"So what if you can see the darkest side of me? No one will ever change this animal I have become." Three Days Grace, Animal I Have Become, 2006
Running with the Boys
Chapter XXXVII: The Animal
Jace watched Vidia through his cracked screen.
She sat on her bed, staring him down through the lens. There were seven of her, some so tiny he had to squint to see her. He snarled at the screen, that boy, Rider, ruined everything he built. All the games they played, all the nights he spent training, teaching, only to be undone by someone he could call his baby brother.
"He's a tricky brat, eh?" Kleiver huffed from behind him.
"He's many things," Jace growled. "But I won't let him take her away from me."
"Everyone in that bloody family is evil," Veger whispered. "They've tainted this world."
"I agree," Jace smirked. "I plan to taint this world as red as the sunrise."
Kleiver's communicator rang, pulling him away from Jace's side. Jace kept his eyes on Vidia, he brought his thumb to his mouth and taps the nail on his bottom teeth. She sits there, he can tell she's fading. He's seen it before. Her eyes get droopy, she starts to waver before she lays down. He smirked as she wobbled in her bed, she was getting close to laying down.
"They're here." Kleiver said. "All of them."
"Even Rayn?" Jace asked.
"Yes, she was hard to track down," Veger added. "But she left a paper trail."
Jace nodded and stood. "Good."
"Should we get Vidia?" Kleiver asked.
"No." Jace walked out of the room. "Let her sleep."
He walked away from Vidia's room, while he'd never been to the Krew manor he learned it quick enough. He never wanted to be caught in a dead-end hallway or stuck on a level without an easy escape. He went to the large stairs in the front of the house, he descended the first set. On the first landing were two thrones. An ironworker made his throne of gleaming gold and marvelous chrome. When he moved, he could see the chrome shimmer between black, purple and blue. Every colour he wanted. Next to his throne was a glorious one made of glass, the edges dripped in blue sapphires. The worker added spires of cobalt to the back. It looked as if it were melting, a beautiful ice throne for his White Queen.
He sat on his throne, tapping the armrest as his guests filter into the diamond foyer. He kept his face neutral as they came, the confused guests look around as they are escorted in. They talk amongst themselves, casting fearful glances to him. Most know who he is, the bastard son of the two greatest nations. He lets himself smirk, they fear him, good.
Rayn Krew brings the noise when she's escorted in. She stomps past Kleiver and marches up the stairs. "How dare you bring me in like a common servant!" She yelled. "This is my house!"
"Not anymore," Jace answered. "Its rightful owner has returned."
"Who, you?" Rayn laughed. "You're just a bastard son of two people who never wanted you! You will never be anything more than a mistake."
Jace smirked. "Funny that you say that, because from where I'm sitting, you're the mistake Rayn Krew."
"Get him out of my house." She snarled to the guards. They stood strong and tall, glaring down at Rayn as she marched up to them. "Didn't you hear what I said?! Get him out of my fucking house!"
"This house isn't yours," Jace called out in a sing-song voice. "I believe your father left it to his heir."
"Which is me." She snapped.
"Which was you." Jace stood. "But then you went out," He started down the stairs to her. "Got pregnant and had a baby. You named her Vidia. You experimented on her as Praxis did for Jak, and you got something you never thought you could ever have. A weapon." He stopped in front of her. "She is the heir. She is in charge."
"She's not here." Rayn added.
"She sleeps upstairs," Jace smirked. "And I'm sure she'll agree with my choice." He turned away from her. "And I know you all will honour her choice." Jace turned, dragging a knife across Rayn's neck. She gasped as a thin line opened, blood didn't bubble to the surface -it spilled like a broken dam.
Jace let the blood coat his legs, she stepped back as she fell to the ground. He marched up the stairs, the workers of the house screamed when they saw their former boss killed. More screams sounded as the workers were slaughtered. He stopped at his throne and sat. He raised his chin as the Monaghan Prisoners tore through the workers. All scrambled away from his men, but they didn't get far before they were turned around. Jace rested against the back of his chair, watching the carnage before him. It painted the room red and decorated it the way he wanted.
The silence came quick enough. He smiled as all his men bowed to him. His eyes twitched over the corner, Kleiver held up the wall with a disgusted frown on his face.
"Tell me Kleiver," Jace called out. "Are you not impressed by my new décor?"
"No mate," Kleiver chuckled. "Just disgusted."
"Disgusted?" Jace queried. "How? Isn't this what you wanted?"
"You didn't have to kill them all," Veger shouted. "You should've let them go."
"Why? They would've died anyway." He answered. "Isn't there something you should be doing?"
"What?" Kleiver questioned.
"Bowing to your king?" Jace offered.
Kleiver snorted. "If I refused to bow to Sig, and I only bowed to your grandfather to live, what makes you think I'll bow for you?!"
"Because I hold all the pieces." He answered. He glared down at them. They would surely bow to him. They were his biggest supporters, why did they care if a few kitchen staff died? They didn't move, they only stared up at him. Jace stood. "Bow."
"Fuck you." Kleiver snarled back.
Jace looked at his guard, the prisoners glanced at each other. His power, his reign was already fading. He marched down the steps. "BOW!" He ordered again, Kleiver only smirked at him. "I AM YOU KING, AND I COMMAND YOU TO BOW!"
"Enjoy your throne," Veger commented. "Make sure you wash your hands before you hug Vidia."
Kleiver turned his back on him. Jace glanced about, the guards only stared. Jace grabbed the closet gun and pointed it at Kleiver. "I command you to stop!" They didn't, pushing the double doors open and moving into the courtyard.
Something bubbled inside of him. He felt it, it raged and demanded blood. He'd only let himself go on various occasions, he saved that darker side for special cases. He followed them, letting a bullet fly from the barrel. The first one grazed Kleiver's cheek.
"I said stop, old man."
Kleiver turned, the fury in his eyes excited Jace, maybe the man was just testing him?
Veger sneered. "You're an animal, just like your father."
just like your father…
Jace fired again, the bullet went straight through Veger's throat. The tiny God flew off Kleiver's shoulder, he landed behind him, dead. Kleiver stared at Veger before looking at Jace, he opened his mouth to say something but Jace fired again. Kleiver's eye exploded, he dropped to his knee and fell forward.
Jace turned, walking back into the house. He crossed the blood painted floor and ascended to the thrones. He glanced to the side of the wall, Laney sat perched on her small chair. She regarded him with disgust but said nothing. His sister was smart enough to keep her comments to herself -also it helped that she couldn't speak while stuck between Ecos. He sat down, resting his gun on his armrest.
He took a deep breath in and looked down at his men, they bowed again, right to their knees.
TBC...