Hate

by K. A Knight

  Why they hate me.

  Why they cringe in terror.

  She watches as I grow, my eyes flaming as I transform into my true form. The others step closer to her, trying to protect her from me as my hooves burn through the floor, my mist swirling with power and swarming the room. “You will show respect and address me correctly!” I boom.

  She laughs, actually laughs, and steps closer to me. I watch her approaching in confusion. Why isn’t she running? Throwing herself at my feet and asking for forgiveness? “And you will stop having a tantrum. If you are here to right the wrongs, you might want to come with us, since the meeting is about to start and I would hate to be late, Lucy,” she declares, and then ignoring my anger, she turns and starts to saunter away.

  “Skinwalker,” I fume, my voice shaking the room. She stops at the door. “You will not call me Lucy, or else.”

  She grins, winking at me over her shoulder—such bravery. “Are you coming, Lucy, or are you going to stand around here stroking your cock and telling yourself how powerful you are?”

  Then she leaves, and I blink in shock as the others laugh and follow after her…I do not understand. How could one little woman, a skinwalker, face me down. Even Xaph is hesitant to...yet she was not.

  What just happened?

  Most importantly, if people start to call me Lucy, I am going to kill that little woman.

  I think my mate, my goddess, has a death wish. She walked right up to that demon and faced him down, almost reprimanding him like you would a child. It was clear he didn’t even know what to do, but she must have felt his power, his age. The ancient demon is stronger than any of us.

  Something, someone to fear.

  Yet she didn’t. Does she know something we don’t, or is she simply past caring?

  We can all feel it, her need, her bloodlust flowing through her. A pull draws her from the room, a tie leading her to the council as if she must be there. As if she is destined to be there. She can feel it too, the urgency. Her feet speed up, her little legs blurring as we leave the suite and storm through the mansion.

  We are all surprised when the demon appears right next to her, watching her out of the corner of his eye like he is unsure how to respond or act around her. “What is your plan, walker?” he snaps. “To just storm in there, you and your men?”

  She grins, not even glancing at him. “Why don’t you wait and see, Lucy?” I know she’s calling him that on purpose now. His face contorts in a sneer and I think he is debating throttling her, so I slip between them and grab her hand, holding it as we head back to the top of the dungeons. She stops at that door and looks at Nos. “Get them ready, it’s time.”

  She looks at us then, her face softening. “Now’s your chance to turn back, you don’t have to do this, they might kill us.”

  “We do this together,” Griffin snarls.

  “Together.” I nod.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Jair adds.

  “Little Monster, it’s time to put our actions into words, we will follow you anywhere.”

  She sighs as the wolf inserts his bark to the chorus of agreements, wearing a brilliant smile on her face as she looks around at us. “Then let’s kill the council.”

  She turns and swings open the dungeon doors. I pull her back as the monsters from below boil upwards and out, their claws, teeth, and anger filling the air. They want revenge, they want blood.

  They will get it.

  I send a whisper to Griffin’s mind and watch as he breaks away to do as I ask. I watch the outpouring of monsters from the dungeons, more than I even knew existed, never mind know how to name.

  There are wolves, snakes, witches, nymphs, vampires, and so many more. All angry, all looking for blood. It’s chaos at first. I hear screams farther down the hall, and I know they have found some guards. Laughing, I feel my mates press closer, but I’m not afraid.

  Not of these monsters. No, the council should be terrified, not me.

  They are lost. They are like us, like me. They are mine.

  I gather my power and direct it to them in a surge. Every eye turns to me, all waiting, watching—they know I set them free. They don’t know why, but if left alone they would fracture and fight each other, maybe even be captured again, and I can’t let that happen. I need every single monster here if I am to get to the council. Even now, I can feel them calling upon their nephilim, and when Griffin returns with the information I requested, he nods at me.

  “As you thought, they are closing the doors, and the nephilim are lining up before them like lambs to slaughter,” he snarls, mad at his own people for letting themselves be used.

  “If they wish to die for the council, we will oblige.” I grin and he smirks.

