The Mating Rules

Unknown POV

‘Sir’ a reedy voice calls out from the shadows and I roll my eyes in disgust before schooling my features and turning toward the snivelling man peering at me with adoration.

‘What?’ I demand roughly, striding away from the window that I was just looking out of, studying the barely lit landscape and wondering just where my prize is heading now.

‘The wolf has been moved’ my minion croaks out fearfully, shrinking away from me as though he’s bringing me the worst news. I hold in a sigh of irritation, I already know that she’s moved, these idiots have no idea of the power I possess.

‘How long ago?’ I ask, humourlessly, my gaze drilling into the man who literally shakes at my feet. It would merely take me lifting my foot and I could crush his skull under my boot, rid this plague of a planet from one more of the vermin that crawl over the surface. Pushing aside the desire, I focus on the pitiful excuse for a Vampire in front of me.

‘Today sir’ the Vamp replies quickly, wringing his hands nervously, ‘the Motel owner said they all checked out at noon, had been there for a few days and just up and left. Left the keys to the rooms on the front desk while she was out the back according to her story.’

I turn back to the window, staring out at the darkness, which is only broken by the streetlamps that litter our capital. The Half moon that hangs above us is like a taunting reminder, the Goddess, laughing at me no doubt, thinking maybe this time she’s gotten the best of me.

My anger boils inside my veins and I turn to the table next to my chair, snatching up the metal letter opener and stabbing it straight into the Vampire’s shoulder as he screams in pain. Twisting it slowly before I slowly draw it out again. The piece of scum, whimpers as he gazes at the floor, not even attempting to meet my gaze. His fingers though are already reaching for the wound, dipping into the flowing b***d and dragging the crimson liquid to his lips, sucking it off hungrily as he m***s softly.

Filthy half breeds, just above useless but so easy to manipulate. Just a few soothing words of acceptance into their ears after being shunned by their own kinds and they are falling over themselves to obey me. They have no place in my new world and I will s*******r them when the time comes but until then, every King needs a few pawns to sacrifice for his own protection.

‘What about the warrior?’ I demand, stalking around the Vampire who is still clawing at the b***d on his face even though the wound has already began to heal over. Werewolf genes are good for something it seems, even with this waste of oxygen.

‘Still in the holding cells sir’ the vamp replies eagerly, ‘been without food for two days according to our man. Pissed off a guard it seems and was given five days with no food.’

I nod silently, walking back and forth as I think, ‘tell him to get the wolf fed’ I mutter, ‘I don’t want him dying . . . just yet.’ I sickening smile stretches across my lips as I speak. Oh yes, I need him alive right now, a little pain and suffering is fine, perfect even, but I don’t want the light to leave his eyes until I’m ready to make it happen.

‘Yes sir’ the mongrel at my feet agrees immediately, ‘I will make sure your orders are followed.’

I nod, turning toward my chair and taking a seat, effectively dismissing the man who stumbles to his feet and rushes from the room like his a*s is on fire.

I pick up a pen, pulling my ledger toward me as I sigh deeply, the downside of having fingers in so many pies, paperwork, such a chore.

As I’m about to put pen to paper, a throat clearing in the doorway halts me. Glancing up I find one of my more trusted generals staring at me, arms crossed. I use the term trusted loosely, I trust no one, none of my followers know the true power of our target. I have grown my army with pretty words and empty promises tinged with truth. They think that our little wolf will give them endless power, that they will rule their species. It’s hard not to laugh in their faces when I hear them muttering about making their enemies pay when they take power. None of them will get anything other than a merciful death when their usefulness runs out. Some of the cockroaches under my feet are more dedicated than others though, and the werewolf in front of me is one of them. I have no trust that he would not screw me over if he knew exactly what our prey was capable of, but with the vague truth I’ve given him? He’ll follow orders in the belief he will see a payday at the end, just like the others who lead my rats into battle.

‘You have news?’ I ask slowly, sitting back in my chair as the man strides into the room and takes a seat across from me.

‘They have moved west’ he growls, glaring at me, ‘tell me again why we are cooling our heels here when she’s out there with a handful of warriors and her worthless mate? We could easily snatch her right now . . ‘

‘No’ I snap back harshly, glaring at the man until he breaks eye contact with me. ‘We cannot just storm in there; we need to follow the plan!’ I force a smile to my lips, softening my tone, ‘no prize is worth winning without a little competition my friend’ I add.

The werewolf huffs, slouching in my chair as though he is not in my presence and I could not extinguish his life with a snap of my fingers. Another useless life after all it seems, one that will probably end up extinguished before my objective is complete.

