Silver Skin

56

Creatures of Hell
~
Cadence
~

Someone could stab Cadence in the gut, twist it, but there would be no measure to what this was.

Hand in hand they walked — stalked with anticipated purpose and it punched Cadence in the gut, making her want to topple over to catch a breath. Making her want to tear out her eyes to confirm this couldn't be true. Making her want to be back in Melina's grasp, whispering her death.

Because this couldn't be real. This sight in front of her, searing into her, had to be a trick in her mind.

Maybe the starvation had finally caught up to her and this wasn't real at all. Yes, that had to be it. This was a ruse, a delusion. A figment of her imagination caused by dehydration and extreme hunger. That had to be it.

But her eyes couldn't not deceive her, even if she wished they had.

The Larren hunter stared blankly ahead, pitting a calculated and vacant look at Rexton.

Only to find his face was entirely emotionless, impassive — no humanity founded in it. It was unnerving to see, a sickening sight. So unlike him.

Allied.

Connected.

Was that what this was?

Rexton made no move, still holding hands with Adriana — their enemy.

Cadence's footing planted against the sticky floor and the pain around her neck could have finished her off. He was here ... with her. With Adriana.

Adriana stepped forward, taking in the many bodies laid flat against her castle floors. She tutted, releasing an annoyed breath.

"For this," Adriana uttered, casting a death glare at all the dead around her. She snapped her head up at the ones standing alive and sneered, "You should all be dead."

Cadence stayed put. If that was to be her ending, then so be it. She wouldn't go down without a fight, even if that fight within was eagerly slipping away from her.

"But we aren't," Cadence heard Accalia mutter.

It was a victory making Accalia say this. She was as bold as brass, siding with either death or glory. This — standing alive and well by the dead, was a triumph to Accalia.

"This is your doing. You created this. You're the reason we got to this point." Accalia ushered out in a deathly utter and without shame, with all knowing being at the end of her fingers tips, she pointed at Rexton. "And you can't kill us. Not with Rexton at your side."

Adriana could have killed her right there.

"It doesn't ignore the fact that I want you all dead," Adriana said flatly, quirking her eyes up to the high ceilings and everyone paused, awaiting her next move. She snaked her around hand Rexton's arm, glowering at the wasteland of bodies and her lips pouted. "But you won't die ... not today."

Adriana, the Queen of vampires was looking to claim lives, but there was a barrier that stopped her. An agreement that hindered all of that.

Cadence didn't care for it. Not her threats, whether they were empty or a foretelling of what she truly planned to do. Nothing else could hurt because seeing this, Adriana and Rexton together, outmatched everything.

"Is that mercy to you?" Accalia spat at Adriana and moved away from the doors of the throne room.

Adriana moved forward and crossed her arms smugly. "You killed my wolves, killed Melina ... there's a traitor amongst us. Consider yourselves lucky for me not killing you all,"