by Karen Swart
Chapter 13
I didn’t know how long I’d been here. Unable to tell day from night, I had lost track of time. I knew it had been a very long time, maybe months, maybe even a year or more.
In my time here, I had fought many demons. Some were small, some were big, but they remained ugly. With each battle, I could feel myself changing; I became content and confident, the last fight only lasting a minute before I took the head. Each battle brought Draco more power, and he loved it. He didn’t visit me anymore since he tried to suck my blood. Now a guy with no voice brings me stuff and shifts me out. I must admit, I liked it that way. I didn’t talk much anymore; there was no need to. With each victory, Draco would reward me with something: clothes, an iPod with awful music on it, and a lot of other stuff. The best reward was a pair of black leathers. Solid, black pants without my ass hanging out anywhere, a corset type of top, but the best was the long leather jacket I got with it. These clothes had become my fighting gear, and I wear them permanently. Draco arranged for the leather to be super charmed. They could not stop a blow, but when it came to claws and teeth, they could not rip, helping me to protect my skin.
Draco and the other hot guy, whose name I still didn’t know and didn’t want to, can’t keep their eyes of me when I wear them. But with each fight, they became warier of me, so they didn’t try anything with me, for now.
The other guy with the long blond hair had also become more guarded around me, not circling me anymore when he came to talk to Draco. Now he just stood there from a distance and looked at me. But I could see the hunger in his eyes. It wouldn’t be long now; that was for sure, and I couldn’t wait. I wanted to test my newfound skills.
I had become what one could only call a killing machine. Where the fights started out as a curse, they now had become my quest. Every time I took one of their heads, pleasure would fill me. Yeah, a killing machine, a true Hellhound. With each fight, Thalia would become more enraged at Draco, and especially me. At least we agreed on one thing; we hated each other. The more I saw her, the less clothes she had on. The last time I could even see her entire package, making her a total slut.
But I could also see her concern. She saw what everyone else saw; I was becoming more powerful by the day. I pushed my Fallen beyond its limits, making it work for me to stay alive. The moment the head rolled, I looked at the crowd. Challenging them, taunting them to come and try me. Draco said I was in bloodlust, and he loved it. Prick.
Standing in the mirror, I no longer saw a little girl. No, in the mirror was a woman now, strong and in charge. A fight for survival had a funny way of sculpting a person. Some grew weak and submitted to their defeat; others, like me, evolved and became the very thing we tried to survive.
Bending my head down, I slipped into my leathers. I watched my legs, no longer skinny and lean, but powerful and well built. Then I put on my top, watching my stomach, which was now a rock solid six-pack. Then my hair, up in a pony, the fancy twist one Nanini showed me once.
Finally, my jacket. Reaching to the floor, it complimented the whole picture, giving me the bad ass look. Wonder what Chax would say if he could see me now. Yeah, I’d even scare the hell out of him, I thought. And that was just fine with me. Nobody would ever push me around again. I turned around and walked to my bed, my skull cracker boots waiting to be put on.
I gave them the name after I cracked the skull of a demon in a fight. It had felt wonderful. I slipped them on and waited. Soon. It was time to end all this; today would be it. The mute guy shifted in, waiting for me. I got up and walked over to him, taking his hand. My favorite cell came into view, iron bars and all, and of course Draco, waiting for me. I knew when I came here another demon was about to die by my hand.
I didn’t look at the other cell anymore, because it didn’t bother me anymore. I’d outlived everything that was ever in it, so who gave a damn. Standing there, I looked at Draco as he circled around me, keeping my eyes in front. He was too scared to try me, and I knew it.
“What a beautiful female you have become, hellhound,” he said from behind me. After a few fights, he stopped calling me his little hellhound; I was just hellhound. Perfect. I remained silent as always, pissing him off, so he came to stand in front of me.
“Give in to me, bellus,” he demanded, his eyes moving over my torso. In your dreams demon; I’d rather take your head. I just stood there, looking him in the eyes with my no BS face. He knew what awaited him, but was too damn chicken to try.
“What a pity. You were made to be with a god,” he went on while still looking at me. Yeah, he now thinks he is a god because he got a power boost.
My opponent and his master shifted into the cell next door. I just kept my eyes on Draco, waiting for him to make a move, not interested in my opponent because we would soon meet. I had learned that Draco was what demon’s considered my master, and I was known as his pet. Stupid demons, couldn’t even come up with something else.
“Well now, Draco, are you ready to part with your pet today?” Thalia asked from my left. Draco turned to look at her. I just went over to sit on my chair, not interested in their little showoffs.
