18

Lilian POV

50 years later

We are in our 14th year at war and ever since we have been in a great depression, nothing has been the same since our own people turned on us.

The Orion magic institute within The Shadow Lands that had been founded by Demonia's father Criso Markeen Black had closed their gates and experimented on their own people, bending their minds with wicket ideas and dreams of a world in their image.

They had wished to control everyone within all six realms, the portals had been closed for twenty years but many of Orion followers and sorcerers are still scattered throughout every realm, creating more of their.... creations of dark magic.

My people, who had families, people who loved and cared for them, they had a life with free will, no one had expected this to happen, Orion had bent and broken those they chose for the war until they didn't even resemble their own selves anymore, they simply gone, controlled and killed without mercy.

The realms are divided into six and since the war, we have been without hope for so many years and now we are short on food and supplies, the physical and mental toll of the war has affected us all, some more than others.

There has been so much death but that is all coming to an end, the ending of the war is closer more than ever.

"Mother?"

I snap out of my thoughts and turn to see my son and his mate, Locus, and Clara.

"Yes? Apologises, is something the matter?" I ask, closing the book in front of me.

I see the worry on both of their faces and I have a thought as to what they are worried about.

"It's father, I'm worried." Locus sighs. "He's having one of his... episodes and requests your presence, I fear for you mother."

I smile weakly and nod my head, swallowing hard I move from my chair and stand up straight, dusting off my dress. "Do not worry, I will see your father." I pause. "He has a lot on his plate Locus, he and your brother are winning the war for us." I force out with a smile.

"Lilian, please.. do not go." Clara says weakly as she holds my hand in hers, her eyes sad.

I shake my head and rub her hand softly. "I'll see you all at dinner, please do not fret, I am not some weak feeble woman." I say softly, moving past both of them as they frown and nod their head wearily.

I swallow down the sinking feeling in my gut as I walk towards Demonia's office, knowing that his episodes had been getting more and more frequent.

Holding onto my shaking hand I see my younger son Axel leave Demonia's office and a mark on his face, it's turning purple and blue, I walk faster towards him and he frowns when he sees me.

"Did he do this to you?" I examine his face and it looks new, Axel swats my hand away from him as he glares coldly towards me.

"Father is expecting you." That is all he says before he moves past me and walks down the hall.

My poor child has his father's temper, but he knows that it is not ok to resolve to violence when his emotions get too much, instead, I have him do breathing techniques with him since he was a child, to which they work, to a point.

Demonia had tried similar techniques, all had failed.

I take a deep breath and smooth over my dress, I raise my hand and knock on Demonia's office door.

The door swings open before I could knock a second time and there stands my mate, as handsome as the day I had met him, but the look in his eyes have changed, they're cold and without life, his form has shifted into a permanent state and I have not seen him shift back in months now.

Demonia grabs my wrist roughly and pulls me into the room, slamming the door behind him, with his hand wrapped tightly around my wrist I take a quick glance around his office and it hasn't changed, it is still messy with broken furniture, large scratch marks on the walls and broken glass on the floor.

I'm shoved hard against the wall and Demonia leans in to sniff my scent, exhaling roughly he grabs the back of my hair to make me look up at him, his eyes are blacker than night and his face is stoic.

"I smell male on you." He says lowly and my blood runs cold as I pale.

"D-Demonia, I swear-"

I feel his large clawed hand wrap around my neck and squeeze tightly as his eyes flash red, only a second then turn back to black. "Do." Squeeze. "NOT." Bang. "LIE!" He shouts as he bangs my head against the wall roughly, making my eyesight go hazy.

My head hurts and I smell blood, but Demonia does not stop there, he begins to rip my clothes off and I begin to sob quietly, afraid to anger him further, his episodes will only grow worse if I say something he does not like.

He stops and then sniffs the air again, his eyes lock on me and then my head, I see the worry in his eyes if only for a moment then the moment goes and he is back to peeling the clothes off of me.

"I gave you everything!" He snarls in my ear as he lowers his trousers and grinds his hips into mine. "Yet you spread your legs like a common harlot." He chuckles darkly as he licks the marking on my neck and I feel sick. "Beg me WHORE, beg me!" He snarls into my ear as the tears fall from my eyes.

"P-Please, Demonia, i-its me, L-Lilian, your mate." I try to bring him back and reach my hand out to touch him but all he does is snarl and snap his teeth.

What he does next makes me scream out in pain as his large teeth chomp down onto my neck, I did not feel him enter me as the pain is overwhelming my senses, I can no longer feel my legs or the tears fall from my eyes, I can't hear my voice as I scream for him to stop, I beg and plead but that does not stop him.

