PRINCESS AEKEIRAHe recognized me.Relief crashed into Aekeira. Tears burned her eyes."Who e-else would it be?" she choked out.She felt the brush of his nose against her neck, and tilted her head to the side, giving him better access. A long, slow inhale."This feels like a dream," he growled."It’s not. I’m here, in Urai." Unable to hold back any longer, she spun around, and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close. "I’m here."He stilled.Then, he was hugging her back. His arms encircling her waist, crushing her to him. One was a hand, the other a large, furred paw with sharp, elongated claws.Aekeira didn’t flinch. She didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was here…and he remembered her."Aekeira…" He breathed. She had never heard so many emotions wrapped into a single word. "My Aekeira."That sob tore from her throat. She clung to him tighter, burying her face in his neck. His scent, clean and familiar, filled her senses.And for the first time in years, she fe
PRINCESS AEKEIRAEverything hurt. Seeing him again hurt, like tearing open an old wound. Seeing his incredibly handsome face, reliving the past, remembering the pain, it was excruciating.Knowing she was still going to lose him again soon, that she would have to go through that same pain all over again... was ten times excruciating. She was already losing him, bit by bit.One of his hands was now a paw, and Aekeira dreaded to imagine where the shift ended beneath his robes. I can’t do this again. She had thought she could handle it. She had thought she was ready to face the past again. But now, standing before him, she realized how unprepared she was.She wasn't ready. Lord Vladya rose too. “Don’t leave, Aekeira.” He took a step towards her.Aekeira shook her head, "Please don't."She had to leave, because even though she wasn’t ready to face this all over again, she still wanted him. Pathetic, isn't it?She still craved to see his face.Yearned to be in his arms again.Listen t
Emeriel’s breathing quickened in the silent room as her eyes drank him in. Ravenously devouring every detail of him.Control yourself, Emeriel. There was no bond to blame now. This is all you. Have some restraint.Easier said than done.She was grateful to be alone with him. No one could see how hard she struggled. How difficult it was to be in the same room with him again.The effort it took not to rush across the room and collapse on top of him, just to feel his body against hers one more time.The memories were the hardest.Those stolen nights in his arms, tucked away at the cottage, making love after love. The fog of heat and the passage of time had blurred the memories, and she had survived by blocking them. But now, here in this room with him, the years shrunk and disappeared, and it felt like yesterday.The memories that had once been hazy were suddenly vivid, flashing very clearly.Emeriel’s whole body shook.She stumbled back out of the room, closing the door behind her. Lea
Daemonikai’s heart clenched. He shoved down the feelings stirring inside him.The emotions he thought he had buried long ago."I don’t like it. Reality has no place here." he said. "I want to stay here with you." "No, you don’t.” Evie stopped walking, turning to face him fully again. “Guilt is a cruel companion, it tarnishes even the most beautiful things.""This is the second time you are saying that," Daemonikai noted, a frown creasing his brow."Guilt drives you, dearest. Not because of our deaths, but because you care for her." Evie raised a hand when he opened his mouth to protest. "Let me finish, please. You believe you dishonor me by acknowledging these feelings. You would rather remain here, not because you truly want to be here, but because reality is more tempting. You're not sure how much longer you can fight what you feel. And fight you think you should... because if you don't, you feel guilty for replacing us. Replacing me."That was as preposterous as it was untrue. Dae
"When she left, she took all the color with her, drowning my world in black and white. I never realized how brightly she lit up my life, from the first day I met her as Galilea, until she was gone." Daemonikai admitted.Admitting it aloud for the first time was like shedding twelve heavy cloaks Daemonikai hadn't known he was wearing."Oh...dearest, I know." Evie gave a kind, watery smile. Taking his hand, they walked along the shore, the waves lapping gently at their feet. "I know you better than you know yourself, Daemon.He breathed deeply, the air suddenly feeling lighter, fresher. He could finally say it without drowning in sorrow, without the rain of guilt.It was exhilarating. "I don’t know what I ever did to deserve a woman like you, Evie." Daemonikai said sincerely."I was the lucky one." she exhaled a slow breath."Always have been.""Galilea made me feel strange things. But I was okay with it, for it distracted me from my misery. That was, until I found out why she made me
Daemonikai absorbed her words, letting them wash over him. A profound silence settled between them, broken only by the rhythmic crash of the waves."Do you know why your soul is dying, beloved?" Evie asked.Yes, he did.Daemonikai had always told himself it was because of his grief. That was the story he had clung to when the symptoms first showed.But deep down inside, where the sun never touched, barricaded by walls and locked with an iron key, he knew the truth. Of course, he did.It was because of Emeriel.She was his greatest loss. And that, had sent his guilt into overdrive.Evie nodded, his silence confirmation enough. "Now, will you go to your Soulbond and reconcile with her? I hope you make things right with her. When the time is right, your spirit will return here, not because your soul is dying, but to say goodbye. And then, your sons will be ready."Daemonikai came to a stop, turning to look at her once more. It had always been easy to talk to Evie. While others saw him
PRINCESS AEKEIRAGrand Lord Vladya kissed Aekeira again.All her resistance melted away like wax under a flame, pooling at her feet. Pressing her body against his, she met his tongue with hers, kissing him back hungrily even as her tears kept running free.Light-gods, she has missed him so much.Just like the first time, their kiss went on forever. Aekeira forgot to breathe entirely, losing track of everything yet again.By the time he broke the kiss, she was gasping for air. No longer pinned against the wall, she found herself lying on a thick, blanket-like covering, Lord Vladya half atop her.Through a hole in the cave’s roof, the afternoon sunlight streamed in, casting golden rays across them. Where had the morning gone?Eyes heavy-lidded, body humming with desire, Aekeira could barely think straight.“I want you,” she confessed in a whisper, greedily drinking in the sight of him.Lord Vladya stared at her mouth. "I want you too, Aekeira, so much," he growled, but then, to her surp
"With everything in me. Some days, resisting was as hard as chewing rocks. I have never felt so deprived…until I wanted you but couldn’t go and get you. I could only hope that one day you would return to me."Aekeira's eyes watered. Her heart sang."But I’m terrified to hope." Lord Vladya admitted as he stepped closer, and inhaled her scent. "What if I let myself hope you were mine, and you turn out not to be, like the others…"It would break him beyond repair. Aekeira knew it. She could hear it in his voice.And it terrified her too.Aekeira wanted to be his. Had dreamt of it for years. But dreams were one thing; reality was another. Emeriel was the Syren… and the truth was, Aekeira was not like Em.So what if there was an obvious, irresistible attraction between them? What if his very being craved hers so deeply that his basic instincts went dormant in her absence? So what if she loved this male more than life itself, and he was now staring at her as if his entire world revolved aro
“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