The Falling (Book I)

Rex

I was back in the dead forest in Hell. Following the path back into the city, I ambled through the streets. I did not want to go home quite yet, but there was nowhere else for me to go. With a dejected sigh, I went home. I did not go inside, though, opting to go to the backyard where Zane, Father, and I kept our hellhounds.

Father had a kennel made for when we first got them. Three large cages: one for Hound, one for Malus, my brother's pet, and one for Father's hellhound.

He was a monster aptly named Grim. He possessed three heads with black eyes hard as jet. He stood on his hind legs, his thick front legs having evolved into long arms that dragged across the floor. His canines, like all hellhounds, protruded from his mouths. He was hairless, a slightly uncommon, but not at all unusual trait.

I had very little to do with him; he did not care for me, and I felt the same. He did not get along with Hound or Malus either.

As I approached the kennel, Grim's small ears pricked and I heard him snuffle before he let out a low growl. He snarled as I got closer, lunging at the cage door. I paused and stared at him, perturbed by his hostility.

"What has gotten into you?" He continued to snarl at me as though he didn't recognize me.

Malus and Hound were doing the same, though not nearly as aggressively. I went to Hound's cage and let him out. No sooner had I done so, I was on the ground with him pinning me down, his teeth bared.

"Hound, off!" I commanded, wincing when his massive paw pressed down on my sternum.

He was sniffing my shoulder and growling. I gasped in realization. "Oh!"

The hellhounds could smell William on me. With an annoyed grunt, I shoved Hound off me and flicked him in the nose when he went to lunge at me again. Hound yelped and backed off, his glowing red eyes regarding me hurtfully.

"Enough!" I bared my teeth at him. He whined and sat on his haunches, a trace of a growl still in his throat.

I grabbed the cloth of my shirt where it rested on my shoulder and sniffed it. Sure enough, I could smell William's scent.

"Damn," I cursed softly and turned around. "Hound, come."

I walked toward the house and heard Hound trot after me.

Hellhounds were quite large; ranging from the size of a pony to a Clydesdale. Grim was an excellent example of just how large they could be; he was at least eight feet tall. Hound's head was level with my shoulder, and he was big enough I could ride him if I wanted to. I had ridden him before, being light enough he didn't mind it horribly.

I rested my hand on his shoulder, feeling the muscles flex beneath his sleek brown fur. I opened the back door to the house and held it open for Hound before closing it behind me.

The back door opened into the kitchen, one of the larger rooms of the house. Our servants bustled around preparing dinner. Hound stole a soul off a plate, devouring it quickly before anyone other than me noticed. I continued through the kitchen, being careful to avoid the servants carrying dishes.

As I exited the kitchen, Zane appeared in front of me, looking strained. I startled and scowled at him. "You know I hate when you do that!"

"No time, come on!" He grabbed my wrist and dragged me quickly upstairs into my room. "Mavek, take the bloody beast back to his cage!"

One of the servants bowed his head and timidly grabbed Hound's collar, forcing the hellhound to follow him back outside.

"Hey," I protested, "I was going to spend some time with him!"