Page 25 of Guided by the Stars
They are Hellhounds.
I back up slowly, and they take steps towards me. I know I am about to end up in shreds. I turn around and take off running as fast as I can, at this point it’s flight or fight, and I know I’m no match for those things, especially handcuffed. The Hellhounds smell of death and decay and the smell lingers in my nose as I run away. I don’t bother to look where I am going, too focused on getting away, when my foot hits something hard and I go flying, face forward. I don’t even want to pick my head up and look because this is it, I’m a goner.
I’m sorry, Nora. I tried, I really, really did.
This is so cliche. In horror movies the girls are always running and fall over, but this isn’t a horror movie, it’s real life. My pulse pounds so hard that I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. I feel a hand on my shoulder and honestly, I’m scared to even look. But I smell him again, cedar and smoke. Kai. He flips me over, his eyes are tight with worry and I cantell he is pissed. “Adriane, what the hell were you thinking? Those hellhounds would have torn you to pieces.”
“I…I…where did they go?” I ask, looking around, but they have disappeared. It was as if they had never been there.
Kai sits down beside me on this cold, hard ground. It’s almost like the ground on Earth, except the grass here is rather gray looking. I noticed this in the field we went through, this whole place is bleak. “I used a lot of energy today, so I fell asleep to replenish it and when Jax woke me, you weren’t there,” he trails off and I look over at him, his face is pinched with worry, yet he also seems relieved.
“Thank you. Believe it or not, that’s not something I say often. Growing up the way I did, I didn’t have a whole lot to be thankful for. Honestly, it was mostly do-it-for-yourself or have nothing. So, why and how did you save me?” I ask softly, because I want the answers. I need to know why I’m here, and in this moment I see a war going on behind his eyes. A war that I too am fighting, the need to push, and the need to give into the pull.
What the hell is getting into me? I’ve never shared any part of my past with anyone and there I went and just gave out information about myself.
He rubs the back of his neck with his hand and I notice his jacket is off. He is in a simple black t-shirt and he has a tattoo on his forearm that says‘but I’m not an angel’. “Your blood is powerful, Hades wants you and that brown-haired girl, Nora. So I went to get you both. To answer your second question, I called them off. Some hellhounds are easier to control, and these ones patrol the Underworld. There are some that are trained by certain people, those ones are harder to gain control of.” He stands, holding his hand out. I put my hands in his, allowing him to pull me up. His eyes go hardagain and I know the moment of kindness is over. “So don’t thank me for saving you, sweetheart, I was only doing my job.”
He pulls his hand roughly out of mine and I shake my head. I feel like we take a small step forward and then a huge leap back. What is going on with him? Like the fucking flower he stuck in my hair, that he followed up with a rude ass comment. I roll my eyes at the back of his head. Could my life get any worse right now? I am so attracted to him, I feel it with every ounce of my being, then again, I want to slap him and punch him in the face for a second time. “I take my thank you back, asshole,” I shout at him as I catch up. Now that I know there are hellhounds running around, I need to be smarter about what I’m doing. So for now I’ll stay put, but I’ll learn what I can to get out of here. I only hope Nora is faring better than I am.
When we arrive back to the hut, Jax stands there waiting for us with a smirk on his face. I only glare at him as I walk in ahead of him. Once we’re all inside again, Jax hands me some water. “I figured you might be thirsty after that run,” he says. I begrudgingly take the water because he’s right, I am thirsty.
I go to look for my phone but Jax’s words stop me, “You lost it and no way are we going back for it.”
“What?” I ask, because he said it so matter-of-factly. I still reach down and touch my pocket, shooting a death glare his way.
He smirks at me and I look over at Kai. He lays back down, putting his hands behind his head, and closes his eyes. “Don’t even ask. The answer is no, if you had stayed put you wouldn’t have lost it. But you will never need it again. Phones, if you haven’t noticed, won’t work here. We’re in the Underworld, Red. It’s not like you’re going back to Earth, so the answer is no.”
My eyes prickle with heat and my body shakes. I’m so pissed off. The phone might not work down here, but it holds treasured memories with Nora, and I will definitely need it for when I eventually make it out of here. I’ll figure that out later, because I won’t be staying here. No way in hell am I giving up, they don’t know who they messed with. I am Adriane fucking Douglas. I have survived so much and I won’t be going out like this!
