Defiance: The Hybrid's Tale

Cassandra Pope.

“Father already told me,” I huffed, digging my nails into the wooden door. I wanted to smash it right into my brother’s obnoxious face. It’s been the third time since I’ve been told that my father wanted me by his side at the ball. “Don’t you have better things to do than to play messenger? Shouldn’t you be busy robbing a morgue for another corpse to fuck?”

A sneer flashed across his greasy face. “Be careful, sister. Father won’t be in a forgiving mood when I tell him you’re ignoring his instructions.”

“I’m not, you idiot. I only arrived five minutes ago, and I still need time to get ready for the ball. So get lost.” I slammed the door shut in his face because of his incessant prattling.

It wasn’t my fault that I arrived late. I had an urgent meeting that I couldn’t reschedule. If I did, my father would have jumped down my throat for the umpteenth time. He loved to throw his power around like a snapping beast, ready to snap at your face if you upset him in the slightest.

I walked over to the freestanding mirror and started putting the last touches on my outfit. I readjusted the thin laced straps of my black evening gown. Then I slipped into a pair of black high heels while I picked up a pair of diamond earrings.

“Why so glum?” Aveny said.

I rolled my eyes, clucking my tongue. Why wouldn’t I be? This place had sucked all the joy out of me. I had hoped that by now I would have been successful at releasing Aveny from her prison. But it didn’t work out as I had hoped. Since my meeting with Councilor Vance, no progress has been made thus far. Which really irked me. Four days ago, Vance briefly talked to me through the blood orbs and told me he was going to be unavailable for the next three months. Can you believe it? I would have thought that the old fart would have jumped on the opportunity to burn my father on a stake as soon as he could. So why delay our plans?

“Stop brooding and talk to me,” Aveny said.

I sighed and then said, “The councilor’s playing around. The longer we waste time getting rid of my father and freeing you from this hellhole, the more serious the risk becomes. My father has spies everywhere, and it’s just a matter of time before he suspects that I’m not as loyal as he thinks I am.”

“Then don’t give him a reason to doubt your loyalty to him. Paint on a fake smile on that beautiful face of yours”—my cheeks heated at her words—” and attend the ball without making a fuss.”

Sometime I found it difficult to love her, especially when she made sense and told me off like an impertinent child. She was right. I needed to suck it up and get this night over with.

“I have to talk to you about something,” I said while clasping a diamond necklace around my neck. My mouth dried out at the impending question I dreaded to ask her. But I needed her help.

“Ask.”

Here goes nothing. “I need you to convince Alex to pass on the incriminating information I have on my father to the councilor.”

I few seconds of silence reign over the room until Aveny’s voice split the room in half. “You can’t be serious!” Her angelic features turned vicious. “I will not endanger my son!”

I raised my hand up. “I get it. You don’t want your son involved any further than he already is, but we need his help. I can’t rely on my agents for help. They’re loyal to my father and will never act against him.” I tried to reason with her. “Look, Aveny. Your son is the only one who’s not under my father’s surveillance. He doesn’t see Alex as a potential threat, and that will be his undoing.”

Aveny slumped back into a chair reflected in the mirror and groaned. “Fine. I will talk to Celeste and ask her to talk to Alex. But I warn you... if he doesn’t want to get involved, I won’t force him to. Is that understood?”

I nodded.

***

Walking down the darkened corridors, I made my way to the ballroom. My thoughts raced around my head about how I was planning to hand over the incriminating evidence against my father without him finding out. I had to be careful. Any misstep could destroy years of careful planning.

With Vance away on official council business, I had plenty of time on my hands. With the help of Alex, I could slowly filter through small caches of information to him. Not all at once, though. The risk was too high. He was the most suitable candidate to do the job. For years Alex played along perfectly without tipping off his father that he knew the truth about the bloodmaiden who impersonated his mother. So I knew he had it in him to do what was necessary to save his mother.

Soon enough, as I reached the ballroom, the pompous laughs and vexatious whispers of my father’s ass-lickers reached my ears. Give me strength! I couldn’t see myself getting through this night without getting drunk off my ass.

As I reached the gilded doors of the ballroom, they slid open. Droves of witches and warlocks littered the spacious room, talking and laughing as they gorged themselves on expensive champagne. Just like my father, the ballroom oozed arrogance. Gold covered nearly every surface, from the walls to the high vaulted ceiling. Six grand chandeliers illuminated the room. One would have thought that hundreds of crystals hung from them; but no, they were actual diamonds. If one melted down all the gold and sold all the diamonds, they could feed an entire country for a year.

Let’s get this night over with...

I took a deep breath and entered the ballroom. Countless eyes met mine as I weaved through the crowd. Why did my father even host a ball tonight? There was no cause for celebrations as far as I knew. The only explanation that came to my mind was that my father was up to his old tricks again. No doubt plotting behind everyone’s backs to further his own nefarious goals. At the back of my mind, a seed of dread started creeping through my mind.

