Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

“ D on’t move.” Leviathan urged, his voice holding a commanding tone once they were both dressed.

Suddenly, a piercing scream tore through the air, sending shivers down her spine. In an instant, the room seemed to split in half as a strange blur appeared in the center, revealing a white stone building that bore a striking resemblance to her own house. The walls of the room shook with the force of the scream, making the very air vibrate with fear and confusion. She couldn’t believe her eyes as she watched the strange anomaly unfold before her. It was like something out of a dream, or perhaps a nightmare. Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of it all, but before she could even process what was happening, everything went still and silent once again.

“This is your way home,” he leveled a piercing stare at her. “You are by all accounts, free to step through this portal and never return. My powers will do nothing in your realm.” His gaze shifted to something almost pleading. “It is my hope that you will discuss returning with me again once this is over.”

Everything she’d wanted since coming to this nightmare realm was right in front of her. So why are you so caught up in Leviathan’s ask?

Even as her body damn near hummed with extra energy from her orgasms, she knew nothing was certain. He offered her the opportunity to make her stepmother pay. She needed to see him make good on that and not just epic sex if she was going to accept a part of herself she barely understood.

A darker part that scares you if it means you’re like the creatures here.

Leviathan stepped through first, and Ashe gasped as his wings disappeared as he stepped through. He held his hand out, the was act at odds with his cruel nature and even weirder as his hand appeared to come out of nowhere. For all she could see, he was human now, even his horns were gone.

Taking a risk, Ashe set her hand in his, half expecting pain as she stepped through the portal. None came, and she merely emerged into a world that was both familiar and foreign to her. The instant change in atmosphere was jarring, the suffocating heat of the demon realm replaced by the cool, crisp air of the human realm. She blinked, dazed by the sudden brightness of the sun, and took a deep breath, inhaling the scents of home. The damp earth, the blossoming flowers, and the nearby lake’s freshness seemed to wrap her in a comforting blanket she hadn’t known she’d needed.

Ashe glanced around, her heart pounding in disbelief.

Before them was the sprawling estate she had left behind when she’d been ripped away. It was a testament to her family’s wealth and prominence. The mansion, with its towering spires and gleaming windows, loomed over the impeccably manicured gardens. Fountains danced amidst the maze-like hedges, the sounds of their splashing water soothing her frayed nerves. The scent of jasmine and roses filled the air, intoxicating and comforting all at once.

“You really did it.” Ashe breathed, her voice trembling with something she couldn’t put her finger on. She let her gaze move from the house to him.

The contrast between the demonic form he wore and the opulent surroundings was jarring, but Ashe knew better than to comment. They were, after all, in her world now. “Thank you,” she said, her voice continuing to shake with emotion. “For bringing me here.”

Leviathan shrugged, but she could see the pleased expression in his eyes. “I keep my word, Ashe. Besides,” he purred in her ear, “I’m not done with you yet, and your stepmother seems to be exactly what I need.” He tugged her against him. “I promise you, the boost you’ll get from what happens here will not scare you.”

She wasn’t going to ask how he knew she might be even the slightest bit afraid to see the woman again.

Together, they ascended the concrete staircase out front, their footsteps barely making any sound. The silence of the house weighed heavily on her, unnerving in its stillness. Ashe’s heart pounded in anticipation and trepidation, the memories of her past life threatening to overwhelm her. Not all memories here had been happy, but she’d been normal and thought human.

Ashe’s heart pounded, and her breathing quickened. She was back. Not just in her old home, but in her old life. She had thought she would never see it again. Her fingers clenched and unclenched as she followed Leviathan through the front door, her boots clicking against the marble floors. Her eyes darted around, taking in the same high ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and grandiose furniture that once filled her with awe. Now it filled her with a strange mixture of nostalgia and resentment.

She remembered days long gone when she’d run through these halls as a child, laughing with friends and dreaming of a different life than the one that awaited her. It made for an eerie juxtaposition against the fierce power of Leviathan’s presence. His every step echoing through the mansion like thunderous applause as they made their way deeper inside.

