Part 3 - Brax

She clenched her jaw, determined not to get distracted. The sword narrowly missed her exposed throat, why was her throat so exposed?! Her head wasn't in the game and she couldn't afford to fail this test. Technically, she hadn't failed the previous one, but it infuriated her that he had managed to get so close. A throwing star sailed past her head, nicking her ear, that was all it took to lose; one lapse in concentration.
Lily flew into action; a dizzying blur of sword and hair whipping in every direction. One by one her warriors fell to her sword. Just as one fell, another was already getting to their feet. She had chosen her Blood Pack well; Freya and Selene were particularly strong, determined not to be beaten.
Across the arena a flash of blue caught her eye as the newest addition to the Pack got to his feet. Brax looked venemous; he wasn't used to being defeated.
A slow smile spread across her face as he squared off to her, looking every part the cowboy, the southern gentleman facade long gone.
She knew her warriors had been holding back. As she watched him charge at her, weaponless but for the daggers hidden behind bow shaped lips, she knew, with certainty, she was about to be hit by the full, crushing, force of hurricane Brax.
Her back crashed into the hard, sandy ground as her breath punched out of her lungs. Teeth tore at her throat, she could feel warm blood splashing onto her chest, hear it dripping onto the sand.
As she slipped into unconsciousness a single thought occurred to her, she had failed, but, she had found her Captain, her King.

Part 2 - Speed and Agility

And then she was running. Bare foot. Over grass and mud and forest debris. Feet bloody and caked with mud. She didn't care, she felt alive; free to behave like a young woman, not forced into the stifling corseted role of Queen.
She stopped, momentarily, to look behind her; wondering how far ahead she was, she assumed far enough. Lifting her head Lily gazed into the night sky, inky darkness but for a few fiery twinkles burning thousands of miles away. As she let out a joyful howl to her twinkling nighttime companions, a body launched into her back and both toppled to the ground.
Lily humphed in annoyance at being taken unawares. Those usually glacial blue eyes grinned back at her with triumph.
"Victory!" He crowed, "am I the first to capture the Queen?" Teasing her would only win him content. "First and last!" She sang before disappearing into the trees.
Tonight was a rare occasion for Lily, one of the very few nights she could throw off the shackles of being Queen. A tradition started only a few centuries before to periodically test the reigning Queen in various skills. Tonight was one of Lily's favourite tests; speed and agility, in which she had to successfully evade capture by her Blood Pack. It was a game she and her sister had enjoyed since childhood. Lily had never been captured. Until tonight.

Part 1 - New Moon Slaughter

The house seemed to be alive, breathing, flickering with the light from hundreds of candles; distorted shadows danced across the ceiling and up the walls.
This was his night, his New Moon Slaughter! As usual all eyes were on his Queen, he was the only one who dared call her by name; Lily. The most ruthlessly sadistic Queen since Maya; the very first of their Queens.
Lily had a bloodlust unrivalled by any. It was she that resurrected the banned Blood Rights, which included tonight's New Moon Slaughter. An ancient right of passage for any wishing to become a member of the Blood Pack; a group of elite warriors chosen by the Queen as her personal guard.
In truth, he didn't mind that once again she had stolen his thunder. He understood the way all eyes followed every move she made. He had a hard time looking anywhere else whenever she stepped into a room.
She caught sight of him and raised a hand to silence the crowd swarming around her.
"Brothers. Sisters. The moon is full, she is big and bright and new, it is time. Let the hunt begin; the Slaughter is upon us!"
Now all eyes turned to him and bowed. Tonight he would lead the hunt.

Prologue

"I can't do this!" She sobbed, brokenly, looking up into those cold blue eyes; she was pleading with him, with his mistress, with the Gods.
His lips twitched, but the smile was more of a sneer and did not reach his eyes.
"Please! I'll do anything! Anything but this, please!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears, she knew it even before he spoke.
"Sorry little rabbit, I told you it was this way or the hard way. You know what the hard way entails, don't you?" This time his eyes sparkled with joy, his smile was broad and showed off two beautiful, curved canines. Deadly weapons in the mouth of a predator.
He lunged, tearing skin. As the rabbit began to go limp in his arms, he felt a cold hand on his shoulder; his mistress.
"Enough" she breathed, her voice was barely more than a whisper but it roared inside his head. Dropping the rabbit he looks at her, eyes wide with fear and adoration.
"Forgive me, my Queen, I did not mean to overstep." She smiles at him and runs her fingers across his lips and teeth, both still smeared with blood.
"Don't be foolish, darling, I was just worried you weren't going to share. "