Heart Like A Stallion

Tonight the Foxes Hunt the Hounds

The lights appeared out of the darkness at the end of the street, and with them came harsh voices--signs of a manhunt. Rhea watched breathlessly as the light intensified, then backed away from the window into the dark room.

"Lucifer," she whispered, "we have to go now."

The young man in the shadows sighed resignedly. "They were supposed to take the road behind the house."

"That was before they arrested Constantine," Rhea muttered worriedly. "I hope that he is all right."

"Con will be fine; he can take care of himself, and they cannot hold him without witnesses," Lucifer assured her. "Now let's go out the back. It's the only way."

§§§§§

The sun was not yet high enough to peep in the upper windows of the houses along the street when a woman's scream shattered the still air, and the neighbors rushed to see what had transpired.

"It's my sister's son," the woman, Octavia, sobbed. She stood over the nearly unrecognizable body of a young man whose face had been bruised and bloodied before death, the cause of which was unmistakable. A savage cut across his throat was so deep that his spine was visible.

"I am so sorry." Octavia's close friend, Claudia, tried to comfort the weeping woman. "Horatio was a good young man."

"We all know who did this!" announced a man, Cato. When the crowd turned towards him, he explained, "It was Lucifer. He was the only one with a reason to harm Horatio!"

Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd, and another, younger man raised his voice. "Of course it was Lucifer. Cato is right! We all know he was jealous of Horatio's promotion. We have all seen how he taunted and provoked our friend!"

"Lucifer Felix is a murderer!" shrilled a woman in the crowd.

"Wait!"

All eyes fixed on a young woman who had just reached the scene. It was Rhea Demetria, illegitimate daughter of Mark Antony and close friend of Lucifer.

"Friends, you are judging blindly!" she exclaimed. "You all know that, in spite of the quarrel he and Horatio Claudio had, Lucifer was no murderer! It was almost always Horatio who instigated those arguments that turned to fighting in the streets. We all know that Lucifer would not seriously harm Horatio unless provoked to do so in self-preservation!"

"Lucifer is selfish and jealous, Rhea," Cato sneered. "You saw him take every chance he had to punish Horatio for being more successful." Turning away from her, he shouted, "Someone send for the vigiles!"

"Please, Cato, do not do this!" Rhea exclaimed desperately. "You are wrong about Lucifer!"

Unfortunately, the people ceased to listen and instead began to clamor for justice, then for the punishment and execution of Lucifer. Growing frantic, she turned and fled down the street, closely followed by the calls of death for her friend.

§§§§§

Rhea reached for the door at the back of the house.

"Wait!" Lucifer hissed from his position at the window. Rhea looked over questioningly, and he explained, "Lights down the street."

Joining him at the window, Rhea looked through it and down the street. As Lucifer had said, the vigiles were coming. "This cannot be happening!" she gasped, glancing at Lucifer as she spoke. "What are we going to do?"

He didn't respond at first, and Rhea was about to repeat her question when he said, "To the roof. It's our only chance." Turning, he tried to pull her along with him, but she resisted.