The foyer opened up into an expansive living room filled with expensive furniture and priceless artwork; oil paintings of royalty hung from walls adorned with gold leafing. But something was off about it all. . . too clean, too sterile compared to how she remembered it. A maid hurriedly went about dusting off furniture that didn’t need it.

It was like time had stood still since she left.

Ashe swallowed hard as Leviathan led her further into the house, calling out for anyone who might be around. Together, their footsteps echoed through grand halls filled with crystal chandeliers and marble floors shining like mirrors underfoot.

She paused at the doorway to her old room, hand trembling on the knob before pushing it open slowly. Stepping over the threshold felt like stepping into another world entirely. Memories flooded her senses, washing over her like a tidal wave of emotions. The canopy bed still stood there, its mahogany headboard gleaming under dusty sheets; books lined shelves filled with tomes she once devoured; even the dresser she shared with her sister remained untouched by time. Ashe took a few tentative steps forward, feeling as if walking on the hallowed ground now occupied by ghosts from another era.

“Come, let’s find that bitch that made you mine. I’m torn between letting you destroy her and thanking her for her greed and stupidity.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the bold declaration, catching her off guard. The last thing she should want was to be owned by this demon, yet a strange desire stirred within her. She felt drawn to him, inexplicably and irresistibly. A dangerous thrill coursed through her veins as she contemplated the forbidden possibilities of giving in to his possession.

“I know that look,” his lips twisted into a wicked smile. “You think of my touch.”

She immediately blanked out her expression, not wanting the prince to have a hold over her. “You know nothing about me.”

“Oh no?” Leviathan’s hand clasped around her wrist, tugging her against him in a breath. “I know that you are the most beautiful creature—human and demon—I’ve ever seen. I know that I spent more time than I care to admit wrapped up in thoughts of bringing a smile to your lips that had nothing to do with pleasure and everything to do with hating the way you looked with Belial.” his lips trailed down the column of her neck. “I know that when this is done, I will spend all eternity ensuring you are the envy of all with the powers that come with it.”

Ashe’s breath caught in her throat as Leviathan’s lips trailed down her neck, his words sending shivers down her spine. She tried to ignore the warmth that spread through her body at the thought of being adored and desired by a demon prince, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.

“You hated Belial?” she asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice. She’d assumed he enjoyed the high lord.

Leviathan pulled away slightly, his piercing blue eyes meeting hers with a wicked glint. “I wouldn’t say hate,” he said with a smirk. “But let’s just say there’s been some tension between us as he often felt he could drive more envy than I could.”

Ashe couldn’t help but feel intrigued by this revelation. She had always assumed that Belial was just another one of Leviathan’s minions, following his every command without question. But it seemed their relationship had been much more complicated than that.

“And what makes you think I would want to be yours?” Ashe asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite the turmoil inside of her.

“Because I can give you things that no human or even other demon could ever dream of,” Leviathan replied confidently. “Power beyond your wildest imagination, wealth beyond measure. . . and love.” He paused for a moment, his gaze softening. “I may not be able to offer you a happy ending like those fairy tales you humans love so much, but I can promise you passion and devotion until the end of time.”

Ashe found herself tempted by his words, wanting nothing more than to surrender herself completely to him and bask in the glory and pleasure he promised. But she also knew that giving into him meant betraying everything she stood for and becoming something she never wanted to be.

“I need time,” she finally said, pulling away from him gently.

“Of course,” Leviathan nodded understandingly. “Take all the time you need. But just know that I will be waiting.” His eyes shifted as a sound came from down the hall. “Come then, I think I’ve proven my point.”

Leviathan strode through the halls with a commanding presence, his body nearly touching the walls from his sheer size as he moved. Ashe followed, her red hair swaying behind her like a silken waterfall as she walked on the plush carpet. They navigated through the labyrinthine mansion, their footsteps echoing off the high ceilings and marble floors. The scent of lavender and rosemary filled the air, mingling with the musty smell of neglect. He stopped before a door adorned with gold leaves and raised a hand to knock before pushing it open without waiting for permission.

