The Hell Hound

1. Music to my ears.

I woke up to the sound of Sasha ushering me awake, the sun wasn't even down yet, just like usual. I stretched my aching bones hearing small cracks and opened my mouth to a wide yawn. I glanced at Sasha who was holding my two headphones in her hand, I could hear the music already blaring. She gave me a sad smile before passing them to me.

When I place them in my ears I notice the new rhythm and beat, I smile at the assuring sound. Music was my escape and it just happened that it was the only thing I've ever heard throughout my whole life.

I don't remember what a normal speaking voice sounds like, only singing. Due to that, I've never talked and I can only make out a couple of words, most of them are to help the vamps.

Confess, Hell hound and death.

Those are the only three words I can make out and I only say two of them, unfortunately.

On the bright side, I have Sasha who taught me sign language when I was younger so I could communicate with her. I was grateful for her care, she was like a mother to me, I could tell that she cared about me too, she is the only person who does.

I turn my head toward her peering up at her through my thick black lashes.

What would you like for breakfast? She signs, I shrug which is what I always do and she rolls her eyes at me. I watch her run round to the other side of the room where she picks up a mug full of my favourite tea, just like always.  

Thank you, I sign to her with gratefulness. She passed me the tea and I take a small sip, the warm sweet liquid waking me up more.

I won't be a moment, I just need to run a few errands and I will back with you in an hour. I nod, expecting her to have to run off to do the vamps bidding. She quickly hurries away from me, but not before placing a loving kiss to my cheek. She walks out the door, shutting it behind her.

My smile fades and I look down to my tea. The red tint of colour swirled around I could see the sediment lying at the bottom, spinning like a small tornado, I took in a deep sigh.

I could see specks of light peeking through my curtains, I quickly placed my cup down on the side and hurried to the curtains, eagerness overwhelms me. Pulling them open, my hopes fade. The sun was nowhere to be seen, but the sky was still slightly lit up. The vibrant orange and pink glow contoured small fluffy clouds, but as I look further up, the sky fades into a deep navy.

I've never seen the sun, I've always wanted too. In every book I've read people never really mention it, they focus more on the midnight sky and the beautiful stars. But I see them every day. When they do mention it, it's either sunrise or a sunset, which sounds beautiful and fills my mind with fantasies.

I pull my curtains fully open as soon as the vibrancy of the day fades into the dull night. I turning around I glance at the very first thing I always do at this point of the night, the bookshelf.

My feet carry me towards the small shelves, one was a little lopsided and Sasha had put a heavy vase on the other end to make it seem a little straighter. I graze the pill of books which seem to overflow the shelves, one on top of the other, the shelves were certainly crammed.

I wonder what to read today and my fingertips stop on one book I hadn't read, which Sasha told me I definitely should give it a go. Romeo and Juliet. I had read Shakespeare before many times, but Sasha never showed me this book until I turned 18. I remember how she told it was filled with romance and heartache, I think I was scared at the time to read it because of those reasons.

Romance, the idea of it scares me. I want to be able to be romantic and to be in a relationship, but I can't, I'm a hell hound. I don't trust myself or have control over my powers. How could I care for somebody if all I do is put them in danger? Of course, there is always the use of sign language, but I can still hear once I take out my headphones. I could still hear their confessions, I could still take their soul away.

My hand falls from the book, feeling too emotional to read it. My eyes drift to the Odyssey, one of my favourite books by far, I go to grab the book, but then my door opens wide.

My whole body shivers as I see the vampire standing before me. Sasha soon appears beside him and signs to me.

At midnight you'll be summoned to interrogate a new prison. Her eyes became sad as she saw the dread in my eyes, I hated using my power to help the vamps.

Hypnosis, by just looking into a person's eyes and saying the word 'confess', they will immediately spill their sins. Then if the sun is great enough, I will say the word 'death' and part my lips sucking up their soul. Sometimes when the sin isn't great enough, I will be pressured to say it by the vampire stood before me.

The smug look on his face grew as I nodded to Sasha, his bloodshot, black eyes were bored into my own. He seemed to think he could control me with fear, but he was wrong. I do this because it's all I've ever known. And if I don't, they will kill Sasha. I guess that part of the deal is where he seems to think I fear him, but I know that if Sasha dies they will have no one to bargain with anymore, therefore losing that power.

Both of them disappeared from my door as soon as I looked away. I grabbed my book and decided to get away from my thoughts.

I couldn't use my power against vampires, believe me, I've tried. When I turned sixteen a young boy was put in a trial to confess to me, he had done nothing more than steal, he didn't deserve to die. I voiced this, yet I was told to do my job. At this moment I felt extra cocky and decided to use my hypnosis on the vamp, he spilt his sins, the confession going on for minutes. But when I spoke the word 'death,' nothing happened.

Vampires don't have a soul, I learnt that day. That's when they started to threaten me with Sasha's death. That's when all my hopes of getting out of this place where crushed.