Amanda's fate

The first chapter of a novel that i am writing.

Amanda's fate

Chapter 1

The pain started to claw at me as soon as consciousness took a hold of me. Sitting up in my bed I looked around my dirt hole of a room. There seemed to be something covering every inch of the floor from clothes to trash. Yet I could not bring my self to care enough to clean. The only thing that came to full focus in my mind was the pain. I knew that the reason I endured the pain was stupid. Freedom, being bound to another by blood would make me a slave to who ever I was bound to, and all the male beasts in my clan where greedy and did not care for any of the rules that have been set for our protection. So I just continued to struggle with the pain. However right now the pain was completely unbearable, so as another attack of pain over came me the darkness swept over me bringing the treasured numbness that so rarely came.

 The cold breeze ruffled my longish black hair as I looked upon my next meal. He was completely oblivious that he was about to meet his death, but the wary look on his face as he looked around the dense forest told me he sensed something near. He should be glad I do not like to play with my food I thought. As I remembered how my brothers used to love to tease the humans, making them think safety was within reach. Something my father instilled in them from early childhood, i hated my father.

 Some how though the thought of sinking my teeth into the mans neck sickened me a little. The thought was soon overrode as the pain suddenly double in intensity, along with the sweet smell of the man hiking through the forest. I climbed down the tree that I had chose to watch the human over an hour ago. There was another human coming to meet him, but the man's girlfriend was still hours away. So this was the perfect time to feed. A twinge of guilt crept in unwanted into my mind of the knowledge that the girl would come to find her boyfriend's corpse. Some how the guilt always seemed to be able to sneak into my mind and stab it's sharp blades into me. Yet the pain of guilt was always welcome if it meant the hunger would leave, even if for a little while. Because the hunger was extremely painful at best and at worst it would turn my kind insane which would in turn bring those unlucky enough to be completely focused on the hunger. Killing everything in their path. Witch finally brought me into play,hunter. The most feared of my kind. Well except for our king that ruled with an iron fist.

 All the hunters that where not on a short leash with the royals, had less restrictions. Like feeding more often than the regulars of my kind.

Speaking of feeding, the man had stopped a few meters away near a little cave that I favored when staying in the forests. He seemed to be considering something, I on the other hand was done with thinking, it was time to feed. I slowly approached the man with the silence that my kind were revered for. Lowering myself into a crouch I could feel the moist leafs beneath my bare feet shift silently without any complaints. I was so close without being noticed when my chest tightened with the hunger forcing a growl of pain to escape me. As the man whirled around in fright, I pounced. His eyes filled with surprise as he caught sight of me, but soon a scream of terror escaped his lips. The noise of his flesh tearing mingled with his scream thrilled me, and as the sweet blood that filled his body entered my mouth the hunger began to ebb away. No, never had I been able to stop myself from completely killing a human once I started feeding. There seemed to be a overwhelming need to keep going. Yes, I knew the reason why there was no stopping once I started feeding. Hunter, bred from generation to generation. The violence was heightened for us,that was the reason we could hunt our own kind and make sure that they would not live for longer than was wanted by the king. 

 The hunter families were royals but due to our extremely high violence and sexual levels we barely spoke up in the royal court. As I gulped down more blood from the dieing human I reminded myself he could have lived. Yet, I knew his life was not enough to make me lose the one thing I had always fought for. Freedom, many of the female beasts did not care if their mate took over and controlled everything they did or said. Yes,life would be more bearable with a mate. Less hunger, my need to kill would be lessened. That is why hunters found mates earlier than the rest of our kind. However, I saw the way my father controlled my mother and I promised myself I would never be controlled like that. So I made sure I never acted too wildly while I was out on a mission, and that I did not feed often. Which was becoming extremely difficult as I approached my breeding time. Because that is the time when all beasts violence and sexual levels are heightened. I knew even with controlling myself I had fed twice as much as normal.

A sound from close by made me look up as I finished feeding upon the dead human. I sniffed the air to know if the women was here early. However the scent was surprisingly familiar,it was my father. “Amanda, what a surprise to see you here.” I felt a chuckle escape my lips as I dropped the dead corpse. “Dad, I should be the one that is surprised. Since this is MY feeding ground. So What do you want since I know you did not come over to see your only daughter and chat.” My dad, his face becoming serious in an instant. “The King wishes to see you Amanda, now. I do believe you know the reason too, my daughter. Please just do as he says, you are becoming a problem.” A short little laugh escaped me. I was the best at what I did, no other that did the same work was ever as good as me. Which still was not good enough for my father and the king. “ Daughter, as the head of this family I command you to do as the king wishes.” I felt his command resonate inside of me and I knew I was not going to be able to escape my fate any longer. I always hated the fact I had no choice in any matter once my father used his power.

