A Hunter's Curse (Closed o/o with Nyx)

Nathaniel paid no attention to the wolf’s grumble, he kept his moderate pace as he followed the dirt path to his palace. “Well, wolf, I am 22. Not sure how old you are, but I am superior over you little one. Be careful on how you speak to me.” His hand was tucked behind his back, thumbs playing with the little loop in his dress pants. Nathaniel’s outfit was an odd one. For a place this hot, one would think it weird this demon wore a suit. But the heat didn’t affect him. “Hot?” He noticed Ember shuffle. “I cannot do anything for you. You’re not a demon. So you will suffer.” He paused. “I warned you.”

The air around them fell silent again, the palace becoming visible as they approached it. It was a grand black palace, the largest building in this barren land. It was almost like Versailles in a way. Nathaniel breathed in, watching the wolf follow at his heel. “I must find a Hellhound to train you. You cannot go on living like a dog. I don’t do pets.” They reached the elegantly carved doors to the palace. Nathaniel gave a harsh tug on the door, and it opened, leading to a dazzling grand hall. Two demonic guards were stationed at the doorway. The demon king entered the hall. Paintings of past kings lined the pale cream walls, and a red carpet kept the black marble floors free from dirt. “Follow.” He waved to the wolf. The doors were closed. Candles lining the wall gave birth to new flames, illuminating the palace as they moseyed along the hall.

Nathaniel grinned as he admired the girl's independent spirit. "You were warned to watch your language, girl. It might drag you into a painful situation." The demon king's movements were graceful, stride after stride. Up in the human realm, he was tense and ridged, but in his own realm, he embodied the movements of a powerful king. "I do not sulk in your world for the hell of it." Nathaniel grabbed the wolf by her scruff. He kneeled to her level, grabbing her muzzle. "I am a superior to your kind. I could snap my fingers and break all your bones." He leaned in closer while his fangs were bared. "I am the king of all monsters." His voice got quieter, taunting the poor wolf. "I work to eliminate my adversaries. Not pout." Nathaniel relaxed his hold on Ember's muzzle, releasing his hold on her scruff. He cautiously moved away while looking Ember in the eyes. "Well, dear Ember." The demon smiled. "Shift back. I don't require a second lapdog."

The two walked down the anteroom of the palace. The ceiling was enormous, rising about 15 feet in the air. The area wasn't well lit despite the candle fixtures. Nathaniel didn't care, the majority of demons hid in the shadows anyway. They walked into a huge room. The same black marble was used for the floor, and it was empty. But there was lovely wood paneling on the walls. "Charred ash wood is a fantastic insulator." Nathaniel acted like he didn't just threaten Ember. "This is the great hall. Here, we host dances and dinners." From the left, a lone demon quickly entered the hall. Nathaniel turned to face the approaching creature. "What in the world do you want?" He addressed the demon. His subject only handed him a sealed letter and ran off. Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Whatever. These servants do not understand there is a time and place for everything."

Nathaniel glanced at her with a side eye. "Oh, relax, you're unharmed. I was merely correcting the way you were acting toward me." He grinned while looking at the envelope he was holding. He threw it into the air and turned to leave without checking to see if Ember had caught it. "Let's go have a short conversation. I have a private study upstairs." Nathaniel made his way to the stairs in the great hall's right corner. Two grand staircases were present, one leading to the left half of the second floor and the other to the right. The handrails on these stairs were made of an odd metal that was shaped into a swirly pattern, and the gray marble tread sparkled in the dim light. He cautiously climbed the stairs while keeping an ear out for Ember's paw steps. "How come you can't shift back? You are a werewolf, right? It shouldn't be this difficult." As he ascended the stairs, his voice reverberated throughout the hallway and his shoes clicked on the marble.

When they got to the second floor, the demon scampered down the corridor. Although it didn't appear much different from the lower level, the upstairs had small red carpets covering the floor. The wall was now constructed of marbl with intricate carvings. Nathaniel moved quickly down the hallway, passing numerous bedrooms, drawing rooms, the solar, and other studies. The demon king entered a space. Once inside, it became apparent that this was the king's personal study. Burnt ash served as the flooring, and the wood was covered in maroon carpets. The original color of the walls could not be seen because they were covered in numerous maps, paintings, and wooden bookcases. An oak desk in the center of the room held many manuscripts and books. There was a ton of upholstery lying around. The king invited the wolf to take the seat across from him as he sat in his comfortable chair.

