Chapter 55

Damien whispered near my left ear freezing me on spot.

“What?”

A tear slid down my cheek when I was roughly wheeled around and slammed on the cage. I groaned out loud feeling my back on fire. It hurt really bad.

“You heard me. Your obedience grants them their life.” He spoke near my lips and cleared the tear stains on my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

The smirk on his face indicated my defeat. I am helpless, I can’t defy him anymore. He is just like his father, cold, ruthless, impervious, and bestial.

How easily did I let myself get fooled by this man?

My jaw clenched remembering the passionate moments I spent with him. I wanted so badly to just jump in the fire and erase his touches from my body. He played me and I failed to see the mask behind his face. How easily duped me by acting all lovey-dovey when all he wanted to bring me to his father?

Suddenly it dawned on me.

Anger surged through my veins as I coiled my fingers around his neck and seethed on his face.

“You’re lying. You never knew about my plans. You never fell in love with me. You were just acting the whole time to win my trust and got me here. It was all your mission, isn’t it? You were just playing with my feelings to get me here.”

Damien stared at me for the longest time. His silence gave me my answer.

He approached me with a motive. He saved me for a motive. And he used me too for his motives.

“How sick of you to play with a girl who is eight years younger than you? Yes, I was betraying you but you used me, Damien. You said you loved me.” I said and stifled the sob that racked through my body.

I glowered into his eyes which held mixed emotions that I failed to decipher.

‘Was it remorse?’

A deafening silence followed as we both stared at each other in silence, trying to figure out each other’s emotions. We did have a bond, be it hatred or a charade but yes, I was attracted to him. And it was hard for me to believe that he only saw me as a body to fulfill his desires.

I was slightly convinced that he was regretting his actions but all my hopes got scattered the moment the corner of his lips tugged upward.

“Then guess I was just lying Emmaline.”

Damien drawled out my name and caressed the side of my face with his index finger which greatly revolted me.

“Yes, it was all a plan. And see, you fell into my trap. Isn’t that wonderful?” He chuckled and pecked my cheek. I jerked back.

“Oh come on. Weren’t you enjoying it earlier? But we need a slight correction here. I am seven years older than you, Em.” He spoke making me perplexed.

Damien smiled at my confused face back and took out a box from his breast pocket. It was wrapped with red velvet paper. He then extended it to me. I gazed at it with suspicion.

“Happy birthday, Emmaline.”

His words rendered me speechless. Today is my eighteenth birthday. That’s why Damien chose this date to bring me to Xander.

Dread clouded my system as I pressed myself more on the iron rails while Damien kept smirking, relishing my fear.

“AHH!!”

He suddenly slammed his hands on the metallic bars, gripping them tightly between his fingers as he caged me in between his arms.

“Don’t be afraid Princess, I wouldn’t do anything if you behave. And I am sure my intelligent girl knows what will happen if she crosses me right?” He threatened me.

I clenched my fists, trying not to show him my fear but a frightening sob escaped my lips when he snatched the box from my hand.

“You see Princess, gifts should remain a surprise but I have slightly altered the rules.” He spoke and pulled the ribbon to uncover the box. He then opened it revealing a beautiful diamond ring.

“The condition is that the final call will be yours. What would you like me to present you on your special day, a diamond ring or Blake’s heart?”

No sooner had he completed than I slapped him hard.

“I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DARE TOUCH HIM!! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAT A MURDERER’S SON WILL BE A MURDERER!! WHAT IF THE MOON GODDESS SELECTED YOU AS MY MATE, I HAVE FULL RIGHTS TO REJECT YOU!!” I shouted in his face and gave a hard push on his chest.

Damien turned his head and looked at me. My breath hitched when I found the unadulterated rage swirling in them.

“Are you even in the situation to negotiate? Your foster father’s heart is at dagger’s point. Be smart, Princess. Your defiance would cost them their lives. But…”

He spoke and shook his head as if how much I had disappointed him, “If you’re willing to take that risk then fine. ZION!!”

Damien suddenly hollered and grabbed my left forearm. Before I could comprehend his next move, I was thrown on the floor. My palms got scratched but ignoring the pain, I quickly looked at him only to see him entering the cage.

“NO, WHAT-” I tried to follow him inside but was held back by Ryan whom I didn’t even realize was standing there the whole time.

Zion handed Damien the dagger and moved back.

“They were the betrayers, Zion. They saved our enemy’s daughter and hid her from us for years. So, don’t you think that stabbing them would be an easy death?” Damien spoke gravely and looked at Zion who nodded positively.

“Here’s your cure, Alpha”, Saying that he whipped out a flask that was filled with a dark blue liquid from the pocket of his trousers. He removed the cork with his thumb and gave it to Damien who then dipped the tip of the dagger in the liquid.

Smiling manically, Damien then returned the flask to Zion and turned his attention to me.