Nora
When Hunger Hits
I creep down the stairs quietly, despite knowing no one will be there. Daemyn knocked on my door a few hours ago, checking in and letting me know they will be out back. Instead of joining, I hid in my room like a coward, avoiding dealing with my problems. I’m no stranger to panic attacks, it’s just been a few years since I’ve had one. Now, since being here, they’ve captured me twice. Not to mention the damn feelings that Beast is awakening within me. It’s all too much and I’m falling into a pit of my own nerves, needing to regain some self-control. The meditation earlier helped, but when hunger hit, I couldn’t avoid this new reality any longer.
The stairs lead straight into the small kitchen with the fridge to the left. It’s the only piece of electricity humming in the room. It’s all basic. White walls that are overpowered by the wood cabinets in the room. Clutter-free oak counters stretch from one corner to the next, and the only light shining in is from the window above the sink. The sun reflects through,cascading its rays over a wooden dining table. It’s the perfect farmhouse style for a cabin like theirs. Kind of cute, actually.
I pull the fridge open and let out a disappointed groan. Both of these boys are in serious shape, and with Alexius being similar to the size of a boxer, I would expect a fridge full of choices. Instead they have cheese, bread, and a few pieces of fruit. Explains the meals they have been making.
With a heavy sigh, I pull out some figs and crusty bread before planting myself into a chair. As if on cue, the back door swings open and my eyes widen. The pair of them are sweaty, their hair a mess, and smiles on their faces as they come strolling in from what must have been their morning workout session.
I’m captivated with every movement they make as they work as a team. Alexius pulls out some mugs along with a bottle of wine while Daemyn grabs a cutting board and a long knife. They’re on autopilot, completing their routine before they head toward me, seating themselves at the table in their normal spots. It puts a sad smile on my face, making me miss my best friend even more. They move easily with each other like Adriane and I do.
Daemyn pulls the bread toward his board and smirks as he starts to cut through the crust, “Sorry, you know we usually like to make breakfast early. Guess we had a fun distraction this morning.” Alexius snorts at Daemyn’s playful teasing, still refusing to say a word as he pours the wine before handing me a glass.
Minutes pass without a word uttered. The only sound comes from the wind blowing through the trees and the laughter leaving my lips. We’ve sat around this table a few times now. Each time it starts off with this uncomfortable silence,no one knowing what to say first, and reminds me of the most awkward dinner I ever had to sit through.
I was adopted so late that I missed out on the typical teenage things, including relationships. I was the only girl in my sorority that was still a virgin, with a dating history full of failed attempts. By the time I started going out with Timothy, I’d built up enough pressure for myself that I felt prepared to rip the band-aid off. One night, his parents invited me over for dinner, and when we escaped into his childhood bedroom, I decided that was the night. He caressed me softly with gentle hands and whispered words of adoration into my ear. He was really sweet, trying so hard to take away the unease I was feeling, but things turned sour quickly. When his fingers were deep inside of me, his dad swung the door open, despite having heard my fake moans, and he got a view he wasn’t expecting. I was mortified, ready to run away, yet somehow the guilt of knowing his mother was downstairs prepping a huge dinner kept me stuck in the house. You live and learn, I guess. It was humiliating sitting in silence, listening to his mom talk away, but I look back, grateful. We broke up that night and I haven’t had a steady boyfriend since. If it went further, I now know it would have been a mistake I would always regret.
“What’s got your attention, Baby Girl?” Daemyn breaks the silence.
“Nothing important, but your fridge looks a little empty. Is there a god supermarket or anything?” I say the lame joke without thinking and sink back into the chair, embarrassed.
Alexius’ head shoots right up, his jaw is clenched and his eyes are tight, consumed with his regular irritation. “Well, we weren’t expecting you and we keep things simple, love.”
“Your Highness, need I remind you? I wasn’t expecting to find myself here either.” He ignores my question and his eyes narrow as he leans forward, darting his tongue out. The temperature in the room increases tenfold as I watch him lick a smooth layer of moisture between his lips. I’ve learned this look. He’s ready, prepared to strike, and making my blood boil.
I steady myself, copying his every move until his wicked grin opens wide and his teeth chomp down on wine-soaked bread.