  Looking back at the gathered monsters, I raise my voice and infuse it with the power inside me that seems to know what to do. “They stole you! They mistreated you, tortured you, and locked you away! They left you in the dark!” I yell, and roars, howls, and shouts go up among the monsters, making me grin evilly. “Let’s show them how wrong they were, let’s show them why they should be afraid of the dark!”

  Looking them over, I carry on, “Anyone who wants to leave, do so, anyone who wants blood and to get even, follow me.” With that, I look at Nos. “When we get inside the council room, when they think these are the only people we have, you will know...bring in your army. Let’s not show all our cards at once, this will be a war, not just a battle.”

  Done with waiting, I push through the masses, and they part for me. Hands, paws, tails, and... tentacles reach for me, running across my body, across my power. I feel their solidarity in their touches. Monsters are seen as creatures to fear. To lock away and forget, and they are tired of it, they are tired of being hurt for just being themselves. In me they see their future, they see a hope.

  I feel it.

  I reach out to as many as I can as I pass, touching them, letting them feel my intent and power—I know they could turn on me just as easily. They are a deadly, faceless horde, but they won’t attack me. Not yet.

  I have to prove to them that I’m worthy of their loyalty first.

  When I reach the end of the hallway with my men, I spot some dead guards on the floor, so I step over them, my bare feet squishing in their blood as I leave gory footprints behind me. Blood is still dripping down my face and chest, drying in places and flaking, and in my hand I have a surprise for them.

  Grinning, I head to the chambers, up the stairs, and into the entryway where hundreds, if not thousands of nephilim are waiting, all still, all holding weapons, their eyes empty and cold. They move as one as they step forward, nothing but hollow soldiers. How they can differ so much from my feeling fallen, I have no idea.

  They are nothing but toys, tools even. Griffin’s a tool for sure, but a different kind.

  I heard that, don’t make me kill you again.

  Laughing out loud, I smirk at the army. “Well then, shall we begin?” I suggest, before turning to Lucy and passing him my surprise. “Hold this, won’t you?”

  He narrows his eyes and I wink. “There will be plenty of people for you to kill.”

  He takes it as I spin to face the nephilim, my eyes flashing black as my voice goes deadly and saturates with power. “I will bathe in your blood.”

  We surge forward, not as one, but as a boiling mass of anger and hate. We rip through their masses, screams of anger and pain ringing out. Blood rains from all angles, drenching us, and the nephilim take to the ceiling to fight. I spot Griffin tearing through them while he laughs. Nos rips out their hearts and tosses them away. My wolf is here and severing limbs from them. Jair slashes throats and breaks necks as I search for Dume.

  Suddenly, a mighty roar shakes the whole building and we all freeze, even the monsters as we turn, fear swelling inside us at that sound. It’s the call of a bigger monster, a bigger predator, but when I see who it is, I laugh.

  Dume.

  Fully changed.

  He stands from his bent
position, and I pant as I watch him. His head almost reaches the ceiling, and his body wider than the doorway, so when he steps forward, he crashes through the walls on either side. His horns are curved and scarred, his bull coming out to play. He’s bigger and meaner, and those red eyes lock on me amidst the fighting. He smashes his hooves into the floor as I hear another voice.

  “Oh, we are changing. Watch this then.” Aska snorts and I spin to see him there one second, with intestines in his hands, and then suddenly his dragon takes his place. Its jaw opens, flashing purple as he snarls at everyone. His tail whips out and smashes into nephilim, sending them flying backwards. Those serpent eyes blink as he looks around before meeting my gaze, then he lumbers closer on four taloned feet, which carve grooves into the floor.

  Little Monster.

  Change, show them who we are.

  So he does. Nos shifts into the creature he thought I would fear—into my forest god. I turn back to the guards, and for the first time I see fear flicker in their eyes. They know they are going to lose. Faced with my monsters, they are terrified, but they still follow orders. They dive back into the fray as the noise of screams and fighting begins again.

