Silver Skin

37

Agreements
~
Rexton
~

The skies were painted plum purple and the blaze of the sun began sinking where the towering trees stood.

As the sun sunk, the moon rose.

Rexton leant his forehead against the hard glass, sighing against it and watched as fog formed around him.

It would be much preferred to be in the centre of the fog. You wouldn't know where you were, or what was coming. It would be a mystery to be discovered.

Only, Rexton wasn't clouded in fog, he was submerged in a castle, hell deep and with no way out.

The exchange, Rexton thought. That was all it took. All it would take.

The day had been predictable, uneventful and far too slow. He needed the night to come, he wanted the day to fasten by just so the following could arrive. He wanted this over with.

Taking his eyes off the skies where the sun no longer loomed, Rexton rummaged his hands into his trouser pockets and rocked on his heels, eyes fractioning on the locked door.

After last night, Cole took him back to his room and intentionally locked him inside. Sleep hardly found him, only anxious worries that had him tossing and turning. Then again, ever since his freedom, sleep never seemed to be such a fulfilling activity for him. It wasn't a desire like wakefulness was.

In the deadness of this place, Rexton realised the undead would be asleep as the sun was up and high. They would only being waking now with a certain hunter itching their throat. If they were asleep in the day, did that meant his family were safe to rest too?

Throughout the day, servants had dropped by with a delectable tray of fruits for breakfast. After they left, the door was locked. Rexton didn't eat. His stomach was sore from emptiness, but anxiety kept up the refusal to consume anything. He was too choked up to even think of eating.

He was only thankful there wasn't blood in his food. Just citrusy fruits, berries and too many colours that ran red. Pomegranate, cherries, red apples, strawberries, blood orange, watermelon ... it coursed with waves of red that interlinked too closely with blood.

Too much of it. Even within these fine walls, blood still speed through ... down the nice paint detailing, in the fruits, in boredom and in desire.

A click sounded and as Rexton thought and spiralled, the door unlocked and swung open.

A musky, spicy scent that oozed over-confidence had Rexton crinkling his nose.

Cole came through the threshold with his hands laced behind his back, looking all proper and put together.

The bite marks had faded overnight, but his cocky grin remained as wide and eerie as ever.

"Adriana has summoned you," Cole informed him and gestured Rexton to the door. "Move along."

Puzzled, Rexton strode over and out the door with Cole. He could have stayed, but he didn't think he could watch the moon left higher and higher, brightening the sky with purpose and promise.

Adriana hadn't allowed him to see the girls. He was restrained in his own cage just like the others.

"Why?" Rexton didn't waste time in asking.

Cole shrugged carelessly and fiddled with the ends of his sleeves. "I don't ask questions, I just follow orders."

Rexton nearly scoffed. He had never heard of such a willing, compliant Alpha following orders without question. If Cole spoke in such a way amongst other Alphas ... past, present and arising, it would be shameful. A humiliation on their curse and title.