The Demon’s Bride

Ian effortlessly moved her to his room. It was perhaps the third or fourth time Elise had come to Ian's room but she couldn't help to fidget at the thought that there was a bed in the room. She looked away, breaking gaze from the bed to Ian who has settled her on the bed.

Ian took a seat beside her, "Where does it hurt, you winced earlier and touch your head. Did the shards prick your head?" There was still a heavy tone in his words and his lips were set in a straight line. She saw how Ian's eyes on hers were more intense than ever. Even though Elise knows Ian wasn't angry at her, she can't help but feel pressured with his stern expression that could go for a kill.

"N-no, I didn't hurt my head, thankfully because Master Ian had come in time," said Elise who then pursed her lips that were still quivering. When she looked down, she took sight of her hands that were both trembling as if she was a leaf that was blown by wind.

Elise brought her hands together, clasping it tight in hope that the trembling would stop when Ian's large hand took both of her hands together. The warmth was too touching that Elise felt as if tears were reaching to the corner of her eyes but she doesn't want to be a crybaby and held it back.

"Tell me what happened to the glass and why did it break," Ian coaxed her with the gentlest voice he could use how which he used since the time he found glass shards breaking to collapse on Elise. "Is it possible that you hate to see your own reflection unable to look as beautiful as you are and you decide to break it? If you do, dear, you could have told me and I can create glass as many as you want to break but with me around."

Ian opened her palm she clutched, feeling a prick on his hand to see how her hands were burning red yet cold. Ian narrowed to his hand where he felt a prick it was not a pain that make him feel the prick but a static which was odd. The static turned his hands to red which gradually lessen. "Does it hurt here?" He asked her before pressing the ample part of her hands and she shook her head.

"I didn't know what happened..." Elise said, her confusion was clear in her eyes which was similar to the time she found herself on the top of the roof, walking on the edge of the surface, almost falling like readily squashed pumpkin. "I was only staring at the window and place my hand on the glass then..." Elise furrowed her brows when she felt another pain sting on her head.

"Tell me slowly, you are not chase by a ghost," Ian joked which worked to have Elise smile for a moment. She could tell it was one of Ian's way to call her down as she was still feeling unnerved by what happened to her a moments ago. "Did you thought of anything while you are staring at the window?"

Her hands that was red as if she had come in contact with boiling water cooled down with Ian creating a soft coldness to share with her.

"This afternoon I met Austin and we talked about Cynthia," said Elise. Her heart as thudding loud a moment ago stayed loud but in a different tempo as the reason was not fear but the love she felt for Ian who was currently rubbing her hand gently.

"What did you talked about?" Ian knew what she asked and heard but there won't be conversation if he knew without talking.

"That how her family died because of the dark sorcerers." A downcast look came on her beautiful face which Ian had took view without breaking his gaze the slightest. "I didn't know about it and Austin told me Cy didn't want to make me sad. I wanted to be there for her just like how she did to me but maybe I am not too reliable."

"Who said you are not reliable?" Ian lifted his brows and his hand rested Elise's hand which was smooth and white to her laps. "Hear me darling what Austin says is not completely wrong but not all there is. You know that it is not easy to tell anyone of your pasts. Some may feel burdened and she didn't want that to happen to you but then you didn't ask her."

"If I had asked her, would she tell me everything? Wouldn't it be too intrusive?" questioned Elise one after another.

"I told you didn't I, sweetheart. No one in this world could satisfy two sides. If you remain as you are in your place, not wanting to move because you are afraid others would feel hurt, nothing will change," Ian's red eyes looked fixed at her blue eyes, sharing her knowledge so Elise would grew as a person. There was an expression he noticed that Elise took well every of his words. "You know what is the harder than to feel hurt?"

Elise gave some thoughtful time to weigh another riddle came from Ian. She was silent for a moment, wondering what could be the answer. Yet after some times, she was still unable to find answer and the impending silence somewhere pressured her, "I don't know."

"It is to hurt others, puppy," Ian reached out his hand to pull the hair that covered her face to tuck them behind her ears. "Not everyone are born with malice or evilness and to many hurting people take courages. Most could only talk but when put in practice they would cower."

Elise stared at his face, the expression Ian used while shedding her his nine hundred years of knowledge was detached. There was no nostalgia and his red eyes didn't reflect any emotions which she could pick on. It was almost void, as if Ian didn't have any feeling about it whether it was attachment or anger.

"Did you feel that once before in the past, Master Ian?" asked Elise curiously with hesitation as she didn't want to be intrusive but then she recalled Ian telling her to be courageous and ask.

Ian chuckled, bringing his chin forward and his hand traveled to pull her hair, playing to twine it over his finger. The red color that was almost like crimson was perfect to his hand as it reminds him so much of blood that was never his enemy. "I am a different case from others that could not be compared to a normal being's life. Even before I became who I am now, when I see people in pain, their hatred against me, and their writhing I took a pleasure in it. I love seeing other's fears or them fearing me. You could say it is one of my dark pleasure."

Elise who was still in a blank to Ian's pasts wonder of how much it is true. She question how Ian was before he became a demon becaus from the way he spoke, she could tell Uan wasn't born to be a demon but made. How could a human turn to a demon? And what does it takes?

The curious Elise mellowed her eyes while staring at Ian's face that never failed to become handsome in every possible situation. His devilish charm and the way he smiled made her heart skipped a beat and to date, she wasn't sure of what happened last night did took place but she knew it happened.

"Has it ever been hard for you in the past? Before you are with power or become the Lord," asked Elise. She viewed Ian's eyes meeting hers in a lock and his expression widened in an evil grin.

"To one point maybe it was hard. You know it happened long before, nine hundred years ago may sound like a little number but it was quite amount of time for anyone to forget their past. Likewise, I have forgotten most chronicle of events that I went through," Ian grinned at her and a shuddering expression came when he curled the corner of his lips, "But I could remember well the sounds of the people I tortured crying, their beggings and pleadings, while writhing in pain. I was the happiest that time to finally get what I want to see."

It was not a joke that came from Ian's mouth. Everything he said was as he felt and Elise could tell. She saw his finger loosely slipped from her hair, letting it fall and he met her eyes to raise his shoulders, "I am not a good man but you have chosen me and I don't plan to let you go. What do you say, Elise?"

Ian's words that fell to Elise's ears were sweet but deadly like a tempting trap in which Elise could never reject. Ian wants to capture her with his words and despite using the question he directed to Elise, he knew very well there was no denying she could tell to him.

Ian never want to start their relationship with her with lies. He was being transparent to everything Elise wish to know. In the past, there was many women in Ian's life. He could not be bothered to hide that he have done quite amount of past regarding women but never did he treat anyone like how he treasured Elise.

Ian knows many ways for one to submit to him whether it was by pleasure or coercion but he used the sweetest way to tempt Elise. Not choosing his tricks.

Elise heartbeat raised as if it was about to jump from the cage. When Ian leaned forward she wish she could run but something was told to her bone that she could not run in front of his presence. She felt her cheeks blushed and saw that Ian had an expression as if he would not let her go until she says the words he wants to hear.

Ian wanted to keep her close, he didn't want to let go of Elise since he had made his mind. Elise parted her lips, her lips were pulled in a smile as she say,

"Yes," she whispered, letting Ian to move closer to her.

If you like the book, consider to vote~