  I watch Aska rip the souls from people, cutting them like strings. A nephilim lands on his back, but he flaps his wings and impales him on his spikes by smashing him into the ceiling. Looking around, blood covering my hands and claws, I meet Lucy’s eyes where he’s standing, watching it all go down with a smile on his face. He feels me and turns his head, his red gaze meeting mine.

  If I joined in, little walker, they would be dead in a blink. Where is the fun in that? Bathe in their blood like you wanted.

  Just then someone slices across my back. I feel my skin split as pain thunders through me. Spinning, I snarl at the nephilim and tackle him, slashing with my claws again and again. Blood and skin soar as he tries to fend me off, but it’s no use. I lean down and rip out his throat with my teeth, spitting it on his dying face before throwing myself at one who’s stabbing at a whimpering wolf.

  He is surrounded, his brown pelt covered in blood, still snarling as he lunges and retreats. Tearing the head off one guard, I slide between another’s legs and punch him in the junk. As he falls, I leap onto his face and tear off his nose before slashing his throat. Glancing at the others, I see the wolf is eating one as another sneaks up on him.

  Oh no you don’t, I think, but a nephilim grabs me from behind just as I’m about to take him down. Fuck. But then my wolf bounds over, knocking over anyone in his way, and picks up the nephilim like a toy, dragging him around as he screams and tries to stab at his muzzle. My wolf is bigger, really big actually. Wow.

  I watch in awe, just hanging in this guy’s grip, but then the nephilim stabs into my wolf’s muzzle, making him cry out in pain as he drops him. Oh hell no. Lurching forward, I throw myself on the guy, but I land on the floor, so I grab his ankles and pull him down, grunting as he lands on the nephilim already piled on me.

  Fuck.

  But then the weight lifts, and Lucy stares down at me, holding both fighting nephilim, one in each hand like they are nothing more than a nuisance. “Okay, walker?”

  I nod and he smashes the nephilim together. I hear their skulls crack and then burst like melons, gore raining down on me. Lucy crouches, wiping some brain matter off my face. “Then continue, I enjoy watching you fight. It is...erotic.”

  “You’re messed up, you know that, right, Lucy?” I laugh.

  “Devil, darling, what more do you expect?” He winks before helping me to my feet and then disappears as soon as he arrived, leaning back against his wall, his eyes on me. He waves me on to continue, making me giggle as I turn to take in how we are doing.

  Monsters are everywhere, and the walls are red with blood. Nephilim are being pushed back, but they are still fighting hard, still trying to follow orders, even to their deaths. I’m done with this, I want to see the council.

  Stepping back, I feel for the power that waits inside me, and it draws from the floor, racing towards me from the blood and corpses scattered around—both ours and theirs. More and more comes to me until, with a scream, it bursts. My arms fling out as I’m thrown into the air. My mouth and eyes are open, and I can see them lighting up, swirling with visible power. It grows stronger and stronger until I know if I don’t get rid of it, it will kill me.

  I do the only thing I can do—I send it outwards, trying to aim it at the nephilim. I feel each person it hits. Friends are strengthened, while enemies explode in a shower of muscle, bone, and blood until there is nothing left. Just a massacre with me in the middle, floating above the ground like some great big glow worm.

  The power drains, heading back deep within me, still there but not as much as before as my feet touch the ground. Blinking my eyes to clear them, I shut my mouth and look around at what I’ve done.

  They are dead, all of them. I wiped out a species with one move. I should be sad, disgusted, and scared, but I’m not. Especially when every eye turns to me in reverence and gratefulness.

  I step over fallen bodies as a laugh reaches me, then Lucy pops up in front of me. “What are you, little walker?” he murmurs, watching me as he runs a finger across my blood-covered cheek. He pulls it back and sucks it into his mouth, his red eyes focused on me. “I will find out, until then, it’s my turn to play.” He offers me his arm and I accept it, pressing my hand to the crook of his elbow as he returns my surprise to me. “Shall we?”

  “Let’s not keep them waiting anymore.” I grin.

  My monsters open the doors for me, and they bang against the wall from the force, causing every eye within the chamber to turn to me. Those in the seats scream and gasp, while some get up to escape. I feel my men behind me, their minds touching mine, and it strengthens me to do what comes next.

