Chapter 1
Fifteen Years Later
Caspian groaned as he straightened from his crouched position. His thick blood red hair stuck to his cheeks and jaw before he pushed it back into the make sift braid he had done that morning to control the curling mess.
The hot sun was finally hanging low in the sky as a new sheen of sweat dotted his brow. A light breeze carried his mother’s scent to him causing him to turn back to the house.
He brushed the dirt from his hands as he watched his mother walk towards him. Her long brown hair laid straight tumbling down her back to her hips.
He smiled as he watched her jump over the dirt piles that held their crops for this season. Holding her dress up, his mother quickly made her way over to him without so much as a stumble.
“What’s the matter, Mother?” he asked.
She brushed an imaginary wrinkle from her dress before she looked up at him.
“I need you to go to town for me.” his mother answered.
He looked at her wide eyed.
“Go to town?” he asked. “Why? You have never allowed me to go for you before?”
His mother smiled and turned away from him for a second before turning back to look him in the eye.
Her beautiful green eyes, the very same as his own, looked up at him.
“You were a little boy then, my son. Nevertheless, you are no longer a my baby boy.” his mother explained. “You are a grown man, and I should treat you as such.”
“But what about the villagers?” he asked. “They only tolerate me because of you.”
“Like I said, you are a grown man now,” his mother continued. “I cannot shelter you any longer. You must face the world one step at a time and stop hiding in my shadow. It is your time to shine, and I will not be the one to hold you back.”
He stared at her for a moment before a smile formed on his lips. He shook his head and gently ran his fingers through his long thick hair.
“You’re right,” he huffed.
“Haven’t you figured it out by now? I am always right,” his mother said smugly.
“Yes, Mother,” he laughed.
Wrapping his arm around her waist, he hauled her up and hugged her.
“I love you, Mother,” he laughed.
He set her down beside him and began heading to the house leaving her standing there alone.
“I love you more than you can possibly know,” his mother whispered.
Maya watched as her son, her only joy in this God forsaken world, rode away. She knew that this was most likely the last time she would ever see him again, so she stood there and stared after him.
The vision she had seen so many years before was slowly coming true. Her heart pounded as her death replayed in her mind the hundredth time. She took a deep breath taking Caspian’s scent into her lungs for the last time.
When he was out of view, she slowly gathered her long skirt and headed for the house. She climbed the creaky steps and walked into through the front door. She ran her hand over every crevice and every surface until they were etched into her mind.
She stepped into the kitchen and looked at the table, the one, that Caspian and herself had eaten at that very morning. Flour sat on it as clear as day so she grabbed it up and set it on the counter. She ran her fingers over its package then quickly pushed it aside.
She looked outside. The sky was already fading into a sunset. She did not have much longer. She could already hear the darklings moving through the trees as the sun began it sink behind the trees.
“I’m sorry, Caspian.” she whispered. “One day you will forgive me.”
The sound of heavy footed catsumys, demonic animals that could be domesticated, filled the room. Their grunts and snarls brought her out of her train of thought. She turned towards the door, where the noise was emanating from, and stood her ground.
A loud groan followed by boots hitting the hard dirt in front of the house filled her ears. The stairs creaked as at least four people climbed them.
Her front door slammed open snapping from its hinges and crashing to the ground. The four men did not even seem to notice it. They just stepped into her home, as if they had that very right.
Her lynx, her other soul, wanted to snap out at the intruders, but she held it back.
She could tell by their scent that they were all demons, but the scent which made her heart skip a beat came for the fifth demon who walked through her door.
He was tall and strong. His muscles roped his entire body making him the largest of the bunch. His short red curly hair clung to his head and his deep violet eyes stared right through her.
He walked past the others and yanked out one of the table’s chairs. Turning it, he sat roughly making the legs groan under his weight. He grabbed a piece of fruit from the center piece and leaned back propping his mud incrusted boots on her table.
Without saying a word he bit into the fruit. Its juice ran from his mouth down his fingers and chin.
Her lynx snapped at the demon and wanted to strike out at him for entering her territory, but she kept it back once more.
“Why have you come?” she snapped.
The man looked up at her and wiped the juice from his chin with the back of his hand. Smiling he tossed the fruit over his shoulder letting it drop to the floor.
“Don’t be like that, Maya.” the man cooed.
“We made a deal, Seth!” she snapped. “I would let you have me once, and you would leave me and this village alone. Why have you broken your word? Is nothing sacred to you anymore?”