(I am not the greatest at describing settings 😅)

On his desk, Nathaniel played with a pocket knife, pushing the point into the oak while holding it steady with the tip of his pointer finger. In the study's dim lighting, his blue eyes glistened. "A werewolf incapable of shifting back? What an irony. You need a trainer, as I have been saying since the beginning. You need to be trained, just like a puppy." He paused and took a cautious look at the wolf. His lip was pulled up as his scar tightened against his face. "Why on earth did you stick with me? I am no family. I am no friend." His palm was cut when the knife slipped and the tip shot up from the wood. "Dammit. You managed to attract the hunters' attention. If you were captured, what were you going to do?  Howl to your dead parents?" While gazing into Ember's eyes, Nathaniel scoffed. He moved an old book in front of him after the wound on his palm had healed. "Would you assist me or keep acting like a brat?"

Nathaniel snickered. "I'll refer to you how I want, especially since you have fur." He gave her a quick pat on the head. "You don't know why you followed me? That's novel, but dear, you are not free to act however you please. I have no worries about your kill total. You're still a helpless, little wolf with no control over her powers." He flipped open the book and muttered a spell inside. He kept his gaze fixated on Ember's glowing eyes. A little mark appeared on her shoulder. "I need assistance in getting rid of the hunters, but your attitude will get you quickly executed. Either by me or a demon of mine." Nathaniel slammed the book closed, sliding it off to the side of his desk. "Sleep for a while. You won't ever again have restful sleep. It is a hunter's curse, in which they are both the hunter and hunted." Nathaniel stood up, leading the wolf out of his study. "I am, on the occasion, nice. I'll let you stay in a guest room."

As he flung open the door to his office, Nathaniel shrugged. "I will then call you girl. If I feel like it, I might use Ember." Having Ember follow him, he snuck out into the hallway. He took her farther away from the stairs leading downstairs and down the hallway. Numerous doors in the hallway led to private rooms. The king pushed open a door to a spare room. Apart from the bed in the center, a few chairs, a bookshelf pushed up against the wall, and a nightstand next to the bed, it was mostly empty. "This is referred to as the moonlight room. Do not ask me the meaning of that name." It was obvious why it was given that name. The bed's sheets were a complementary shade of gray to the walls' light gray color. Nathaniel sat on the edge of the bed. "I didn't curse you. I swear. You accomplished that by coming into the world. In order to prevent you from burning to death, I simply made your body believe that you were a hellhound. You have the mark because of that." He waved his hand. " You'll have the mark, which is a side effect, but you'll still look like a werewolf."  The king shook his head and sighed. "No doubt. You behave like a rascal,  I'll greet you with my bravado. It's simple to understand." Standing up, Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Now, get some rest."

While observing the wolf girl dance around the space, Nathaniel shook his head. With a fox-like expression, he rolled his eyes at her excitement. "Why do you seem so happy? Just a bedroom, really." The king rolled his shoulder as he stretched. "I'm retiring for the night. If you need anything, bark." He made a start for the door. " But, girl, I don't read bedtime stories."  He sauntered out of the room and into the room across from Ember's. The room was the largest in the entire palace. The royal bedroom. This room has previously been used for purposes other than sleeping, but because Nathaniel was once half-human, he had a strict sleep schedule. Rather for himself. Dark curtains blocked the light of Hell, making the room completely dark. The room's focal point was a huge bed with cream sheets. Under it was a circular carpet. Off to the side, a couch and bookshelf were present. Each side of the bed was complemented by a pair of nightstands that had many books stacked on top of them. The king had a modest dresser next to a wardrobe. Nathaniel collapsed onto his bed, rumpling his attire.

Before Ember could say much, Nathaniel had already departed. He grumbled to himself as he stood up from his bed. Why didn't Ember inform him prior to his departure? It seemed really impolite. He hurried down the hallway till he was in Ember's room. His hair was tangled up, and his clothes were wrinkled. “Next time, please let me know that you want your door locked before I go, girl.” He hissed. Before he could see anything particularly offensive, the demon seized hold of the gold handle and yanked the door shut. Nathaniel slid down the door with his back to it. “Why do people require things at the most inconvenient moment? It’s like a game of roulette.” Rubbing his face out of pure annoyance and stress, the king stood up and returned to his room.

