Hellhound (7 page)

Silently deliberating over matters didn’t help.
Scouring for every bit of courage, I roamed the halls to find Father. Better to
face him soon. I took the stairs and ran over words to present. “Please
understand,” crossed my mind. “If you love me,” seemed cliché and manipulative.

A minion watered the plants in the Elders’ hallway and
ignored my presence. An Elder couple walked away, perhaps not having seen me.
Their white robes rustled around their ankles and set them visually apart from
the rest of the clan.

I headed around the pillars to the right but abruptly
stopped when Elder Claudius emerged from his apartment. He looked as though
he’d been carved from marble, rigid and strong with the symmetrical features of
a Hellenistic statue and the pallor to match. Thick, gray brows furrowed low
over incensed, blue eyes. His lip twitched. His pale skin reddened at the
cheeks and forehead. He clenched his fists at his sides and took three steps,
facing me.

My heart pounded, though I didn’t know why. I didn’t
fear him.

Claudius spoke through tight lips, “What have you been
up to?”

I crossed my arms. “I didn’t realize I had to report
to you.”

“Selene, I’ve viewed your memories.”

“No surprise, you’ve always been nosy.”

“We were quite anxious to see what you’ve been doing.”

I stiffened. “You’re trying to control us.”

A flicker of alarm dashed across his eyes. “We only
look out for the clan.”

“By controlling us.”

“You should’ve never abandoned our agreement. You will
stop seeing the tracker. You will marry my son. And you will cease with these
conspiracy theories. The cerebral chamber is for the good of the clan. Someone
has to stop rebels before they commit crimes.”

“You should mind your own business, old man.”

He seethed. “You are my business. You are matched with
Nathanial, and you both must rise to the throne to keep the clan strong.”

“Maybe someone should’ve asked me.”

“You ignorant, little girl,” he yelled. “How dare you!
If it were up to me, your selfish butt wouldn’t touch a throne, and Nathanial
would marry a better woman.”

My essence fought to claw to the surface, beckoned by
growing anger. I pushed it back down, sucked up the fangs before they ripped
through my gums by controlling my emotions. Claudius was strong and could blast
a hole straight through my torso. I couldn’t nudge him toward the brink of a
fight.

Father appeared in his doorway. His face flushed as he
stormed toward us. Oh great, two Elders were about to rip me a new one.

“Calm your tone,” I growled as my eyes darted past
Claudius at my advancing father.

Claudius’ eyes flashed white, and a silver birthmark
appeared on his left temple. “You will not speak to me in that way, insolent
girl!”

“Watch your tongue with my daughter,” Father snapped,
startling Claudius.

“You defend her?”

Father walked around him and stood by my side. “Her
actions are wrong, no doubt, but you will not speak to my daughter this way.
I’ve never raised my voice at Nathanial.”

“He doesn’t behave like her. He’s a model
Elder-to-be.”

“
I
will reprimand my daughter. Not you.”

He placed a broad hand on my shoulder and dismissed me
with a warning glance. His blue eyes dulled into white. I knew he was angrier
with me than with Claudius, although a very loud argument between the two
ensued.

“Never raise your voice at my daughter. Her actions
are my responsibility. I’ll take care of the matter.”

“Like you’ve done so far? She’s probably defiled by
now, that little—”

Father growled, “One more word and I’ll cut out your
tongue.”

His anger frightened me. Would he harm another Elder
over me? Would my actions tear apart the Council?

I fumed, more over Claudius than over my actions, but
quietly removed myself from the situation. Father could find me in my apartment
when he was ready to talk, when he was calm.

The door to the stairwell swung closed behind me just
as a wave of air slammed the door shut. I jumped, turned, and stared at the
door. Claudius’ manipulation of weather must’ve created a strong wind.

I lifted my hand to open it, but refrained. Their
argument intensified, now loud mumbling behind thick doors. They didn’t yell,
yet.

I worried. Father could fight to the death, but
Claudius had the Council to back him. Could, would, the Council destroy Father
if he stood in their way?

I shook my head. Claudius would never fight my father,
who was the leader of the Council based on his wisdom and strength.

I headed downstairs. My boots hit the steps and echoed
in the tall tower of stairs. As I jogged around a bend, I paused. Nathanial
waited for me to the left of the door leading to my hallway. We entered an
awkward silence. He crossed his arms and leaned back.

Nathanial’s gray eyes gleamed as he tilted his chin
up. He hardly relaxed around others, and always stood straight, rigid. With me,
he slouched a little, and made faces sometimes. His brown hair hadn’t been
combed. He wore jeans and a black shirt, and his stern jaw had a shadow of
stubble.

“Did you just wake up?”

“No,” he responded in a flat tone.

“Looking for me?”

“Yes. I know about the tracker, and the Elders are
upset.”

“Exactly what I don’t want, a man who does everything
the Elders say like some mindless drone or lap dog.”

“Don’t patronize me. They’re the reason we’ve survived
for so long, and the reason we’ll rise again.”

I tapped my foot, eager to get this conversation out
of the way. With raised brows, I asked, “So what?”

“Don’t look at me like that,” he muttered.

“Like what?”

“Don’t look at me like you hate me.”

I sighed. “I don’t hate you, Nathanial.”

“So why forfeit your birthright and turn your back on
our alliance? Why don’t you want to marry me?”