Seth watched her in silence then he pushed out of his chair to tower over her. She straightened her back stretching to her full six foot height, but even with that he was at least a foot taller.
“Do you really think I could stay away from you?” Seth asked.
“You have been able to stay away from me for fifteen years it must not be that difficult.” she growled.
Seth’s jaw ticked then without thought his hand darted out taking her right above her elbow. His claws dug into the skin as he jerked her to him.
Before she could stop herself a small whimper slipped from her lips. Her lynx demanded to be released and racked its claws against her belly, but she ignored it.
“Did I hurt you?” Seth asked with a laugh lased through his gravely voice. “I’m so sorry baby.”
As he spoke his claws dug deeper into her arm, but this time she controlled her reaction. She stood there unwavering as Seth scowled down at her.
“You are mine, Maya,” Seth purred. “I was your first and I will be your last.”
“Kill!” snarled her lynx.
“If I had any feeling for you at all Seth they died years ago. I do not love you,” she growled. “I have never loved you. You are death and that is all you will ever be.”
Seth stared at her then slammed her into the counter. He pressed his body to her’s and crushed his mouth over her own. She gagged at the vile taste of his mouth on her’s, of his tongue sweeping across her's.
Thinking fast she snapped her teeth together biting his tongue. Seth howled and pulled back. She could taste his blood in her mouth, but she did not mind it. The look on Seth’s face made up for the metallic taste.
Her lynx purred at the sight of her enemy’s blood. It even reveled in the taste of it.
“You are a fool,” Seth growled. “You should be overjoyed that I want you as my mate.”
“I am not one of your parlor girls, Seth. I will never be your mate,” she whispered. “I will never be yours.”
Seth growled and slammed her harder into the counter.
Her lynx struck out again, but she pushed it back. It snarled at her and paced back and forth just below her skin.
“Boss?” one of the other demons asked.
Seth ignored the demon as he glared down at her. Seth never took his eyes off of her’s. It was if he wanted her to look away, he wanted to prove to her that he was the more dominate and had power over her. However, she did not look away; her lynx would not allow her to do such a thing.
She glared at Seth and even pulled back her lips showing her petite, but sharp fangs.
“Boss?” the demon asked louder.
“What?” Seth snapped.
He did not turn to look at the other demon.
“It looks like the woman does not live here alone.” the demon continued.
Her heart skipped a beat as Seth’s head snapped around to meet the demon. The demon was not much older than Caspian, but his eyes told that he had seen more death and destruction than she would ever know.
He stood there holding up a pair of Caspian’s pants. Seth’s claws surged deeper into her arms drawing her eyes back to his. Instead of the violet eyes that had once looked at her, his eyes had bled into red and were locked right on her.
“How dare you?!” Seth growled. “You are mine! You are my mate!”
Before she could react, he threw her across the room. She landed on her back on top of the table. The blow knocked the wind out of her, so she laid there, her mouth open like a fish as she tried to suck in some air.
When she could take a breath Seth was already on top of her. His weight pinned her to the table preventing her from moving.
“Stop!” she screamed.
She tried to push him off of her, but he held her firm.
“Shut up!” snapped Seth.
His fist crashed into the side of her head. It snapped to the side smashing into the table top. She could not see or move, so she laid there.
She could feel Seth tearing at her clothes ripping them from her body.
“You are mine!” Seth snapped as he jerked her skirt up.
The thing that was keeping her still snapped and her lynx took control. With a scream, they reared up. Their claws dug into Seth’s face as their fangs' locked in the meat of his neck.
Seth jerked back crying out, but they refused to let go. Their claws tore through his face cutting it into blood ribbons as their fangs' bit down working towards his jugular.
Before they could get her fangs any deeper three pair of hands grabbed them and ripped her off of Seth. They forced them back onto her back.
Snarling her lynx pulled back, but the damage was already done. Her own eyes were filled with blood lust, as she stared up at her bleeding prey.
Seth stared down at her, blood running down his face and neck. His once handsome face was gone, replaced with open gashes that would scar.
“Kill,” snapped her lynx.
“You will pay for that!” Seth snapped.
She watched as his claws lengthened.
“You will be mine or no one's at all!” Seth yowled.
Her heart skipped a beat as Seth’s arm raised above his head.
“I’m so sorry, Caspian,” she whispered to herself. “ I love you.”
“Die!” Seth screamed.
His claws slammed down racking across her throat.
“Pain!” screamed her lynx.
