บท 3: “Cassius”

He was a Dark One, a fallen.

Half angel. Half human.

And he was the leader of the immortals. His punishment, along with the others of his kind had been to watch over both races, keeping them as separate as possible while still making sure both thrived. Requiring him to live with humans and play police with the immortals was a punishment.

They were called Dark Ones because both light and dark fought for them, making it impossible for lights to stay on or the dark to stay dark for too long a period.

They commanded the dark but were forced to live in the light. They were equal parts good and bad, which made them the most dangerous as they had no moral compass.

"Interesting…" His head tilted in a cat-like stance. "…that you know so much about me. Pray to tell, are you going to give us a history lesson? You may stand."

Crap. I stood on shaky feet, they could also read thoughts if they wanted to, though most weren't powerful enough to do so.

"I am."

Those two words devastated me. If he was that powerful, he wasn't just any Dark One. He was "Cassius." He finished my thought, his lips tilting up in a seductive smile. White teeth flashed, and then he turned on his heel, slowly walking up the stairs to where everyone else was seated. "But to you…" He turned slightly, his eyes flashing white before going back to a normal blue. "I am Master."

Cassius. The name burned on my lips though I hadn't spoken it out loud and was too afraid to. I knew the power behind his name, behind who he was.

He was like a god to the immortals and me.

Well, he was more than that. He could kill me with a simple snap of his fingers. He could make me see my worst nightmares by simply willing them to happen. But worst of all? He could own me. It was said that Dark Ones treated humans as pets, playthings, and amusement. But because Dark Ones had such heightened emotions, when they abandoned a human out of boredom or something else trivial, it killed the human.

Instantly shattering their hearts in their chests, once the Dark Ones were finished with you you didn't survive it. No one could survive the emotional break that came when someone like Cassius left.

It was emptiness, it was death. I needed to stay far, far away from him if I wanted to live.

The only happy thought that occurred to me was that someone as old as Cassius most likely despised humans enough not to toy with them. Unlike the vampire and siren, who found it amusing and harmless.

"Do you know your duties?" Cassius barked. "Or am I to go over them with you? From the looks of Alex, it seems he's been too preoccupied to do much of anything except filling the air with his arousal." Alex's nostrils flared, but he said nothing.

"And, Stephanie, what's your excuse?" She dropped her head and gave a little shudder.

"Sorry, Cassius."

"Mason?" He turned to the werewolf. "Your looks don't betray you, but your rapid heartbeat does. Tell me, does she set your blood on fire?"

The werewolf rolled his eyes. "Only in irritation, my lord."

"Ethan…" Cassius barked. "You've been quiet."

"I've been watching." Ethan tilted his head, making himself look more vampire than before. The way his eyes glowed in my direction sent shivers down my spine. "I think I'll keep her."

Stephanie jumped up from her seat. "Ethan!"

"Please." Ethan waved her off. "He owes me, don't you, Cassius?"

The temperature in the room dropped at least thirty degrees while Cassius stood and, with little effort, threw Ethan across the room. He slammed into one of the rock walls. Pieces of dust flew into the air. I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands.

"Dramatic," Ethan huffed beneath an array of rubble and rock. "Then again, you've always been dramatic, haven't you, Dark One?"

Cassius released Ethan and turned to face me. "You will go with Ethan. You will do your… duty." The way he said it made me feel dirty like I was being whored out.

"I don't need to explain the rules, but I will, for your sake, explain them once. You're hired to do a specific job for us. You are not here to try to land yourself an immortal husband, so leave those hopes and dreams at the door. Physical contact between you and an immortal is forbidden, and if you are on the receiving end of it, outside of your duties, you will be the one punished, not the immortal. Yeah, that was what I was afraid of.

"They may touch you, may do whatever the hell they want with you. But if you seek them out, touch them without proper invitation…" His voice trailed off, and his nostrils flared. "Do you understand?" Not at all. But I had no choice. I gave a quick nod, wringing my hands together. "Yes."

"Ethan," Cassius turned, "consider my debt paid."

Ethan's smile grew to gigantic proportions. "Oh, it's been paid," he licked his lips, "in full."

I knew that look, I was going to die.

Because there was no way that vampire wasn't putting his hands or his fangs on me and it would be my fault because I was the human.

To them, we weren't victims. Just nuisances they put up with.

"Well then…" Ethan held out his hand in my direction. "Shall we?"

Fear kept me rooted to my spot.

Then suddenly warmth spread throughout the room. I quickly glanced at the siren; Alex had his hand raised in the air, and I could almost see the heat radiating from his hand toward my body.

Be calm, he whispered in my head. Ethan will not harm you and you? None of us mean you harm, my gaze flickered to Cassius.

Alex gave a slight shake of his head. Yes, human. He means you harm. You are never to be alone with him. Ever. If you are, I cannot help you. I cannot shield you from his power. If he touches you, if he claims you, it will be the last time you own your own body, soul, and mind. He will destroy you. If you must… run.

My hands shook at my sides, but I managed a nod in his direction, Ethan held out his hand again. "Come." I followed him, careful not to touch his hand lest he have the same effect on me a Dark One would, and followed him through a side door, He moved silently next to me, opening door after door, finally leading me into a dark parking garage where a black unmarked town car was waiting.

"Hurry, get in."

"What?"

He shoved me in the car and ran to the other side, faster than my eyes could follow, then sped off as if we were being chased.

"We don't have much time." He looked behind him. "Damn it, we have less than that much time."

"What are you talking about?"

"He will hunt you."

"What?" I gasped. "Who?"

"Cassius…" He spat. "He wants you. I could feel it. Could see it in his mind's eye as if I was living it myself. The reason you're here isn't for the immortals. It's for him."

"But, my mom said that"

Ethan barked out a laugh. "Yes please tell me what your human mother told you about what your job is to the immortals?"

I swallowed the dryness in my throat. "I'm to educate you about the ways of the humans so you don't have to interact with us. Teach any of the immortal children how to use the Internet, or Smart phones technology and at the end of the day, I"

He roared with laughter, interrupting what I thought was a pretty good speech.