The empty ache in my gut is an interesting feeling. Hunger. Interesting, considering that I am dead.

Something pools in my mouth, salty, metallic, foul. I spit onto the cavern floor in disgust. More blood fills my mouth, but every time I spit it out all that comes from my body is my own saliva.

"Feeling alright, Thane?" Patriarch Rimon looks up from the scrolls he is writing on.

"Fine," I reply shortly. Asshole. I'm feeling fabulous, chained in the Underworld.

Suddenly, Patriarch Rimon heaves a loud, aggravating sigh and chucks his charcoal across the cavern. "Foolish child," he hisses. Once again, the shifting face of the death god overtakes his features before Patriarch settles back down.

"Problems in the Underworld?" I ask smugly.

"No," Patriarch looks at me with a cruel twist of his mouth. "The Lady Grief will be sending you some more pain, young male. Be ready. Her duties never end, it seems."

I swear under my breath, letting my head drop to my chest. The pain is fine. I spit out more "blood" pooling in my mouth. I welcome the burning agony as it twists and batters my insides, now. I may be losing my mind, in love with the pain. Whatever is happening with this unknown lady means that I have some connection, however aggravating, to life beyond this infernal cavern.

"What is happening to her?" I ask. I don't expect an answer, but the sheer boredom of eternity in these chains makes me reckless with my words.

"Her lover has made an error," Patriarch Rimon shocks me with an answer.

"How does that cause me pain?" I prod, trying to keep the eagerness from my voice.

He tosses me a hateful glare. "Burned bodies trap souls, destroy their path to the Underworld, and cause them to wander the earth, forever, if not guided here. She will take on this burden, and you will feel it."

"Why me?" I say quickly.

He just sniffs, refusing to answer the question. I wait, watching him to see if he'll change his mind and tell me. The sound of weapons clanging fades to the background. It's just him and me.

"Who is she? Can you tell me that, at least?" I snap, out of patience.

He smirks. "The Lady Mara, daughter of Nateos. Left dead on the steps of the red and black temple and reborn in the month of Ajaru of last year. "

My stomach sinks, my vision becomes blurry. Ajaru, a year and a half ago... when my Parijan was murdered. Left on the steps... I suck in precious air to my lungs, but they won't fill properly. The vision from the sacred pool in the death temple dances through my mind. Left on the steps, my Parijan was left at the death temple... dead. She was murdered by me, by my House, and left at the death temple.

Gods... my beautiful princess, my Parijan, my Fated. She's alive.

She's alive... and she has a lover.

My roar of rage silences the seven warriors. Even Patriarch Rimon backs up a step. "Be quiet," he hisses. "That sort of anger brings things down here that you want no part of."

I thrash in my chains, blind and deaf with rage. "Not my female!" I snarl. "Not mine!"

His face swims in front of me, the black eyes of Nateos staring out from the wizened face of Patriarch Rimon. "She isn't yours, Thane of the First House. Not anymore."

My howls echo off the stone cavern walls. Rage is ripping at my innards. Down here all that I am has been stripped away. I am not Thane of the First House anymore, despite the mocking of the demon disguised as Patriarch Rimon. I am just Thane, prisoner of Nateos. And as just Thane all I care about is my warriors and most of all my Fated.

I yell again, twisting in my shackles, scraping my skin raw and bleeding once again. Another shriek joins my shouts, an unearthly noise of nefarious wickedness.

I fall silent. Whatever is making that noise shrieks again. I strain to look around the cavern, trying to pinpoint where the sound is coming from. Sound is strange in this place, sometimes discussions happening across the space sound as if they are happening right next to me and sometimes it seems that I can't hear a thing. Sound bounces off of the stone, through stagalites and broken rocks, either dying or amplifying.

Another shriek. I think it's coming from the large opening across the cave from me, close to the six warriors and the Recondite.

Movement from that dark cave opening makes me shudder in anticipation. Malevolent eyes glow out from the depths.

"Damn you, Thane, you bastard," Patriarch Rimon says through gritted teeth.

The demon creature moves into the light. It is a revolting thing, a hulking monster with an uneven gait on claws like a sea creature under the body of a corpulent snake... No, those aren't scales on it's fleshy, white body. It's more of a grub with sharp dark red tentacles waving from under it's pale belly. It issues another shriek of fury. Its eyes... gods it has white-blue irises in all six of its eyes, its eyes burn with madness. When it screams, its maw opens up to reveal row upon row of teeth as flat and large as bricks.

"Let me down," I order. I am ignored.

"What the fuck is it?" Ililie backs up as he softly whispers his question.

"It's a Eulepedia demon. He will eat you and slowly digest your body over centuries," Patriarch Rimon supplies.

"Let me down," I grit my teeth. The fear in the cavern is growing, a foul stench that, in this place, may bring even more monsters here.

"What do we do?" Holsten asks with a grim face.

"Surround it, strike it anywhere, avoid it's teeth," Lier, the rat, interjects.