All of the head of the families had that power. However, when ever my species becomes a head of the family they pledge a oath to the king. So the head of the family controls all family with the same last name, and the king controls all the head of family. So I was screwed, even if father did not want to obey the king's every command. Staring at my father i saw no love or affection toward me at all. Of course not, he thought all women were below him and everyone had to listen to him. Right now tho i had no choice,nodding toward him then left. My father could deal with burying the human, another razor of guilt raked across my insides.  

 For how primal are species is, we seemed to love to keep up with the times,mostly.The king's castle was the only place that seemed untouched from time. It was old to say the least. The smell was musty, with heavy scents of bleach which burned my nose. As I walked through the the halls of the castle to the kings private guests rooms I saw all the paintings that adorned the halls. Most of the paintings were of the king himself and is wife who had passed away when giving birth to her last child, Which had died as well. I had seen all the paintings before. Since I was the number one hunter, I met the king many times. The paintings that hung the wall had been made before his wife died. The kings smiled in all the paintings, but in person the king wore a permanent frown upon his aging face. I wished I had seen him before his wife had died. Mother had told me many times that life was much better when Mary had been alive. I had never know a life like that, the king ruled with an iron fist. That was ready to smash anything that annoyed him, and if you disobeyed him. Well he sent me, and if I found my target they would wish they had time to slit their own throats before I laid a hand on them.

My mind wandered as I slowly got closer to the king and my fate. I hated being a hunter sometimes, but long ago I had learned to accept what was and is. I was always thankful that I had a strong stomach and was not very repulsed by the violence that filled my everyday life. No where I went was violence free, especially my home. My father was nearing his life span for a hunter, two-hundred years. Most mortals would have loved to live this long, but if you compared it to others that did not have the hunters genes it was a large difference. The king had his six-hundred-and eightieth birthday a few months ago. So, yeah we lived a way shorter life than others. Most hunters just accept their life's, I just accepted the violence in which my life held. I had helped, and done everything the king had ever asked of me. Yet, it was still not enough for everyone. Yes, from not mating I do get more aggressive than average for even hunters. Which may lead to a even shorter life, maybe a hundred. I was almost ninety already, but I was not about to just f**k some one and be stuck with them for life.

The sound of a slamming door brought me back to what was happening. Myra, the king's youngest daughter had slammed the door to the room I was headed to. Another fight with her father,Myra looked more upset than usual when she fought with her father. As she came closer to me I said“Good day princess Myra.” Myra jumped a little at the sound of my voice which I had kept low. “Afternoon, Amanda. What brings you here today.” Myra's voice was soft while she spoke. Myra had always been extremely sweet for what we are. Along with nice, I considered her a friend. Which was very rare to find since I found most female beast only interested in their mates or finding ones. Yet, Myra just had been a friend from the moment we first met, I knew I would die to protect her from harm. I remembered her question so I answered it honestly even if I thought it would upset her. “To meet with the king, he wishes to tell me something. My lady between you and me I believe it is about my decision about not mating just anyone. He may try to force me to mate or finally just have my father do it since he will not. I think it is my end soon, you know I would rather end my own life than live a life like my mother's.” Myra's anger slide from her face replaced by a look I had never seen before. The best word I would use to describe the look on her face was fury. Myra said “Never, I will never let him just kill you. That is what would happen you know. Force you to mate and you die which will be his fault. Or you out right say no, and he will have you killed!” As she continued talking her voice rose until she was almost screaming. A tear slid down her cheek, and at that moment I knew she cared for me as much as I did for her. I walked over to her and wrapped my hands around her tiny shoulders, but as I was about to tell her it was okay we got interrupted. The door that lead to my fate opened with a slight creak from all the years of use. A castle guard stood in the doorway with a emotionless face. He said in a whisper of a voice “ The king requests your presence hunter, Princess the king still wishes you to return to your room” I had seen this guard many times before, he may have told me his name. Or not, but it did not matter much to me. Even if he was off duty he still held onto his emotionless, it bugged me to say the least.

I decided I needed to just suck it up and face the king. Quickly I released Myra and headed toward the room which held my fate. My feet moved me quickly towards the door but I still felt the small hand brush against my skin trying to stall me little longer. As I entered the extravagant room I heard Myra yell “Amanda you are the strongest one of us all. What ever happens to you, you will always be my best friend.” That statement brought me comfort that I knew would help me in the near future.

Author's Note

Beast- i do not have a name for the species yet,so that is it for now

Opinions will help improve what is weak in this first chapter, thanks for taking the time to read this.