My Kingdom Come book 1: The Saints We See

667 standard years after the signing of the Alliance

The slender young man standing with his head bowed submissively beside Hathu swayed. Hathu caught him around the waist before he could think better of it and pulled him into his side. Mikhail’s head came up to about the center of Hathu’s chest. He was much thinner under his clothes than Hathu had expected. “Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry, master. I should have knelt when I entered the elevator,” Mikhail murmured softly.

That idea didn’t appeal to Hathu, he didn’t let go of Mikhail. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s the sun, master. I haven’t seen it for over eighteen months. I can feel it coming closer.”

Hathu frowned. He didn’t understand why that would make Mikhail dizzy.

“Durweh need exposure to the sun as part of their diet,” Prince Jedith’s double said tightly.

Hathu’s frown deepened. “They’ve been starving you?”

“They…I…it was part of my punishment, master. They found other ways to keep me alive.”

“Your punishment?”

“For bonding without ma- my former master’s permission, master.”

“Was that even your fault?”

“I don’t know, master. I don’t remember.”

“Don’t break the boy before we even leave the building,” Kahn muttered.

Hathu realized he was squeezing Mikhail into his side and had dug his claws into him. He quickly loosened his grip. “I’m sorry!” He looked down. There were tears in Mikhail’s shirt that corresponded to Hathu’s claws, he couldn’t see any blood. Hathu twitched up the hem of Mikhail’s shirt. Mikhail’s dull grey skin was smooth and unbroken.

“I’m fine, master,” Mikhail said softly.

“Did I hurt you?”

Mikhail hesitated.

“Did I hurt you?” Hathu asked more forcefully.

“I…I don’t know what answer you want me to give, master. I’m fine.” Mikhail’s heartbeat was speeding up, fear was beginning to waft off of him.

The doors to the elevator opened. Kahn and Prince Jedith’s double walked out of the elevator. Hathu remained where he was, staring down at the top of his slave’s bowed head.

“I’m sorry, master.” Mikhail’s body pulled slightly in on itself.

“As adorable as this is, we have places to be, Hathu,” Kahn said.

Hathu swallowed. He wanted nothing more than to lash out at Kahn, tear him open with his claws, squeeze his jaws down on the man’s throat, empty his poison into him… He realized he was squeezing Mikhail into his side again. He cursed softly, released Mikhail and strode out of the elevator.

Hathu ducked into the waiting car behind Kahn and Prince Jedith’s double. As he settled into the seat Mikhail slipped into the car and knelt at Hathu’s feet. He bent forward and lightly touched his forehead to Hathu’s shoe. “Forgive me, master. I’ll learn to serve you better.” He rose and laid his hands on top of his thighs, he kept his head bowed.

Hathu stared at Mikhail’s bowed head for a moment. What was I thinking? He had sworn he would never become like his father, and here he had taken a slave. A slave he was supposed to use to help regulate his prime. I’m becoming more of a monster every day. He swallowed harshly.

His emotions were getting stronger. The medication was getting closer and closer to failing. Hathu clenched his jaw.

“Hathu?”

He looked up at Prince Jedith’s double. “You never told me your name.”

The double smiled. “You can call me Jed.”

“But, that’s…” Hathu blinked.

“My name is Jediah. Having matching names makes it easer to pass as my prince’s double.”

Hathu frowned. “Did you have to change your name when you got the job?”

“No. I was bred to serve my prince. My name was picked for me before I was born, as was my face.”

Hathu stared at him, horrified. “You’re a slave, then?”

Jediah smiled. “You have such a tender heart, Hathu.” He turned and looked out the window for a few moments and then looked back at Hathu. “May I feed your boy? He was not exaggerating when he said that he was not allowed food or sleep.”

Hathu’s frown deepened. “Of course.” He glanced out the darkened car window. They were nearly out of the underground parking. “Can we open the window so he can get some sun?”

“That may not be the best idea. He could destroy the hovercar.”

Hathu blinked. “What?”

“His reaction will be violent. He won’t be able to control it.” Jediah leaned down and pushed a small black bag near his feet towards Mikhail. “Here, eat as much of this as you’d like. It should help.”

Mikhail glanced questioningly towards Hathu.

Hathu nodded.

“Thank you, master. Thank you, sir.” Mikhail reached out with trembling hands and pulled the bag towards himself. He opened it. It was full of packages of differently colored cubes. Mikhail swallowed hard, his slender hands gently brushed over the packages. “Thank you, sir,” he repeated. He picked up a package of dark green cubes.

His fingers fumbled with the packaging, tore it open. He swallowed again, picked up a cube, lifted it to his mouth and bit it in half. A tiny sound of pleasure left his mouth and his body sagged, a sigh of content leaving him. He quickly covered his mouth, his body stiffening. He glanced towards Hathu. When Hathu didn’t react. Mikhail relaxed and resumed chewing. He shoved the rest of the cube into his mouth before he had finished chewing the first bite, and pulled out another cube with shaking fingers.

“Be careful,” Jediah murmured. “Those will hit you hard.”

Mikhail paused. He gave a small nod. “Thank you, sir.” He resumed chewing more slowly.

Hathu idly watched Mikhail as he ate his way through three packages of cubes, trying to keep himself distracted from what was coming. Jediah explained to Mikhail what they needed him to do.

“I understand, sir.”

“I’m sorry we don’t have time for you to see the sun first,” Jediah said.

“It’s alright, sir. I was just given fresh blood and this food is helping quite a bit. I’ll have a good chance of surviving.”

“The most important thing to remember, is not to resist your master when his prime takes over. The more you struggle against him, the more you’ll trigger his instinct to dominate and destroy.”

“I understand, sir. It won’t be a problem. I’ve been well trained.”

