This wasn’t good, this wasn’t good at all. Amelia looked at Zelgadis, who was glaring daggers at Junior. The werewolf alpha just looked back, wagging his tail in delight as Zelgadis burned holes into him with his eyes. What was bothering Amelia the most, wasn’t the staring contest going on between the two non-humans, but rather the still smoking body of Filia beside her. The dragon priestess had tried to transform into her bigger, more powerful golden dragon form, but no sooner did the change start, did electricity start to crackle around Filia’s shackles. Filia had let out a blood-curdling scream that was still ringing in Amelia’s ears. The screaming lasted for only a second before Filia collapsed onto the hard stone floor of their cell. She hasn’t moved since.

“Is my meat worried?” Junior chuckled at Amelia. The young princess gave no response, unable to find her usual zest when confronted with a villain. She was too worried about Filia to give a speech about justice prevailing.

“Shut up, you flea bag!” Zelgadis growled. Amelia might have been too worried to engage the werewolf in banter, but Zelgadis wasn’t. “If you’ve hurt Filia in any way, I’ll tear your throat out.”

Junior chuckled slightly at the threat. He leaned closer to the cage, so his face was inches from Zelgadis. The only things separating them were the bars of the cage. “You don’t have to worry about her. She just received a little shock from my special shackles. I got them from a very helpful wizard that told me they would stop anyone from using magic or transforming. They come in handy when I’m feeling like eating sorceresses.” Junior leaned in closer to get a better look at Amelia. Under his perverted gaze, Amelia shivered and backed away in fright. Zelgadis’s anger rose at seeing Amelia frightened, no one did that to her.

“Stop looking at her, you monster!” He screamed and vaulted towards Junior. His arms shoot out between the bars and grasped at the werewolf. His fingers sank into his furry neck and he gave a cry of triumph, but was quickly silenced when his shackles started to crackle like Filia’s did when she tried to transform. He tried to fight down his scream, but the burning feel of the electrical energy was too much. His scream filled the cave, but like Filia’s they quickly ended and he dropped to the floor. Amelia watched in horror as another friend fell. Junior rubbed his neck where Zelgadis had grabbed him and sneered at the fallen chimera.

“Oops, I forgot to mention, I’m mentally connected to the shackles. All I need to do is think it and you’ll feel what it’s like to have liquid fire in your veins.” Junior’s face became somber and he sighed. “You really are a nuisance and probably not very good eating. I might as well have my shackles hit you at full force. That should kill you quickly and get you out of my hair.” A sadistic smile developed on Junior’s face. He did so like to see his enemies die and this death would be spectacular.

“Wait!”

Junior looked up at Amelia. Her hand was outstretched to the werewolf in a pleading attempt to make him stop. “What do you want, meat?”

“Don’t hurt Mr. Zelgadis. I’m the one who brought him here. It’s my fault this happened. Please, don’t hurt him.”

“I don’t think you’re in any position to bargain, meat,” Junior growled.
“What if I could offer you something that you’ve never had?”

Intrigued, Junior stuck his muzzle between the bars and glared strait at Amelia. “What can you offer that I’ve never had?”

“A willing meal. I’ll come out and let you eat me, no fuss, no struggle. Just promise you won’t hurt the others.” This was al Amelia could do, she couldn’t use magic and she didn’t know how to use a weapon even if she had one. She had to be the hero and protect her friend’s lives, even at the cost of her own.

“Deal,” Junior hissed. Let the little witch be a martyr, it would only make it sweeter when he ate her. He reached for the cage door and unlocked it slowly. It creaked open ominously and Amelia crawled out. She stood before the large werewolf, trying not to shiver as he looked down at her with his yellow eyes.

“Undress,” he ordered and she did. As she took off her clothes, her thoughts went out to her friends and the hope that someone would rescue her.