The Demon’s Bride

The sky didn't shift but to those the residents of Hell, they could feel the new morning has arrived. But new morning never means new changes as Esther felt her relationship with Beelzebub was hanging on a thin thread, not improving but was on a chance where it could worsen.

Beelzebub didn't know what to feel of Esther's interest to him. Should he be glad? 

He sheepishly sighed, "It isn't. Why? Do you want to know my true name? But you should know knowing my real name will also mean I'm giving you a control of my whole self."

"No," Esther looked away and when he started walking, she fastened her pace to stand beside him, "I was wondering if there was a name that I can call you with. Something other than Beelzebub. The previous Beelzebub was also known as Beelzebub, and calling you with the same name, makes it difficult for me to differentiate you two."

Esther stopped when Beelzebub stopped his feet. He turned and his eyes stared deeply to the corner of her eyes, "Whatever my name is, I am Beelzebub. And the previous Beelzebub has already died.. Is there any need for you to differentiate between us?"

That's not it, thought Esther in her mind. Truthfully, she had asked Beelzebub of his name not because she wanted to differentiate him and the previous holder of the name. 

It was because she realized that after parting with Beelzebub, there was nothing that she knows about him which saddened her. 

Now that she realized she love Beelzebub, Esther also realize the pain that come with it. She decided to ask him of his name so she could find a thing or two about him. 

Beelzebub saw her reluctance in answering and looked away, "And is Esther your real name?"

Esther nodded her head, "It was a name my mother given to me. According to Hell's tradition, the father has to name the child, but my father had no little interest to me."

Beelzebub silently looked at her, "Your father must be someone great seeing he could bring a human to Hell."

As though her past flashed before her eyes all at once, Esther chuckled spitefully, "Far from it. He brought my mother simply because he thought he could discard her at any time. He was someone who can sell his wife and his daughter. I was glad to see him die before my eyes."

Hearing this, Beelzebub frowned. He wondered if he could find the name of Esther's father and have a short "visit" for himself.

"How certain are you of your uncle's death?" Esther then asked, hoping she could lend help to Beelzebub's current problem.

Beelzebub didn't tear his eyes away from her while she was looking at the road she took, being careful as their surrounding was dark to make out anything. 

"I took his life by my own hands and burned the rest of his remains. Everything happened with my own two eyes," Beelzebub replied to her question.

By the time Esther looked up to meet his eyes, she saw him already looking away, "Do you think it's possible someone had impersonated him?"

"Unless they have been needing death by my hands, I doubt that," Beelzebub answered with a hint of anger.

"Did Venervy said where they found him at—" Esther who spoke was suddenly quiet. Her blue eyes now was peeled to stare at Beelzebub's red eyes as his face was only an inch away from her face. 

His hand felt soft when it wrapped her mouth and she couldn't help but smell his earthy scent that caused her throat to gulp involuntarily. 

"Someone is here," whispered Beelzebub.

"Is someone supposed not to be here?" Esther questioned with her mouth muffled, her words slurring a little as his hand was pressed on her lips. 

Beelzebub stared at her for a good one second, embarking on his wild side that felt attracted to the view of Esther with her mouth wrapped by his hand and his other hand that was around her waist. 

The way her blue eyes dewily looked at him tingled his heart and forcibly he looked away from her. 

"It's my territory. Someone shouldn't be here," Beelzebub narrowed his eyes when he heard giggles coming nearer from the person who had came uninvited. 

"Yet someone is here," an ambush? Wondered Esther who slowly pressed her back to the bark of the tree to have a better view on the person who had arrived when she saw a man and a woman pressing their bodies together at the edge of a large rock, hidden between the trees.

Seeing it, Esther almost cursed but at the same time her heart beat faster as she realized she was also pressing her front over Beelzebub's body. 

When their eyes met, she had never felt so embarrassed on her life like she felt now, and she feels as though she had been dropped into a pot of boiling water, heat spreads all over her body, turning her into an amber. 

