One Ember, Two Hearts

CHAPTER #2: A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

EMBER P.O.V.

The chill of the dungeon seeps into my bones, a stark contrast from the warmth of my mother's arms. My heart breaks thinking about how that is a distant memory.

Lucian's words echo in my ears. His voice is like a venomous serpent slithering through my thoughts. The anger boils in me.

I open my eyes, seeing that I was in a terrible place. The walls are made of concrete with water dripping down in certain spots, creating some kind of green slim. The floor is covered in hay. There are bars on the window and the door made of some kind of metal.

I go to touch the door, but I get burned. They're made of silver. I go to the bars on the windows and the same thing happens.

The sun is setting. I sit in the corner of the room pulling my knees to my chest. I wrap my arms around them and cry. I don't see or hear my mom anywhere. I hear footsteps coming down the hallway. My heart is racing in terror.

The door opens. Two guards come into the room, followed by Lucian. I dared to look at the guards, their faces like masks of indifference. They are just tools, instruments of this man's will. Their loyalty brings fear and obligation. Their presence adds another layer of dread to the already suffocating weight of despair.

"Hello Ember." He holds out a hand, a gleaming ruby ring glinting on his finger. I refuse to accept it.

"Where's my mom?!" The anger in me is wanting to come out.

"Ember, I'm going to make you an offer. If you refuse, then you will be labeled as a slave." My eyes go wide with horror.

I swallow the lump in my throat, building up the courage to my answer. The possibility of a life beyond the prison walls of this dungeon, would just be replaced by the walls of his power. The truth, though, is far more brutal than what lies here. I see the darkness in his eyes. I have felt the sting of his cruelty. The reality is he is a predator, and I'm a helpless prey.

"WHERE'S MY MOM?!" I scream at him, letting him hear my anger. Although he just chuckles at me.

"She's dead Ember." His words hit me like a ton of bricks. "When she tried to leap off the cliff, she couldn't make it to the other side of the trees. She twisted herself around to where she took the blow of the rocks on her back so you could live." His voice is devoid of any empathy.

"No!" I cry, my tiny voice trembling with painful despair.

I break down hysterically crying. Memories of my family and pack life race through my mind. All the love and laughter overwhelms my logic.

My eyes close tight. I'm praying that all of this is just a horrific nightmare. Lucian hadn't even stepped foot on our pack lands. Any minute, I'm waiting for my parents to wake me up. I'd even wish that maybe Ivy would wake me up from this hell.

"STOP CRYING!" Lucian roars, his annoyed anger echoing through the cold, empty room.

My eyes immediately open as I freeze in terror. I'm so silent that the only thing you hear are my teeth chattering. My whole body is trembling so badly that I have no control. He crouches before me.

"Why are you doing this?!" I managed to choke out fighting my tears, my voice barely audible. He sighs with a mocking sorrow.

"I don't want to be the bad guy in this story, Ember. I want you to be my betrothed. I wanted your mother, but she is dead now."

He goes to cup my face with his hand. My tiny body recoils away. Fear, deep and primal, grips me.

"I'm only ten years old!" My voice is laced with horror. "And you are old!"

A smile forms on him as he chuckles at my naive innocence. His eyes flicker with a hint of what could be called kindness. I can see the truth behind his facade.

"When you turn eighteen, and have your wolf, sweet girl." I can see the sinister empty promises in his eyes, which is bringing the anger back into me. "On your eighteenth birthday, I want you as my wife. If you say yes right now, you will be taken to a beautiful, warm and cozy room. You'll have servants waiting on you day and night. You'll even have a nanny to watch over you. I'd hire the best private tutors to teach you everything about the world. Doesn't that sound amazing?"

"No!" I growl the word at him laced with venom and pure hatred. I don't know how I summoned the courage, but it came.

His eyes darkened, the black pupils dilating. A prelude to the best that lurks within him. His presence seems to loom over me like a massive storm cloud.

"I'm going to ask you again, Ember. If you still say no, I'll leave you in this room for three days. There will be no food brought to you, no water, and you'll be left in the cold." He is a monster!

"You killed my Mommy and Daddy! You killed Ivy!" I growl out at him. "I don't want to marry you! I want to kill you!"

In an instant, Lucian's face morphes into a mask of fury. He slaps me. The force of his hand sends a jolt of pain through my face. He grabs my hair, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"You will agree to this, Ember! I will make your life a living hell as a slave! To even sweeten the deal, I swear that the moment you find your mate, I will kill that person right in front of you! So what's your answer going to be Ember?! Yes or no?!"

Fueled by a fierce, defiant spirit, I spit in his face. It is a petty, childish act, but it is all I could do in the circumstances. I want to hurt him as much as he has hurt me. Deep within me, I feel fueled by the pain of my parents' loss, my best friend's death, and the fear of my own future. A flame of defiance ignites in me. I know I'm trapped, but I will never give in.

"I will find a way to escape here, monster! This fight is far from over!" I snap.

His face contorts with anger. His eyes burned like hot coals. He's fighting with his wolf for control. He lets out a sadistic laugh, his eyes glowing with malice.

"Very well." His voice is dripping with venom. "You've made your choice."

He throws me across the room, hitting a wall hard. He moves so fast that I don't have time to react. His monstrous hands inclose around my throat and squeezes. Everything is starting to go dark.

SOMEONE HELP ME! SELENE I DON'T WANT TO DIE!