THE EMPRESS LUNA

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Catriona had yielded the sword duel and Luna had emerged as the champion.

Luna turned her back on Catriona, her arms swung as she walked towards the exhilarated spectators and cheered as loud as they could.

She raised her sword with a beaming smile and waved enthusiastically, soaking the audience's attention.

She didn't know their whistles of appreciation could be heard over the thunderous claps and hoots.

They repeatedly chanted 'Empress' like she was a living goddess.

They roared out her name, hyping her up.

She backed away and curtsied with each step.

She was having too much fun engaging the crowd that she didn't notice that Catriona was behind her.

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THE VAMPIRE KING

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Apollyon noticed a lone man-at-arms who had jumped up and down sorrounded by the Feline King's envoy as if catching Catriona's attention.

She had sat up from the ground when she saw the man.

Apollyon narrowed his eyes, squinting at the man-at-arms with suspicion.

His gaze went back to Catriona who gave the man an imperceptible nod.

It was a small movement.

It wasn't that obvious but it sent shivers running down Apollyon's spine.

His heart had slowed then beat faster that he could hear the blood pumping in his ears.

He didn't have a good feeling about this.

Apollyon clenched his fists when Catriona peered at his wife beneath her lashes.

What was the message of the Feline King's man-at-arms to Catriona?

Was it a signal?

And for what?

Apollyon skimmed his gaze in the entire battle arena searching for King Panterra but he couldn't be found.

He had glanced around the battle arena in panic, searching for King Panterra.

What if he was planning for revenge—a surprise ambush?

The Feline Kingdom had been humiliated twice and King Panterra was a prideful man.

This was the reason why the Feline King had issued the sword duel in the first place.

He wasn't sure about King Panterra being a sore loser, though.

His Empress Luna was busy roaming the battle arena like she was a performer on a stage, busy showing off her prize.

Apollyon had assumed that her rolling swagger as she carried her heavy sword around betrayed weariness from the daytime activities of the Empress Coronation.

Luna had stepped backward as she curtsied like an opera singer after her concert.

She didn't notice Catriona as the leopard shapeshifter inconspicuously clutched her sword hilt just a couple of inches from her fingertips and got up.

Sunlight glinted off the lethal blade of her sword as she prepared to hurl it on his wife's defenseless back.

The "Sword of the Black Rose' had a rare mineral--black iron mixed with the blade--which can prevent quick regeneration of the cut body part—but only if it was decapitated—if not careful.

Nobody from the other Realms knew about this for the 'Sword of the Black Rose' were specifically made for sword duels in the Vampire Realm only to wound the enemy and not to cut.

Time slowed that Apollyon could count each sparkling speck of pollen drifting lazily in the air as the faeries dropped rose petals while the others blew their trumpets.

They flew above the battle arena, giving felicitations to the Empress' victory oblivious of Catriona's assassination attempts.

Apollyon turned his head left and right in panic, horrified to realize that not a single soul—not even a stranger--was going to stop Catriona.

The audience was busy staring at his Empress, captivated by her magnificent charms.

He had to warn Luna before Catriona could—

Apollyon's hand twitched for the sword which was in his dancing Empress' hands then went still.

He wanted to be an honorable man at the battle arena but he knew deep inside that he was willing to sacrifice anyone for his own Empress' safety.

Apollyon's Empress came first, no matter what.

He was too far from Catriona but he prayed that he would get her first before she could stab his wife at the back, impaling her heart from behind.

Apollyon's wife would be dead.

Apollyon saw a vision of his Empress' flashing right before his eyes.

The 'Sword of the Black Rose' penetrating through her ribcage and into her beating heart.

Her vampire blood ceaselessly seeping into the thirsty ground.

Her sweet smile, furious glares, and cute pout were frozen forever in a pale mask of death.

Her tall slender body stretched out in the coffin much as it had in her canopy bed at the ivory tower.

Apollyon's loud voice boomed throughout the battle arena as he screamed, "Luna! Behind you!"

Catriona drew back her arm as she held the sword.

The Vampire King sprang to his feet and teleported behind Catriona.

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THE EMPRESS LUNA

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Luna whirled with her blade at the right angle and slew Catriona in a slanting motion, cutting her from the left shoulder down to her right side of the stomach.

Eyes widening at what she had done, Luna covered her mouth when Catriona's blood sprayed to her face, her chest, and her entire front dress.

Luna was bathed in the feline shapeshifter's blood.

Luna froze in her place when she saw Apollyon behind Catriona, her husband's claws infiltrating Catriona's chest and clutching her still thumping heart.

It was the most horrible sight, seeing her enemy die in front of her in somebody else's hands.

The last thing she had seen was the look of hatred in Catriona's wide purple eyes full of shock and hatred before it turned into a cold glassy gaze.

Luna had watched how the life seeped out from her--her bright purple eyes growing dull--before Apollyon pulled his arm out of Catriona's body and threw her warm, bloody heart to the ground like it was nothing.

Catriona's lifeless form dropped to the ground along with the sword she had tried to use to kill Luna.

She stared at the dead body of the leopard shapeshifter, her stomach growling from the sight of blood flooding the ground, splattered on her husband's arm and on the front of her gown.