Kasadya Hellhound Awakened

by Karen Swart

  Chapter 11

  I lay there in my bed, the demon’s questions running through my mind. I was trying to find reasonable answers for them, but I couldn’t. Looking around, I could sense rather than see the sun rising. There wasn’t a window to help here, or even a clock.

  I got up and went to the closet, grabbing a pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, and boots. I learned a lesson yesterday beyond the one I was being punished for; I learned about proper apparel for training. I walked to the bathroom. A wake up shower was just what I needed. I got undressed and got into the shower. Warm water greeted me this time.

  Washing, I thought about the demon’s question again. He was right; in a war like this I would use my greatest weapon. Anyone would. Then why would the Fallen not? What do we become if we fully embrace our true destiny? Would I be like a demon? With all my questions and reasons, I got out of the shower and dressed. I walked back to the bed and planted myself on it, waiting.

  After a long while, a knock sounded at my door. I looked up and knew it would be either Vulcan or Chax. “Yes,” I answered, standing up and walking to the door. It clicked open and then was pushed inwards toward me, revealing Vulcan.

  “Come, your breakfast awaits,” he said and gestured for me to follow him. I took the hint and walked behind him. He led me through many hallways and finally we came into a familiar one, the one leading to the grub spot.

  He walked into the grub spot and I followed. At a table Chax sat waiting for us, and before him a plate of food and a glass. Vulcan turned around and walked out, so I made my way to the table and sat down. However, Chax didn’t even look at me, still mad. I didn’t really give a damn, because the moment I saw him, one of the demon’s questions came to mind. Why didn’t he help me if he saw Marcus grab me? Pissed at him, knowing he might have seen the whole thing and didn’t do anything, I sat down and began to eat. One bite after the other, the questions made their way back to me. Why train me to fight and survive, and then ask me to run back to him for help?

  “Marcus has fully healed,” he said, breaking the silence.

  I kept my eyes on my plate. So what? Maybe the demon was right about that too; he did touch me without my consent and maybe he also deserved what he got. I was getting more angered by the moment. How dare he talk to me about Marcus. He didn’t even give a damn when I was in his arms, frightened to death! I finished up the plate in record time, stood up and placed it in the wash bin, gulping down my glass of milk and placing it in with it.

  I turned around and regarded him; he was, for a change, looking at me. “So, are we going to train?” I asked, folding my arms across my chest. He looked at me for a while, just watching me. He then got up and offered me his hand. I walked over to him and took it, my eyes fixed on his. I believe this would be called a challenge stare. We shifted in to his garden and I released his hand. I walked over to the circle, taking my jacket off and dropping it on the ground. Reaching the circle, I stopped, turned, and looked at him. He was still standing there, looking at me, and then he walked slowly over to me, our eyes still locked.

  “So, what would you like me to do?” I asked, getting more angry by the minute. The more I looked at him, the more of the demon’s questions came to mind. So, he wants to tame me? We’ll see. Two steps before me, he stopped and looked at me, still not saying anything. Let’s test the demon’s theories then. I moved and transformed at the same time, punching him full force in the face. His head went backwards, but he kept his balance. I moved slowly around him, circling him. He returned his eyes to me, and I could see that I had hit a nerve. Bulls-eye.

  “So, Chax. Tell me, what does it mean when they say a hellhound born?” I asked him sarcastically, circling him slowly, almost stalking him.

  His eyes betrayed his surprise at my question. I turned quickly, ducking down and spreading my wings, taking him to the ground at the same time. I got back up and looked at him; he was up in a second and now beyond pissed.

  “It means you were born a hellhound,” he replied, now moving in a slow stalk himself, countering mine.

  “Really?” I asked, bringing my fist in for a blow. He used his arm to swipe it away, and grabbed me, locking me to the spot. I jerked up my arms, cutting him off me, and then head butted him so hard I saw tiny stars in front of me. He grabbed his head with his hands, so I slowly walked around him again, watching him.

  “Is there something you forgot to tell me?” I asked. I’ll force it out of him.

  He recovered and looked at me. “No, I don’t know where this is coming from, but you need to stop and think like a grown female for a change, not a spoiled little girl,” he replied, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

  He thinks I’m a little girl, while others are grabbing me, telling me I’m a trophy and stuff. So that’s why he wanted me to run to him? Because he saw me as a little girl?

  “You know, Chax, for someone that is supposed to be this so called ‘Dominus,’ you’re pretty freaking blind!” I yelled at him and moved in with a high kick. But he blocked it again and this time he punched me, and I landed with my butt on the ground. I was up in seconds. Damn him.

  “I see a little girl. Easy to sway or convince, and you’re playing right into it,” he replied, standing still and watching me.

  “Whatever, Chax. But tell me, why wouldn’t you let me go back and defend myself?” I asked, stopping as well to look at him.

  “You would not have acted with a clear mind, and you didn’t. You attacked an unarmed Fallen, and he didn’t attack you back, not one time. See what happens when you react on your emotions?” he whipped at me.

  He had a point there, but it still didn’t change the question. “Are you trying to tame me into something you want?” I asked him, keeping my eyes on his. His face didn’t give him away; it was his eyes.

