3. Claudia

3

CLAUDIA

H is breath ghosts over my skin, sending shivers down my spine. This is wrong. So wrong. But my body betrays me, responding to his touch in ways I never imagined possible.

"Who... what are you?" I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I told you, little morsel. I'm a demon. And you're trespassing." His voice rumbles against my neck, low and dangerous.

I should be terrified. I should be fighting, screaming, doing anything to get away. But instead, I find myself arching into his touch, craving more.

"Please," I whimper, not sure if I'm begging him to stop or continue. "My sister..."

"Shh," he murmurs, running a clawed hand down my side. "Let's focus on you right now."

My eyes lock onto his otherworldly features - sharp angles, glowing eyes, wicked smile. He's beautiful in a way that defies description, and it takes my breath away.

I try to move away, but my body won't cooperate. It's as if I'm paralyzed, trapped beneath this... creature's gaze and touch. His tongue darts out, lapping at the wounds on my skin.

"Stop," I croak, hating how weak my voice sounds. The word barely escapes my lips, more of a whimper than a command.

He pauses, mismatched eyes gleaming with amusement. "My saliva heals, little one. I'm helping you."

I struggle against invisible bonds, my mind reeling. Demons? Healing saliva? This can't be real. It must be a nightmare, some twisted hallucination brought on by the fall.

"You're not real," I whisper, more to myself than to him. "Demons don't exist."

He chuckles, the sound sending vibrations through my entire body. "Oh, but we do. And you, my dear, have stumbled right into the arms of one of the most notorious ones."

I shake my head, refusing to accept it. My heart races, torn between fear and a traitorous excitement. I don't understand what's happening, but I know I can't stay. Somehow, I have to find a way out of this impossible situation.

"I need to go," I blurt out, pushing against his chest. My hands meet solid muscle, unyielding as stone. "My sister... the dark elves took her. I have to save her!"

The supposed demon throws his head back and laughs, the sound echoing off the cavernous walls. His mismatched eyes gleam with cruel amusement.

"Save her? You?" He runs a claw down my cheek, sending shivers through my body. "Look at you, little human. So fragile, so weak."

I flinch away from his touch, anger flaring in my chest. "I'm not weak!"

"Oh, but you are." His voice drops to a silky purr. "Tell me, how do you plan to face the dark elves? With your soft skin and brittle bones?"

My mouth opens, but no words come out. He's right. What chance do I have against trained soldiers?

"That's what I thought." He smirks, revealing sharp fangs. "You're useless, little one. Nothing but a tasty morsel for me to devour."

His words cut deeper than any blade. Tears prick at my eyes, and I blink them back furiously. No. I can't give up. Narina needs me.

His words echo in my mind, taunting me. Useless. Weak. A tasty morsel. But something nags at the back of my thoughts, a half-forgotten memory struggling to surface.

The ravine. The shrine. The tales...

My breath catches in my throat as the pieces click into place. Old stories, whispered around fires on dark nights. A demon's lair hidden in the depths of the ravine. A place of power and danger.

I'd always dismissed them as superstition, ghost stories meant to keep children from wandering too close to the cliff's edge. But now...

My eyes dart around the cavernous chamber, taking in the otherworldly architecture, the strange symbols etched into the walls. This is no natural cave. This is...

"The shrine," I whisper, my voice trembling. "It's real."

The demon's eyebrow arches, curiosity replacing the cruel amusement in his mismatched eyes. "Oh? You know of this place, little Claudia?"

I swallow hard, gathering what little courage I have left. "There are stories... legends of a demon who grants power to those who find his shrine."

My voice grows stronger as I speak, desperation lending me strength. "Is it true? Can you... can you give me the strength to save my sister?"

He tilts his head, studying me with newfound interest. A slow, wicked grin spreads across his face, revealing those deadly fangs once more.

"Power comes with a price, dear," he purrs, trailing a claw along my jawline. "Are you willing to pay it?"

Hope and desperation blaze in my heart, giving me the courage to ask, "What is the price?"

His mismatched eyes gleam with wicked amusement. "If you want my power, little morsel, you'll have to prove your worth." He gestures to the ground at his feet. "Kneel and lick my feet. If I find your worship... satisfactory, I might consider your offer."

My stomach churns at the thought. Degrading myself before this creature? But Narina's face flashes in my mind, her terrified screams echoing in my ears. For her, I'd do anything.

I grit my teeth and try to push myself up. Pain lances through my body, sharp and unexpected. My arms buckle, and I collapse back onto the cold stone floor.

He looms over me, his mismatched eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "Look at you," he sneers. "You can't even stand. Truly useless."

His words sting, but the truth in them hurts more. I am useless. Weak. Pathetic. Narina is in danger, and here I am, sprawled on the floor of a demon's lair.

"I-I'm not..." I start to protest, but the words die in my throat.

"Not what?" He leans closer, his breath hot on my face. "Not useless? Oh, but you are. Completely and utterly useless."

Tears blur my vision. I want to fight back, to prove him wrong, but my body won't cooperate. I'm trapped, helpless, at the mercy of this cruel demon.

Suddenly, his lips crash against mine. The kiss is brutal, demanding, nothing like I've ever experienced before. I gasp in shock, and he takes advantage, deepening the kiss.

A strange warmth blooms where our lips meet, spreading through my body like wildfire. It races along my nerves, setting every cell alight. The pain that wracked my body moments ago begins to fade.

I should push him away. I should be disgusted. But as the warmth intensifies, I find myself responding, pressing closer, craving more of whatever this is.

The energy pulses through me, stronger with each heartbeat. I feel it seeping into my bones, knitting together unseen wounds, washing away the ache of bruises.

I blink, realizing the pain is gone. Tentatively, I flex my fingers, then my arms. No resistance. No agony. I push myself up, marveling at the ease of movement.