CHAPTER 38.LORD HERODHigh Lord Herodis’ heart ached with a profound sorrow he hadn't felt in decades. Emeriel's screams pierced the night’s air like a banshee's wail, filled with unbearable pain, each one a shard of ice twisting in his gut.He wanted nothing more than to rush to her, to mount the female in heat, especially with those screams of agony. The sound of her suffering was nearly unbearable.Despite the cottage being far away, her cries reached him clearly. As Urekai aged, their senses grew sharper, and their strength increased. Herod was no exception.His heightened senses were even sharper, capturing every tortured sound, and it broke him. He could even hear the desperate whimpers punctuating her screams.Herod's knuckles whitened as he gripped the arms of his study chair. His erection was hard and angry, straining through his pants. His muscles tensed in an effort to maintain control.While she struggled to ride out her torturous heatwaves, Herod rose and began to pace h
LORD HERODEmeriel’s screams began again.Herod could hear her crying, begging, and he hated it so much. She was in agony, and he despised how helpless he was to help her. But being far away from her was the best way to protect her.Once he caught a whiff of her scent, Herod knew it would be over. He would go into a rut. That's why he was in his room, pacing. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles ached, the floorboards creaking beneath his agitated strides."Somebody help! Please!" she cried, her voice raspy and raw. The sound of her shaking the cottage door rang in his ears.Herod squeezed his eyes shut, his nails digging into his palm. He had to ignore it. He had to."I ca-can't... I can't take this," she sobbed. "It's too much, please...I feel like I'm dying."Herod pressed his palms against his ears, desperate to block out the sound of her pain. But it was no use.His beast sensed the agony of someone they cared for, and was annoyed and restless within him. The urge to
Herod grabbed a quill and parchment, scribbling a hasty message.I apologize for the insolence of this late-night request, Your Grace. But a matter of utmost urgency has arisen. I implore you to grace my estate with your presence this evening. I await your arrival. The Lord of Agriculture.Herod rushed outside, the parchment clutched in his hand. Under the oak tree, he whistled sharply.Within moments, a sleek messenger bird swooped down, landing on his outstretched arm. Herod attached the message to its leg. Watching the bird take flight, he whispered a silent prayer, hoping the message would reach the grand king early. Hoping the ruler would honor his request.•••••••••••••GRAND KING DAEMONIKAI.Daemonikai was no longer hunting for Vladya.He knew the truth with every fiber of his being as he raced through the woods in the dark. His instincts had taken over. That nagging feeling had forced its way to the surface, overpowering his will.He ran, not with purpose, but with desperati
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIDaemonikai could barely think, pure lust coursed through his body. Have to be inside her.He slammed the door of the cottage closed with a resounding thud. Lowering Galilea to her feet by the sturdy wooden table, he pinned her against it, her back pressing into the rough surface."Yes. Want you. Want you. Please." She was quivering, eyes glazed over with a mist of untamed arousal, her body slick with sweat.Mellow Hades, but her scent…The air was thick with it, potent and heady, like the richest incense, weaving through his senses and ensnaring him completely. All he wanted was to bury himself deep within her until the claws of this hunger was sated."Please." Galilea arched against him, impatient and desperate, grinding her ass against his hardened dick, until he felt like he would burst in the confines of his clothing. "I need it, I need it."Daemonikai forewent any further undressing, hastily freeing his aching member, his skin tingling with anticipation. He
"Take it. Take it." He couldn't recognize his own voice, so rough and animalistic, as he slammed in over and over again, with a force he would never have used on her outside the throes of a full heat. But she could take it now. Yes, she could.Galilea screamed so loud it might have reached the heavens as her body deteriorated. Muscles clenching around him so tightly he swore aloud, his climax tearing through him, his growls mingling with her screams."Fuck, you milk my essence so well, little princess," he grunted, filling her up with his seed, driving her into another convulsive orgasm.Galilea's blue eyes went wide with pleasure. Her mouth hung open in a soundless, endless scream, toes curling. Sound of tearing sheets reached him, the fabric she held in a dead grip ripping apart."So hot." Daemonikai was beginning to realize how he loved pushing her limits. She was so sexy when overwhelmed, when trying to handle everything he gave her.He kept moving against her clamping muscles and
A searing heat in the pit of her stomach ripped Emeriel from the depths of sleep. She stirred, a gasp escaping her lips as her lower belly clenched in a painful spasm. It was happening again.Her eyes darted around the room in a frantic scan, stopping as she spotted Daemonikai's large form seated in a chair by the corner, his head resting against the high back, eyes closed."Please, I need you," she whispered, biting her lips.His eyes snapped open. They blazed with an icy fury, pupils narrowed into slits. Emeriel recoiled at the sight."Your Grace?" Her voice was tentative. Cautious.He growled. Green eyes locked onto hers, but there was no recognition in his eyes. Only a burning rage that made her blood run cold. Another growl, deeper, more menacing than the last, came from him."Human," he spat the word like a curse, loaded with disgust.Emeriel shrank back further, the pain of her heat momentarily receeding.His hands clenched into fists, his breathing ragged and uneven. "The scum
Emeriel stiffened. Her insides turned cold. "No."King Daemonikai shifted, pulling her closer as he settled on his side. More aftershocks of pleasure rocked her with his movement, and she whimpered. So full. "I almost killed you when I rose from that brief sleep," he said in that deep, soothing tone behind her. "I thought it might be possible, so I left the bed. But it obviously was of no use. If it happens again, I might actually kill you, Galilea."I don't mind. The words caught in her throat as Emeriel's belly dropped. Oh, she had it bad. So bad that she genuinely did not care if he killed her, as long as it was him here, spending this heat with her."I don't want another male, Your Grace." The mere thought was like a thousand needles dancing across her skin."Leah…"Emeriel, Your Grace. Her middle name had never sounded so good coming from anyone, but she wished she could hear him call her by the name she really answered to. Emeriel."I can't bear another's touch," she croaked. E
