woman had outrightly rejected me even when she was in no position to make demands. Who did she think she was?
Now I was really angry and ready to have her regret her actions.
I needed to have my mind distracted from the situation.
"Gary!" I yelled as my personal guard ran in.
"Yes master."
"Get some of the guards in the training hall. I need to release some smoke."
The man nodded as I brushed past him, going to my room to change into my training outfit.
When I was ready, I walked to the training hall of my grand castle, prepared to fight the loyal guards who had appeared before me.
My eyes darted from face to face, taking in their weak bodies as I knew if I took this fight seriously I would kill them.
"Is this it?" I asked Gary who nodded.
"These are one of the best in the coven."
I sighed. "If they are the best then we are finished. Why would these little guards be the best?"
"Should I bring new ones to…"
"No, no," I sighed. "I'll handle them. I'll need to use less than ten percent of my true power or I might kill them."
Gary ran out of the ring as I concentrated on sparring with the men who looked at me with their eyes ready for war.
The air crackled with tension as the guards, armed with their weapons, awaited my instructions.
It wasn't like I had anything to say but I knew all I wanted was a spar to get my mind off Mara and her case.
With a stern expression and piercing gaze, I addressed my guards, my voice booming with commanding depth.
"This is just a sparring battle. Nothing serious. Now let the fight begin. The twelve of you will attack me and I will try my best to not kill you."
They were skeptical at first until I waved for them to attack me which they did.
As the sparring commenced, I moved around with an eerie grace, my movements being calculated. I could see them before they would attack which made my moves easier.
I effortlessly dodged their strikes, my reflexes honed over centuries of combat. In a blur of swift motion, I disarmed one guard with a sharp kick which pushed him several feet into the air as I sent another sprawling to the ground with a powerful punch.
The guards, now taken aback by my speed and precision, quickly realized the gravity of the lesson.
I wasn't here to teach them anything but to relieve the stress I was having from being around Mara. That woman was driving me crazy the more I thought about her.
To even think she had said no to me was something I was still trying to figure out.
A guard rushed into me as I intended to teach them the harsh reality of their limitations and the importance of pushing beyond their limits. I decided to forget about Mara for a bit and focus on forging them into formidable warriors who could protect the coven with unyielding resolve.
With each passing moment, the guards' attacks got more aggressive as my attacks grew more intense, my strikes landing with brutal efficiency.
I demonstrated a ruthless finesse which I used in exploiting every opening and weakness in their defenses.
I could hear bones cracking as the sound of grunts and heavy breathing filled the training hall.
Though the guards fought valiantly, their efforts were futile against my superior strength, speed and skill.
The lesson to be taught was not only about physical prowess but also mental fortitude, something that even I needed to know if I was going to crack through Mara.
I pushed the guards to their limits, testing their ability to endure pain and maintain focus in the face of overwhelming odds. They were supposed to be the best anyway, this was not to be a huge problem.
As the spar continued, the guards, bruised and bloodied, began to grasp the essence of what I was trying to pass through to them. They recognized that they were very weak and they could see their shortcomings.
"Pathetic," I sighed as I saw them still determined to fight. With each strike they had endured, their resolve solidified, and their fighting spirit burning brighter, I still felt like they were nothing but twigs I could easily break.
Finally, as the session came to an end since I was getting bored, I stood before the fallen guards, my commanding presence filling the room.