Caged by Damnation (Caged #2)(85)

I barely had a chance to process the experience before I soared into a new one. Still, my thoughts were another's. As the first Hellhound, it was natural that I take my place as the leader. My sisters followed my lead, though there were enough of them to challenge me.

Death had made us each from the tainted souls of the dead, the more repugnant in previous lives, the stronger we were in this new one, and mine had been the worst of the lot. Sheer power was both a gift and a curse, giving me the ability to perform acts that others could only imagine, while leaving me a hot mess. I was lethal.

This was one of the moments when I was most dangerous. My sisters had grown lax, as the period between fits had lengthened, which was why it was so unexpected that I lost all control in the midst of a battle.

We stood in the light of the moon without having taken the shape of our hounds. We didn't need the beast when were gathered as a pack. At the center stood a family; mother, father, and two young children. They were being held by a particularly vile soul that had evaded judgment for longer than we thought possible. Capturing him required me to call the Wild Hunt, which was a rare tactic. Unfortunately, he had taken the opportunity to gather hostages.

"Let's take him," my sister, Tempest, demanded. We were the eldest of the pack. The younger of the two of us, she was more impulsive.

"We can't. He'll kill them."

Tempest groaned, as the rest of my sisters became uneasy. We often came to blows over decisions, though it was never a true argument. Tempest was simply more eager and had a tendency to push me.

"Sole, their lives are miniscule against the lives he'll kill if we let him get away."

The use of my true name drew a force within myself. It was as though she were using our bond; one stronger than any other to sway my decision. It wasn't rational and I sensed it, but the perception of being manipulated brought forth such force that my mind descended into the madness that I feared above all else.

Tempest's eyes widened and the others prickled, as they each became aware of the added danger in the clearing. The decrepit being we hunted backed away from me, releasing those he held captive, but my reins were loose and I couldn't draw them back.

"Sole, just breathe. Everything's okay, you just need to calm down," Tempest breathed, as Vixen came close to her mother. Her crimson hair blended with Tempest’s and they held their hands up, trying to convey submission, but it was lost on me. I blacked out then.

When I came to, I found the bodies of the innocents at my feet and anguished cries at my back. I turned, ready to apologize, but was caught short as Echo pushed me away from the sight.

Vixen was bent at the waist, holding her mother, begging time to be reversed. Then her gaze caught mine. "Bring her back!" I looked at my oldest friend, closest sister and confidant. She was lost to me, having already crossed the veil.

"I can't. She's gone."

Vixen threw herself at me, determined that I join her mother. "This is your fault! You did this, now take...it...back!" She fell to the ground before me. The fight in her was no longer present and I watched as bloodstained tears fell to join the blood of the innocents I had been determined to save.

I ran then; from myself and the condemnation of my sisters. I couldn't face what I was and knew then that the babe within me could never be mine.



I wanted to reach out to Sole, hold her and tell her that she was forgiven. Our connection gave me insight into her emotions and I knew she had never forgiven herself. This one act had determined all of the choices she made throughout the rest of her life.



The cry of a babe became my only focus, as my child was birthed into the world. The tiny sounds of innocence brought tears to my eyes, knowing that I not only needed to protect my only love from myself, but the destiny laid out for it.

I had hid my pregnancy from the others, going into hiding until I was forced to call on Whisper to aid me. She of course brought Echo, which would have angered me, but I saw understanding in both their eyes.

The life of a Hellhound was a difficult one and children were few and far between. I couldn't condemn my daughter to such a life; to take lives for all eternity with only the sisterhood and guilt as companions. Death would never know of her existence, my sisters would see to that.

As she was pulled from my womb, Whisper placed her in my arms and I wailed, knowing this would be the one time I could hold her. I couldn't risk knowing where she would live out her life, as the temptation to be in her life would be too great.

The tiny hands reached for me, as I sang to her. It was the lullaby I had sung throughout my pregnancy and she calmed in recognition. Death had given me the gift to restore life, but it was nothing in comparison to the light weight against my breast. I hadn't thought that something so small could bring me to tears, but she had.

I broke inside when I handed her to Echo, making her and Whisper vow to never tell a soul about the secret life that had grown within me. I couldn't trust myself with her; that I wouldn't lose control and that she would truly live if she were with us.

As the first Hellhound, it was natural that I would be alpha, but the responsibility came with a curse. Unlike the others, I was prone to rages where I would black out. We learned to control them over time, but lately they became more frequent. They would rush over me; a deceptive and volatile event that was just as likely to kill an innocent, as an enemy. How could I condemn my daughter to that?