The Tiger Prince's Witch
Chapter 32 - Interrogating Melita

"Where's Lucas?" Randal demanded of the guard standing at the door where Lucas had been.

"He said he needed to step out for a minute," Calvin said, wondering why everyone was looking for Lucas.

"I want all the guards to search for Lucas now. Do not mindlink him to let him know you're looking for him. I don't want to spook him. If you replace him bring him to me immediately. Do not let him get away." Randal looked at the seven guards in the room, who all looked at each other in shock. They had to hunt one of their own? They took off to search the palace.

"You don't think he would let Melita out, do you?" Kamryn asked his dad.

"He better not, but let's go to the cells to be sure." The group ran to the cells, and their worst fear was realized. The cell holding Melita was empty, and the door was open.

"We'll alert the witches outside the palace to be on the lookout for them," Stanley said. He, Caprice, Maura, and Bryson were gone before anyone else had time to blink.

"We have to replace them before they do something stupid," Kamryn said, putting his arm around Anna. He was worried Melita would come after her again.

*"Kamryn, I believe Melita no longer has her tiger. I can pick up Melita's scent, but not Asha's."* Legend sniffed again and couldn't pick up any tiger scent.

"Legend says Melita no longer has her tiger. She had to have some pretty wicked thoughts to lose her tiger before her eighteenth birthday." Kamryn said as everyone stared at him in surprise.

"What does it take for a tiger to leave their human?" Anna asked.

"If the tiger disagrees with the choices or actions of the human, they can leave. It usually has to be really bad for them to take that course. However, sometimes the tiger is just as bad as the human. In that case, they are some of the evilest beings you'll ever meet." Anna shuddered, thinking about the human and animal being rotten to the core.

*"King, someone saw Lucas and Melita sneaking out the door on the North side of the palace."* One of the guards mindlinked Randal.

"They saw Melita and Lucas on the north side of the palace. Let's go." Luckily they were already on that side, so they ran to the door that led to one of the gardens. They stopped in their tracks as they walked outside. Melita and Lucas were there, but so were Stanley and Caprice. They obviously had spells on the other two because they were frozen in place, unable to move, but their mouths were working.

"Let us go, you sick freaks. You have no authority over us. I'm the princess, and he's a royal guard." Melita screamed. She hadn't noticed the others who had joined them.

"You're wrong on both accounts. You are no longer a princess, and Lucas is no longer a guard." Randal said as they walked the rest of the way into the garden.

"How can you do this to me? I am your daughter. You're supposed to protect me." Melita said as she glared at the only parents, she'd ever known. However, she felt no love toward them. She felt nothing other than resentment for not giving her what was hers as a princess.

"You lost the right to call yourself our daughter the minute you kidnapped and tortured Anna," Lynn said, looking at her son's mate. Melita looked at her as well and spit in her direction.

"That bitch isn't worthy to lick the dirt off my shoes." She said, looking at the little witch with distaste. Anna had enough of her mouth. She walked over and looked her in the eyes.

"I understand you lost your tiger, so any pain you feel won't heal as quickly. Do you still have the cattle prod?" Anna asked, giving her a bone-chilling grin.

"I don't need my tiger. I'm stronger than all of you put together without her. You can't hurt me. My parents and brothers won't allow it." Melita looked at Micah and Kamryn, giving them her best pout that used to work when she was little. When Kamryn smiled, she thought maybe it had worked, but he looked down at Anna.

"You have my blessing to punish her however you see fit for how she hurt you." He said, and Melita's face fell. She then looked angrily at Anna.

"You touch me, and you die, you stupid little good-for-nothing bitch." Everyone gasped when they heard the loud smack. Anna was tired of hearing that earsplitting annoying voice. She'd slapped her with all the force she could muster. It was enough to snap her head to the side.

"You need to learn to shut your mouth," Anna said softly. Everyone was still staring at the sweet witch who looked like she wouldn't hurt a fly. Kamryn was the most shocked and proud of all. His little mate could hold her own. "You...you..how dare you? I'll end you if you ever lay another hand on me." The second slap was just as loud as the first.

"I guess you didn't learn your lesson. If you keep talking, I keep slapping. Do you have anything else to say?" Anna asked.

"Mom, dad, are you going to let her do this to me? She is nothing." Anna looked toward Lynn and Randal, who were both glaring at Melita.

"You kidnapped, poisoned, and tortured her. You're lucky all she's doing is slapping you right now. If I were her, I would be doing a lot more." Lynn said with ice in her voice. Anna turned to Kamryn.

"Are you ready for our talk with Melita?" She asked, winking at him, and he smiled. He remembered what she said about making her talk.

"Yes. We'll take her back to her cell while you deal with Lucas." Kamryn said, looking at his parents, who nodded. Anna went behind Melita and grabbed her by her hair. She yanked hard, making Melita fall backward, and then dragged her toward the cells while she screamed.

"Son, whatever you do, don't make Anna mad. I'm afraid she'd come after us all." Randal said, watching in amazement as his son's mate pulled the screaming Melita as though it was nothing. Kamryn laughed.

"You said that right." Stanley and Caprice were beaming with pride at their daughter. She always fooled people with her gentle innocent nature, but in reality, Anna would fight like a rattlesnake if someone hurt her or someone she loved. Anna ignored Melita as she dragged her through the door and down the hall. When they got to the cell, Anna picked her up and threw her inside, where she hit the wall hard, falling to the ground. Kamryn came up next to her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I love you," He said before kissing her. Anna giggled against his lips.

"I love you too, but where did that come from?" She asked, looking up at him with a smile.

"You're tiny, but you're the fiercest person I know." Kamryn still couldn't believe how she had handled Melita. He looked into the cell and saw her glaring at them from the floor.

"Sweetheart, I think it's time you make the bitch in the cage talk." He said while nuzzling her ear. Anna turned to Melita with a smirk.

"Gladly," She said as she raised her hands in Melita's direction. She muttered a few words that Kamryn couldn't make out.

Melita wondered what on earth the stupid witch was doing. Did she really think she would get her to talk with some hocus pocus magic trick? As she was glaring at Anna, something started happening to her. Melita's tongue felt tingly. She also had a strange warmth wash over her body, making her feel sleepy and relaxed.

"We have some questions for you," Anna said in her soft, soothing voice. Melita smiled and nodded. She felt really good and couldn't remember why she had been so angry.

"Okay," She said as Kamryn watched in disbelief.

"Why do you want to hurt me?" Anna asked.

"You shouldn't be mates with Kamryn; I should be his mate. I'm a tiger, and you're just a witch. He's supposed to be mine. I knew from the time I was thirteen that he would choose me to be his queen."

"What did you do to lose your tiger?" Anna asked, still speaking softly.

"She didn't want me to hurt you. She wanted me to replace our real mate and leave Kamryn alone. Most of all, she didn't like the things he wanted us to do." Anna and Kamryn exchanged a look. Who was she talking about?

"Who was asking you to do bad things?" Anna held her breath, hoping she would answer. Melita smiled.

"Santi, he promised I would be queen."