Beelzebub's features seemed to be glowing even when they were surrounded by the darkness and his red eyes that looked at her was burning in desire. So much that it caused Esther to shiver.

"Those fuckers," Beelzebub was the first to curse. He snapped his finger for blue fire to burn the trees around the couple, surprising them to run and scream for help. 

Beelzebub kept looking at her while Esther questioned his gaze, "You are the one holding to me if you still remember," he said.

Esther realized that all this time she was the one holding to his arm and quickly released her hand, almost falling in exchange. Beelzebub moved faster to catch the back of her head before she fell.

His eyebrows knitted tightly and he said, "You drank no alcohol yet you seemed as if you are tipsy from one."

Esther pulled herself together so she could stand properly. Her heart was too noisy to her ears, causing her to beat herself for the noisiness. She scolded herself for loosing her cool and looking like a fool.

"Is this place famous for things like those?" She tried to veer their discussion, to lessen the awkwardness that she felt on her fingertips but realized how dumb her question was and closed her eyes tightly.

Stupid! Stupid! You stupid Esther! She cursed under her breaths.

"Who knows but perhaps the thrill was what they are searching for. Seems like they forgot who this place belong to. They will meet a fitting punishment soon." Esther nodded her head. If now someone asked to use her belonging, perhaps she would give the same reaction due to her head being in scatter.

"If you are alright, we should be going now," Beelzebub strictly said. 

"Y-yes," Esther answered.

Beelzebub couldn't help but find her scattered self to be adorable. A faint smile appeared on his lips, "For someone who can kiss easily seems like doing the 'deed' was too much even for you." 

Esther bite her lips, unable to help herself from retorting as well, "Unlike a certain 'someone' I won't dare to call myself to be experienced."

Beelzebub didn't have anything to retort as he knew she was talking about him and she was correct about it. He sighed and looked away, "We have to climb a mountain to arrive to the location Venervy said. If you want to turn back—"

"It isn't an option and I have climbed a lot of mountains that you shouldn't worry about me complaining at all," Esther took five steps before Beelzebub to stop and looked at him, "Let's go."

During their walk, they had no discussion. Both was mindful of each other but even as they walk there was a silent intensity between them that only the two could feel.

Climbing the mountain was the least concern for Esther. The problem occur when night fade in and it was time for them to take rest. 

"There's a village near here," Beelzebub stated to her. 

Esther looked at him who appeared far from tired, "I am alright. We can continue the walk. It would be a headache if that person manage to escape while looking like your uncle."

"He won't run and," Beelzebub looked up to the sky, "I have been smelling the scent of rain since hour ago."

By the time Beelzebub finished his words, rain began to drizzle over Esther's head. She didn't have time to react when all of a sudden a harsh pour streamed down on them. 

Quickly, Beelzebub took off his coat to place it over her head. Esther looked at his face by lifting her head to the taller Beelzebub, feeling her cheeks heating up as they rushed to the nearby town. Finding an inn, they spent no time to rush inside. 

The innkeeper who was sleepy at first was startled by the sudden appearance of a young handsome man and woman who had appeared to his inn in the very late night. 

"Oh! Welcome, a room for one?" The man assumed the two to be together and immediately pulled the key from behind them. 

"No," Beelzebub quickly refused. Being inside a locked room late at night with Esther? He didn't know what to call that other than pure torture.

Esther felt a sting on her pain as she pursed her lips together at the blunt rejection that Beelzebub showed to be in a room with her. 

"Two room, separate," Beelzebub ordered, placing a bag of money to the surprise of the demon innkeeper. The demon took out the heavy pocket, seeing the glimmering crystal which was use as a currency in hell. 

"Well, your generous guests, I would love to do what you ask me to. However, there's simply only one room for you two to stay. To ask for two room is—"

Beelzebub clicked his tongue and snatched the money bag before the innkeeper when Esther slammed down his hand along with the money back to the table. 

"One room," Esther said and stared at Beelzebub with her eyes burning. "You should be fine in a single room if you're with a woman you're not interested in, don't you?"