“Yes. That’s why you were chosen.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll make sure your investment wasn’t in vain.”

Hathu squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head back against the seat. Mikhail might not be too concerned about the possibility that he could be dead before the day was over, but Hathu did not want another death weighing on his conscience. At least the last life he had taken had been in self defense and in defense of his people. Mikhail was helpless and innocent and his life would be taken only for the convenience of others.

The worst of it all was that when Mikhail had looked up at him with his large dark eyes and all but begged Hathu for the chance to serve him, even if it only meant torture and death, Hathu had wanted to take him, to dominate him, to see how much pain he could wring from the young man’s body till he broke.

I should be executed like the monster I am.

There was only one reason Hathu was willing to go through with the plan Kahn and Jediah had come up with: Deetha. Her message said she was in trouble and Hathu would do anything, become whatever he had to in order to protect her.

I’ll find a way to be a good master, he promised himself, not thinking too hard about the fact that he might not have a slave by the time the day was over.

The hovercar came to a stop. Hathu swallowed. The door opened; he quickly slid off the seat and stepped out of the car. They were in another underground parking lot beside another elevator.

Kahn strode by Hathu and passed his cuff over the elevator scanner. After a moment the doors opened. They all moved into the elevator.

Mikhail began lowering himself to kneel, but the thought of this young man who was about to experience a brutal death at his hands kneeling at his feet was more than Hathu could bear. He caught Mikhail’s arm and pulled him into his side again, his hand sliding around Mikhail’s slender waist. Mikhail leaned easily into Hathu as if they were lovers.

Hathu couldn’t believe that they were going to lock this helpless slave into a cell with him, and allow the full force of Hathu’s prime to wreak it’s havoc on him. Scenes from his father’s hunts flashed through his mind.

“Master? Are you all right? Can I do anything for you?”

Hathu came back to himself. His breathing was ragged. He was squeezing Mikhail a little too hard, but he hadn’t sliced his claws into him this time. He loosened his grip. “Just…stay alive.” What a stupid thing to ask.

“Yes, master.”

The elevator doors opened on a long white hallway lined with cell doors. Kahn and Jediah walked out.

Hathu hesitated.

“Come on, Fons. We don’t have all day,” Kahn snapped.

Hathu still didn’t move.

Mikhail’s arm slipped up around Hathu’s back. “Come, master. It will be alright.” Hathu was gently nudged forward. He walked out of the elevator, down the hall, following Kahn.

A pair of guards were waiting at the door of an open cell. Kahn stopped at the cell and turned to Hathu. “It’s not five star accommodations, but it’ll have to do.” He gestured at the open door.

Hathu swallowed hard. His arm tightened around the slim form beside him again, his mind caught up in the past; remembering the Durweh’s screams when his father and his men had caught him in the hunt. He released Mikhail suddenly. “I can’t do this.” I’m sorry Deetha. I’ll have to find another way.

The guards moved forward, they grabbed Hathu’s arms and shoved him into the cell. A snarl ripped out of his chest. He kept his prime back by sheer force of will. The strength of their shove sent him stumbling across the cell. He caught himself against the back wall and spun around. “There has to be another, way.”

“We need you sober now, Fons. We don’t have a few weeks to fritter away while you get yourself back in working order,” Kahn snapped.

Mikhail had stripped out of his clothes. He calmly stepped into the cell and the door was slammed shut behind him. Mikhail laid his neatly folded pile of clothing in the corner near the door.

“He’s stronger than you think, Hathu,” Jed’s double said; but Hathu could hear the concern in his voice.

The force field was activated and all sound from outside the cell cut off.

Hathu squeezed his eyes shut. He pressed his back against the wall. He could feel the last of the medication, his false control, quickly wearing away. His sanity was about to be torn from him. He raised an open palm towards Mikhail. “Just stay…don’t…don’t move…” His chest was heaving. He tried desperately to push his prime down into the background again as the last of the medication’s control faded. Hathu’s legs went weak and he slid to the floor. “Don’t let me become a monster!”

“I won’t, master.” Mikhail’s voice was calm and soothing.

Slender hands cupped Hathu’s face. The touch snapped his control. His eyes flew open. He watched his claws snag the crouching figure in front of him, drag them closer to his aching jaws. His vision was tunneling, going black.

The hands on Hathu’s face remained gentle. Calmness flooded into him. Control slipped back into his grasp. Deep pulsing spasms washed through his body, sharp pain throbbed through his leg and ribs. Thoughts and emotions that didn’t belong to him flowed into his mind. Every emotion he felt was sharp and clear after a week of having his feelings suppressed. His own thoughts were being echoed back at him as well. It was the oddest sensation. Feeling calm and sane again in his body, but his mind feeling completely disoriented and overwhelmed.

There was a soft voice singing underneath all the confusion. When you can no longer stand, reach for me… A flash of his father’s screams echoing from the hold of their ship where he was willingly dying for him echoed through Hathu’s mind. His sister Deetha’s kind eyes, her warm smile, passed through his mind next. His father rising up over him his breath thick with alcohol, brandishing his fist. A prayer slipped out of Hathu’s lips: I receive this gift with gratitude.

He could feel Mik shaking in his hands, sharp pain clawing through his ribs. He could see his dead brother slumped in the chair, the front of his torso blackened and charred. He ran through a meadow chasing a butterfly, his mother’s comforting presence nearby. “I’ll be a warrior. For you, Deetha,” Hathu promised. He tried to cut the connection between himself and his master, but he was having trouble, the connection was too strong. Fear blossomed in his chest.

Hathu dropped a kiss into Gemma’s palm. “Thank you Gemma.” …Come home to me my love, come home to me, sang the soft voice. Arms were wrapped around his neck. “I love you, Mik-” The confusing wash of images and emotions abruptly ended.