"Let me down."

Carnak moves closer, shifting into his wolf just in time to leap backward, narrowly avoiding the grub-demon's lunge. At the same time, those spikes along its sides shoot out, just grazing Nasir's arm.

The male screams, and four of the grub's eyes roll towards him.

"Shit, it fucking burns," he whimpers, clutching his arm.

"It's poisonous," Patriarch Rimon states factually.

"Let me down."

Grey swings his sword at the grub, most likely thinking that it's distracted by Nasir on its other side. It's not, and more spikes hit Grey in the chest as the grub writhes and darts forward, maw open to swallow Carnak whole. Grey's face pales, mouth open in soundless scream of pain and shock.

"Let me down!" I roar.

The grub shrieks its displeasure, either at my voice or at Lier's strike in its fleshy body. Lier's sword is swallowed into its pulsating flesh, disappearing as the grub turns its wicked eyes his way.

"Fucking let me down, Patriarch, Nateos, god of death, please don't let me hang here and watch them die. Not again," I plea, for once not caring if I sound weak. My soul can't take watching these males suffer for my arrogance any longer.

The grub whirls, lashing out at Nasir again. Rolle is edging behind it, trying to avoid both spikes and its malicious gaze. All six eyes seem to be able to move independently. Lier readies himself, picking up an axe and charging forward. Rolle waits for him to be close, then lunges in himself. They both hit the grub and it screams again. Rolle dodges away cleanly, but Lier gets struck. Three males are wounded in just a few moments.

The chains click. Patriarch Rimon stands, key in his hand. "Save them, you ass."

I race forward, scales erupting all over my skin as protection, heading for the torch on the far wall. It's dim in the cavern of the Underworld. All light comes from these few torches and a huge fireplace burning in the center of the cavern. Holding the torch, I race to those eyes. Grubs... they're not fond of light anyway, but nothing and no one is happy when fire is shoved into their eyeballs.

The grub screams, blood shooting out of its ruptured eye socket. Flecks of blood rain down as it thrashs, raising up on its sharp legs and sending spikes everywhere. A few hit me, burning my skin, but they hit my scales and it's not as painful as my Lady's pain, so I ignore it. Another stab at its eyes and my torch goes out, but at least three of its eyes are permanently blinded.

The worm screams, tossing its body around the cave, snapping at anything it that ventures too close.

I race over and pick up Grey's dropped sword. I curl my talon-sharp claws around it, eyeing the panicking grub closely. Frothing spit, most likely venomous, is spilling from the maw of brick-teeth. Grey is clutching his chest, wheezing and pale. Rolle is still working his way behind it, reluctant to strike the foul creature and lose his weapon.

"Shift your fucking scales, dumbass!" I roar. The grub screams, but, thankfully, the males shift. Carnak is already in his wolven form, and Rolle shifts into his own. The others are all demon shifters, their scales crawling over their skin. How could they not shift instinctively at the very sight of this loathsome worm? They need better training. We are in the fucking Underworld. Everything has changed.

The others are aiming for the eyes, now, and in quick concession two more are burst, leaving only one, white-blue socket left. I take my chance, and thrust the sword into the grub's maw. Poison drips onto my scaled arms, but the hardened armor plates protect me. Another scream, this one I recognize as the cry of fatality. The grub is as good as dead.

Another lurch, and the grub turns, skittering back into the hole it came from.

"Holy fuck," Ililie stammers out. "Lord Thane, you beat it."

I don't acknowledge my warrior. Lier holds my attention, and I hold his. We circle each other. This has been a long time coming.

He lunges, his motions practiced, controlled, but clumsy from the wounds left by the spikes of the grub demon. They ooze black, the blood that Lier is spilling scented as if its still poisoned.

It's too easy to beat him. I lunge forward, sending him off-balance, and easily disarm the male. We could fight as demons, but he slumps to the ground, holding his bleeding chest, face grey from the pain.

"You are a betrayer," he gasps out.

"Yes, I am," I agree. I set my sword down. No one can think that I am not the best warrior in this damned cave.

His eyes widen just the slightest bit. I scoff. "Did you think that I am in denial? Nateos himself has chained me to the wall in this place because I betrayed my female."

His eyes narrow and his lips curl up. "You want my duties, Thane of the First? You have to be disloyal to your precious House."

I feel rage wash over me, over my demon. My infernal House. "I am just Thane here, Lier. We are no longer anything to those who walk above us."

"You are all the defenders and warriors of the Underworld. Lord Thane, I believe you need to look after your males," Patriarch Rimon limps over, satisfaction blazing in his eyes.

I look at him and he smiles, his eyes once again the eternal dark of Nateos. "The Basru, the seven-headed snake of the Immortal gates," he whispers to me.

I glance around. There are eight of us.

He laughs. "You are not the Basru, Thane. You are my daughter's Fated. One of two."