Caspian flicked the reigns asking the old catsumy to move forward. It was dark now, darklings littered the road, but he did not fear them.
Since he was a small child, they had protected him, as if he was one of their own, as if he was their alpha, their master. The darlings were always near him when they could, and he respected them as they appeared to respect him.
The darkling slinked out of the way of the buggy allowing it through. They then followed closely behind, grunting and growling as they moved along.
“Easy, boy,” he cooed.
The old catsumy flicked its ear back at him. Its huge yak-like body swayed back and forth as it continued forward.
“You can tell me easy all you want Boy, it won’t do you any good,” huffed the catsumy. “Darklings are nasty buggers and I can be nervous if I want to be.”
“Don’t be like that, Brutus,” he whined. “They are not even looking at you.”
“I can be anyway I want, boy,” Brutus huffed.
Smiling he straightened and sagged his head back. The stars were so bright in the night sky that it almost burned his eyes. He closed his eyes and settled into a sleepy sort of daze.
He did not know how long he was like this, but it had to of been at least ten minutes. Suddenly, the buggy jerked to a stop bring him out of his daze as quickly as he went into it.
He looked down to see Brutus lying crumbled on the ground.
“Brutus?!” he cried.
He jumped from the buggy and scrambled over to Brutus.
“Maya,” Brutus wheezed.
His heart stopped when his mother’s name passed through Brutus’s lips. Catsumy’s were connected to their claimer, if one dies the other dies as well, that was the risk of claiming.
“What’s wrong Brutus?” he asked. “What’s happening to my mother?”
“Go to her,” Brutus breathed.
“What?” he asked.
“Go to her,” Brutus huffed. “She does not have long. I will keep her heart beating for as long as I can.”
He heard Brutus’s heart slowing and knew that once it stopped his mother’s life would be lost.
“Run!” Brutus screamed. “Go to her boy! She needs you!”
He scrambled to his feet; Brutus’s labored breathing fading with every step he made. He ran as fast as his feet could carry him. His animal screamed to be let out and without a second thought, he released his control.
He had never let his animal out before and did not know what might happen, but at that moment he did not care. His body screamed as it formed for the first time.
Fur shot out of his body, his fangs and claws lengthened as his hands turned slowly into huge paws.
He blinked and it felt like he was looking through water. His animal roared as its tail twitched back and forth. His heart pounded as he realized what type of demon he was.
He was a tiger.
His tiger sprang forth; its powerful legs ate up the distance quicker than he could ever hope of doing. He could hear the darklings following close behind him, but his tiger refused to look back at them.
Their paws sank into the dirt as they forced themselves to move faster. His tiger yowled as the smell of fresh blood filled the air.
As his home came into view, they saw five men step from it. They were all covered in blood, but one was more so than the others.
The scent of his mother’s blood filled the air causing his tiger to go mad with rage. The demon with red hair turned and looked straight into his eyes.
The demon froze and stood as still as ice as they skidded to a halt. His tiger roared as they sized up their prey, but they did not strike. They stood there, their tail twitching back and forth, and just stared at the demon. His face had been torn to ribbons, skin only hanging on by a thread.
“What do we have here?” asked the demon.
They just snarled at the demon, showing their fangs.
They watched as the demon’s eyes widened. They could feel the darklings behind him, but his tiger refused to take their eyes off of the demon.
“Boss!” yelled one of the other demons. “Come on!”
“Calm yourself, Jeremy,” the demon hissed. “We must stay calm.”
As if knowing that he no longer needed his help, his tiger pulled back. He stood there in his normal form snarling at the demon.
“You’re nothing, but a child,” huffed the demon with a laugh.
“You’ll die,” he snarled.
“Really? What is my crime?” the demon laughed. “And who in their right mind would send a child to do their dirty work?”
“I came for no one, but myself,” he growled. “You attacked my mother. Her blood stains you.”
He could feel his blood lust forming, but he repressed it. He could not let the other demon know how close he was. His mother had always told him to hide all his weaknesses.
“Your mother?!” the demon asked breathlessly. “Maya?” .
“You have no right to speak her name!” he snapped.
He could feel his tiger rearing its head staying close to the surface in case he needed its help.
“She had a boy?” the demon whispered.
He stepped forward and he felt the darklings moving with him.
“My son?” the demon whispered.
Those words froze him in his tracks. He could not believe his ears, but his eyes told him that the demon was speaking the truth. The demon before him looked so much like him that it would seem impossible that they were not related at least a little.