The king dozed off in his large round bed with his body dangling precariously and wings sprawled out. He didn't crawl under the covers or cover himself with a blanket. The warmth provided by the feathers was all he required. Nathaniel rubbed his eyes, blinking a few times, and then sat up as the "morning" came. He lost consciousness and couldn't recall what had happened the previous evening. Then, it struck him. Right, demonic wine. Small gatherings before bed weren't always a good idea. The slight hangover was put aside as he went to knock on Ember's door. That wolf girl better not cause a commotion. The king shook his head in an effort to rid it of last night's actions while he awaited the wolf girl's response. “Wake up, wolf girl. It’s the quote-on-quote morning, and I don’t like people sleeping in too late. It annoys me.”

Nathaniel yawned and slammed the door with his shoulder while grabbing the doorknob. He flung open the room's door. “Ember!” He turned and looked at the bed. He shielded his eyes and his expression went blank. “Put on some fucking clothes! I may be a demon, but not that kind of monster.” The king stumbled from the room and stood alone in the hallway. He refused to let his servant to get him dressed in his royal clothes, therefore he was wearing casual dress wear. Shaking his head, Nathaniel turned to face the ceiling. “Come on! You’re not a comatose patient. Wake the hell up!” The screams echoed throughout the hall. Guards rushed to aid their king, but Nathaniel pushed them away. He didn’t want them interfering.

Nathaniel rubbed his face, unsure what to do with this girl. She aggravated him so! “I didn’t hear you the first time! No need to get snappy!” He growled. The demon paced the hall waiting for the girl. He was bothered by how she slammed the door. Could be a bit nice to the king of Hell. It would save the girl in the end. His feet kicked up the carpet as he impatiently paced from side to side. His wine-induced headache was killing him. To be frank, Nathaniel had enough. He crossed his arms, raising his upper lip with a glare in his eyes. Once Ember reopened the door, he looked her up and down. “Breakfast.” He mumbled, avoiding eye contact. It was disrespectful to wear the clothes of the past queen. Whatever, it’ll do “Your language is always disrespectful. I don’t like it!” The king snarled. “Change it up and be glad I haven’t made you kneel before me. Or throw you into a pit to be tortured for all eternity.” Nathaniel scoffed.

The king was tired of the girl and tapped his foot in irritation. His wings were puffed up like a bird trying to appear larger, and his face was a bright cherry red color. “No! You should have at least snuck under the covers, if not more! Who doesn't do that? Even canines do!" As the red on his face flared, he sighed, attempting to control it. "Next time, just lock the fucking door. You really irritate me!" As the pounding in his head grew worse, he held his hands to his temples and closed his eyes. With his wings fully extended, the king fell to his knees. The king's nine-foot wings could fit in the hall, as it was significantly large enough. Another force pounded in his skull, something sinister. In an effort to prevent his head from rupturing in two, the demon let out a demonic roar. His ears were filled with the roar of rushing water as the hallucinogenic effects of last night's error took effect. Why the fuck did I drink so much demon wine? It killed demons even in huge volumes Another guard rushed over to inspect the king, wondering why his king's realities were split. Nathaniel launched himself at the guard, clawing out his eyeballs and then ripping out his heart. The audible tears of flesh were enough to send shivers down your spine. The king was panting while drawing a claw over the open space. He lowered his head, letting out a disturbing laugh. The pounding was a welling of wrath, not the result of drinking too much demonic wine. Standing up, Nathaniel turned to face Ember while grinning hysterically. “Forget what you just witnessed.” The king ran off.

