Hallowed Damnation [#Wattys2016]

6

Zyrin Orion tapped his fingers impatiently on the wooden arm of his plush chair, the maroon upholstered cushions cradled his back and the dark wood lined with gold made it resemble a throne. The rest of the seats that lined either side of the long table were less ornate than his. He was a man of power and his seat at the head of the table was only one of the things that represented that.

He reached a hand to fidget with the slight stubble on his sculpted jaw while he continued his tapping. His brow furrowed as he stared at four of his generals who were scattered around the war room. Arin had come back a few minutes ago in a foul mood and was now sulking in a corner. Dominic Leonis, his hand-to-hand combat specialist, was standing in front of the fireplace pestering Val for information about the prisoner they brought from Armen.

"Come on, Val. You have tell me something!" Dominic pleaded looking up with his baby blue eyes at the large man. He was around the same age as Zyrin but they were polar opposites. Where he was more serious and burdened by his position, Dominic was more free-spirited and lighthearted.

He spent most of his time in the brothels or in pursuit of the more courtly ladies. The women did not seem to mind either due to the fact that he not only looked like a prince but he had the money and power of one too. Women loved his attractively disheveled reddish brown hair, the way he spoke with a roguish drawl, and his signature smirk.

"The only thing the others told me was that she was a woman. At least tell me if she's pretty. Is she? Please?"

Val was growing annoyed now with his incessant questions, so he turned his head toward Dominic and gave him a small nod. Dominic's face lit up brilliantly.

"Yes!" he said as he skipped happily toward his seat at the table.

He opened up a couple more buttons on his crisp black button-down shirt further exposing his toned chest and placed his legs up on the table.

"We finally get a proper woman around here!" he exclaimed.

Juliet Centauri was not as excited as Dominic at the information. She scowled as she sashayed her way toward the table. At first glance she was wearing a demure embroidered emerald skirt, but looking closely you would notice that both sides of her skirt had a slit that ran high up on her thigh. For her top, she wore an armored brassiere that strained to contain her sizable breasts, leather gauntlets, and a silk cowl. Her preferred look left little to the imagination and exposed a lot of her creamy white skin. Her face was beautifully angular; high cheekbones, pointed nose, and cat-like green eyes. She stopped right in front of Dominic and scowled down at him.

"A proper woman? What do you think I am?" she asked angrily.

Dominic chuckled and flashed an innocent smile. "You're a whore and a bitch, Juliet. So, no, I don't think of you as a proper woman."

Her eyes narrowed at him and her fists clenched, but she decided to switch her attention toward Zyrin. She sauntered seductively to him and perched herself on the table providing him full view of her scantily clad figure. She flipped her shoulder length golden hair to the side and pouted at him.

"Zyrin," she cooed his name. "Dominic is being mean to me." She ran a finger up and down his arm and batted her eyelashes suggestively.

He shook his head and dismissively waved her off. "Not now, Juliet."

She visibly fumed and dumped herself on one of the chairs. "What is so special about this girl?"

That was what troubled Zyrin. More accurately she was rare. Maybe even one of a kind and he could not completely believe that she existed. Her hair color was odd enough as it is and yet her ability even more so. Bothered as he was, he was glad that their mission had not been in vain. They had unexpectedly stumbled upon a powerful lost Archanian and had brought her home to her people. She would serve them well.