A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 4 - The Hunters

"Nephilims? Aren't we like....not friends with them?" asks Juniper quietly and I hear Dimitra snorts into her flute of champagne. "Aren't friends" is putting it mildly. We're basically enemies. In fact, the Nephilims have a powerful organization called The Order of the Circle that hunts down errant witches and demons for centuries.

"They kill demons," Dimitra says, setting down her empty glass only to pluck another one from a passing server. "They kill full demons, not half-demons like us." It sounds like an offhand comment, but I know Dimitra- she's actually offended that the Nephilims don't consider us worthy of their effort and time to be hunted down and killed. That's what happens when you're Astaroth's daughter and your head is filled with vanity and empty spaces instead of common sense.

I'm about to deliver an insult to Dimitra when Deedee pulls my arm, hard, and hisses in my ear, "You've managed to really piss daddy off this time. You better do what needs to be done and hope for a miracle if you want to live to see your 17th birthday."

"Deedee," I mutter, blinking at my sister as I pull my arm out of her grip. I did a lot of things that I wasn't supposed to but so far, I'd never get caught. I always suspected that Astaroth knew about them yet he's waiting for the moment I would slip up. I knew this day would come. "Chill, it's not like you're going to shed blood tears when he kills me..." I simply stop talking as I suddenly feel the changes in the air and the room grows silent.

The oxygen seems to be sucked out of the room and every follicle of fine hair on the back of my neck and arms stands on end as if I'm sensing danger. Or preparing for a flight or a fight.

A group of three men and a woman enters the ballroom and Astaroth pushes up from his seat, followed by Belial and Asmodeus. Astaroth's henchmen briskly form a protective semi-circle around the three demons as they approach the Nephilims. So, my father is scared...or at least wary of them. My father smiles charmingly as though they're old friends as he greets them like they were the guests of honor.

The heavenly beings among the underworld creatures. I wonder what possesses them to attend Astaroth's depraved auction.

As they stand facing each other, the difference between the demons and the Nephilims is astounding, at least in my eyes.

No matter how beautiful Astaroth, Belial, Asmodeus, and all other demons appear to be to the humans' eyes, the stench of the underworld never leaves them. It would taint your soul just to be in their presence. Even as a half-demon, I can't see it. It's intangible. But I can feel it.

The four Nephilims who just walked through the door are beautiful too, but they don't bear the mark of the underworld. In fact, they are glorious. The air seems to sizzle around them with a golden glow, making us, the low life creatures stare in awe.

"Who is that?" whispers Juniper and she doesn't need to elaborate. We all know who she's talking about.

The Nephilim in the center of the group steals the attention. He takes my breath away and makes my heart squeezes painfully in my chest.

He's tall, maybe six-foot-three or four. He has a body of a swimmer; slim yet broad-shouldered.

His dark brown hair is slicked back over dark eyebrows and an impressive bone structure sculpted from marble- sharp angles of an aristocratic nose, high cheekbones, and a chiseled jaw surrounding shockingly sensual lips. I can't see the color of his eyes from here but I can feel the intensity of his gaze even though it's not directed at me once tonight.

He's insanely gorgeous, no doubt about that but it's not his beauty that demands the attention. It's something more.

It's his presence. He's dripping with magnetism and charisma. He wears the air of authority like a cloak despite his youthful appearance.

His bespoke three-piece suit and his shiny black leather shoes are expensive. Yet underneath that urbane, sophisticated exterior lurks something unpredictable and dangerous.

"That's Sacha Gauthier, also known as the prince of Nephilims," answers Dimitra in an equally hushed voice as if she's also in awe. "He's just graduated from Harvard and he's going to take over the Gauthier Empire. He's going to take the rein of the Order of the Circle someday too."

We watch as he saunters in beside my father with indolent grace as though he rules over everything and everyone in this room. He's among enemies yet he's without fear.

He and the other three Nephilims are led to their chairs before Astaroth, Belial, and Asmodeus return to their throne-like seats once again.

I can't read Sacha Gauthier's cold expression. Does he hold contempt for us? Hatred?

"Astaroth had been issuing invitations to the Nephilims for years...never thought they'd show up, especially him," continues Dimitra.

"You think he's going to bid on us?" asks Juniper again, sounding excited.

Dimitra scoffs. "He's twenty-one, way too old for you," she's answering Juniper's question but her eyes are on me, sending me a warning. "What he needs is a woman who knows what she's doing." She smoothes her dress and fluffs her hair. Her lips curl up into a wicked smile as she winks at us. "He needs someone who knows how to please a man. You kids should stick to the schoolboys," she says before she takes off toward the guests of honor's direction.

Juniper stares after her and Deedee shakes her head.

A few men are ogling us but I ignore them and extend my hearing to the other side of the ballroom.

"We don't have to stay long," says a handsome Nephilim with mocha-colored skin who sits on Sacha Gauthier's right as if assuring him. "We leave in a few minutes."

"Leave in a few minutes? Seriously, Olivier? They must have the most beautiful women in the world in this room right now," comments another man. He's gazing nonchalantly around with a glint in his eyes. Looks like he doesn't mind having some fun with us, the lowly demons...or half-demons.

"We're among enemies, Mathieu," warns the one named Olivier.

"Or we could be the foxes the henhouse," counters Mathieu.

Sacha himself doesn't say a word as he takes in everything. He looks bored.

"If you like demons or half-demons, then you're in the right place," says the only woman in their group with disdain. "And of course, they have to be beautiful, how else would they get men willingly pay thousands of dollars just for a night or two in their company?"

"I'd rather stick to humans and Nephilims, thank you very much," announces Olivier even though his eyes wander. Just like the woman, I can see the disdain in his eyes.

She moves closer to the Nephilim prince. "There's really not much else to see, Sacha. If you're ready to go, just say the word."

"Tell me more about Astaroth," says Sacha, without looking at her.

"Astaroth sires bastards all over the world but only very few out of many he openly and publicly claimed as his," whispers the woman close to his ear. "Vanity plays a big part in his acceptance of his offsprings, of course. So, his bastards are the most good looking men and women here tonight. There are Damien, Dante, and Deidra. Incoming is Dimitra Saint. Watch out, she's as manipulative as they come."

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