Laughing, Patriarch Rimon, or Nateos, whoever he is, walks away, leaving me catching my breath in pain. My Parijan... she has another. I rub my chest. What are lies and truth here? Is my Fated not a simple female anymore?

Does she have another male?

---

"Captain, there's a female here to see you," the recruit won't look me in the eyes. Awe and nervousness make his voice tremble.

Internally I sigh. I should have never listened to Belen and let up on their training. Gods, they're like wet-behind-the-ears children. How will they ever become a fighting force, Recondites worthy of the hawk, if they can't even look their Captain in the eye?

"Who is it?" I ask. I have been sitting here, on my cot, looking at the small rag stained with my own blood. Worry for my Fated courses through me. I know she's horrified by her own behavior, but it makes sense, doesn't it? She is Death's daughter and needs to drink blood for her own survival. The liquid of life, because she... she died, according to rumors.

I swallow, closing my eyes tight as my fist clenches the rag. Did my Flame die? Is that what all those rumors mean? I know so little about her, still.

"It's a dark-haired female, Captain. The one from the Fourth House who is friends with your female."

Sera. Fuck. I forgot to follow up with the female after the havoc we wreaked on the Fourth District yesterday. My Sprite's new eating habits drove everything else from my mind.

"Shit," I mumble, standing. "Where is she?"

"Mausoleum, oddly 'nough. Or maybe not, considering who her friends are..." his voice trails off when he sees my face.

One flash of my fangs and he's gone.

---

"Lady Sera," I greet her politely.

She turns, draped in a lightweight cape from head to toe as if in disguise. "Captain Thelios. I'm glad you could see me," she says quietly. "I need your help and, quite honestly, I think I must tell you something."

I just nod, letting her speak.

"You know about Mara? About... about what she did to... or, well, for Taffy?"

I shake my head, 'no.'

Sera takes a deep breath. "I rejected my Fated, Tafia, because... my House," she waves her hand helplessly, "they are not tolerant. I am of noble blood and it was expected for me to bond to a wealthy, titled male."

She pauses and I allow her to collect her thoughts. "It was terrible, but more for Tafia than for me. It seems... it appears that weaker shifters feel the consequences of rejection harder, faster. Although I think that the stronger ones eventually feel it more. Or, maybe, it's just different personalities. Anyway, Tafia was..." her voice drops to a whisper, "she was dying. Mara... I don't know what she did, exactly, but she cut our bond, severed it, releasing Tafia's cat and letting my Fated recover."

I watch her face, looking for signs of lying. I see nothing. She is telling the truth, an insane truth. My heart sinks. I am the Recondite Captain and... "cutting a bond is a crime against the gods."

Sera looks at me, startled, the tears shimmering in her eyes falling down her cheeks as she gasps, "no! It's not... Mara wasn't breaking any rules, I know it!"

I hold up my hand to prevent any more protests. "I will never betray my female, Lady Sera. Do not tell anyone else of this."

Sera nods, guilt flashing across her face. My eyes narrow. "What is it?"

"My family... they think that Tafia died and that I moved to Death's quarters because I am mourning. I am still engaged to be bonded to this male and what am I supposed to do or say to stop it? I was going to tell them the truth, to break away, but then... then my cousin came to visit me."

"And?" I prod her gently, "did your cousin say something? Does she know something?"

"Anthea... she said that she thinks her bonded is still alive. She told me that she went to the Love oracle and was that she must stop heresy in the city and Love will return him to her."

Sera shifts, uncertain, scared. I brace myself for her next words.

"I feel like I am betraying Mara when I tell you this, but you seem so good to her... Lord Thane of the First House is my cousins bonded. He went missing months ago. He... he is Mara's Fated and she broke our bond and as you said, it's heresy."

Chains of ice. They strangle me, wrap around my neck and hold tight. It flows through my body, poisonous and cold. I take a breath, my demon breathing with me, all his fire out, just cold death remains.

I have to think, to replay Sera's words in my head to make sense of it all. My Flame cut a bond, which may have angered the goddess Love. Maybe. Bonds... nan told me that Fated bonds were from Fate, not the gods. More importantly...

My Flame had another Fated.

"I am her Fated."

Sera nods, carefully. "Are you?"

"Yes, I am Thelios, Captain of the Recondites, Fated to Mara, the Lady Grief and daughter of the god of the Underworld. I am her Fated."

"I hope that you remember those words, Captain, because Mara is worth every bit of the fight I see in your eyes." She smiles, "you are not unlike me. I always have been cold, but inside... I love Taffy with every part of me, even with our bond gone." She looks at me again. I can't move, I am frozen in place. "Have a good day, Captain."

"Lady."

She leaves me standing in the place of my predecessors burials, stiff with the horror that there was a male who tried to claim Mara was his. I take a breath, another, slowly letting it out. My breath hangs in the air, crystals of ice slowly melting into the air. I force myself to take a step, then another. The stones around me seem to shimmer in what little light comes inside. I crack my knuckles, the sound echoing off of the rounded walls.

I need to talk to my female.