Nathaniel entered the servants' quarters after sprinting down the right side's flight of stairs. "I'll require new clothing." As their king came into view, the royal attendants panicked. He didn't care if they ran around like scared mice; he just barged into the nearest washroom and burned the blood with fire. He observed it bubble and evaporate. Water wasn't actually used in hell. Only fire. Once he returned, his personal attendants dressed him in an elegant suit. He requested a maid to send Ember down to the family dining room. Nathaniel entered the private dining room after trotting across the palace grounds, his shoes clicking on the marble. With swords, knives, and paintings adorning the room's red walls, it had its own unique beauty. The same red carpet covered the floor. On the west side was a fake fireplace with skulls on the mantle. The centerpiece of the entire arrangement was an ash wood dining table with five chairs on either side and two at each end. The room was dotted with extra chairs and tables. Nathaniel occupied a seat near the doors at the northern end of the table. He was given a cup of specialty tea by a servant. He glared at the servant, striking fear into their heart.

It seemed like nothing had happened by the time he realized the girl had arrived. There was no stench of blood, nothing reeked of death. He grinned crookedly at her. "Sit." He pointed to the chair across from him and the one to his right. "Choose whichever seat you'd like." Food was on the table, but what was for breakfast? One couldn't be certain. "How was your night's rest? I heard you say that you had never slept in a bed before." The psychotic monster she had previously witnessed didn't resemble the king's manner. It was relaxed and quite cool. The demon took a bite out of what appeared to be an English muffin, but it looked rather strange. "Late last night, I sent the hellhounds to fetch meat for you. What I have on my plate? Avoid trying." Even though they were no longer claws, his nails were still covered in blood. "Ember, tell me. Would you like to return to Earth?" He summoned a servant to bring him the drawn plans. The servant returned with a piece of paper and a pen. Nathaniel unrolled the paper and began to add to the previous pen scribbles. He folded it back up, keeping it hidden from Ember's eyes. Was he going to use Ember as a weapon against the hunter's? Maaaaybe. But first he had to gain her trust, and after his desired killing, that was going to be very hard. "Or stay with me. This choice will affect your life."

Nathaniel observed Ember, finding her demeanor troubling. When she sat down a few seats from him, he arched an eyebrow. His blond hair was stained with blood, and his eyes had a red glint to them. "Now, come on, girl. You've never before witnessed a demon lose control? It's not difficult to come by. We all have some pounding compulsion." He had on a red tailcoat with floral accents in black (Reminiscent of Victorian-style formal wear). He wore black dress pants and a purple dress shirt underneath. "Relax; it's venison. I wouldn't force you to consume human flesh." He grinned, showing his blood-stained fangs. The king took a sip from his teacup before smashing it on the ground. Glass shattered everywhere, a blood-red liquid seeped into the carpet, and the king got to his feet. "Never ignore my inquiries, girl." He made a low-pitched snarl. He fluctuated between being calm and angry in a split second. This was the wrath demon's curse. In an effort to maintain control, he turned his head away from Ember while taking a sharp breath. Nathaniel sat back down, crossing his legs. Nathaniel’s eyes were unfocused, staring past Ember. They were separated by a deafening, even sickening, silence. As he was consumed by yet another wave of bloodlust, the king's heart continued to beat against his chest. “I require an anchor.” Nathaniel spoke. His voice filled the cracks in the static air. "Or else, once I crack, I'm never coming back." One day, his wrath would completely consume him; after all, his great-great-great-grandfather had experienced the same thing. Some people used their anger as an anchor, while others used them as mental or physical anchors. Nathaniel though? Long ago, he learned to live with his anger… when he felt human rage. But while he reconciled with demonic rage, he needed a temporary anchor.

(Sorry for not really responding. I was on the road all day long)

The silence between them grew louder as Nathaniel sat with a stone face. His face was sickly gray and his eyes were dark, clouded with rage. Almost glowing red, his scars stood out against his pale skin. He gave the stained carpet a few moments of his empty attention before turning to face Ember. "By anchor, I mean something that will keep me anchored to reality. I have nothing. I'll be swept away by my wrath." After his moment of fury, he spoke in a particularly cool tone. To clean up the drink that had been spilled, he called a maid. " It's challenging to accept demonic rage. It would prefer to chew you up." He straightened his legs and returned to his meal. "I'm no longer hungry." The king stepped aside and walked away. He took off running down the right hallway, up the stairs, and into his room. Nathaniel sighed and slammed the door shut. He then started breaking everything in the room that could break. He eventually found himself sitting in a pile of broken glass and mirrors before letting out a demonic scream.