Hellbound Heart

Elle could not believe what she was seeing. Though the lighting around her was dim and it was even darker behind the bar, she immediately knew that the man being chained inside was none other than Sebastian.

Her hands flew to her mouth. He was already behind such massive and thick bars, why must they chain him up too? Was that not overkill?!

With her lips slightly trembling, she was about to call out his name when a voice spoke up and jolted her.

"He's not awake yet." Elijah's smooth voice reverberated in the darkness.

Whipping around, Elle saw Elijah leaning against the dungeon's wall, right across from her.

Despite her thundering heartbeats, Elle clenched her fists and glared at the man, whose face she had yet to even fully see. And it was then she realized that all her encounters with Elijah were always happening during the nights. And due to that, it was always too dim for her to see what he truly looked like. Not that she cared for how his face looks, but she was starting to wonder if it was on purpose or just purely coincidental. However, now her focus was not on Elijah but on her husband who was in such a dismal state.

"Please…" she pleaded, but her words were a startling contrast to the rage brimming in her eyes. "Release my husband. I don't know why you're doing this, but… in case you've forgotten, he's your brother, Prince Elijah. So, please let him go."

"I haven't even done anything at all to him yet, Sunshine –"

"You had him stabbed with that potent drug! Now you have him chained even when he is already behind bars! And you dare tell me that you have not done anything to him yet?!" Elle's voice got a little louder at the end, not being able to help herself.

"Those things you mentioned are nothing to him, Princess Izabelle. Insignificant. Don't you know that Sebastian had spent seven hundred years of his life in that state? Chained and locked like this behind bars?" Elijah's eyes were zooming in on Elle as though to see her reaction to his statement.

Elle's eyes widened and speech failed her for a moment. Denial hitting her like a ton of bricks. It was like all the breath was being knocked out of her for a few seconds. "What… what are you talking about?" She finally managed to croak the question out after opening and closing her mouth a few times..

A sigh escaped Elijah's lips. "Of course… you would know nothing about this too, wouldn't it? Sebastian wouldn't have wanted you to know what kind of a monster he truly is." Elijah's words were mocking, piercing her heart as she wondered why Sebastian would not tell her more about himself and she had to hear about this from someone else.

Shaking her head, Elle swallowed hard before retorting. "You're the monster here, Elijah. The fact that you could even do this to your very own brother. And if what you said is true, that Sebastian had been chained and locked for several hundred years… then… you're an even more horrific monster for doing this to him again!" Her eyes were literally shooting sparks at Elijah, as though she hoped that he would just combust right where he was.

Elijah pushed himself off the wall and began to approach Elle. His grey eyes gleaming brighter than ever, causing her to hear warning bells echoing at the back of her head.

"What if I tell you that Sebastian's been locked up because he was an uncontrollable monster who couldn't even recognize anyone anymore?" he uttered as he approached her with deliberately slow steps. "That he had to be chained and locked like that to ensure everyone was safe?"

He paused right before Elle who was now holding her breath and then continued. "The man you married is not just a mere vampire, Princess. He's a demon too… a monster who is not supposed to be here, living among us as though he belongs here."

All Elle could do was shake her head at him and he smiled. His white teeth flashing in the dark. "Don't believe me? You think that it's impossible? That there's no way demons are real?" He then bent slightly closer, causing Elle to unconsciously scoot back and her behind hit the bars. "Just like almost all humans, you must've found it funny now. But worry not Sunshine, you will be enlightened soon once Sebastian wakes up. You shall see it for yourself. Just wait for it."

"Why…" Elle's voice broke due to the intense emotions swirling within her like a storm. "Why are you doing this?" Elle could not understand why Elijah was treating his brother, Sebastian this way. So what if Sebastian was not just vampire but was something else? Should he not be helping his brother out instead of tormenting him further?

"I told you already, didn't I? I wanted him to go mad. To go completely insane as he deserved. Sebastian deserves nothing else but to be chained and locked up in prison… and suffer… forever." His voice held so much conviction and hatred as he uttered that last line. Elle shivered as she saw the deep hatred shining in his eyes.

"Just… just what…" Elle stammered, swallowing her surging tears. "Just what did… Sebastian ever do to you for you to treat him this way?"

Unexpectedly, Elijah seemed to be suddenly surprised by Elle's question. Then out of nowhere, he barked out a laugh. A quick disbelieving laugh that sounded almost…

He mumbled something under his breath and he stepped back, running his fingers through his hair before looking at her again. "Did you know that you're the very first person who asked me that question? Sunshine?" he breathed out in a huff. "No one had ever asked me that. All of them kept on asking why am I doing this and that… no one had bothered to ask me what Sebastian and Ezekiel had done to me first… until now."