prologue

✅Disclaimer➡️ This story contains explicit sexual content, strong language, taboo affairs and dark themes, abuse, self-harm, mentions of abuse, and other triggers not suitable for the young audience. Read at your own risk or pleasure.

All of this is a work of fiction so any actual resemblance to person, place, thing, or scheme is merely coincidental.

Do not romanticize.

All that said and done, let's get right into you.

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215 YEARS BACK.

Seth Osiris stood facing Masika, the brightness of the sun glaring in the sky casting a warm glow on his delicate but hard granite features.

The distance Masika kept troubled him. Even as a monster_ he considered himself so he didn't think that he had changed much, he still felt the same way he did for her before he was turned into a cursed son of the night, so he didn't understand why her eyes held so much fear.

Her dark blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight, her fiery black hair sweeping over her face due to the windy weather. He'd always been fascinated with her eyes because they held so much in them and it was easy to let go of all of his hurt and pain when he was with her.

The amulet he wore sizzled but it was bearable. The physical pain he felt was more tolerable than the longing in his heart that yearned for her embrace and her acceptance. He felt he was in constant turmoil the longer the silence prevailed.

"Masika" he called and watched as she winced. It was as if his voice were slaps to her face. He took two steps, wanting to reach her as a normal human would, but he was right in front of her as soon as he moved.

Masika flinched as he reached to touch her and a single tear trailed down her smooth cheek as she stared at him in awe and trepidation.

Seth gazed at her, hoping she'd realize that he was still human and that she didn't need to be afraid of him.

He swiped the tears off her cheeks delicately, cautious not to bruise her with his newfound strength. He had drunk enough to quench his thirst and even the dazzling smell of her blood didn't tempt him to drink from her.

"It's me, Masika. Your prince. Your lover"

Masika shook her head and took a step back, her expression hardening. "You need to leave and never come back," she whispered harshly making his heart that had always seemed non-existent start beating in a turbulent frenzy.

His brows drew up in confusion but Masika continued bravely. "You're not human anymore Seth. You don't belong with the living because you've been cursed by the devil. You're a monster now, so it's better for you to just roam the night as the animals do. Don't worry about the kingdom, I'll make sure your family is worshipped and remembered as the gods they were, but you all have to leave and never come back," she said, her voice fierce and determined.

Seth's emotions were muddled in his head, he couldn't decide which to focus on. The thing about being turned was that it was difficult to feel anything other than anger and pain. The agony or anger did sometimes come together to become one, and when it did, it drove him to insanity. He could read the mind of his lover, all the evil she had planned in her mind for him, his family. He refused to believe them. He wanted to remember her as she was. Perfect, with no evil intentions.

"Why?" He whispered into the wind, quietly resisting the urge to kill, to hurt, to tear apart and mark the desert sand with blood. "Why betray me?"

Her eyes widened, and she took some steps back, almost stumbling on her silky blue gown.

He yanked her close, then kissed her, putting all the emotions he felt into it. He wanted her to remember, he needed her to relieve their love because that was the only thing that kept him sane. She was the only woman he loved. The only one who could take away the pain he felt.

Kissing her felt like tasting life. The heat of her mouth sent a fire burning through his skin, it heated his blood and made him feel almost human. His hands trailed her skin, memorizing every little detail about her. The scent of her arousal thickened in the air and he groaned his frustration of the kiss not being enough into her mouth.

Seth knew he could never hate her despite knowing for a fact that she planned to betray him. Their love was strong and nothing could ever sever it.

He was wrong, but he wished that he hadn't. A scorching burning pain spread across his chest as a sharp object pierced through his flesh.

Seth pulled back in agony, his jaw-dropping as he stared at the holy dagger square in his chest. He gaped at her, hoping to see or feel an ounce of remorse, but there was no emotion in her icy gaze.

He fell to the floor, the sand hot against his cheek as dark blood from the fatal wound coated the desert sand.

The man hiding in the shadows came out, an eerie smile on his lips. Seth had been aware of him from the start. He hadn't thought he mattered.

"Excellent job, my child," the man said appreciatively, eyes twitching as he watched Seth's dying form, before coming to stand over him with a grin stretched across his lips.

"I can finally rule with no opposition now Seth Osiris. Just like I caused your mother's death, I've executed you too. Your father and your sister will be next. Hell will be happy to have you back in the land of the dead" he declared, laughing heartily. His eyes pitch black and devoid of emotion. "You'll do well to remain in the land of the dead because I won't hesitate to kill you if you show up in front of me again"

He turned to leave, motioning for Masika to follow.

Masika hesitated, stared at him for a second more, then muttered words he could not hear as blood poured out of his mouth.

They were gone after a while, both of them leaving him to die.

Seth writhed in the agony of betrayal and anger, the searing pain making his head spin.

With the last strength he could muster, he pulled out the dagger, a million stars exploding in the back of his eyes as everywhere went cold.

He felt the darkness closing in, felt his dead heart burning in his chest, causing him to scream in hopeless agony. Masika had betrayed him. She'd dashed his heart into pieces without a backward glance and he wasn't going to let it go. The anger sizzled in his chest, increasing until it spilled over the edges of his being.

If he survived. They would all pay.