“My poor Thalia. I will take you to my bed and caress your heartache, I promise,” he replied, and I almost burst out laughing. Man, that would be like putting fuel on an open fire. The two of them will kill each other before submitting to the other.
“How do the humans put it? Famous last words, Draco,” she fired back at him.
“We will see, Thalia. Your pet’s time is over, and so is yours,” he countered, returning to stand in front of me. “Your weapons,” he said, giving me my two best friends; they had brought me far and I took them from him to start my ritual. He then shifted out, leaving me to my playtime and Thalia with her pet.
“Kill her, Caim, or you will regret it,” Thalia said and I felt the air move from her shift. I went to work. Sometime during the battles, I created my own ritual. Taking my swords, I would sit, sharpening them on a slab stone, making sure they were perfect. It also drove my opponents crazy seeing me do it. I slide the first sword over the slab and then felt them, my fingers sliding over the blades to ensure they were perfect, no rough edges, perfection for a perfect kill.
“How did they get their hands on you, hellhound?” the demon asked from next door. I just ignored him and continued on; no use in wasting my breath. This ritual drove all of them insane, and by the time we got into the arena they would try to run. Some even cried. I loved it; it made me calm, enabling me to collect that part of me for the fight.
“Look at me, hellhound!” he yelled at me. I just smiled and went on playing.
“Speak to me!” he kept going. He was disturbing me and in the process pissing me off. This was my quiet time.
“Be quiet, demon. Take your death with honor,” I replied, still looking at my sword and feeling it.
“I’m not a demon, hellhound. I’m a Fallen; look at me,” he said. I stopped and took in a breath. I have heard a lot of crap from next door all the times I’ve sat here and waited, but a demon calling himself a Fallen was a first, so I looked up at him and froze.
“I am not a demon. I’m a Fallen male, a vampire Fallen,” he said, but I was struck dead on the spot. Standing on the other side of the bars was an almost exact copy of Chax. Oh my freaking soul, how is that possible?
“I ask again, how did you come to be here? It is impossible for them to take a hellhound. You should not have been taken captive,” he said, his eyes the same as Chax’s but so sad. So, so very sad.
“Wh...o are you?” I stuttered, looking at him in shock. Whereas Chax’s hair reached just below his ears, this guy’s hair fell below his shoulders.
“My name is Caim De Luca,” he replied, frowning at me.
De Luca. That was Chax’s name. Is he family? Can it be? I don’t recall anyone saying that Chax had a family member taken. Hell, I hadn’t even asked such things about him, not that I would have gotten answers.
“Are you family of
Chax De Luca?” I asked, still looking at him. He closed his eyes as if in pain.
“Yes, Chax is my brother. Is he well?” he answered, opening his eyes to look at me. Oh my God, he was Chax’s brother!
“He was okay before I came here. I don’t know if he still is. How did you end up here?”
“I was taken by Thalia in my third year of service. How did they get their hands on you?”
“A girl from The Hellhouse was in a trance, and I was worried for her and tried to help. But the moment I touched her to stop her from walking off like that, she shifted here, taking me with her.”
He closed his eyes again and leaned his head against the bars. “How long have they kept you here?” I asked, knowing full well that Chax was centuries old, hoping this guy was not.
“Centuries,” he whispered, his eyes remaining closed.
Ah crap! He has been here centuries! Then it’s true; there is no hope. I might as well let him kill me and end my torment. I closed my eyes and let my head fall down. So this is defeat. Now I know what it feels like.
“If you ever get your cuffs off while here, you would be able to shift back. I also know that if you can take your masters head, you break their chant and you can shift.”
I looked at him. Why give me hope when there wasn’t any? I’d tried a million times to get the cuffs off, and Draco didn’t give me opportunities to kill him. “Why do you give me advice when it is impossible?” I asked him.
“Because I want you to kill me.”
Dread filled me. I can kill a demon any day, but not a Fallen. Never.
“I’m sorry. I can’t,” I replied and looked as the sadness in his eyes grew more.
“Hellhound, I have lived in this torment for many years. The only thing keeping me alive is that I would not fall by a demon’s hand. What I have endured in this place, I would not even give to my greatest enemy. I beg you, end my life and set me free. End this,” he begged, his eyes filled with sadness. He looked so old, so tired.
My heart broke into pieces. This male was breaking me. He looked at me with those sad eyes, begging me with them. Is this my future, begging someone to end my suffering? Will I also stay here and fight for my life for centuries? Well, at least I could give him peace, while there is none for me.
