The Damned Demon

As the carriage wheels crunched over the gravel, a hush fell inside, contrasting starkly with the rhythmic sounds of travel.

Silvia sat opposite Asher, observing him with increasing concern. He stared out the window, his gaze fixed and unblinking, his aura emanating a stillness that was almost suffocating in its intensity.

The tension in the air thickened, palpable as the fog that sometimes descended upon the nearby forests.

She found herself shrinking slightly under the weight of Asher's heavy presence.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, her voice barely a whisper, she ventured, "W-What are you thinking about?"

Asher's gaze shifted from the passing scenery to Silvia, his eyes cold and distant, "I am thinking about the ways I should punish the woman Kayla saw," he replied, his voice low and ominous.

Silvia's eyes widened, "You... You know who it is?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Asher's brows furrowed, his focus intensifying, "I forgot to continue what we were talking about earlier. Do you have a more clear picture of who Kayla saw?"

Shaking her head quickly, Silvia responded with a lowered gaze, "S-Silvia only saw what Kayla saw. After Kayla collapsed, Silvia couldn't see anything else."

"I thought so..." Asher murmured, nodding slowly as if confirming his suspicions internally. He then turned his gaze back to Silvia, his tone stern, almost reprimanding. "I warned you not to cause any trouble, and yet you did. Were you always such a disobedient young lady who doesn't even listen to her king? Do you wish to be spanked that much?"

Silvia's chin trembled, and she lowered her head, guilt washing over her, "S-Silvia only wanted to have fun and wasn't trying to make you mad on purpose. But Silvia is willing to accept any punishm-Kya!"

Before she could complete her sentence, Asher's movement was swift as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"Mhmmm!!~"

His lips met hers in a sudden, intense kiss that left her eyes wide in shock. However, the shock soon melted into a timid reciprocation, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

Asher passionately sucked in her soft red lips, which felt and tasted like the petals of a rose that strangely calmed down his troubled heart.

Silvia wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to keep up with his wild passion, though she found herself getting swept away.

Yet her heart was rapidly pounding against her chest, her blood dancing in excitement upon finally getting to kiss the man of her dreams.

She never expected it would so euphoric and fulfilling. It made her realize what she was desperately craving for all these years, and regretted not realizing it earlier instead of trying to substitute this craving by playing with her 'toys'.

The smell of his blood only made her feel intoxicated, but her passion for him overwhelmed her bloodlust, preventing her fangs from extending and only focusing on the warmth of his kiss and the rhythm of his heart.

He then gently broke the kiss, his arm still around her petite figure, "That is the punishment for what you did today," he whispered, a hint of playfulness in his charming eyes.

Silvia's heart raced, her voice barely above a whisper as she averted her gaze shyly, "S-Silvia d-doesn't mind getting punished like this."

"Were you always this cute?" Asher's soft chuckle filled the space between them, a brief moment of levity in the dense atmosphere.

However, his amusement faded quickly when his eyes caught the gruesome sight outside—a humongous beast feasting on multiple corpses, its mouth bloodied.

The images of Rowena and Rebecca flashed through his mind, hardening his expression once again as the realities outside the carriage reminded him of what he should do once he returned.

—

The grand halls of Demonstone Castle echoed with the subtle footsteps of Asher as he approached the Crimson Chamber.

This sanctuary, veiled in blood red and black, belonged to none other than the queen.

As Asher neared, the castle's senses, attuned to his presence, confirmed that Rowena was within.

He pushed open the heavy doors gently, his movements careful.

Inside, the chamber was dark, its ambiance defined by the soft glow of various lights emanating from paintings spread across the bed. Rowena sat amidst them, her figure majestic and bewitching, her attention absorbed by the paintings. The moment the door creaked, her head lifted, and her eyes, deep and warm, met his.

"Welcome home, Ash," she greeted, her voice a cold melody that resonated warmth. She rose gracefully from the bed and approached him with a serene smile.

Asher, returning her smile with a soft nod, embraced her, the familiarity of her presence a balm to the weariness of his journey, "You must have already heard the news, right?" he murmured into her ear, the scent of her raven hair bringing him a comforting sense of home.

Rowena nodded, stepping back slightly to look at him with a gaze full of warmth and pride, "I wasn't expecting you to return so early after visiting the Nightshade Kingdom only today. But I had a feeling that you wouldn't return empty-handed. You achieved what I failed to do."

A wry smile touched Asher's lips as he gently cupped Rowena's pale face, his thumb caressing her soft skin, "You know it wasn't really me. It was, surprisingly, Silvia. I thought shewas going toburden me the entire journey, but she unwittingly or not pulled it off. You could say it was luck that she wanted to follow me. But I missed you more than anything," he confessed, his voice laden with genuine emotion.