“Do you know what it is sweetheart?” He said while brandishing the dagger in front of my eyes. I remained silent as I literally don’t know the answer to it.

“Wolfsbane.”

My body turned rigid after hearing that. It’s poison.

My mind was unable to process his violent acts but he wasn’t in the mood to give me a breather.

“L-Listen Damien, NO!!”

A horrified scream escaped my mouth when Damien plunged the dagger into Blake’s right clavicle. Blake was unconscious still his body twisted in pain. That shows how potent that potion was.

“NO, I AM SORRY!! OKAY, I ACCEPT YOU!! I AM READY TO MARRY YOU. PLEASE DAMIEN, STOP IT!!” Falling on my knees, I pleaded with the monster whose lips twitched in a sadistic smile.

“Give me your word”

He was playing with me.

I nodded in defeat and looked down, “I promise. Please spare their lives.”

Hot tears gushed down my eyes. My hair was all over my face as I hung my head, my fists resting on the rugged floor as I burst into heavy tears.

Pleased by my broken state, Damien threw the dagger away and approached me. I didn’t bother looking at him when he held me softly and made me stand on my feet. I continued crying at my sordid fate. But it did not affect him. Grabbing my left hand, he then pushed the ring down my ring finger and gripped my hand tightly.

“Sshh, Princess. You made the right choice.” He chuckled and threw me in his arms, hugging me tightly.

Damien started drawing circles on my back as he tried to calm me down but I was so tired to give in to his fake dramas. I disgorged my pain and misery through my tears. I just needed to empty my heart so that I have no tears left to cry in the future.

My body convulsed when his cold fingers brushed the hair aside from my left shoulder exposing my bare neck to him. I bit my lips hard when I felt him smothering kisses on my throbbing vein.

I hate it.

I don’t want it.

I bit my lips and squeezed my eyes tightly, fighting the urge to snap his neck like a twig. But he has my loved ones at knife’s point. My one stupid move would result in severe consequences.

I jolted hard when I felt his sharp canines grazing my skin.

“D-Damien”

I tried to move back but Damien only tightened his hold making me yelp. He harshly grabbed the side of my neck and tilted it to get more access.

“One last ritual is left, Princess.” His breath fanned my neck but what he said broke me into cold sweats.

Panicking, I rained down punches on his chest but my debilitated state wasn’t favoring me a bit. Damien chortled at my futile attempts and before I could understand, he jabbed his sharp fangs into my neck, marking me.

My screams echoed in the dungeon but no one came to my rescue. A zap of current buzzed through my body and I bet we both felt it. Golden sparks enveloped us as Damien bound our souls into one. Forcefully.

There wasn’t a tinge of happiness on my face. All I could feel was pain as he ruthlessly threw me into his golden cage.

That day I realized that my savior was my tormentor. Who I used to think as my Knight was my biggest nightmare. My consent never mattered to him.

Now I understand why I felt weak when he was kissing me madly. He had wolfsbane in his mouth which he didn’t drink and forced it down my throat. I was so lost in lust that I failed to catch it. But that’s not it. He had been feeding me small portions of this poison to turn me weak. The food and water he gave me did taste weird but to earn his trust, I ate everything he gave to me without a word.

I suddenly fell limp in his arms. Damien removed his mouth and eyed the two holes in my neck with grave satisfaction.

I was drained of energy. Now I realize that a small portion of wolfsbane doesn’t kill you, it only enervates you. And Damien never wanted to kill me, he just wanted to reduce my strength so that I can’t fight back.

Damien then cupped the back of my head and made me look into his red hues that were reflecting my pitiful state. Roughly grabbing my face in his large palm, he pulled me closer to his face and growled near my lips.

“Welcome to my world, sweetheart.”

Seething, he closed his mouth on me making me close my eyes. A tear slid down my cheek and disappeared in my hairline while he mauled my lips.

After kissing me to his heart’s content, Damien placed his hands below my thighs and lifted me. The guards cleared our way as he carried me outside in bridal style. Today’s incidents had completely taken a toll on me so I simply circled my hands around his neck and placed my head on his chest, hugging him willingly.

We both then passed through the hall. Damien stopped near a room as the maids opened the door for him. That’s when my eyes landed on his face which was visible through a huge mirror hung on the opposite wall.

He was looking down at me but what surprised me was the concern in his eyes. I blinked my eyes multiple times ’cause his expression was soft this time which was really hard to believe.

That’s when it struck me.

He does have feelings for me.

Great.

I mentally smirked and collected the fragmented pieces of my spirit.

I may have lost today but that doesn’t mean that you have won Damien. Your love might have converted into hate because of my betrayal but I do know that deep down you still have a soft spot for me. And that will be your weakness and my biggest weapon.

Excitement bubbled through me but I kept my face stoic as Damien carried me inside the room with the maids closing the door behind us.

‘The game is still on, Damien Knight. Only the rules will be changed.’

*****

End of Season 1.