Kelly had little understanding of what was happening. The viper headed dragon and the flaming doppelganger were nearly ready to do battle and it seemed as though their next movements were based upon Kelly's reaction.

"Whom do you choose?" The flaming Kelly asked, her eyes blazing with fury.

Standing beside the one hundred foot long dragon she looked diminutive.

"Choose?" Kelly asked, not understanding what the reason behind the choice would be.

"Yes!" The viper hissed, flicking out its blue forked tongue. "I-"

"We!" The flaming doppelganger corrected angrily. The draconic viper snapped its jaws baring long fangs at the female of fire.

"We, are the essences within you now." The viper hissed. "We are your destiny."

"Choose! Path of the Dragon? Or path of the Daemon." The flaming Kelly shouted.

Kelly looked from the massive draconic viper to the blazing charred daemon. Their eyes bore down upon her with all the pressure of a tidal wave. Threatening to drag her down to the depths of the ocean, drowning her in pressure that would collapse her very being.

"I...choose..."

*****

Maalceus could do little more than watch as more cracks formed along her skin. Like porcelain under pressure, her body was nearing the point of shattering. The color was slowly leaking from her body, like a corpse being set into the ground.

Maalceus nestled his head into the crook of her neck and shed his tears.

'This is my fault. I did this to you and for the rest of my life, I shall pay dearly for it.'

A knock at the door disrupted his thoughts.

"Be gone!" He snapped angrily.

The door slid open and Lucian walked in.

"How does she-" his words fell silent as his eyes looked upon her body. Cracked and flaking, she appeared far more dead than alive.

"If only she had not met me." Maalceus said. "If she had not come across my path, she would still be-"

"It is not your fault brother. There are risks to the transition." Lucian replied comfortingly.

"Look at me!" Maalceus snarled baring his six fangs. His orange and yellow eyes blazed like bright burning embers in a roaring fire. Lucian knew better than most what his eyes truly were. They were not the eyes of a dragon but a daemon.

Lucian knew well enough what lurked within his half brother's blood. His father had taken a risk keeping him within the palace but nonetheless, he was of his blood and that made him family.

*****

Joona opened the door for Melanie and Brandi who stepped up into the carriage but not before handing the driver a pastry of his own. The short unshaven man looked at Melanie with an expression of awe and confusion. He had never been offered any real thanks for his job other than money and a passing appreciation.

"Thank you M' Lady." He smiled and ate the pastry with a pure look of satisfaction.

As the carriage started moving, Melanie looked from Brandi to Joona who had removed her helmet again.

"Joona?" Melanie asked.

"Yes my lady?"

"May I ask you something or perhaps offer you a proposal?"

Brandi shot Melanie a surprised expression but the queen only smirked.

"If I were to offer you a different position? What would you say?"

Joona blushed, her gold cheeks growing pale in response.

"I would not know. I have never reviewed any promotional offers or changes in station since joining the guard." Joona replied honestly.

"I am going to be making frequent trips to the city, often I imagine and it seems as though I, along with my friends." She looked at Brandi. "Will most likely need an escort."

Joona's eyes widened as she understood the implications of what her queen was offering.

"Are you asking me-"

"Yes, would you be my personal guard? Lucian has two of his own and he has offered to split them but I know they would not like that." She smirked, remembering when she had walked in on them having sex in the hotel room. To Melanie, that seemed almost a lifetime ago already.

"I do not believe I am approved to work within the private aspects of royal guards my lady." Joona replied with a saddened tone. "Besides. What might the other royals think when you go around the city with a half-breed guard?"

"I approve you. As Queen of Vervania I order you to be my royal guard but, there is one condition." Melanie added with a wink. "You have to remove your helmet except in times when you are required to wear it."

Joona blushed and after a long moment she nodded. Joona was not sure what to think. Only the best of the guards were allowed to work within the private sector of the palace. Protecting royalty was the second highest ranking next to being a General or a commanding officer.

"How old are you Joona?" Brandi asked. "Honestly you don't look a day over thirty."

Joona burst out laughing which set both Brandi and Melanie back.

"Younger?" Brandi asked hesitantly.

"No-no." Joona chuckled enjoying their unsure expressions. "Far older."

Brandi looked at Melanie for assistance who shrugged in response.

"Forty? Forty-five?"

"I am nearing my one-hundreth year in two more." Joona answered.

The look of shock on their faces only renewed her laughter.

"You are ninety-eight?" Melanie asked.

"You look so young though."

"Elves do not age much. By the time I am in my fourth century I may look as a human does in their fifth decade."

"Lucky." Brandi huffed.

Both Melanie and Joona shared an amused expression before laughing softly.

*****

Lucian walked down the jade hallway and up the stairs that led to the black marble floor. Rivers of gold were etched along the walls and ceiling of the halls. Making his way down to his room, he walked into the door and over to his chest. The locked lid clicked open. The king of Vervania stepped down into the chest and decended the ladder.

The orbs at the ceiling lit up with a dark purple light that glistened off the leather furniture and metal equipment. Slipping out of his robe and pants he walked naked across his dungeon. His toned muscles rippled with every stride and his lean abdominal muscles flexed with every breath.

As he sat down in a tall black leather chair, he touched the bracelet on his wrist and breathed his intent into it.

'Your master requires your immediate attendance.' He thought at the bracelet, tapping into the connection he shared with his slave. His erection rose up when he felt her own connection meet his. Resting against the cold back of the seat, Lucian waited for his slave queen to arrive.

*****

"Are you sure my lady?" Joona asked for the third time.

"I am positive." Melanie smiled up at the nearly six foot tall half elven warrior. "I shall write up whatever documents need to be done in order to properly get you to your position."

"Thank you My lady. I can never repay you for the honor you have given me. Know that I will protect you with my life." Joona clamped a hand over her heart and bowed, one knee on the ground and head facing downward.

"Rise." Melanie replied.

Joona rose and started sliding her helmet back on but then paused and smiled an apology to her Queen.

"It's going to take some getting used to." Joona blushed again.

"Can you show me your other half-breed guard?" Melanie asked.

"Of course." Joona said.

Melanie was about to follow when she felt a jolt of agonizingly arousing pleasure flow through her. She clutched her thighs feeling a sudden urge to orgasm.

"Oh fuck." She moaned.

Both Joona and Brandi turned abruptly.

"What is it?" Brandi asked, her face thick with concern.

"M-my king needs me." Melanie blushed.

"Brandi please go with Joona. If you think the other guard is worth it, have them join the private sector."

Brandi smirked out of the corner of her face. She could see the intense arousal that was building up inside her queen. Like an orgasm slowly climaxing.

"Right away my queen." Brandi nodded.

Melanie felt another surge of forced pleasure that nearly brought her to her knees in a forced orgasm.

'How is he doing that?' She wondered.

Reaching into their bonded connection she searched for Lucian.

An image of the dungeon sprang into her mind a moment later. Melanie, feeling the call of her master's desire sped off through the courtyard. Precum dripped down her thighs all the way there leaving small droplets on the stone flooring.