Star Blood |✔|

8| MOTIONLESS

Motionless.

We stood, shoulder to shoulder, not saying a word.

The throne room was beautiful.

High ceilings showed above to display a break from the darkness- as the glass let us witness the sky that hung above the smog of evil. The sun filtered into the room, shining down upon us.

Balconies lined all around, displaying ago old sculptures and architecture. Gold, red and black adored every feature. Ahead of us sat the throne itself.

The dark chair rose several steps above us. A single red ruby the size of my fist, was the only color on it. It shone brightly against the black, above where the head of the ruler would be.

Blood red.

I heard soft crying coming from the far end of the row.

I wish I could comfort her. To tell her to be silent and not bring more attention to herself. But it was too late.

He was already here.

I felt him before I saw him.

A wave of darkness so great, I almost choked at once.

Several of the girls gasped as he emerged.

"Ladies."

Audible gulps were heard as he approached us.

Dark hair and piercing red eyes.

He was a figure from my nightmares.

The sobbing girl captured his attention.

"I love the ones who cry," he whispered softly to her.

He reached out and cupped her face. Her crying immediately stopped. She was entranced, caught within his spell as he learned forward.

"Done so soon?" he frowned, "did I say you could stop?"

She slowly shook her head. I was reminded of a Sphinx and mouse. How much like this scene it was. The predator with his prey, looking down at the weakness within his capture.

He leaned forward even more, causing many of the girls to gasp when he softly kissed her neck.

"You will do," he nodded. I glanced at Jonaus in confusion but saw that he was looking up at the ceiling, away from his King.

My attention was thrown back when I heard a soft moan.

It took me a second to register what was even happening.

The King's mouth was on the girl's flesh. Small trickles of blood dripped down.

A frenzied hiss sounded around the throne room at the smell and a sudden bang on the door startled all of us, causing several girls to scream.

The girls closest to the King were crying, leaning as far away as they could.

The one who was captured by his fangs was still moaning softly, completely oblivious to the panic she was causing. She clung tightly to him. I watched in horror as her skin turned paler and paler, more and more blood being drained.

She did not push away, or try to stop him.

I fought against my instinct to help her.

I wanted more than anything by the Mother in that moment, to help her.

I prayed with all hope to the moon, but she was not in this forsaken place. She would not come and rescue this girl. It was already too late.

Her lifeless body dropped to the floor and screams could be heard from the girls closest to her.

"Stop."

The one word from the King had them holding back their horror.

"Consider this a small display. This is what will happen to you if I do not find you pleasing or if you in some way, fail."

The girls shivered. I felt the girl next to me - the one who had bowed- tense up, as if she could no longer contain herself and was going to scream with all her strength. I quickly took her hand, silently pleading with her to stay calm and silent.

She exhaled and squeezed my hand back in thanks.

The King started at the end, giving each girl a look with his red eyes, and leaning forward to take in her scent.

I was four girls away from the other side.

He stopped in front of me.

"I know this scent," he leaned forward and inhaled deeply, a blissful sigh escaping him.

"I could smell this scent miles away from me."

I kept my face silent and masked.

"You do not know the control it took for me to not go straight to you," he laughed at that.

He stepped forward more, until our chests were barely touching.

"Your blood smells of stars."

I looked into his red eyes. He wore the smell of blood and death, like it was his own perfume. He stared at me in clear fascination.

"Tell me your name little star," he asked, smiling down at me.

I could see slight sharpness within his teeth. He was not showing it, but he was struggling to not let his fangs out. "Arishia," I said.

He blinked in astonishment.

"I knew you were moon blessed like Jonaus, but a servant of the Mother? Within my reaping?"

He laughed, causing the girls around to shiver at the wild, horrific sound that entrapped them.

I held my response in saying that I was nothing like Jonaus. That Jonaus had long fallen out of favor with the moon.

"Little star," the king said, his red eyes shining down as he greedily took in my whole body and the repressors upon it, "it will be my pleasure to corrupt your soul."