“When I was younger, I knew I had a privileged life,
and I gloated. Now I hate being told what to do, who to marry, how to rule. The
Council keeps things from us. They know our memories, our secrets while we know
little about them. They take essences, becoming stronger than the rest of us.
Those of us who can take essences are forbidden to do so unless instructed to.
They say who goes where, who does what, who to socialize with. They have their
fingers in every aspect of our lives, have us dependent on them while they grow
stronger, and I can’t even question them?

“Ever since I learned the memory retrieval, I’m at
their beck and call. They told me those people were criminals, rebels. Well,
you know what? Some weren’t. Some just wanted to live out in the world, away
from a clan. Some just wanted to breathe without a sentry watching them,
without an Elder to report to. They didn’t deserve excommunication and death.
Can’t we think for ourselves?

“Our ancestors taught us many things, one being the
powerful rise and dominant and will do anything to anyone to stay there.”

Nathanial looked baffled, as if a light went on in his
thoughts. He straightened up. His face relaxed as quickly as it wound up.

“Or, do you know the answers already? Is that why
you’re so eager to use lower class members to fuel your power? Is that why you
want a throne so badly?”

He didn’t answer.

“I can’t live like this.”

“Like what?” He scoffed, opening his arms. “Are you
hungry? Are you sick? Are you without loved ones? What are you lacking that
you’ve chosen to neglect your duties?”

“Freedom, the truth.”

“You’re moving down the wrong path, Selene.”

“And what path is that?” I took a few steps to meet
him.

“Rebellion.”

One, simple yet dangerous word struck a chord.
Rebellion described everything.

“You think these things are minor, that a fling is
nothing, but it’s only the beginning. Turn back before you’re faced with a
domino effect you won’t be able to control. Leave Demetrius and join me.
Whatever you’re infatuated with now won’t last. And if you think there’s
anything about him to desire, I can give you more.

“You want freedom? I promise I would never keep you
here. You can experience the world, give input in the Council, but you can’t
leave a gap in the clan.”

I reached for the door handle. “Are you afraid of
competition?”

“I’m not afraid of anything, except losing you to
rebellion. There shouldn’t be a competition here. You are mine.”

“You don’t own me.”

He slammed the door shut. “According to our law, I
have all rights on you. Don’t make this hard on yourself. The Council will
destroy you if you become a threat, and they’ll destroy the tracker.”

“And you don’t think there’s anything wrong with
that?”

“Last chance, Selene.”

“Forced into marriage or die as a traitor? You don’t
find anything wrong with that?”

He licked his lips and averted his eyes. A sliver of
pain crossed his features. “Walk away from me now, and you’ll regret it.”

I shoved his hand aside and entered the hallway to my
floor. He didn’t follow.

I locked myself in my apartment and waited for
Father’s visit. I nibbled my nails. Father made me feel like a child, but I was
determined to stand up for my freedom of choice.

“Selene?” Demetrius called from the bedroom.

The sound of his deep, throaty voice melted my insides
and made me believe things would turn out all right in the end.

I walked to the bedroom and sat on the edge of the
bed. “Nice nap?”

He groaned as I pressed my lips against his throat.
“Where were you?”

“Trying to find Father, but Claudius....”

“Always in the way.”

He raised himself up on an elbow, pulling me against
him. I expected a flirty kiss, but instead trembled with his subsequent words.
“Don’t trust them.”

“I don’t.”

“They won’t allow this, us. Let’s leave before
something bad happens.”

“I’m not afraid of them.”

He muttered, as if others were nearby, “You should be
concerned knowing that your birthright has placed you in their hands.”

I scoffed, refusing to meet his eyes. “I’m a hunter,
not a politician, and my desires in life are far from being a Council member.
Besides, who would allow a tracker to marry an up-and-coming Elder like me? I
forfeited my birthright to be with you, and that’s not changing.”

“Are you going to them?”

“They’ve summoned me. I must go.”

“Will Nathanial be there?” The words pried through his
tight lips, jealousy evident on his face.

I smiled. Hopefully, it was reassuring. “I don’t love
Nathanial. Why does it matter if he’s there? While you’re here, you might as
well report your missing dagger.”

“Right, the faster the blacksmith transcribes the
loss, the faster I’ll get a new one.”

With those words, I left.

Demetrius was onto something, unfortunately. Demetrius
was only a tracker, no matter how great of one he was, but not part of the clan
hierarchy. Hunters and trackers lived outside of the political realm, and
usually preferred to live outside of the domicile, our sanctuary.

Nathanial was a decent guy, just not for me. We were
linked to mate at some point because we would both take seats on the Council. Nathanial
couldn’t stir my being the way Demetrius did, and this unraveled him. He was
becoming obstinate, like his father.

Nathanial was a business undertaker, those of us who
took over human businesses for the prestige in a world that belonged to
mortals. He wore suits and knew legalese, and in the clan, wore glittering
white robes with gold rope threads. He was preened to be an Elder. He was
focused on taking the world back and leading the charge. He was also focused on
tearing me away from Demetrius and marrying me.

I, on the other hand, was a rogue piece of ungodliness.

I returned upstairs. Father’s argument with Claudius
troubled me. Were they still fighting?

I passed Danther on my way to see my parents. He
smirked impishly. He did this in a fleeting moment, knowing that his behavior
could be deemed as inappropriate. He hid that smirk, which I wanted to rip off
his face, behind an impassive mask.

As I turned the corner, now pacing the level of the
great Elders, I caught sight of Nathanial hurriedly ducking into an elevator.
He’d left the door to his father’s apartment open. I immediately slid to the
wall and hugged the tight corner to escape their view.

Claudius emerged and gaped straight ahead. He stared
into empty space with sternness. Was that a cut across his face? Had Father
done that to him?