The Demon’s Bride

"She was not a human, she was the secret daughter of an archangel," replied Barner after a while. Ian pulled his brows, and Barner was caught by fear when he saw the frown on his face, "I-I am saying the truth! This what I know."

Elise felt a mixed emotions in her heart knowing that she wasn't a human, in fact in her blood there was only faint traces of a human as most of it was a mixed of Angel's and Demon's blood. She felt her head dizzy with information but managed to get through it by taking everything in a grain of salt.

Ian hummed, "What is the name of the Archangel? There are only seven archangels in Heaven: Michael, Uriel, Gabriel, Raphael, Saraqael, Raguel, and Remiel, which one of the seven of them?"

Barner suddenly felt tense running on his nerves, causing him to turn stiff, "I-I don't know," when Ian's sharp eyes moved at him in warning the man immediately shook his head, "I really don't know! I swear I don't know anything. I was only mentioned that Adelaide was a daughter of an archangel who fell in love with a human. He was immediately punished in Heaven and from what I knew, Adele grew up in mortal's world. She lived in an orphanage without a mother as she died as soon after giving birth."

Elise sighed, internally she wondered who her grandfather was. If he was an archangel perhaps it would be faster to narrow it down as there was only seven of them. But how would she be able to find her grandfather when he didn't seem to be interested in finding her or her mother? 

It has been years since her mother's death and more years since she grew up, but he was never there just like her father which cause her to start to believing that perhaps it wasn't their circumstances that didn't allow them to but because they weren't interested at her or her mother. She bite her lower lips this time, questioning, "What else do you know about my mother?"

"She grew up like human, although she has power she didn't seem to be that strong because she inherited much more of her father's blood rather than her mother's."

Ian at times took a look at Elise's expression, and now he could see her in bind and he can't blame her. It appeared that her family's tree was much more complicated than others or his. With a grandfather of an archangel, and a grandmother of a human, not to forget her Demon blood.

Parting her pursed lips, it was time for her to ask about the last member of her family, "How much do you know about my father?"

"Only a few things," answered Barner, scared that he only knew a little and wished he had done more research to avoid inquiring Ian's anger.

Even a few things was enough to Elise, "Do you know his name?" Getting closer to the truth of her family make her feel as if she was in the edge of a cliff, ready to dive into a new world. It overwhelmed her with many mixed emotions— mostly emotions that she couldn't name.

"I don't, but I am aware he is a High Demon. He is the prince of Hell, the only son of the Devil— Satan...."

A small gasp escaped from Elise's lips. Too many things going on and now she was caught with the sudden surprise that she was related to the Ruler of Hell— his grandson. She then shifted her eyes to Ian who was a reading in Hell, "Do you know who that might be?"

"I don't stay long enough to know rumors in Hell," said Ian as he narrowed his eyes after getting a clear map of Elise's bloodline. "If the title is unofficial it would be hard to find it. But there was a rumor about Lucifer being the son of Satan and an angel."

"Do you mean it is possible that Lucifer is my father?" questioned Elise with a gulp rolling her throat when she saw Ian nodded.

"It's only a possibility, my love. Nothing is for sure. If we are left with no clue, I guess we have no choice but to depart to Hell," Elise saw Ian suddenly frown and their eyes met for the briefest time before shifting to one of the place behind the trunk of a tree where they both sensed a person near there. "I will look for who it is, stay here," informed Ian and Elise decided to reply with a nod as they needed someone to watch over Barner so the man wouldn't leave.

Barner carefully followed where Ian had left before looking at Elise, "This is why they say the first daughter always follows their mother's step. You will marry him soon but what makes you think he won't leave you like your father?"

Elise furrowed her brows as she looked at Barner, it would be foolish to entertain the man's game as he was trying to provoke her. The man knew that deep inside her there was still, the fear of being abandoned from the scars she received in the past. It did traumatized Elsie, but she never doubted Ian— never for a second in her life.

Nevertheless, she felt the need to answer the man, "My mother might have married the wrong person but I also know how happy she was for marrying my father which why I don't blame her. The relationship I have with Ian isn't similar to my mother because it is me and him who are in this together. What is up in the future are choices we both would make not other people. Outsiders don't know what is happening inside, Barner. My mother told you this."

Barner's eyes widened, it was because he was once again faced with the same reply Adelaide had told him years ago. His teeth clenched in anger and he pulled a smirk, "You know I loved your mother," Barner said, "Imagined how sad I was to see her married and have a daughter? But I still loved her despite everything and when her husband left her, I have always been right beside her, promising to give her the happiness she deserve. Yet she rejected me. Do you not feel how sad I was? Didn't I also tested you kindly when you see young? I know you are a good person Elise, I also know deep inside you cannot see a person hurt the way that Demon did to me. Are you sure you would be able to sleep at night after seeing I am killed?"

Elise looked at Barner, when she retrace her memories, she recalled the moment she was too hungry and the man came like a savior with foods, he also played with her, but she knew that was all fake, an act that the man played to have her mother in the most twisted way.

"No," Elise replied, "You didn't love my mother, Barner, what you want is an obedient woman who would obliged by your words. Which why you spread the news all over the village that she was a thrown woman, so each day she would be suffering with the thought of my father leaving her. You might have won for that, but unfortunately for you, my mother was a strong woman who would rather stay insane than being your wife. And I am thankful for her choice."

"You spoke like you know everything," Barner's eyes flickered in anger, "A little more and Adelaide would have been mine. But that woman is in Heaven, if you want to see her again after your death, then I suggest you to release me now before you make a great sin you will regret.

Elise shook her head, "I won't. I know the sin I have by watching you die would not bring me to Heaven, but I also know that tonight I will be having the most pleasant sleep, knowing the person who is also responsible for my mother's misfortune has meet what he deserve to."

"You will regret it Elise," Barner said with his eyes turning to bright brown as he glared at her. Suddenly a smile formed on his lips, "I will see you in Hell then."

Realizing something was off, Elise turned her face behind to see a large mouth opening widely on her back. The teeth of the creatures gleamed in front of her with the drolls that dripped from the mouth, there was still a faint traces of blood stain as it snarled, ready to take a bite on her neck.

Elise closed her eyes, "I pity you," she whispered to the ghoul.

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