Page 24 of Fated to the Damned

In a flash I have him by the throat, slamming his back against the crude timber wall. The wood cracks under the impact. Fear flashes in his bloodshot eyes.

Good. They should have felt it when they saw my wings alone.

"You will show respect, or I will beat it into your worthless hide," I snarl, baring my fangs inches from his face.

The others shrink back warily. With disgust, I shove the drunkard away. He slumps to the floor, coughing and massaging his bruised neck.

I pin each vrakken with a piercing glare. "Consider this your first and only warning. The time for indulgence has passed. Battle is coming, and you will be ready."

I turn on my heel and stride angrily from the barracks, letting the splintered door slam shut behind me. The pitiful vrakken licking their wounds inside are not worth another moment of my time.

It's clear too many here flout the old rules and traditions, indulging in debauchery instead of honing their skills as warriors. And the Council seems content to ignore the decay spreading through our ranks, remaining isolated below ground.

Things cannot continue down this ruinous path. If the Council will not act, then it falls to me to whip this place into shape.

Starting immediately, I will instill discipline across the base through rigorous training and adherence to strict protocols. The time for indulgence and languor is over.

Those unwilling to fall in line will face severe punishments. We cannot afford weak links when the dark elves come for us. I will cut out this infection of hedonism by any means necessary.

The humans flocking here will finally serve a clear purpose as well. No longer mere playthings, they will take their place as vital support for our coming war.

As I think of the humans here serving a greater purpose, my traitorous thoughts turn to her - Jessa.

The feeling of her soft skin beneath my hands haunts me, the sweetness of her blood on my tongue. No matter how I try to silence my desires, they persist.

She stirs feelings in me I thought long dead, a flickering of light piercing my darkness. I crave the closeness we shared, the wholeness I felt however briefly.

But the temple has forbidden for vrakken and humans to intertwine so intimately. Humans weren’t meant to be our equal, though some clearly disregard those traditions today. I have always been loyal to our teachings.

Yet my very blood seems to call for her, my thoughts consumed with hazel eyes and curly hair. She could be my salvation, if only I would allow it.

I halt, shaking my head sharply. No, I cannot continue down that path. It will only lead to ruin for us both. I must purge this weakness from within me.

No matter how fiercely it claws inside my chest, demanding I go to her, make things right, I will resist. I must. The war must come first now.

My feet feel heavy as I force myself onward, leaving thoughts of Jessa behind. I need to keep my distance from her, even in my mind.

She’s a weakness that I struggle against. One I can’t give into.

Gods know that I might drown in her if I do again.

14

JESSA

“You just need someone with the right touch, don’t you?” I murmur to the plants. I don’t even blink at it, though I can see some of the other humans glancing in my direction. I’ve been talking to plants my entire life.

Most of the time, they were the only thing I could trust on the farm.

“I think those things have grown twice as high in the week you’ve been here,” Alina says, coming up behind me. “Half of them were dying under my watch.”

I stand up, brushing the dirt off my hands on my pants. “It’s all I’ve ever done.”

She slings an arm around my shoulder. I’ve learned over the last few days that Alina’s bubble personality does not wear down. She’s always upbeat, skipping around and checking on everyone. I’m pretty sure her job is to keep the humans happy, but I haven’t pried.

Honestly, I’m still trying to piece together what this place is.

Alina has explained a little more to me. The lore behind the vrakken is hard to wrap my mind around, but I guess it shouldn’t shock me that there are other planets. The First, a woman Made from a human herself, was given her magic and strength and wings from their god, Akeldama. She was given one year to Make more vrakken, and then he brought them all to Protheka. He even brought humans here, they say.

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