The Demon’s Bride

Lilith acted by her thought, quickly pulling Thomas from the ground and pushed herself to the ground, tearing some of her dress's sleeve before ruffling her hair. Everything was done but less than a minute and she glared at Thomas in a silence warning before spilling tears from her eyes.

"H-Help!" Lilith's voice raised up high and broken.

Maroon had been walking when he realized the presence of Harriet missing from behind him. Quickly, he went to find her when he smelled the presence of a demon only to pass by the alley, finding Harriet on the ground crying as her dress had been torn. 

In front of Harriet was a man, taller than her standing with a smug look.

The scene reminded him back when he was still a slave, seeing the women there abused by the warden, physically in such a horrible way that no one would ever want to describe. When he thought about how his wife must have went through something similar or even worse, anger flared into his eyes. The once dull color turning bright red.

To not attract attention, Maroon had used his fist to plow Thomas. "You are a shame for all men in this world."

The punch of a human shouldn't have harmed him, but in a single punch, Thomas felt his jaw crack. Anger rises on his body as well when he felt they glare sent stealthily from Lilith behind. Clicking his tongue he glared at Maroon, when in truth he gazed far back toward Lilith. 

"I will remember this!" Thomas stormed out of the place by jumping to the roof from one wall to another. 

Maroon's anger raises, "Fucking coward!" He went to follow the man but Lilith hugged his legs from behind.

"D-don't leave," whispered Lilith as she continue to cry, letting her tear falling down from her eyes and her hand trembling as though she was in a deep fear. Lilith had acted so much to the point as she knew how fear felt, letting even Maroon who always doubt others to believe in her act. 

Maroon clinched his jaw and turned to crouch in front of Lilith. "I am not leaving," he convinced. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you anywhere?"

Lilith silently shake her head while biting her lips. "Can you hug me?"

Maroon narrowed his eyes but he sighed, "Just this onc—" Lilith reached out her hand as she knew Maroon would agree. When she wounded her hands, she expected warmth yet instead, she felt his cold skin as if he had died. She knew he had took the path of revenge in exchange for his humanity and while she was thankful he had killed the bastard who shamed her, she didn't know how she could be happy with his enormous sacrifice.

"I didn't know you were into this... I mean doing it outside," said Esther who came on the end of the ally. Cynthia followed after them when she noticed how two out of four people had been separated.

Maroon shook his head while hearing Esther's remark. He ignored the demoness, "She was almost raped. A man was here and he left while climbing up on the roof." 

Cynthia immediately knew what to work from the statement, "I will call the guards with me."

"It would be better if you bring Austin with you. That man wasn't a simple human. He was a dark sorcerer as well as a corrupted angel. We will group up in the mansion again," Maroon said and Cynthia took a silent note before disappearing from the place. Maroon pulled himself from Harriet who persistently hugged him and he could feel his head aching. "I cannot walk with you on my torso."

"I'm sure you can. You can punch the man earlier. My legs are weak and I—"

"I will help you," Esther's said, coming next to Lilith, she didn't used a single ounce of her power to pull the woman from the ground and wound Lilith's arm to her neck. "I know how fearful it must be to almost be assaulted by men. You will feel at peace in my company I trust. No worry, while I look weaker than Cynthia, I am strong enough to beat whoever man who had come for you."

Lilith met Esther's eyes for a good thirty second before forcing herself to smile, not forgetting that she had to act to not be seen as suspicious. "Thank you."

"As a woman, I only did what I had to. We should go back to the carriage," proposed Esther to Maroon once she had dropped Harriet inside the carriage. Maroon shook his head in response.

"I still have to find that bastard," Maroon was about to storm off when Esther pulled his arm.

"I want you to tell me something first before you leave, Maroon," Esther looked at the man's eyes that had gone back to the dull gray color. "Do you like this girl inside the carriage?"

"I don't," was a quick reply from Maroon that he gave out without even thinking. "What are you getting on, miss Esther?"

"I want to ask you if you chase that man because he had almost abused the poor girl or because you are angry that it was her who had almost faced the lust of a man who is drunk on both his pride and ecstasy if thinking he can fuck a woman and leave."

Maroon didn't know why the sudden interest. His brows were furrowed, "It is a matter of personal revenge, Miss Esther. My wife had almost had the same fate and I think with him being a dark sorcerer and a corrupted angel, it is only right for me to chase and kill him, don't you agree?"

Esther released her arm from Maroon and looked at the ground, "The dark sorcerer from earlier. Did you see his face?" Maroon shook his head in reply. "But I smelled his fragrance before. I have met him in his corrupted angel form, therefore, I knew how he smelled and I suspect he is the man called Thomas. A person of a high position to the dark sorcerers. He must still somewhere near here."

Maroon understood what Esther meant. He took a step behind to the darkness before letting his black bat wings to appear on his back and flew across the sky without being seen by anyone.

Esther and Harriet then get back to the mansion. When Harriet was about to leave to her room, Esther followed from behind. 

"I need to change my dress," reminded Lilith when she got to the door. What had got the woman to tail her?

"I know," Esther answered and still stood there as if she didn't see what was wrong by seeing Harriet changing the dress. With Lilith not moving and looking at her, Esther said, "I have just found something interesting and I would like to talk it with you. Can I come in?"

Why ask when you are in front of my room now? Was the thought that Lilith had. 

"Of course, I would be happy with a company now," Lilith pushed opened the door, letting Esther to enter. She saw the woman walking inside before her and make herself a quick seat as if she knew her room and she followed after closing the door well.

"What is it that you want to talk about?" Lilith questioned with a pleasant voice.

"It's about Maroon," Esther came forward, "Do you like him?"

Lilith's smile almost ceased but she was quick to put a small smile, "Do you also like him, Miss Esther? Have you come here to check on me your rival?"

"I don't think we are rival, there had only been one winner here," answered Esther with. A smug smile, "I must say if you have seen Mr. Maroon you begin to wonder how can such a handsome man be passed by just like that? Was there really no one who would not want to start a relationship with him? I have to admit as a woman with good eyes, he is attractive enough to seduce me."

With the growing answer from Esther, Lilith's smile fall from her lips completely.

"Do you know, Harriet you have stopped shaking your hands when you are with me but when you are with Maroon almost immediately your body trembles like a damsel in distress," said Esther. "I would think you are a psychopath if not for the fact that Thomas had almost assaulted you."

"W-What do you mean?" Lilith questioned.

"I know you are lying and we should drop this beautiful act of yours. While Thomas seemed like a man who would assault women, he loves it more when he kills them for the pure ecstasy," Esther uncrossed her hand and locked gaze with Lilith whose eyes slowly turn vacant of emotions. "Who are you?"

Lilith stared back at Esther while pulling her hand from her sides, ready to attack. Esther as well, was prepared by holding her hands in front of her what Esther didn't know was, inside the room it wasn't simply her and Lilith but another person who had used a ceramic vase to hit the back of her head.

Esther's head turned dizzy blood falling over her head and her views slowly engulfed by the darkness. In the moment, all sounds deafened to her ears. She continue to look forward but wasn't able to move her fingers.

She then heard voices, but the ringings on her head was too loud for her to identify who and who was talking. Whether both are male or female was difficult to tell.

She saw Lilith's mouth move and a voice came,

"I had enough. We should end this soon."