Roar

Klaus's POV

My heart raced as I recognized them as the remnants of a rebel faction that had sought to overthrow my rule.

I had banished them not long before Mara came into the kingdom.

What stupidity were these people playing at?

I had promised them death if they ever showed their faces again and now I was ready to show them what they were facing against.

Mara's eyes widened with alarm, instinctively reaching for the concealed dagger beneath her cloak. "Klaus, we're under attack!"

When did she have the time to take up the dagger from the restaurant? And from what I could see, it was an artifact which was supposed to be on the wall of the restaurant.

I was impressed that she would have it but also worried about why she would have it. Was it for me? Either way, I was impressed.

My jaw clenched, my eyes narrowing with determination. "I won't let them harm you, Mara. Stay close to me."

The rebels, armed with swords and axes, closed in on the limousine. I swiftly drew my own sword from the back of the limousine, its blade gleaming in the dim light. Mara stood by my side, her dagger at the ready. The battle was about to begin.

"How about you stay behind me?" I suggested as she shook her head.

"I can take care of myself. These idiots would not do anything to us. I'm pretty sure I can handle myself."

I sighed. She was being stubborn now. These warriors were vampires since their powers were not taken away. They could have her neck before she could attack them. I had to keep her safe even when she was being stubborn.

With a roar, the rebels lunged forward, their weapons slashing through the air. My years of training and experience as a warrior allowed me to parry their attacks with accuracy. 

Mara, though less powered, fought with fierce determination, her agile movements surprising me but not enough as one used its vampire speed to grip her neck which had me zipping into it with my hand ripping through its chest.

Blood sprayed across the carriage as swords clashed and bodies fell. 

The once peaceful streets were now a battleground, filled with the screams of the wounded and the clash of metal. I fought to protect her, my movement in perfect harmony, protecting taking down the vampires with ease.

A rebel managed to land a deep cut on Mara's arm, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Mara!" I growled as my eyes blazed with fury. This had me swiftly dispatching the assailant, my sword cleaving through flesh and bone. When I was done, I turned to her, concern etched on my face.

"Are you alright, Mara?" I asked, my voice filled with genuine worry.

She gritted her teeth before showing me the wound was just a bruise. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing she was not going to bleed to death. "I"ll be fine, Klaus. You should end this before they really take my head."

With renewed determination, I fought on, my speed fueled by a sheer desire to protect the woman. My sword sliced through the enemies, each strike sending a spray of blood into the air. 

Grabbing a dagger from a dying man, I tossed it to someone behind Mara who he'd been hiding in the shadows as the dagger found its mark, finding vulnerable spots in the opponents' armor.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last rebel fell to the ground, their lifeblood staining the cobblestones. We stood amidst the aftermath, our bodies covered in sweat and blood, our breaths heavy with exhaustion and ragged.

I turned to the woman with a nervous smile, a mixture of relief and admiration in my eyes. "We did it, Mara. It was mostly me but you helped in your own… subtle way."

"We fought side by side and emerged victorious," she retorted with a squeezed face which had me laughing.

I nodded, a weary smile on my face. "Indeed we did, Mara."

As the adrenaline faded, the reality of what I had done started to set in as I looked at the men scattered over the grounds.

Someone moved on the ground which had me squinting.

While the driver of the limousine tended to her wounds, I walked to the man to see his mouth shattered.

A blow from me had broken through the man's jaws. 

There was no need asking for any information from him. He was as good as dead.

With a swift movement, I raised my sword high above my head and brought it down with a brutal force upon the fallen rebel leader. 

The blade sliced through flesh and bone, severing the head from the body in a grotesque display of power. Blood gushed from the decapitated corpse, drenching the cobblestones in a red pool.

I turned while wiping the sword off his cape as I found Mara staring in horror, her breath catching in her throat. 

I was sure she had witnessed battles before, but the savagery of my final blow sent shivers down her spine. 

Fear washed over her, the realization of the true depths of my strength sinking in.

"Let's go home," I said before taking her hand as she entered the limousine with me.

It was a silent ride back home with the driver being the one to sing a slow song while riding us but I didn't want to say anything to her.

What had happened would also be kept between us just like the kiss.

As we got to the gate, I asked the driver to stop us there before opening the door and stepping out. I held the door open for her to step out as we walked slowly towards the palace doors.

"I'm sorry about the rebels," I apologized. "You must understand that as a king I have to make tough decisions to put a permanent end to the threats this kingdom faces."