"NO!" I cried out. "What are you doing?! Stop!"

"Claire shut up." My brother muttered through his teeth. 

"Cole please." I cried to him, but soon enough it was too late. Every person in the group except one lied dead on the floor.

"Bring the survivor." My father ordered through some sort of intercom.

"As you wish." Zach mouthed to my father, turning in a singular motion towards the door as the guards marched towards the screaming young girl.

They roughly grabbed both of her flailing arms and dragged her body across the room and out the door following Zach. She kicked and screamed, but I knew it was useless, and deep down, so did she.

Soon enough she was dragged into the room. Her begging eyes met mine. She only wants to live. Tears streamed down her porcelain skin as makeup stained, streaming from her blue eyes. Zach took her by her wild brown hair and dragged her over, tossing her to me.

Out of instinct I grabbed her and wrapped my arm around her neck. Fuck. What do I do? What are they thinking? What are they going to make me do to her?

She struggled beneath me, ripping her long painted nails through my skin, blood being drawn as she squirmed to get free. I didn't let go until a knife was tossed on the floor by our feet.

"You know what to do Claire." Zach said in a rough voice, no hint of sympathy whatsoever.

I can't do this. I can't do this. What's happening right now? Why has no one warned me about this? God I can't fucking do this.

I let her go...

...

In an instant she reached for the knife. She's trying to kill me. Fuck. What do I do? What do I do?

...

The knife is at my throat.

...

I can't die. Not yet. God why does it have to be like this?

...

I pushed her off of me with one hand. She's weak and frail so it isn't very hard to shove her to the ground.

The knife still in hand she slashes at my leg and successfully makes a deep wound. I fell to the ground quickly, but rolled over on top of her, pinning her wrists down in one hand before grabbing the knife. She struggled. She kicked. She screamed. She cried. And once again, she begged for her life, but I knew there was no way out.

The knife was against her throat, her hands above her head as my body pinned down her legs. She squirmed as I paused. I cant breath. I can't kill her. I don't want to. I... I can't.

"Claire." Zach's voice boomed in my ear. "Just fucking do it Claire. She tried to kill you and you're just going to let her go? You're weak. I always knew you were, but I didn't know you were this big of a bitch." There was a pause. It was still. Everything was silent. "Do it or I'll kill her myself. I'll mutilate her body right here before I kill you. Just see it as putting her out of her misery."

"Fuck you." I whispered quietly under my breath.

"I'm sorry Claire. I didn't hear that. Could you repeat yourself mutt?" He snapped.

"Fuck you." I yelled at him, staring him in the eyes as I held the poor girl down.

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings Claire? I'm sorry. Are you scared Claire? It's just me. You know there's nothing to be afraid of. Just. Fucking. Do it." He began soft before yelling the rest.

I took a last look down at the girl, then back up at Zach before I slit her throat in one quick motion, looking directly into his emotionless eyes.

Before I looked away there was a flicker of excitement in his eyes, like a cat stalking its prey. He was playing with me. I'm his fucking play thing and he made me kill that poor girl. That fucking bastard. I'm going to kill him.

I stood up not even flinching from the pain in my leg. Zach looked a bit surprised but smirked at me as he saw the tears streaked down my face, pouring from my green eyes.

I charged at him, knocking him to the ground. Guards began to grab me but Zach motioned them off. "Stop. Let her. I'll make an example out of this bitch. We always have another Paramountcy."

Fear flashed through my eyes and before I knew it he flipped us over with me underneath him. My arms were quickly pinned down as he smiled evilly, looking into my eyes.

"What? I thought you weren't scared, but look at you. You're pathetic." He spat in my face.

He got up off of me in one quick motion and grabbed my honey brown hair in one hand, dragging me across the floor as I struggled. I grabbed on to his arm trying to stop the pain from my scalp as he threw me into the wall. All air was released from my lungs as I fell back and he began to speak.

"Awe, she actually thought I was going to kill her. How cute. Sweetie, if I were to kill you, it wouldn't be this quickly. I want to have fun with my little play things. After all, I don't show mercy little girl. You of all people should know that. If I were you I wouldn't have just slit her throat." My eyes are soaked. I can't handle this. I just killed her. I... Killed her. I'm a killer. I can't breath.

I sat there, dazed for a moment, still against the wall I was thrown against. Cole stared at me. He's holding back. He knows he can't approach me, even if he wanted to.

Tears still streaming down my face I stood up. I almost stumbled back down from the pain, but I can't stay here any longer. I can't stay in a room with Zach, my parents and the council after what just happened. I can't stay in a room with the dead girl I just killed.

I stumbled towards the door, tears falling to the floor. I climbed back up the stairs slowly. If I could go any faster I would. I struggled to get to the top.

Soon I reached the medal door and pushed it open, the cold against my heated palms. Walking out the servants stared. They watched as I passed without a word slipping off of their tongues.

I fought to get to my room as quickly as possible, but I heard footsteps behind me. My heart stopped momentarily as the footsteps got closer. Running. They were running. The person... The man, grabbed my arm, spinning me around. I panicked. I can't breath.

I looked up from my recent state, only to see Cole standing above me. I stumbled forward, almost falling, but Cole caught me, helping me to my room in silence.

Once we reached my room, he brought me to my bed, sitting down next to me. It was silent. Not a word from either of us. Only my heavy breathing and small whimpers.

~*~

"Claire..." He looked up at me for the first time in half an hour.

"Y-ye-" I began in a brittled voice, but I could not finish, for I was already wailing.

My brother took me into his arms, hugging me and telling me everything was okay.

"B-but how is everything okay Cole?! I killed her! She's dead because of me!" I screamed out, pushing him slightly away so I could look into his eyes, which were teary as well as mine.

"She was going to die anyway. It would have been more painful if you hadn't done it." He slowly spoke in a monotone voice.

"But she's dead. She's dead. They are all dead. How can this be okay? How can they just sit there and watch that? How could you just sit there and watch that?!" I cried out to him.

"You know we must be feared. Claire please just listen to me." He begged.

"Why must we Cole?! Why must we be feared?" I questioned the thing we were told our whole life.

"The power. We need to be feared because if we are not we hold no power. Can't you just understand that? I understand it is hard, but you will get used to it. You have to." He stated a bit louder.