I lay for a long time until the sound of a door creaking open caused me to still.
Quiet footsteps approached. The scent of something sweet filled my nostrils, and for the first time in a long time, my body wanted to move.
My eyes stayed closed, my back to the approaching person. My hands clenched into fists and I waited, teeth gritted for them to get close enough. They had me chained. But were they Master or the guards? The sound of their footsteps, I couldn’t recognize.
I waited and waited until the person kneeled behind me, their breath shaking with fear. I hated fear. Someone told me once that fear made you weak.
Readying to strike, a hand suddenly pressed against my back and I fought back a hiss at the contact. Not reacting, the hand ran down over my arm and along my waist. It was soft, and I frowned. I didn’t understand. Had Master sent a female to me? Was this a test?
Anger about my confusion pierced my brain.
It was a test, had to be a test.
I had to kill.… Master always wanted me to kill.…
As the hand ran across my back, warm breath drifting over my skin, I snapped.
Jerking from my position lying down, I roared, rolled around, and reaching out, grabbed the attacker’s arms and crashed them to the ground, my body braced above them to strike.
My blood pumped with the need to kill and just as I raised my hand to smash into the face of my attacker, not even feeling the heavy chains around my hands, I glanced down.
And froze.
Huge brown eyes stared up at me, too wide and afraid. The strange female’s mouth was open, big pink lips trembling as her eyes moved to my fist in the air. My nostrils flared at her smell … my heartbeat thundered and my muscles twitched.
Long blond hair.
I stared at her and felt her shaking beneath me.
Her lips moved and I focused there.
“D-don’t h-hurt me,” she whispered.
My head moved to the side as I heard her voice. Her voice was strange, sounded strange, like the man that used to come in here telling me to fight. To fight the poison.
She tried to move so I pinned her down further. She gasped and the blood left her face. “Please,” she begged, and the rage inside me built.
Who was she?
Why was she here?
Master didn’t give me a command. I didn’t know what to do.
“I-I’m not here to hurt you,” she said. I moved my face closer. Her skin was lighter than mine, and she smelled so good.
I moved my eyes along her body. She was small. Too small. I’d kill her easily. Snap her neck in a second.
“Please,” she begged again, and her eyes went to my fist. Eyes narrowed, I lowered my fist and she inhaled a long breath.
I stared at her. Suddenly, heavy footsteps ran down the stairs. I snarled at the men approaching as anger invigorated my numb muscles.
Klavs, klavs, klavs, I thought when two men, dressed in black, entered with guns held high.
Guards. Enemy guards.
Klavs, klavs, klavs.
“Talia!” one of them boomed. They were talking to the female.
Gripping the woman by her arms, I pulled her to my chest, and moved back against the wall. Pushing her down on the ground, I stood in front of her, trying to rip free from the chains.
The guards were circling, guns aimed at my head. I growled, trying to swipe out with my hands. The chains held me back. Anger surged through my veins. I threw my head back and roared.
“Talia, get the fuck out from there!” one of the guards said, shouting to the female. I tried to understand what he said, when suddenly I knew.
He wanted to take the female from me. He wanted to hurt her. Wanted her for himself.
Running forward, I held my hands out trying to grip the man by his throat. He jumped back and the female screamed.
Pain shot through my head. Screams, females screaming … blood … guns … bullets. Thundering out a bellow, I dropped to my knees and gripped my head.
“Get out!” I heard the female say.