“Shut up!” he screamed. “You are not my father! I have no father! You are just the man who hurt my mother!”
He lunged at the demon.
“Stop!” roared his tiger. “Danger!”
The darklings filed in around him, but they were pushed back. He hit the ground with a smack, but was back on all four before he could even catch his breath. The demon was surrounded by such power that he could not get close to him.
The darklings screamed and scurried back into the darkness. Before him was the demon, which had his mother’s blood staining his fingertips, and he was unable to get to him. The demon smiled and nodded at him once before jumping onto a catsumy.
He snarled, but stayed put. He watched as the demon rode off into the darkness his men following close behind.
Through his blood lust, he heard a soft gasping breath. Before he could stop himself his feet were already carrying him through the front door of his house.
Blood covered the walls, splattered this way and that painting the room with its foul scent. Books that his mother had read to him as he grew laid scattered on the floor torn to pieces. Chairs were splintered and thrown across the room, their mangled bodies sprawled for all to see, but what he saw first caused his heart to break.
His mother’s body lay broken on the kitchen table. Her life blood dripped to the floor forming a crimson puddle in its wake.
He stifled a cry as he moved towards her. A soft gasping breath lifted his mother feeble form. He was at her side that very second looking down into her clouding eyes.
“Mother?” he whispered.
“Caspian?” his mother gasped.
“Oh my God!” he cried. “I am so sorry. I should have been here! I should have protected you!”
With more strength than he thought possible she lifted her blood soaked hand and touched his cheek.
“Than you would be lying next to me,” his mother huffed.
“You are still very young, my son,” she breathed. “You could not have stopped Seth, even if you had wanted to.”
“I could have stopped him!” he cried.
He took a hold of her hand and kissed it. Her blood covered his lips, but he did not care.
“Seth is stronger than you, my son,” she gasped. “And he is your father.”
“No, Mother, you are wrong,” he rumbled. “I have no father, I just have you! So you can’t leave me.”
“That is something that neither of us has any say in,” his mother stated. “If it is my time to leave this world nothing you, or I do will stop that.”
“But Mother I….” he cried.
“Shhh, my son,” she whispered. “It is alright. You will be fine. God will take care of you my son. He will protect you more than I can.”
He could hear his mother’s voice fading in strength. He could hear the abating beat of his mother’s heart.
“Please Mother, don’t leave me!” he cried.
He crawled onto the table and laid his head on her chest. His mother’s blood seeped through his clothes and stuck to his skin. Clinging to her, he finally let his tears fall.
He clung to her for what felt like hours, listening to her heart slowing and her lungs growing weaker and weaker, but even though it all, she stroked his hair. Her fingers treaded through his locks like they had when he was a young child.
She kept stroking him until she gave her last quivering breath and her hand fell silent. He screamed as he wrapped his self around his mother’s body. He knew that she was no longer there, but he could not bring himself to let go.
He clung to her until her body began to cool. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her. Her blood covered his body soaking into his pores just like his hate.
His rage boiled from him. He roared and his tiger roared with him. Blood lust filled his senses as his father’s image came to his mind.
He turned to see two darklings hovering right outside the door.
“Find him!” he roared. “Find him and bring him to me!”
The darklings whimpered and ran from the door their tails between their legs.
God looked down at the scene that had just transpierced. The rage the young demon had expressed had made him, the all powerful sovereign of all things, quiver in fear.
He could even taste the hate the tiger demon was feeling all the way in his kingdom, which was billions of miles from where the demon knelt screaming.
He knew in the back of his mind that this demon would play an important part in Ventra’s history, but for some reason the future was cloudy to him.
In all his years, this cloudiness had never happened, and it made him uneasy. He had to know what this demon would do. Would he become his father’s child and kill in an act of wrath or would he be like his strong, but gentle mother? He could not see and he had to know.
He turned and watched his children as they walked before him. He knew all their names and all their weaknesses, but none of them knew his.
Well, none of his children except his four favorite daughters. They sat at the foot of his throne their white wings glittering in the light, which was being emitted from their immortal souls.
He looked upon each one. Each was so different from the other, but the same in so many ways. One of them would have to go to Ventra, but which one.
Just then his daughter with hair the color of fire turned to him as if knowing that he was thinking of them. She was his favorite among the four sisters, and he had more than one account looked over some actions that other angels would have been reprimanded on.
She was the gentlest of his daughters. Kinder and more caring than any which had come before her. Before he knew it his mind was made up this daughter would go.
Julia would calm the demon’s soul.
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