The Demon’s Bride

Elise moved from the place and when she walk, her shoes halted to see her aunt that had burnt crips to black, most of her body had turned similar to coal which somewhere was much easier to look than if she was cut in half, thought Elise. She didn't look for too long as it was gruesome to watch a corpse.

When she turned her head, Ian hold her hands. Taking her attention he then smiled to her, "Don't see her for too long, she will only ruin your appetite for the evening."

Elise looked at the sky that had turned orange to indicate how much hours have passed after she first came to the village, "I don't think I have any appetite now."

"We will work something out later," Ian replied, appearing to have something in his mind that could help her to regain her appetite. "I can even cook for you which I'm sure you would love."

"That is something I would look forward very much if not for today," she whispered if not for the chaos that happened for her, Elise would have agreed in a heartbeat.

They entered the basement not soon after. Walking down the ladder first Elise then walked in when she felt her head ache. Her view tilted on her sight and she was about to fall when Ian's hands caught her waist in time. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned laced in his voice that turned his eyes to narrow.

"I-I remember something that I did..." said Elise in panic. She forgot. She forgot that she had met the Relics here and hid before turning one of them to ash but what happened after she didn't remember. 

"Calm down," Ian cooed her, taking her to his hand as he soothed her back. He saw Elise staring at her eyes, there were tears welling up that she was resisting to spill out. "Don't worry, sweetheart I am here. Don't be scared," his voice sounded softer as he saw Elise's small body trembling like a leaf. Her face had paled since she entered the basement and he wondered what happened that could make his dear bride as frightened as she was now.

When Elise's heartbeat that tensed calmed a little by his presence, Ian then asked her slowly, "Can you tell me what happen? Are you hurt?"

"N-No I... Ian, I think I killed someone," she whispered. It still felt real in her eyes. When the man strangled her and was about to inject her with a syringe, Elise was afraid and something in her suddenly felt as if it snapped. 

The next moment she remembered telling the man off and touched his hand before he was blown to ashes. Recalling the memory perfectly, Elise felt her skin shivered in chill. She had killed someone and the aftereffect of anxiousness filled her heart. The person who was breathing... she had killed him.

"Shush," Ian whisper and he pulled her to his arm, knowing how much fear was in Elise as it was her ever first kill, he took his time to coo her, "Don't worry Elise. The person who you killed they deserve the death, you are not at wrong."

"B-But..." Elise knew she wasn't wrong but she still couldn't believe she had killed someone. "I don't know what I should feel," she whispered, her emotions were everywhere scattering all over, tears that threatened to fall fell and Ian pulled his hand to wipe the tears away.

"What do you feel then?" Ian attentively watched her, not letting every single tears to fall over her face as she wiped it all away. His hand on her back softly patting her. It was never easy to kill someone. Sometimes getting killed was even more easier than killing. Especially not for Elise who never killed anyone, it hit harder for her.

"I feel scared and numb. I don't know what I feel," and saying this she felt his arms on her tightened. The hug of Ian's arm work to soothe Elise, but she can't help to feel scared. Scared, of her own power which was stronger than she thought. A touch could destroy a person to ashes, there was no blood shed but the fact that she had erased an existence without a single trace made her shiver.

"Then don't be scared, I told you I am here. Or am I had turned to a large hungry wolf who is scary for you?" The moment the question left Ian's lips, Elise's hands tightened around him.

"That's not it," she whispered her gaze turning defiant as she knew this was Ian teasing her again, "You know I wasn't thinking of that."

"I know, I'm sorry I wasn't doubting you but I am telling you that you don't have to be scared now that I am here, what are you scared of?" He asked her and she pursed her lips when he hit her heart with his next question, "Are you scared of yourself?"

Elise nodded slowly, "My power is stronger than we thought. It is destructive." She knew she could turn things to ash, but she didn't know she could do more than that as when she turned the man to ash, he blew like fireworks and it shocked her. 

"Are you scared it would hurt you?" Ian saw her shaking her head in reply. The thought of killing was weighing in her and Elise was more than aware of it. He didn't felt the same like how Elise did when he killed for the first time and it was because of their different in circumstances and Elise's personality where she wish to protect than to kill. "Then don't fear, you are not destructive. I know what you are feared of— you fear that one day your power would break even worse than before and kill more people, don't you?"

Ian knows her the best, thought Elise, "What if I hurt many more innocent people?" At that time, she would not be herself but if her power breaks and work on its own like it did earlier, it was possible that she could hurt more people, turning them to ash. Her mind work an image to her head which disappeared when she shook her head.

"Then I will be there to blow wind and brush away the ashes, so there would be no more traces left," Ian moved forward pressing his forehead to hers, "I don't know about other people and if I have to be honest with you, like what I always did, I don't care. I don't care if people die because of you or if you kill people; even if they are innocent. Because what's more important to me is you. You did well, Elise. I am proud of you for protecting yourself from that person."

"I didn't told you that person hurt me," she whispered, she didn't know why but Ian always knows everything. Some times, he knows much more than herself.

Ian chuckled, "That's an elementary deduction. My sweet Bride have never kill people if not for a reason, just like you told me— that I kill people with reason. Although yours are pure," he stated, enjoying how cuddly Elise was. Taking the liberty, Ian enjoyed how tight she embraced him, as if not wanting him to leave which he would never did even if Elise was the one to shoo him off.

"But I killed someone, I'm not pure," she answered, it took her second before she asked in a softer voice, "Do you look at me differently now that you I have killed someone?"

"Hm," Ian pulled from her embraced, he reached out his hand to her chin and Elise could feel her heart tensing as Ian seemed to be looking at her, weighing his words, "I think yes," Ian saw how Elise's brows sloped, but it didn't stay long as he stole a kiss from her lips, "What are you thinking, silly? I mean you look more beautiful and powerful than before. I guess I didn't told you yet, but I love it more when my bride goes all powerful. You excite me."

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