Chapter 6: Bound By Blood

Opening her eyes from their peaceful slumber, the glimmering sunlight permeated in her vision. She felt warm, masculine arms wrapped around her body, giving her a sense of comfort and security she didn’t ask for. She felt herself grow weak with every passing second cradled against this man’s chest. It wasn’t just because she was under the grace of the sun. No, she grimaced, not to this type of man.

Today, after all, marked the beginning of her life as a prisoner; the demon lord’s sex slave. A life she considered more miserable than death. But she couldn’t just die, she couldn’t just give up. This land her ancestors built were world’s more important than her broken pride.

Bring it, she thought. Whatever type of man they brought here in her castle would rather prefer he was not born a man. Blood by blood. An eye for an eye. Killing her betrothed wouldn’t even scratch the level of pain she felt when the Overlord murdered her family. She wouldn’t refer to it as vengeance; she would call it retribution. But she decided not to kill him for now. That would be far too easy of a punishment for all of the crimes his father had committed. She would leave him alive to make him suffer and manipulate him to her cause.

Grinning with wicked intentions in mind, she raised her head, attempted to slip free, but was met with tough resistance. One of his hands draped on her behind and her angled head only served to press her face on the crook of his neck. She breathed a complain to his ear, yet he only mumbled something in return, as if he heard the naughtiest of secrets.

Tears welled at the corner of her eyes, but she sniffed them back. That one humiliation she received after relying on his shoulder was enough to make her pull her hair in disgust. Though she wasn’t melting in particular, she had to admit that something inside was definitely warming up. Her heart fluttered yet she ruthlessly ignored its opinion.

Nastassja heard her betrothed take a deep breath then his lips nudged the corner of her eye.

“I’m sorry,” was the first thing he said. “You were throwing in your sleep you had me worried.” His voice was apologetic and concerned, yet clear and refreshed. The black haired man sat upright as he released her, grabbed his shirt beside the lamp, and wiggled his head inside.

With a single yawn, he slipped himself out of the covers and padded straight to their recliner. He sat down with a plop and sighed at the ceiling. “So, good morning?”

Good morning? What kind of demon, even more so a demon lord, would appreciate the harmful rays of the sun? This man was certainly weird to their standards, but Nastassja broke the idea loose before overthinking could take root and suck her under. As she sat on the edge of their bed, her gaze met his chocolate brown eyes before she reached for her brush and combed her hair.

“Would you like to return to bed, my lord? This hour is way too early for a great demon like yourself to be up and about.” The stronger the magic, the harsher the sun’s effect to a demon. But this demon lord never shrugged its rays; something she might need to add on his list of quirks.

“Actually, can I ask you to do something for me?” he asked.

“Yes?” Her voice carried a hint of nervousness she didn’t want to convey. He would bare his fangs now that she was at her weakest? She saw it coming, but not after their wedding bells.

“Just call me Chris,” he said. “That’s my name.”

What? She almost bit her tongue in surprise. “Chris?”

Her betrothed got up and sat beside her, then looked straight into her eyes. “Yes, Chris. Christian Collins. Chris for short.”

Nastassja was quiet, then slowly nodded her head. “Chris.”

“That’s better.” He smiled at her and his eyes had a soft glow permeating with honest concern.

She flushed as something carnal surged from the depths of her being. For the first time in the seventy-two years of her life, she started to crave a man. What to do? She bit on her bottom lip, suppressing the desire to eat. Chris looked away, as if he noticed. She looked away too, feeling embarrassed.

“I’m sorry about what happened to your family.” Chris murmured on her side, grasping her hand gripping the duvet. “To tell you the truth, I’m as lost as you are. I don’t even know why the old man sent me here.”

“I find that hard to believe,” she said, her voice full of distrust.

“Nevertheless I want you to believe. Nastassja, can you trust me at least?”

“You do not need to ask for my permission, sir. I am nothing but your toy to sate your sexual desires.” Reddening in outrage, she whirled away from him. Why did she feel so helpless? It was ruining her plans before they even began.

“Nastassja.” Chris called her name, and his voice froze her on the spot.

“What? Feel free to do what you must, sir.” She hugged herself as she stifled her sobs on one corner of the room. She heard him get up, his footsteps nearing, then his arms were around her, his nose on her hair.

“Good lord, how can you say that? You’re judging me without even knowing me,” he said, kissing her hair once. She felt her anger melting from his gentle warmth, but her pride wouldn’t allow it to subside.

“There is nothing else for me to know. You two are bound by blood. And until that link is severed, you will forever be my enemy.” Her voice was filled with hatred, putrid hatred toward the man who caused the genocide of her family.

“But we’re not really…” Chris mumbled some words, but her mind simply registered it as excuses.

“Lies!”