  I’m no one, just an abomination. Yet today they will see what that no one is capable of.

  “Enough, sit down!” Amos thunders, and his people do as they are told. He’s standing at the front before his throne. The other council members are there also, all apart from Derrin. They watch us with disgust like we are something to squish, to be disposed of. How wrong they are.

  Gripping Lucy tighter, I stroll down the aisle with him, straight towards the council.

  Every eye follows me as I saunter into their masses with Derrin’s bleeding head clutched in my hand, my surprise for them. “What is the meaning of this?” Amos shrieks, but I see the worry in his eyes. I’m supposed to be dead, how did I get free? Where are his guards? His questions almost reach me telepathically, his mind whirling faster and faster.

  I don’t want to play games, I just want them dead. I refuse to offer pretty words or appeal to the people here. I don’t want their support or even their respect. I just want these bastards scared...and then dead. Throwing the head, I laugh when it splatters on the desk before their thrones. “This is what happens to those who hurt people who are mine, and you, Assmos, and your lackeys, they hurt mine.”

  “We did—”

  “You hurt women! And children! And humans! You stole our people!” I scream, and then settle down, sauntering closer. “Today is your reaping, Assmos, any last words?”

  “You are crazy!”

  “That I am, I put the bat in batshit insane.” I giggle and turn to see the gathered creatures—only the richest and strongest are within the council chambers, the others are outside, ready. “But everyone else agrees. I don’t mean the rich pricks you select, but your actual people. The ones you stole and betrayed. They are angry, they see you for who you really are. You have been judged, sentenced, and now I will execute you,” I inform him.

  “You and your band of...of—” He snarls, and I interrupt.

  “Monsters.” I grin.

  “Monsters! You are nothing! They are nothing! Just mistakes!” he shrieks, and I hear Nos mentally reach to the people outside, letting them see and hear everything as they head indoors. “So what? We took some women, there are plenty. We are tr
ying to stop the death of our races, to make ourselves stronger to stop those sheep from taking over this world. It is ours! We deserve it, natural selection.”

  “But what you are doing isn’t natural, Assmos,” I taunt. “You raped women and men, you made them have your super soldier babies, and you changed those babies. You experimented on your own people. You broke so many laws to what...get more power? Get off your fucking high horse, you are nothing more than what you hate most—a monster.” I laugh. I’m surprised he hasn’t said anything about Lucy yet, but maybe he’s too distracted.

  He can’t see me, not yet, I am waiting. I needed proof before I kill him. The rules of my tiresome job. I just want to see him dig himself deeper into that grave.

  Ah, makes sense. Just then I feel the others surge from outside, all the different races, every single one they stole from. They heard everything. Their voices rise in a cacophony, demanding the council answers for what they have done. The room breaks into chaos as I laugh. Amos looks around, his expression shocked and unsure for the first time ever before his eyes zero in on me and turn dark.

  “You…you did this. You ruined everything!” he screams, and I see the moment he flings his power at me.

  I don’t try to stop it, I wait, hoping I’m strong enough to survive it. But it never hits. I blink and there is Lucy, right in front of me. He stops the power mid-air and tuts. “Oh, Amos, you and your little council are so stupid. Did you think we would never find out? That we would let this stand? You are not above the law, you are to uphold and protect our people. You are just like everyone else. And now you must pay that price.” He flings the power back and it smacks into Amos, making him fall backwards.

  A woman on the council tries to flee, and suddenly Lucy is behind her, his hand protruding from her chest. Her mouth opens and closes in shock as she slowly looks down in dawning horror. With a squelch, he pulls his hand back, holding up her heart for everyone to see. He smirks as he sets it on fire, letting it burn until only ashes coat his palm. She tumbles down the steps, her body broken at the bottom as he turns to the other council members. “One blood debt paid. I, Lucifer, the great snake, the eternal flame with the power and authority of the sleeping council, hereby strip you of all titles and responsibilities. You are sentenced to death for your crimes against our people. Do you accept the charges levied against you?” Lucy asks calmly.