Inside was a library lined with leather-bound books that smelled of aged paper and whiskey. The room was dimly lit by stained glass windows casting eerie shadows across the shelves and tables. A gust of wind blew in from an open window, causing pages to flip erratically in protest. Ashe’s eyes flickered over the titles she once read avidly, feeling an old longing stir within her chest.

“Ashe?” A familiar voice called out, breaking the silence.

Ashe turned to see her stepmother standing behind a mahogany desk near one wall. She was somehow older but still strikingly beautiful compared to others her age. Ashe’s heart pounded against her chest at the sight of her stepmother. At the woman who sold her into slavery for reasons Ashe still did not understand.

“You’ve returned,” she spat out bitterly, glaring at Leviathan by default. “How is that even possible?”

The demon prince narrowed his eyes at this response, taking quick strides toward her until they were face-to-face.

“Because the prince of the realm took an interest in her.”

Ashe couldn’t even enjoy the words as the malicious smile she knew far too well curved over her stepmother’s lips.

The sun streaming in through the window cast a golden hue on her face, emphasizing every line and wrinkle, but it did little to diminish her beauty. Her once-cherished stepmother seemed ageless despite the time that had passed. “I don’t understand,” she managed, voice shaking.

Leviathan’s eyes flashed with an odd mixture of emotions - anger, surprise, curiosity. . . and something else that made Ashe’s stomach twist with anxiety. “I intend on thanking you for sending your beloved stepdaughter my way,” he said, his voice low and menacing. The air around him crackled with power as he took a step closer, looming over both women. “I have big plans for her.”

Her stepmother sneered, baring thinly veiled fangs in disdain. “Oh? And what might those be?”

“To make her my wife,” he replied coolly, his piercing gaze never leaving Ashe’s trembling form. “I intend on making her a princess.” With that, he turned back to Ashe and offered his hand expectantly. Numbly, she took it, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers despite the chill emanating from his very being.

“That thing? That poor excuse for a female?” her stepmother howled.

Leviathan’s hand was against her throat, pinning the older woman against the bookshelf with such force many of the books tumbled out. “I assure you, Ashe is the most deserving halfling I’ve ever met. So, I must thank you.” he turned back to Ashe. “We are here. I leave the decision up to you as to what comes next.”

She knew he meant what came next for her stepmother, not for them.

Just days ago, she wanted the woman to rot in her place. To feel the slap of whips and the cut of knives all while serving a hideous demon.

“I want to know why you chose me.” Ashe took a step further and set her hand on the Leviathan’s outstretched arm—the one holding her stepmother in place. “Loosen your hold. I want to hear it from her why I was selected and not one of her ridiculous offspring who had far less skill than I?”

“Because you were and still are utterly worthless to me.”

The words hit Ashe like a slap across the face, sending her eyes burning with quickly forming tears. She’d always known the woman didn’t love her, but she’d at least hoped she’d mattered somewhat after being raised by her for eleven years.

Her stepmother’s eyes narrowed, showing only the barest of color. “You were nothing but a burden growing up! You were always too smart for your own good, always questioning everything we did!” Her voice was sharp and venomous, dripping with envy. She spat the words like they were poisoned daggers aimed straight at Ashe’s heart.

Ashe swallows hard as the tears find a way to streak down her face. She tried to push down the pain that threatened to consume her, but every word struck harder than any of Belial’s knives had.

“You love to talk about how much better you are than everyone else,” Ashe said slowly, “but it seems that even a demon prince can see through your facade.” Her voice was like honey on ice as she spoke, cold and calculated like her stepmother’s. “You should be thanking me for finding a way out of this place.”

Ashe did not bother to turn around as she spoke. Not because she was better than the woman she was about to condemn, but because she worried it would freeze her words.

“Send her to a demon. Let her feel what I felt. I know this family will be better off without her.”

“No.”

The single word rumbled through the room, shaking the few remaining books off the shelves and even blowing open a window. Leviathan may not have his powers or form in this realm, but he was still who he was.

“What do you mean?” She turned and looked only at the handsome demon she’d somehow come to desire. “Was this meant to be a punishment? Let me think there would be justice and snatch it away?”

