Hell's Consort

"I was planning to give them to you as a gift along with binding your soul to me here in Hell."

Luna jerked away from Ravin's contact when he attempted to embrace her.

"You wouldn't need anyone else other than me." He said quietly.

She cringed as the Archdemon gave her a pained expression.

What Ravin had done had been absolutely disgusting, and that there was no way she would support that kind of injustice even if he claimed that he was her second husband.

Ravin was as shameless as an Archdemon—so smug at killing innocent people even if he hadn't done it himself, nor did he have the right to stop the Archdemon of Envy from fulfilling her debts to him in any way possible.

Archdemons--even if Ravin had admitted that he didn't expect it to happen--wouldn't change overnight.

Luna must remember that for the rest of her life so that she wouldn't be fooled by the things he had offered, such as the temptation of everlasting power from an Archdemon.

If she had bound herself to the Archdemon of Gluttony just so she had access to demon magic to defend herself, what was she willing to sacrifice?

Yes, Ravin said that Luna only had to stay in Hell with him as his Queen but what if Luna was forced to do any of his insidious biddings because she was bound to the devil's contract?

Luna imagined herself in the place of that nun from the Human Realm.

What if it was her who was forced to kill those innocent children from the orphanage without remorse, possessed by the devil, to pay for her wishes granted by the Archdemon of Envy?

Luna exhaled an anxious breath.

She would not do that just for the sake of gaining power in the Vampire Realm, having leverage over her husband, Apollyon.

Luna knew deep in her heart that her intentions of acquiring magic weren't right just because she didn't feel comfortable being submissive to her husband.

She didn't desire to gain power over him.

Still, it was simply for equality's sake so that Apollyon wouldn't mistreat her like she was nothing but an accessory--something he could control--just because she was weaker without magic and couldn't fight back against him.

If Luna hadn't given up her virginity to her husband and kept her status as the Vampire Realm's High Priestess, would Apollyon and her story had a different ending, or would it be the same old, same old?

Will her husband truly change for the better?

Luna shook her head with the hopelessness of it all.

Because if push comes to shove, Luna won't stay with the Archdemon of Gluttony, either, if he was the type of Archdemon who would tolerate this senseless evil.

Archdemons were truly vile, in a sense, because that's what they were supposed to be.

Hell, they were already evil even before the day Luna had existed in this world.

What made her think that it was possible to change an Archdemon's true nature?

'Love?' Luna couldn't stop the tears running down her cheeks as she realized something about the word 'love' itself based on her experiences. 'Love can do absolutely nothing if the man didn't want to change his life and his attitude towards the woman.'

A woman's love, devotion, nurturing, affection, and forgiveness will not change a man.

No matter how many times a woman obeyed what her husband had told her to do, do everything he would ask of her, do everything he would have liked her to do, following every single one of his rules, men wouldn't change even if a woman increases the intensity of loving them.

Harder.

A woman's love wasn't enough.

Men wouldn't change because of a woman's love.

Men will only change if they decided to change, and that was a fact.

Love was not all about emotions.

Luna had to take the time rationalizing something so irrational.

'Loving these men who had nothing but evil to offer.'

Promising her one thing and changing it the next.

They had this sick need to give love then take it away if a woman did something they disapproved of, holding it over her head, holding their love and affection like a hostage.

They destroy something so fragile without even giving all they have got to protect it.

Men who couldn't even cater to her needs and controlling her instead because she wouldn't cater to theirs.

"I also planned to give you access to Archdemon's magic after the soul contract." Ravin touched the base of his neck as he frowned, "I was expecting you would be happy with how far I could go so that you could be with me for eternity."

"You are wrong. You didn't really know me well enough." Luna averted her gaze. "Now it's time for you to fulfill your promise. Return me to the Vampire Realm, Ravin."

The moment the Archdemon of Gluttony's name came out of her mouth as she asked for his permission to return her to the Vampire Realm, it rang with tremendous power that her soul was suddenly catapulted out of her body, floating in a haze of crimson atmosphere.

Just a couple of feet away, Luna witnessed herself face to face in the same gossamer silk white gown with rainbow skirts Ravin had clothed her in his Kingdom.

The only difference was that her replica was frozen in time as she talked to the Archdemon in Hell, Luna's mouth perpetually open.

It appeared like Luna was in another place stuck in a parallel dimension in between Realms.

With sweat running down her back, Luna ran a frustrated hand over her long silver hair.

Luna wouldn't allow being trapped in between dimensions, or she would die in this unknown void alone.

She needed to travel safely to the Vampire Realm.

Maybe, this was a glitch.

She hadn't found any loophole with the Archdemon's words, so it was safe to assume that he would keep his promise to her until she arrived in the Vampire Realm.

Closing her eyes, Luna asked herself as she waited for her inner voice to tell her the truth of what she felt,  'Why do I want to return to the Vampire Realm, nor would I return to Ravin's Kingdom?'

Did she deserve this type of treatment?

Why did she want to go back to someone abusive under the premise that they would start treating how she deserved to be treated?

Would Apollyon still be the Vampire King who acted like the same old jester on the same Vampire Court?

Honestly, it wasn't even a good show, and Luna has seen this couple of times before.

Luna deserved better than just a sexual congress from her husband.

Without real intimacy, that wouldn't keep her happy for long.

Will Apollyon treat her like a bird in a cage who sang whenever she was told to as she longed for her freedom, similar to his Consortium?

There were questions she wanted to address to herself also that she needed to figure out and solve.

Why did love felt like a constant battle to her?

Why did she have this constant need to defend herself and keep her guard up with Apollyon every single time?

Why was it so hard to trust her husband?

Why was it so hard to be vulnerable in front of him?

Why did she find it hard to admit that she needed help and was having a hard time?

Luna needed to tell her husband what she needed and expected from him because even if Apollyon was a warlock, he couldn't read her mind all the time.

After all, she had blocked him out.

Apollyon couldn't rely on her thoughts when she couldn't even control it herself.

And why did she always expect her requests to fall on deaf ears?

"Perhaps, there was something wrong with me." Luna wanted to say that out loud, but she couldn't because her soul had floated around in between parallel dimensions devoid of sound.

Luna watched the crimson Ravin and her petrified self in the Kingdom of Hell before she willed herself to land her feet on the edge of the wishing well, near that disgusting ancient tree.

Will Luna be willing to try again and make their marriage with Apollyon work this time?

She exhaled and said, "Yes, but this will be the last chance."

Luna decided that she will give her all, and if Apollyon couldn't match that, then it was time to leave.

There was a bright light coming out from the wishing well, and something materialized in front of Luna.

She could quickly make out that it was moving to be six foot two, with grey eyes and ash-blond hair.

The unknown winged creature nodded in acknowledgment before quickly disappearing as he had come-- like a mirage or a vampire who had turned to dust, drifting through the wind.

'Who was that?'

'Was it a fellow time traveler in the same plane?'

Unfortunately, there was no sign of him anymore, so that no one could answer her question. '

Luna clamped down her disappointment and went back to stare at her crimson replica and the frozen Archdemon in Hell.

What will happen if she let herself be sucked in the white light from this wishing well, following the being that showed himself to her in an apparition?

Luna bit her lip, contemplating. 'I can't stay trapped in here.'

If she didn't do something, Luna was going to be stuck here forever, trapped in this time-space dimension.

Without thinking of a particular destination, Luna prayed to the Goddess for help before jumping into the deep, dark well.