Sighing as if he gave up, Chris freed her from his embrace. “Look, how about we go out and get to know each other? Maybe then you’ll realize I'm not such a bad guy after all. What do you think?”

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She turned to give him her answer. “Bed. I want to go to bed. It is too early.”

With another sigh, Chris said, “Then bed it is then.”

Nastassja shivered as his hand moved along her spine. He bent and swept her up off her feet then he trudged back to where they started. Chris pressed her back on the mattress then stripped his shirt overhead.

As much as she wanted to change to a proper sleepwear, she didn’t want any further interaction from Chris. She loosed her crimson dress and let the straps hang on her upper arms before slipping inside the duvet.

Chris followed. Nastassja anticipated the movement of his arms, but it didn’t come. She turned around, wondering, and frowned upon seeing his broad back. What was he implying? That she wasn’t even worth a hug? The nerve of this man!

Enraged by this belittlement, Nastassja did the same. She felt admonished by the results; on and on, she couldn't figure out how his mind work.

Just like that, the two of them slept against each other’s back.

* * *

Starting his nocturnal lifestyle, Chris was surprised to find his clothes in the large wardrobe of their room. Even his 200 dollar suit was there, along with his worn out jeans and underwear. Whoever considered this idea had their fun. He remembered Jude’s condescending smile and immediately assumed it was her doing. This, he thought, was no doubt done with her scheming.

After getting dressed in jeans and t-shirt, Chris decided to meet his somewhat-emotional wife-to-be. As he stood wondering in front of the foyer of their room, the double doors opened by itself and came inside was a sneering attendant, ushering him to his destination.

A question came to mind while they were walking. Where were her legs?

However Chris kept the question to himself. This place was enough to turn a regular man insane, but not him. Just like in horror flicks, he heard a feminine giggle on the background that made him turn around.

Perhaps due to his reaction, the attendant quickly lowered her head and apologized for the rash behavior of their new girl, promising him that she would reprimand this naughty ghost later on. The sneer on her face reappeared when he left her off with a smile.

Chris shook his head and continued. The hallways were large enough for giants to enter and crimson crystals illuminated their pathway. Two soldier skeletons saluted Chris as he went through an iron gate and on the other side were stairs that he couldn’t see the end.

Several minutes of walking later, Chris stood in the middle of an intersection. The ghastly maid ushered him to his left, to which Chris finally saw an end to this passage.

Chris then heard something that made him halt. “Piano?”

Enticed by the sublime, lonely music, he entered the room. The maid dissipated into a blue mist as soon as he entered, but chris still offered his word of thanks.

There she was, with her wings properly stretched out and her figure basked under the moonlight, Nastassja skillfully pressed the keys without paying attention to his entry.

She looked so isolated and alone, yet she exuded an aura of mystery Chris found very enchanting. Funny, he thought. Their relationship wasn’t anything exclusive, and marriage was the last damn thing in his mind. Though despite their differences, Chris honestly wanted to help her.

His reverie was broken when the music stopped. She turned toward the blue moon hidden in a sea of clouds then moved those blue eyes to him.

“Grandfather had told me once; that an elf’s heart is quite the delicacy,” Nastassja said, gazing down at him three steps above. “Though I am afraid our lycans had taken a fancy toward the females; we should probably leave it to them as a reward. What do you suggest we do, Chris?”

Chris lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I don’t understand the question.”

“This is your land, my lord. Your words are absolute.”

Chris traveled up the marble steps, sitting beside her with one arm leaning on the piano. “That’s quite a fascinating thing for you to say, and yet you disobey me. Why is that?”

“Because I can.” Her gaze sent him a chill that made every strand of hair on his arms stand on end. “And I will not stop until I’ve had my revenge. Until then, feel free to abuse me, my lord.”

He breathed a sigh of indifference then tucked her bangs behind her ear. “How I wish you’re joking. You seem like a real sweet girl, too.”

“I can be both,” she murmured, smiling sweetly while biting her lip.

Chris shot her an amused look. “Maybe. Anyways, can you tell me more about these elves?”

“Anything for my beloved,” she replied with full-on sarcasm. “Our lovely pets caught some forest elves sneaking around our borders. They are currently being detained, as we wait for your judgement in the matter,” she explained in a playful tone, which eased some of the tension lingering in the air between them two.

However Chris knew he was nearing something he feared the most. Accepting the unknown, that he could do without breaking a sweat, but he didn't want to corrupt his morals just to fit in this new world.

“What if I told you that I want to see them first?” asked Chris.

She narrowed her eyes as she asked, “Do you fancy an elven woman?”

“No.”

“Then we shall leave at once. Would you like to travel on a nightmare, or a wyvern?”

Chris snorted. “Surprise me.”