He's thrusting into me like a wild beast without control, his teeth still deeply lodged into my neck and his grip on my hair is rough, he has forced my head sideways so he can get a clear view of my neck, it's painful and burns, the blood is spilling on the floor and I fear for my life.

I don't remember the last time Demonia was kind to me, it had been years since he has smiled, said a nice word, or called for me without me leaving in blood. It is like he isn't the man I fell in love with anymore, what he is now is someone entirely different, he's no longer of sane mind.

I'm scared of him, he has never hurt me before, not like this, I'm scared for my life, my children's and my people.

I did not notice Demonia finishing as my legs sink to the floor, my neck is throbbing painfully and oozing blood from the bite he has made with his large deadly teeth, I'm leaking blood and his seed from between my legs but I can't feel anything.

My head is throbbing and my whole body feels sore, I can't feel anything anymore, all I see is Demonia walking away from me without a second glance as he buttons up his trousers, the same stoic face he always has, lifeless and without emotion, the Demonia I love is gone.

The door opens next to me and two thin young servants help me stand on my feet as they wrap both of my arms around their neck to carry me out of his office, I stare at Demonia and he doesn't look up or glance in my direction as the doors close.

"Miss Lilian." One of them whispers quietly as they walk with me down the hall. "Keep your eyes open Miss, we will help you." The other says hushed, afraid Demonia would hear.

A sob escapes my lips at how kind they are being to me. "T-Thank y-you." I cry out quietly and they both nod their heads sadly.

They have walked me to my room, far away from Demonia's on the other side of the Palace, and set me down on my bed. One of the young servant girls takes away the last strands of clothing that are hanging to me whilst the other is wetting a cloth in a bucket of water to wash my wounds.

When did it come to this? Why is this now my life? Demonia had such high hopes to find out a way to change his curse, now I see there is no way to escape his punishment, the moon goddess has yet to answer any of my prays, I only hope I get out of this alive, I pray day and night for a sign, any sign from her that she would save our people, free Demonia from his curse and give him back to me.

I just want him back, back to the man I love, my mate.

The door opens and I see my sons enter the room, both with expressions I know too well, sadness, despair, and regret. Both of my sons had Demonia's curse and every day they feared they would succumb to their father's rage and hurt their mates, both of my children had been fortunate to find their mates young, they knew the risks but the bond was too strong to deny.

"Thank you, leave us please." My oldest, Locus says to the two servant woman, they nod their heads then bow to me as they leave the room, closing the door behind them.

"I will kill him." Axel declares, with rage in his eyes. "He can't keep hurting you mother!"

I swallow hard. "N-No, he will come back, t-the war-"

Locus snarls out. "Mother, you must leave him, there's a way!"

Sobbing as I lay there naked, bloodied and bruised in front of my children, I know they speak of, but I can't, I can't leave him. "H-He needs me." I whisper out, not recognizing my own voice anymore.

Axel throws a vase across the room and growls out, his beast coming out. "NO!" He snaps. "He doesn't need you! He only cares for himself! When will you open your eyes?"

"Axel-"

Axel slams open the door and leaves, the door slams shut behind him, leaving Locus and me alone as he sighs at his younger brother's words.

Locus sits on the bed next to me and holds my hand in his. "Mother, please." He kisses my hand. "He's a monster, look what he did to you, his mate." He says, sadly, examining my neck.

My heart breaks at the words and I can't help but stop the tears from coming as I cry into my hand, my soul aches as I lay there, humiliated, broken, and slowly sinking into despair.

"I found a place, he won't find us, mother, the war is ending.. we can go.. look." Locus says, as he goes into his pockets and shows me a vial, swirling liquid with green specks.

"It will remove the bond, you will finally be free of him." Locus places the vial in my hand and I stare at it without words as my heart breaks.

I grip hold of the vial and close my eyes, my soul tearing in two. "Ok."

"Ok?" Locas sighs out as if a weight had dropped from his shoulders.

I nod my head and hold onto my son's hand as hard as I could, I look up to him and smile the best I can. "Prepare to leave, we make for the portal tonight."

"I'll drink it."

I say a silent prayer to the Moon goddess as my son wraps his arm around me to bring me into a hug, without trying to hurt me, we're both crying happy tears at the possibility we can all escape this hell we face every day, we hold each other for as long as possible.

I beg of you Selene, watch over me and my boys, if I don't survive tonight, protect them, watch over them, guide them to do better, let no harm befall them or any of my family, I will forever be in your service if you grant me this wish..

..please... give me the strength I need to do this..