The Devil's Prey: Hers To Tame

Caught staring

TILLY

“He has done it again,” Tiara said, sliding into the seat next to mine. She reached out for my fries, but I squatted them away, glaring at her.

“Who?”

“The devil.” This time, she was lucky in stealing a fry. “I heard it happened late at night yesterday. He almost punched that one to death. Luckily, the teachers arrived on time. It would have been a bloody mess, like last year.”

I looked up at that, recalling how bloody it had been when the devil joined our school. Axure. The son of the king and the next in line for the throne. He was supposed to study in the royal academy, but was sent to ours for discipline and to help him control his powers after he bashed the heads of three royal students and almost killed two.

As the only Tribrid in the entire kingdom, he was difficult to deal with and always let his powers get the best of him. Which was why everyone feared him. He was ostracised and allowed to live in a mansion far from the school, to protect the students from him. Yet, the stupid, daring ones always sought him out.

“Girl, you sure missed a lot!” She stole another fry. “I interviewed the victim, and —”

“I don't even know whom to side with on this.” I dipped my fries into the sauce and took a bite. “It's not his fault. Anyone would do what he did if they were in his shoes. They should have kept off his property.”

None of them would have died if they had kept to their lane and left the sleeping lion alone.

Tiara stopped chewing to look at me. “I don't understand you most times, Ti.”

“You don't need to.” Smiling, I got up from my chair. “I'm on library duty this afternoon. Get some snacks for the next class.” I placed a kiss on her cheeks, left her with my fries to eat as much as she wanted, and headed towards the library, my second-best place in the entire school.

Our kingdom, Nyeli, comprises five villages, each with a species of their own: Vampires, werewolves, dragons, witches, and elves. We weren't in harmony before. Each of the species lived away from the others, in their kingdoms, with no contact with each other except to fight over territories until Axure's grandfather became king. Born a Hybrid (Vampire and Dragon), he married an elf, which was why his first grandson turned out to be a Tribrid, while the others were hybrids and only one was stuck with being an elf.

It wasn't easy, but King Maxi united the entire species, bringing us together as one. Not only did we have one king, but we all attended schools together and could marry from any species of our choice. As long as there was love, it was all that mattered.

I'm Tilly Berry Staff, the only daughter of the village baker and a full-blood werewolf. My father's family were intent on keeping the bloodline clean, which was why we were the only family in the kingdom with a clean family tree.

From infancy, I had always known I would get married to a werewolf. It wasn't even up for debate, not like I would oppose that. Just saying.

I ran my fingers through my blonde strands, smiling at some of my classmates as I made my way to the library. Halfway there, I looked down, through the glass windows, and that was when I saw him, Axure, basking in the sunlight.

He sat on a rock, with his face to the sky, and his eyes closed, looking like he was posing for an artist. His hair blew around him, the beautiful strands dancing with the soft breeze. With his eyes closed and his lips shut, he looked so harmless, but that was just a facade. Axure was far from being an angel. He's the devil.

Despite that, I leaned on the window and watched him, wondering, not for the first time, what he thinks about when he's alone. While others feared him, I was curious to know about him. It could be because I felt associated with him. Just as he was the only Tribrid ever born, I'm the only werewolf in this school. It felt like I had seen a kin, someone who would understand me.

His hair was a mix of golden, red, and blue. His eyes were the same as his hair. It was a mix of grey, silver and green, the shade the most beautiful one I had ever seen. I ached to reach for my brush, to paint him just like he was, to capture the beauty that always fades each time he opened his eyes.

Almost as if he could feel my stare, he snapped his eyes open and turned. Our eyes caught, and my breath hitched. My throat became dry as he continued to hold my gaze, his eyes boring into mine despite the distance. I stood frozen, unable to move my body. It felt like he had me rooted to the floor.

Cold sweat broke out on my forehead and I felt a chill run down my spine as his eyes gradually changed colour like they did before he smacked Henry's head on the wall last week, slowly turning to the black abyss that always sucked the warmth away.

It was the first time he had caught me staring, and I knew it would be the last. The intensity of his gaze was enough to cripple me.

I had to fight, to tear my gaze away from his. And when I did, I took to my feet, running down the corridor as my heart pounded loudly in my ears.

The devil just caught me staring. I just hope he doesn't seek me out. We have all heard stories of what he did to anyone who ever paid attention to him. Not all of them lived long enough to tell the story. I just hope he didn't see my face. It was wishful thinking, but I couldn't help saying the prayers…