  And yep, there we go, a slight movement in them, telling me that he was holding back on something or lying to me. “I’m not trying to tame you. I’m trying to prepare you for service,” he replied after a few seconds. He was lying; it was all over his face. The demon was right. How could I have been so stupid not to see this? But then again, I hadn’t been around that long, and I didn’t really pay much attention to this guy. Still looking at him, I could see his eyes change again, and then he looked at me differently. Stepping forward and now trying to circle me, he looked me up and down, and then locked-in with my eyes.

  “Who have you been talking to, Kasadya?”

  “No one.”

  He moved so his face was inches from mine. “You’re lying. Tell me who has been planting these ideas into your head now.” He sneered, and man did he go all serious on that one, ending it with a growl.

  “I said no one. Now back off,” I whipped back and then turned around, about to walk away from this. No way am I telling him about the demon; that’s just too weird. Suddenly I was grabbed, turned around with my feet going out from under me, and Chax pinned me down to the ground.

  “Who have you been talking to?!” he yelled at me, his face very close to mine. The look on his face was the same as in the alley, so I swallowed a lump in my throat.

  “N…o o…ne,” I answered, struggling to get the words out. He leaned in more; now we were a breath away from each other.

  “You need to start trusting me, Kasadya. I’m your Custos. I will take care of you and guide you in this life. But lying to me and trying to protect someone is not the way to go about this. Tell me.”

  I looked into his eyes, and for some strange reason my eyes dropped to his mouth, which was looking pretty delectable at the moment. I need to go see Maia. There’s something really wrong with my head. I lifted my eyes to his, and found him looking at my mouth as well. Okay, now this is new. My breathing had started to pick up, and my chest was pushing against his; each time it touched his, goose bumps broke out over me. Okay, I’m one sick puppy.

  “Tell me the truth, and I will help you. This is a dangerous world, and a small mistake like this can cost you a lot. Trust me,” he whis
pered, his mouth inches from mine, and I swallowed a lump again. Then I did something really stupid, lifting my head, I kissed him softly on his mouth. He in return took the kiss and kissed me back. I opened up, wanting more, and he complied. The moment our tongues touched, and I really tasted him, my world went spinning and hit full supernova.

  Kissing Seth was great and all, really great, but this, this was heaven. Releasing my hands, he pushed his arms under me, holding me to him. I did the same, wanting more, wanting way more. Our kiss deepened the moment I had my arms around him. Sliding my fingers through his hair, my mind zoomed in on one thing. I want this. I want him more than I ever wanted Seth. I opened up my legs, wrapping them with his, and he ended up between them. He stopped and moved off me with lightning speed. He stepped back a few steps and looked at me, shock all over his face. I was breathing hard, looking up at him and feeling like my world was just stolen from me. Still looking at me, his breathing was also hard, and then he turned around and walked away without a word.

  I kept my eyes on him, not moving, feeling like a blade had just been stabbed through me. How could I have done that? He is involved with someone. Oh my soul, and it’s freaking Kali! Oh man, she was going to be so pissed about this. On the other hand, I was shocked at what I had felt in his arms, more than I had felt in Seth’s. I didn’t have a lot of experience when it came to guys, but I didn’t think that was my imagination. How the hell did this happen?

  Still lying on my back, I shifted out and landed with my back on the floor in front of my new room’s door. The hallway was quiet so I just laid there thinking about what just happened. Was it just some kind of “do it and get it out of your system” thing or was it really what I felt? I sat up and looked at the long hallway. I need to go see Maia; I need to get my head checked out now.

  So I got up and started walking through the house looking for Vulcan. No way am I just shifting to her; I’ll just end up in more trouble. So I’ll find him and explain what’s going on and that I need to see Maia to get some help. The demon, my doubts, and now kissing Chax; there must be something wrong with me. I reached the corner leading into the lobby to make my way to the hallway that goes to Vulcan’s office, to check and see if he was in there. If not, I was going outside to the training arena to look for him; I wanted this done now.

  I turned the corner and bumped into someone. Stepping back, I was about to say sorry then stopped dead. In front of me stood Kali, looking at me, but not really looking. Something’s not right. Did she already know what happened? Can’t be; I just shifted back from it, and isn’t she supposed to be in training?

  “Kali, you okay?” I asked her, taking a slow step towards her. She didn’t reply and took a step to me. In fact, she didn’t even register that I was there. Okay, this is freaky. Yeah, sure, she is one of the divas, but her expression is giving me the creeps.

  “Kali, are you okay?” I said louder, walking to take a stand in front of her. Still nothing, and she took a step forward straight into me. I grabbed her arms and shook her a little.

  “Kali, what’s going on?!” I yelled at her, my heart pounding from the creepy feeling I was getting. Her eyes were open but it was like she wasn’t there. She had a black eye from the day before, but it was her eyes. They were not normal. My heart started pounding even harder. Still holding her, she suddenly pushed me away from her and I landed on my butt on the floor. She moved so fast I didn’t even have a chance to keep my grip on her.

  She walked out the door, not even looking at me. Damn, now what? I stood up and looked at her as she reached the gate and turned left. I knew I was going to kick my own butt after this, but I couldn’t let her go off like that, so I ran outside and after her. I caught up with her and grabbed her shoulder to turn her around. The moment my hand touched her, I felt the air move and she shifted, taking me with her.