Rowena's response was a gentle rub ofher cheek against his hand as she shook her head, "But she wouldn't have been there if not for you.You have a way of capturing women's hearts. I don't know if I should feel proud about it or not."

Asher chuckled as he softly said, "But you captured mine better than I ever could."

Rowena's pale cheeks turned a reddish hue as she stared into his eyes.

But then her eyes briefly flickered and with a mix of curiosity and hopein her eyes, she asked "Did you... learn anything else? From King Lakhur or his granddaughter who recovered?" The expectation was clear in her voice.

Asher's expression darkened slightly, and the complexities of what he had learned and what he still suspected cast a shadow over his features.

He sighed, his gaze locking with hers, "I am sorry... I still don't know what happened that day to your mother and the others," he admitted, knowing that he couldn't tell her who it was untilhewas 100% sure, though he was 90% more than sure it was that bitch.

The light in Rowena's crimson eyes dimmed, a shadow of disappointment and heartache passing through her gaze.

She took a subtle step back, her posture changing as she absorbed the impact of his words.

Asher's heart tightened, the sight of her restrained pain despite her silence hurting him.

Rowena turned away from Asher and walked back to the bed. The air felt heavier with each step she took, and Asher, watching her, felt a pang of helplessness.

He raised his hand as if to reach out to her, to bridge the gap between them with words of comfort, but found himself voiceless, the words lodged in his throat.

As she sat down, her fingers gently traced over the canvas of a painting, her touch reverent, "My mother used to love to paint whenever she had the time. It was by watching her that I also found it interesting, and she taught me after seeing how interested I was. Yet...even after all these years...I couldn't bring myself to paint a portrait of her. I feel like I don't have the right to," she whispered, her voice thick with emotions she rarely showed.

Compelled by her vulnerability, he crossed the room to her. Placing his hand gently on her shoulder, he found his voice, thoughit was thick with his own swirling emotions, "I know that you will forever be haunted by not knowing who was responsible. But I promise you that I will bring them to their knees for you. I will do whatever it takes," he vowed, his eyes darkening with a fierce determination.

Rowena turned slightly to face him, her hand clasping his, "I am supposed to be stronger than this and not make you feel responsible for the wraiths in my heart," she said softly, her eyes meeting his with a mix of resolve and worry.

Asher shook his head, about to insist, but Rowena continued, "I can't lose you too. So, I am willing to be haunted by my wraiths as long as you are with me. So don't do anything that will put your life at stake because of me. I can't forgive you if something happens to you because of that…" Her voice was soft as she trailed off, her eyes brimming with heavy emotions.

The intensity of her plea,thefear of losing him, the pain she was holding back struck a chord deep within Asher,"Rona..." he murmured, his voice barely a whisper as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a protective embrace,"I am not going anywhere nor can I ever leave this world behind without you.Even if you order me to…I will always be around you."

Asher's embrace tightened, a silent vow to protect her at all costs, yet his eyes, when he gazed past her shoulder into the dim corners of the room, quivered with flames of rage as he thought about what he should do next.

He can never forgive anyone who made her suffer like this...even if it was him.

—

The Hellbringer Tower loomed ominously against the darkening sky, its silhouette casting long shadows across the barren landscape.

Inside, the grand hall was barely lit by flickering torches when the heavy, large doors creaked open.

A figure of voluptuous allure dressed in a black gown that clung to her curvesmenacingly,entered with a mix of defiance and irritation. Her chilling red eyes scanned the vast, empty space as she crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

"Hmph. He isn't even here. Is that bastard finally free to waste my time like this? Tch, and here I thought the devils were finally having pity on me," Rebecca muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with frustration. After weeks of respite from his harrowing presence and torture, the sudden summon back to the tower rekindled her aversion and anxiety.

Other than feeling shame and anger, she always felt uneasy whenever he...

"Not even death would pity you..." A deep, ominous voice suddenly resonated through the hall, sending a shiver down her spine.

Startled, Rebecca spun around, her heart racing as she faced the source of the voice, who she didn't even realize had already walked past the doors.

A tall man with piercing dark yellow eyes emerged from the shadows, hispresence imperious yet distinctly menacingasthe lower ends of his royal black gown fluttered in the wild gust that entered through the doors.

The frighteningly cold intensity in his gaze was palpable, and Rebecca found herself involuntarily swallowing, a chill slicing through her despite the stifling air of the hall.

What was this bad feeling she was having?