“I will, Caim,” I replied, and then the mute guy shifted in, offering his hand. I stood up and looked at Caim. This poor male has survived so long just to meet such an end.
“Pax vobiscum, Caim,” I said, meaning “peace be with you.” He smiled at me, grateful for the mercy I was about to give him. I felt a tear fall down my cheek; this was so wrong. This male deserved so much more.
“Vale, hellhound,” he said and stepped back as Thalia shifted in to take him to his death. Taking my swords, I walked over to the mute guy and took his hand, shifting to a fully packed arena. The crowd was mad, the noise deafening. The guy released my hand and Draco came to stand next to me.
“Tonight you become the Bellator, hellhound,” he said, and walked to take his seat with the blonde guy and Thalia. Caim stood in front of them, looking at me, smiling. My heart was breaking. The blonde guy took a stand and spoke to the crowd, driving it even crazier. Caim and I just looked at each other.
There has to be another way. I can’t do this. I can’t kill him. I looked at my swords and tried to think of a plan. I moved my knuckles over one, feeling the tingle, the chant preventing me from killing Draco, but enabling me to kill all those that I have met here. Oh my freaking soul!
My brain finally clicked into place. Of course, I could still kill another demon with them, so far anyone except for Draco. So that meant that the chant was just for Draco. I couldn’t kill him, but I could kill her. Or try and take off his cuffs. This might just work.
I lifted my head and smiled at Caim, who smiled back at me. Then the blonde guy stopped talking and the crowd went silent. I transformed into my hellhound and Caim followed suit. During my time here I have also perfected my aim with my swords, using one to throw into a demon’s eye then the other to take its head. This time I was going to test my skill to the limit.
I opened my wings and extended them to their full length. They had grown with my body, becoming very big. I lift off and flight was very easy. I looked at Thalia, sitting there a smile on her face. I pulled them close to my back, feeling the tips of them touching my boots. She was too close to Draco, and the chant might stop me. I had to go for the cuffs, so I advanced to Caim, who was waiting for his death.
I moved fast. my adrenalin was pumping in me like mad, excited by my finding and ready to test it. When I was three steps from Caim, he dropped his swords and let his arms hang to the ground. He closed his eyes, waiting for deliverance.
“Fight, you worthless thing!” Thalia yelled at him, but he just stood there, ignoring her.
Sorry, Caim, not today! I raised both my swords, and a step before him, brought them down hard and fast, keeping my eyes on his arms to make sure the glide was accurate and not hurting him. The cuffs broke and fell to the ground. I looked up at him and he looked back at me, totally shocked. “Shift!” I yelled at him, but he was just standing there. The air moved around me, and I knew reinforcements were here to take us down. “Please! Shift!” I yelled at him, tears starting to roll down my cheeks, desperate to get him out of here. He looked at me and nodded, made a graceful bow, and shifted to freedom. I closed my eyes, tears flowing freely now. I did it. I saved him.
A fist slammed into me from the side. Before I would have landed on the ground, but now I just turned my head back and looked at the attacker, who was no other then Thalia. Perfect. “You swine, he was mine!” she yelled at me. I moved so quickly she didn’t even have a chance to try and punch me. Slicing her head off with one clean swipe, I kept my eyes on hers. Shocked, she looked back, trying to speak again, and then her head fell to the ground. I looked into Draco and the blonde guy’s eyes, standing behind her body, which followed her head down to the ground.
To hell with this. I’ll go out with a fight. I stepped back a few steps and braced myself. The only one here I couldn’t kill was Draco. The rest were so dead. Demons started to shift in around me, growling and huffing, ready to take me down.
“Stop!” the blonde guy yelled, and everyone stopped to look at him. I just kept my eyes on the circle, watching for the first move.
“Thalia entered the battle arena and challenged the new Bellator. She has failed,” he declared, and nodded to Draco, who opened his hands, taking my swords back. Crap! He left me standing there without a weapon, but I still kept my stance. I’ll take them down, even if I have to use my hands to do it. The blonde guy came to stand in front of me, smiling.
“Draco, take our Bellator and get her changed. Bring her with you,” he said and walked away, the others following him. Draco walked up to me with an Atlantic-wide smile on his face.
“Well done, my hellhound. Two for the price of one,” he said and offered me his hand. Well, at least Caim was safe and free now, and hopefully Chax was still alive and well to help Caim get back on his feet. I took Draco’s hand, and we shifted back to my room.