A large sneer appeared on my father’s face as he laid his creepy gray eyes on me. Just as I thought — he was up to something. I wanted to flee. I wanted to grab all of my belongings and disappear where my father could never reach me. Every minute I remained in this godforsaken place gave him further opportunities to make my life a living hell. He was a sadist.

“Daughter,” he said with a voice dipped in venomous honey. “Glad you could grace us with your presence.”

I fought the urge to slap my father in the face. My brother’s eyes glistened at his words. No doubt enjoying himself as my father belittled me in front of the Von Drakes. They were another Purist family. A bunch of inbred sycophants. That was just gross.

I mocked an apology. “Sorry father for being late. The imps of Deepveil kept me up.”

My father belly-laughed at my insult towards the dwarves. He wasn’t stupid. As much as he hated all the other supernatural creatures, he still found them of use. Well, as long as he could benefit from them.

“Ahh! Lovely Cassandra. You look ravishing as always,” said the man with an oily mustache.

A piggly little man whose head barely graced past my shoulders took my hand in his and kissed it. I had to bite down on my tongue to fight against the urge to rip my hand out of his sausage fingers. My father would have slapped me in front of his guests if I dared to embarrass him in front of the Councilor.

“It’s a pleasure to have you with us tonight, Mr. Von Drake.” I pushed the fake words out through my clenched teeth. “Have you been enjoying the evening so far?”

“I have, I have,” he chuckled, throwing his arm around his wife’s waist.

Mr. Von Drake was one of three councilors on the Elder Council who were purists. My father’s friend. Scrap that ridiculous thought. My father didn’t have friends, only pawns he kept close to his side. He was using Mr. Von Drake to gain a better hold over the Council. But the councilor was too stupid to realize this. Poor fool...

“Isn’t that right, my love?” the councilor craned his head upward to his wife. She just nodded stiffly while sucking on the lip of her glass of champagne.

Beside the councilor stood his giraffe of a wife, Maloney Von Drake. Black sleeky hair and a hook for a nose, she constantly puckered her thin lips as if she was sucking down on a lemon. She never talked to me, only scowled. She clearly thought she was better than me. Hell, I would have said she thought she was better than everyone in this room. My eyes then landed on their only demon spawn, Victor Von Drake, aka sleazebag extraordinaire. As long as I’ve known the creep, he’s been dangling his dick in front of my face. For years, he’s been trying to get me into his bed. No matter how many times I told him to jump off a building, he never relented. It would never happen. I wasn’t into corpses like my brother, who nibbled on the fake Aveny’s ear. Victor, sickly pale and thin, had the same black hair and crooked nose as his mother. But he shared his father’s muddy brown eyes. Yuck!

Before I could register where Victor had disappeared to, he slid his hand around my waist. Then he whispered, “My father’s right. You are ravishing.” He kissed me on my neck.

I grabbed his hand as it made its way to my ass, digging my nails into his flesh. “Don’t get any ideas,” I hissed. The gall of the man! Trying to grab my ass in front of all my father’s guests.

As I tried to extricate my body from his grip, my father shot me a deathly glare. What? Did he think I’d allow this weirdo to do as he pleased? I’d never allow this man to treat me like his whore; I’d see his throat ripped out first.

“Daughter, follow me,” my father said, holding his hand out to me.

What was up with my father? He rarely showed any affection for his children, even in front of his peers. Not having much choice in the matter, I hesitantly wrapped my finger around his hand. He quickly whipped around and led me toward a makeshift podium where a jazz band was currently entertaining the guests. Once he stepped onto the podium, the music stopped and the band member vacated the platform. I came to a stop a few feet away from my father.

Amongst the crowd, my brother stood next to his walking corpse with a pussy-eating smirk plastered across his face. Ethan winked at me before he leaned over to Victor and started talking to him in hushed whispers. Victor’s head shot up at me. A vomit-inducing smile broke out across his face. Dread washed over me, instilling in me the belief that my father was indeed up to something. This had something to do with the Von Drakes and me.

“Good evening, lords and ladies, to this lovely evening.” My father’s voice boomed out across the ballroom. Many of you are wondering why I invited you to this gathering. After weeks of rigorous discussions between Councilor Von Drake and myself, we have decided that the time has come for two of the strongest magical bloodlines to join in holy matrimony.”

My body froze. Did I hear him correctly — matrimony?

My father turned to me. Don’t you dare! A smirk crossed his face. I clenched my jaw. His eyes dug into me, searching for a hint of defiance, before he turned his gaze back toward the crowd.

“Tonight we celebrate the engagement of Victor Von Drake—" Goddess no. Please, don’t let this happen. “—and my daughter, Cassandra Pope.”

Like the hell, you will!