“There will be justice. My justice.” His voice dripped with power. “Your family seems to believe your fate would be best left to other demons. But you see, your words fueled me. They boosted my power and allowed me to do things otherwise impossible for me when I walk on human soil. Human tile as it would appear in this home.”

Ashe watched as the nails grew on his hands to the wicked talons he seemed to be able to control at will.

“This will bring you not revenge, but power. And you will see that as a princess, power is far more important than revenge.”

As Leviathan’s voice echoed, the room seemed to shudder in anticipation of the impending doom. Ashe didn’t move, but she took in every response from the woman who raised her. It wasn’t obvious what Leviathan was going to do, but Ashe couldn’t find the space to worry.

The other woman’s eyes widened with fear as she understood the gravity of the situation. Her face paled, and her heart raced with terror. She backed away from him, trying to find an escape route, but there was none.

Ashe watched as he raised his hand, and her stepmother flinched at the sight of those talons growing longer and sharper. The human woman tried to speak again, but no words came out as Leviathan lifted his clawed fingers towards her neck.

With one swift motion, he sliced through the air with such force that it sounded like a scream ripped from hell itself. Blood spurted from her throat as she gasped for air, choking on life’s last breaths. The stench of copper filled the air as her blood pooled on the floor beneath them both.

“See?” he said darkly, turning towards Ashe who now watched with detachment as if this were merely a play. “This is what you deserve.” His voice was cold and calculating, there was no emotion there whatsoever except perhaps satisfaction at inflicting pain upon someone else besides himself or those around him. “She will suffer from my father now. And you will never be harmed by her again, Ashe.”

The scent of death permeated the air - metallic and coppery like freshly spilled blood - mingling with the rich mahogany scent of old books that lined these walls. Ashe could almost taste it on her tongue, bitter yet alluring at once. It felt wrong to feel anything but numbness towards this horrifying sight; after all, this woman had brought nothing but pain into her life since she was a child.

But still, death was so final, so terrifyingly permanent. Even if she knew there was something beyond it for some people.

“I will not apologize for not following your wishes. Meeting her, seeing the vile way she envied you. The bitch would’ve found a way to hell to kill you. I will never allow that.”

Ashe couldn’t help but feel a strange comfort in his words, knowing that this woman would never again be able to harm anyone else with her vile tongue.

Blood pooled underneath the body, each drop echoing like a final drumbeat marking the end of its life. The metallic scent of it filled her nostrils, a bitter taste on the back of her tongue - a taste she was all too familiar with since being sold into slavery.

The eerie silence that followed was deafening, only broken by their shaky breaths and the sound of dripping blood from the lifeless body. Even in death, it seemed to mock their presence.

She turned to Leviathan, watching him with curiosity as he seemed to revel in the satisfaction of seeing her stepmother gone.

“You’re right,” she whispered softly, swallowing hard against the metallic taste that lingered on her tongue from where she tasted blood on the breeze. “You shouldn’t apologize.” She couldn’t help but wonder how different things would have been if he hadn’t saved her. “But my place is here. I can’t give into the darkness that calls to me even now.” She took a step back, not wanting to give him space to grab her.

“You used me.”

She shook her head, tears now spilling freely. “No, I mean, at first. But not now. I am grateful for what you did, and I truly revel in the power that being by your side would bring me. But I didn’t care when she took her last breath. I cannot let myself be that way. It’s not what my mother would have wanted.”

“Your mother was a demon.”

“Who hid amongst humans for a reason.” It was strange, the way her heart seemed to crack at the idea of leaving this handsome, yet dangerous, demon. “I will never forget you, though I know your envy will catch another in time. My place is where my humanity is.”

She expected him to lash out, but instead he walked past her, making certain his body did brush hers. When she turned to look at him one last time, she found the portal somehow quietly opened, and his wings sprouting from his back as he stepped through before it shut.

An unimaginable spike of hurt rushed through her. She didn’t want to be a demon. She didn’t want to be by his side.

But you do. You want to be with him, but you want to be here, too.

“But you didn’t expect him to let you go without a fight.”