Then, there was Evie's persuasive insistence."A female’s first heat is a delicate situation," she would remind him. "Scared, panicked, the girl is unsure of what to expect. They need to be with someone they not only trust but feel safe with. That young one chose you, my dearest. Trying to find them a compatible male is not only needless but futile and time-wasting. Every moment you are not there, that girl is not only terrified, but in severe pain."His bondmate had been right, of course. And so, Daemonikai had always been there to help.He made sure not to take their heats for granted, treating them with respect, making their first heat a memorable one. He had seen many first heats in his long life, he couldn't put a face to most of them anymore. But this one was different. This one felt different.Daemonikai reached out, unable to resist the urge to touch. Gently, he combed his fingers through her silken hair. Cool and fine as moon-spun silk, they slid through his fingers like wat
“Please stop saying these things to him,” Lord Vladya groaned. “He’s smiling like a thief who just got promoted to head guard. He might forget why we’re here.”Daemonikai smacked him upside the head. “Shut it.” But he was still grinning ear to ear.The healer hid her smile behind a cough. So, the rumors were true. The quickest way to find favor with the Grand King… was to speak kindly of his queen. Or better yet—earn her favor directly.It warmed her to see them this way. Whole. Strong. Hearty. Happy.“Now, let’s return to the original matter. What can you do for us, old healer?” King Daemonikai asked.“I’ll begin work immediately on the herbs. I’m certain something like it exists. Our people have simply never had reason to search for it. I’ll start gathering ingredients, reviewing ancestral scrolls, and see what I can develop. With luck, I’ll have good news for you soon.”“That’s excellent,” Daemonikai said, nodding with satisfaction.The healer turned to Lord Vladya. “And you, Secon
“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked softly.“Not yet.” Vladya raised his hands to cover hers, even though a blindfold already shielded her eyes—just to be sure.He was... nervous. His belly felt tight inside, his hands clammy. He wanted to impress her. Wanted Aekeira to love the surprise.Gently, he guided her forward. Step by step, deeper into the cave until they reached the center. Moving in front of her, he withdrew his hands, and untied the blindfold.He stepped back, waiting.She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the soft glow, then gasped.Vladya tried to see the space through her eyes. The rough cave walls had been transformed. Smooth panels of polished wood lined the interior, holding candle sconces bathing the space in a warm, golden light. A plush woolen rug stretched across the floor. In one corner, a large, canopied bed stood dressed in roses. Across from it a long table, elegantly set with a feast laid, and two chairs facing one another.Her mouth parted as she took it in. “
She gasped as he flicked her clit, over and over again, building tension. Soon she was wiggling, twitching, hips shifting restlessly, seeking more.Daemonikai was burning, yet his mouth never left her breast. Arousal pounded through him, but beneath it—deeper, hungrier—was peace. There was something sacred, yet utterly obscene about this, in how her breast felt against his tongue, the rich rush down his throat, and the soft sounds she made.“Mmm.” His eyes slitted shut as time dissolved. Her moans grew louder, hips grinding against his thigh, but he didn’t relent. Not until her back arched and she came with a cry, her pussy fluttering around nothing.He switched breasts, sealing his lips around the other nipple, drinking her in as his fingers resumed their torment—circling her clit just enough to tease, never enough to satisfy.She squirmed, sobbing, her slick painting his thighs. “Daemon… please. Please.”He ignored her. Not yet.Only when the flow dwindled to drops, then drained int
That night, Daemonikai slept, and saw them.Standing at the river’s edge were his sons—Myka and Alvin. But unlike in the past, they weren’t sad. Their eyes no longer carried the weight of guilt or sorrow.No, his sons were smiling, waving at him.Daemonikai ran from the opposite shore, water parting in soft ripples as he crossed, and when he reached them, he pulled them both into a tight embrace.“Father…” Alvin whispered hoarsely. “I’m sorry.”“For what?” Daemonikai pulled back, his hands firm on Alvin’s face, forcing his boy to meet his eyes. “It was never your fault, and I’m sorry you left the world believing it was.”He turned to Myka. “I’m sorry I told you to protect everyone else. I should’ve told you to save yourself first. Maybe then, you’d still be—”“It’s alright, Father,” Myka interrupted with a smile. “I don’t regret protecting Mother. Or our people. I’m a protector, just like you, and I’m proud of that.”Behind them, a crowd began to form. His people were watching from a
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIZaiper's screams rolled down the dungeon corridor, bouncing off walls as Daemonikai sawed through his leg with a cutlass—whistling a slow, melodic tune. Blood sprayed, splashing onto Daemonikai’s robes, forming a growing puddle.“This blade’s gone dull,” he said conversationally, examining the edge. “Get me the dagger.”A guard handed it to him from the wall of instruments, so much polished steel behind them.Daemonikai discarded the cutlass with a soft clatter and resumed with the dagger, slicing deep into muscle and tendon, never missing a beat in his whistle.“Please! AHhhhhhh!” Zaiper howled. An animal sound, born of unbearable pain.Daemonikai sawed clean through until the leg detached entirely. He lifted it, holding it up like a prized relic.“I hope you don’t mind if I keep this,” he said casually, inspecting the severed limb. “It’s a clean slice. Unfortunately for you, it won’t regenerate—considering I’ve taken the entire limb. You’ll have to forgive me.
