Intensity

Voices fighting is what I heard when I woke up from a deep sleep.

Groggily, I covered my face with my arm willing the voices to just stop. Lying there for a few moments, knowing full well that they probably weren’t going to stop anytime soon. Normally what would wake me up were either my siblings or Elizabeth, but this was different. They were male voices, yelling loudly at one another. Turning in my bed, I reached to grab the girl that I knew was lying next to me only to find her side empty.

Crawling out of bed, I rubbed my eyes and pulled on a shirt. Where the fuck was she? Who the fuck was yelling? Walking out of my room, I made my way toward where the voices were shouting; most likely that was where I would find Elizabeth. She seemed to always have an affinity for drama. Lazily, I made my way down the stairs, the voices were now octaves louder, but this time I could hear a more feminine voice butt in, seemingly trying to calm down the two screaming men.

Walking through the double doors that were shutting away the fighting group from the rest of the world, I stopped in my tracks.

Patrick, his father and uncle were sitting on one side of the room. My father and a man I had never met were standing facing one another with Elizabeth in the middle of them trying to calm them down, and then Alec was standing on the other side of the room with another man I had never met. My mother and sisters were nowhere to be seen, but I had a feeling that that was a good thing.

“What’s going on?” I asked, raising my voice so that it was louder than the rest of the people in the room. My father and the strange man quit yelling and turned to face me as Elizabeth ran towards me, grabbing my hand. I could see out of the corner of my eye, Alec narrowing his eyes at the contact that Elizabeth made with me. And across of the room Patrick was glaring deadly at Alec. Something had gone on, and then it clicked.

Where the hell was Emmbla?

“We have visitor’s son,” my father said, while glaring venomously at the man that he had just been exchanging words with. Nodding my head, I lead Elizabeth towards where my cousin and my uncle were sitting. They both looked as if they had just gone through hell.

Sitting Elizabeth down, I made my way toward the middle of the room. Emmbla’s whereabouts still taking residence in my thoughts.

“I noticed Father,” I murmured as Alec stood up from his chair and left through the door that was right next to where he was seated. Moving to catch up with him, I was stopped in my tracks by the man that my father had been arguing with.

Turning my attention to him, my eyes widened. There hanging around his neck was the royal families pendent. Taking a step back, I glanced at my father who only nodded in response at my questioning look.

“Pierre,” I stated, my voice taking on a deadly tone.

His face remained stoic as he took in my appearance. Probably trying to measure my ability, in case of a possible fight. That’s what the high lords had to do. They always had to stay on their toes, just in case the demon they were after was once upon a time a high lord themselves.

“I’m assuming you are the son?” Pierre spoke.

Narrowing my eyes, I exchanged a look with my father and then glanced at the door that my friend had just escaped through.

“You will not be following him until you answer some questions,” the emotionless Pierre stated. He motioned for the couch that Elizabeth, Patrick and my uncle were sitting. “Please sit.”

Listening, I did as I was told. My father following me to the couch, but refusing to sit down.

“You are the young man that was ordered to dispose of the Miss. Emmbla McDaniel?”

Nodding my head yes, I watched as he stood perfectly still, seemingly comfortable just standing there. Normally creatures like my family and I didn’t like to stand in one spot for too long. We were like humans in that aspect. We liked to move. But this man didn’t. There was something dangerous about him, more so than the other High Lords that I had met in the past. One of them being my friend who had just escaped. Alec had been a High Lord for as long as I could remember; we had grown up together in the city. His father’s origins different than mine. The last that I had seen him was when my father was uprooting my mother and I to hunt on the surface world. That had been the last time I saw Alec before he had come to visit weeks ago.

“You failed to do so? And let her get caught by the rogue Patrick and his father. Am I correct?”

Once again, I nodded my head. He hadn’t moved an inch. He was blissfully peaceful as he spoke to us. Finally looking up from the paper that he had been reading, he made eye contact.

“And you are aware that we now have Miss McDaniel in our custody?”

I jumped up from my seat and lunged for motionless man, my father pulling me back inches before I reached the man.

“What the fuck do you mean you have her in your custody?!” I shouted, trying to get out of my father’s grasp. Pierre remained unaffected at my outburst.

“Cullen, sweetie,” Elizabeth murmured, putting her dainty hand on my muscled arm. Not paying her any attention, I maneuvered out of her grasp, sidestepped my father’s body and lunged for the immobile man once again. I felt my fist make contact with bone as I felt them give way from the force of my punch. Looking up with an angry glint in my eyes, I examined the damage that I had just dealt.

Pierre was still standing, but with the force of my hit his leg had moved from behind him in order to keep his balance. His face was twisted up, his eyes staring at the ceiling of the room, my fist still connected to his cheekbone. I could tell instantly that I had caused more than enough damage. A small smirk came to my lips as my father and Patrick rushed to me and grabbed me to pull me away. Pierre’s eyes snapped to my retreating figure, his head still in the same position that I had left it. Slowly with meticulous movements, he brought his hands up to his neck and slowly moved it.
Cracks filled the silence as he bit by bit popped his neck back into place.

Sighing, he shook his head and opened his eyes to stare at me once again.

“That was much uncalled for,” he said without emotion. His eyes shown no pain or anger. My face twisted into a scowl as I moved to attack him once again, but this time I had too many people holding me back from my goal.

“Where is she?” I spat. You could hear the venom in my voice. Pierre cocked his eyebrow and then turned to walk out of the room. “I’m talking to you!” I yelled, but he still remained unresponsive as he moved toward the door.

Placing his hand on the door knob, he stopped and spoke, “When you were younger and lived in the city, you never let a woman control you.” Pierre turned to face me, his eyes finally showing the emotion that I had been craving for him to show. The moment that I made eye contact with him, I stopped fighting the hands that were on my body. To my left, I could hear Elizabeth inhale a sharp breath. The hatred that was pouring out of the man’s eyes was undeniable. Terrified Elizabeth latched onto my arm and I let her bury her face into my shoulder. Grinning manically, Pierre opened his mouth to speak again.

“You young Cullen, will not be seeing your Emmbla again. The High Lords have ordered for her to be taken care of. It’s not right for a human to know of us.” My mouth hung open, and I could feel Patrick beside me shaking with anger, his hand still gripping my arm but I was sure now it was to keep himself from attacking the High Lord that stood across the room from us. “Young demons, you should really think twice before you get a human involved with your affairs,” he continued. “Now because of your sheer stupidity, we have had to dispose of many people who were involved with the both of you.” Turning his attention to my father Pierre continued, “I suggest you make up for the troubles that you have caused the royal family. Move your family to another location, leave this one at once. My men have already taken care of the rouges in this area and a new hunter has already been assigned to this area. Pack up and relocate before I decide to take drastic measures. Be happy that I am only taking the girl and not destroying your son for his stupid choices.”

Speaking the last word, Pierre finally opened the door and left the room. Faintly, I could see Alec’s face on the other side of the door, his eyes emotionless as he watched his friend leave the room. Clenching my jaw, I shrugged off Patrick and Elizabeth and made my way towards the door that he had just walked through.

“Cullen!” My father shouted, rooting me to the spot. Not turning around, I could feel him walking toward me. “Let it be. Go pack,” he mumbled, walking past me and through the doors most likely heading up to where my mother and siblings were hiding. Gritting my teeth, I inhaled a deep breath and motioned for my cousin and girlfriend to follow.