‘What do you want us to do?’ the werewolf asks sulkily after a few beats of silence.

I muse for a few second, tapping my pen on the desk before meeting the wolf’s gaze, holding in the excitement when I feel him shift uncomfortably under my gaze. None of them like to look at me for too long, they can feel my power and it makes them cower as they should. They all belong under me, including those weak entities that created us, the world will prosper under my rule, of that I am sure.

‘Watch them’ I order quietly, ‘but do not engage, do not let them see or scent you, keep to the shadows. I want to know what is going on at all times until I’m ready to move.’

The man across from me sneers slightly but nods, pushing himself out of his chair and standing up to straighten his clothes. Giving me a curt nod of the head which is supposed to be some form of respect in their species, I don’t see how but there we are, he turns away and stalks toward the door.

When he is only a few steps from leaving, I raise my head and call out to him, ‘I mean it, do not interfere with the wolf pack, observe from a distance, don’t disappoint me wolf, I would hate for you to feel my. . . displeasure.’

A shiver runs across the man’s body as he stiffens for a second before sweeping from the room, shutting the door behind him.

I roll my shoulders, trying to work out a little bit of the tension that has built up there over the last few days. These imbeciles always annoy me greatly, they are worse than those ridiculous beings that think they run the supernatural world.

My mind moving to the Council, I reach forward for my telephone, lifting the receiver and dialling a number that I know by heart. I tap my fingernails on the polished wood of my desk as I wait for my little spy to answer the call.

‘What?’ comes the curt voice from the other end, obviously displeased with the interruption and I silently scoff at their arrogance. As if they have anything to do, they wouldn’t even be where they are if I hadn’t put them there.

‘What kind of greeting is that for an old friend?’ I ask softly and I can almost taste the fear echoing down the line as my conversationalist recognises my voice.

‘My Lord, I apologise, I did not know it was you’ they whimper like the worm they have always been. No backbone, all of them, why on earth did the entities make these abominations? The voice is still jabbering away desperately in my ear. ‘My phone hasn’t stopped ringing all day, a group of protestors trying to stop a proposal, I would never . . ‘

‘Enough’ I bark back, stunning the other end into silence making me smile, oh how I love the fact they fear me, all of them, it just proves that they need to be led. This free will they have been given, it’s too much for their little minds to cope with. They are all designed to take orders and who better to give them than I?

‘The prisoner’ I growl, ‘I am informed he has not been fed for two days, is this right?’

The other voice swallows harshly before a whispered, ‘yes sir’ floats out of the speaker.

‘I don’t remember giving an order for the animal to be starved’ I continue smoothly, my voice dropping low and deadly and I close my eyes, imagining the little worm squirming in their seat.

‘It was a guard’ the voice stammers, ‘not one of ours. The uh . . prisoner, he uh . . provoked him and was given five days without food, I uh . .couldn’t . .’

‘I pay you to make sure that my wishes are carried out do I not?’ I ask softly.

‘Yes sir, I . .’ the other end stutters.

‘Why do I keep you in such a comfortable position within that ridiculous establishment when you can’t even keep my pet fed?’ I snarled, my voice raising as anger itches at my skin.

‘I didn’t tell them . . he’s not one . . ‘ the voice tries again, in that irritatingly shrill way that mice talk when cornered.

‘I don’t care’ I growl, ‘my pet needs feeding, and if you don’t get him fed then I shall assume that you no longer wish to be in my employment and as such will need to be . . . dealt with.’

I hang up the phone, not waiting for the weight of my words to wash over the person on the other end.

Pushing back my chair, I suddenly feel claustrophobic, I need out of this room, out of this building and away from everyone in it. Grabbing my coat off the hook on the wall, I stride over to the door and yank it open, storming out of the room and own the hall, ignoring all of my staff who timidly greet me from behind their desks.

Slamming my hand on the button for the elevator, I mutter impatiently until the doors slide open, pressing the button for the ground floor and stepping back as the doors shut again, closing me inside, alone.

Once in the foyer, I brush past my security, giving nothing but a cursory nod to the security guards before busting out of the sleek glass doors and out into the crisp air of the capitol. Taking a deep lungful of air, I close my eyes for a second, savouring the sounds of the city around me. Calm washes over me, the feeling I can only get when I am a faceless person in a crowd. For the moment, this is what I crave, keeping who I really am from everyone else. But soon, soon I will reveal my true self and I will be the only person that everyone sees, the only one who will truly matter, and the one that people will clamour to devote their lives too.