••••••Three Weeks Later PRINCESS EMERIEL“By the power vested in me as Grand King of this court, and in the presence of these witnesses, I hereby declare all Bonds of Human Enslavement broken. From this day forward, you are no longer the property of Urekai but allies. Free people under the protection and respect of this kingdom.”The court was overflowing. Humans filled every space, trailing from the dais down the carpeted aisle, pouring out the doors, spilling into the hallway beyond. Every human in Urai was present.At the front of it all, Emeriel stood tall beside her king, heart brimming with emotion. Her gaze drifted across the sea of faces, landing on her sister. Aekeira was smiling through tears. Just like so many others.Grand King Daemonikai continued, voice firm but warm. “I have already sent word to the twelve human kingdoms, informing their kings that the humans here are no longer captives, but allies of Urai. From this moment, no harm shall befall you—not by royal decre
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIDaemonikai delayed just outside the dungeon corridor until he heard Zaiper’s first blood-curdling scream. Only then did he walk away from the dungeon hallway. He soon stopped hearing them. Almost a regret.He had instructed the guards to move Zaiper to the deepest, most fortified cell to keep his torture from disrupting the tranquility of the Citadel. But now, for the first time, he wondered about the wisdom of it.Reaching his bedchamber, the scene greeting him caused him to pause.There on the couch, Emeriel sat in sleep's soft embrace, holding their son, Daesovxscar, against her chest. His small mouth had slipped from her breast, milk dotting the taut, dark nipple still exposed to the cool air. Her arms held him close, even in sleep.Daemonikai’s mouth went dry.He was not a male to steal his youngling’s food—he had never done so before—but in the past few days, the thought had settled into his mind like an unsealed scroll. It was all he thought about.“Your H
“Yes,” the male continued coolly. “Vladya feels whole now. The male you always mocked for being cursed, then took away his bondmate. But she returned to him, not merely as a lover who may be compatible with him, but as his fated mate.” Daemonikai’s lips twitched. “Then there’s you. Hanging here like a carcass in my dungeon. With a dead lover, no heir, no legacy. No throne.”Zaiper’s scream tore from deep within his soul. “DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HIM!”“Who? Oh you mean the dead lover?” Daemonikai smirked, adding with a drawl. “I never did tell you, did I? Just how good it felt to kill him.”Zapier struggled even harder. One leg jerked so hard, causing the chain to snap taut, nearly dislocating him, but Zaiper didn’t care, writhing and snarling like a feral.“His spine snapping in two as it struck my knees… that sound... it stayed with me for months. It had a better tone than even the harp.”“Fuck you, Daemonikai! I’ll fucking kill you!” Zaiper was out of control, spitting rage with
“You’ve no idea how fun it was. Playing you like a puppet, note by note, from the sidelines, with you none the wiser. It was... exquisite.” His grin was unrepentant. “But don’t blame me too much, Daemonikai. The real culprit was your pride. You believed yourself invincible. Too strong to be touched, too feared to be challenged. And because of that arrogance, you gave someone like me the perfect opening.”He let out a wheezing cough of amusement. “The Dragaxlovs have always sought the throne, but the Naelzharoth was too powerful. My grandfather shared with me that it was his lifelong dream to sit on the First Throne, yet every minor scheme he attempted to wrest it from your grandfather failed. He was a coward, you see, just like the rest of them.” Zaiper sighed. “Even at a hundred, I knew I was different from those spineless relics. I knew I would achieve great things, and I knew you would assist me. Your casual dismissal, that prideful superiority… always a Naelzharoth, viewing the re