"Lady Veronica!" The butler called for his name and bowed to greet her in haste. Rose, who was watching from afar, remembered the name being talked by the two maids. She was described to be the woman who was close to Dominic and even the maids implied their relationships states more than just a simple friend. Rose didn't feel like it was right to approach them who appeared to be in a deep conversation. She noticed the tear stain on Lady Veronica's eyes and her lips that continuously muttering underneath her breaths. Rose also felt it was not right for her to listen to their conversation from afar. It was better to ask about the lady later, thought Rose and she turned her body away without knowing that the moment she entered the foyer, her sweet rosey fragrance filled the room in a second and it was all very noticeable to Dominic. He had pulled his hands from Veronica and his head looked around, searching for her presence. "What is wrong?" Veronica questioned but Dominic didn't rep
Dominic could not understand Rose and her thoughts. Although he could see that Rose was far different compared to all the other ladies that Ashley had pushed toward him. It was not money that she wanted, neither fame, she was a simple girl who wanted to help others selflessly. Even though he could see this, Dominic still hadn't fully trusted Rose yet. To him trusting a person was equal as giving his life to that person's hands, allowing them to either protect his heart or destroy it. He was sure that like him, Rose wasn't in love with him. Despite that, there was no woman who would allow her spouse or fiance to have an affair with another woman, yet Rose had easily allowed him to, even giving her permission. Hearing this, Dominic felt a certain annoyance raises from the bottom of his heart. Is this how little Rose cared about him? So much that she didn't mind him sleeping with another woman? "A mistress?" Dominic's furrowed eyebrows tightened its knit. "Do you see me as such a man
Lady Ashley's face appeared to be marred with anger but once they met eyes, Rose saw the woman's gaze softened. She paced forward from the side of the cupboard with a teacup and a teapot on both of her hands together.Her dress swept the ground beneath and each click of her shoes put Rose into a tense air. She could feel the difference of the woman's smile and her cold attitude clearer than before."How is it so far, Rose?" Lady Ashley questioned.Deep inside, Rose wondered. Is it normal for Lady Ashley to bring her alone to meet her in order to ask such question? It felt as though the woman was waiting for something wrong to happen to her."It has been a pleasurable stay, milady. There is nothing more that I could ask for from the castle," replied Rose politely and she could see the judgy gaze from the lady who began to sip her tea without offering her one."Yet I heard you had complained about the servants here?" Lady Ashley pointed out.Rose expected this would come to their conver
Rose couldn't understand what the lady had spoken. Dominic's appearance changed? A beast?"Is this a joke?" Rose can't help but ask. She could feel it was real as she saw Lady Ashley's face was filled with a genuine horror.The silence woke Rose that the lady wasn't joking."What do you mean? I don't— I don't understand," Rose said and the lady opened her lips, covering it with her hands to hid her grin."Dominic began to change his appearance when he was fifteen. All that happened was unknown and we never discovered how the curse had affected him but it always happens during the full moon. You might not believe me, dear but what I say is the truth."Rose shook her head, her green eyes darting to Lady Ashley and narrowed faintly, "What do you mean by changing? What did he changed into?""He—"A knock rang across the room of Lady Ashley's room and Rose heard a sharp click of tongue coming from the lady. Rose's eyes went to look at the lady who had a faint smile, "Go and see what it is
Rose noticed how everywhere Dominic had invited to, the place would be shrouded with danger and mystery. Oddly, she didn't fear where she was going with him. There was a trust between them that she acquired after she saw by her own eyes how Dominic had always saved her from the dangerous moments around her.They went through a short carriage ride and stopped by the time it was dark to a large, luxurious mansion. From inside the carriage, she sneaked out her head from the window to look at the mansion and noticed a few carriages outside the tall iron gate.Was it a private party? She wondered to herself, not noticing the magnetic gaze from the man sitting across of her.Dominic grinned when seeing her curious expression. Throughout the ride, he had done nothing but entertain himself in watching Rose's expression and her actions.Like a little mouse let out open to a new world, her brilliant green eyes were filled with many emotions as she discover her surroundings. Other than her expre
Dominic looked down at the smotheringly noisy old woman. He showed her a smile, a cold one that cause her to shudder in fear. "I would like my midnight to be with her alone."The elderly woman's eyes fell on Rose with a slight startle as though she finally noticed her. "I see she is your compan—""Leave," Dominic dismissed her. His smile had fallen from his lips and the woman know better not to press Dominic or the consequence would fall to her hands. She curtsied and Rose could feel the woman's glare toward her and Dominic despite behaving politely.Rose felt his large hand tugging her, leading her toward the upper case of the stair before pulling out an object toward her. It was a mask. A white mask and a black one."I didn't know it was a masquerade party," she said, about to take the black one which was less conspicuous when Dominic handed the white and golden mask that would cover half of her face to her dainty fingers."It's not but it is a party where you would need this mask.
Rose gulped down her nervousness. Her whole face feel hot despite how cold the room was. Every sound rang on her ears and there came the urge for her to bite on Dominic's hand that held her chin and make a run for it.She held it down, "W- Why are we here?!""As an entertainment," Dominic replied without letting go of her chin, keeping her face to look at all the scene of people making love toward each other. "Was this too much for our poor Rose?"He is crazy! That was no mistaken on this!Rose wanted to bolt out from the place at once! But she was afraid to go alone after understanding what kind of place this mansion was.""How is this an entertainment… this… this is too indecent!" Rose had grown up in a community where the whisper of sex was considered as taboo. The villagers shied away from teaching their children about the action that only married people would do. Rose believed the idea since she was young, thought everything she saw now was too vulgar. "This is not an entertainme
The rules Dominic gave to Rose was simple. He only wanted her not to lie to him and she know that through some ways, Dominic could tell whether it's lie she uttered of the truth.Rose's option was to tell the truth or lie. She swallowed her breaths, "She told me about you and seemed worried about you?""But you are not naive," Dominic sat down and looked at her like a predator to the prey. "You must have noticed how we're not on a good term, don't you?"Rose wasn't blind to the discordance that occurred between Dominic and Lady Ashley. The lady had always showed an open concern, care, and even love to her step son but Rose had also seen those people who could act differently to how they show themselves to be.However, she thought in her mind while looking at him. The room was silent when neither him or her had talked, her voice echoed. "I do. But while I may not be naive, you never told me anything about yourself… how can I trust you?"Dominic hummed as if he agreed but he had no inte
The guests had filled the entrance of the castle faster than how a fire would spread. Colors filled the white walls as not a single place inside was missed from being decorated. Some of the guests gladly greeted Dominic and his wife, Rose. They had acknowledge her soon and even called Dominic “duke”. As soon after the incident, Dominic ruled out is father’s death and take over the duchy, being the new ruler of his fief. “Congratulation on your marriage, I apologize for being late with my words of happiness, Duke Dominic,” said one of the guest, Mr. Hanggs. “It’s nice to see you too, madam Rose.”“Pleasure to meet you,” Rose greeted the man’s words back. “How is the land now to you, Mr. Hanggs?” Dominic asked the wise man who seemed to be quiet. “It does feel different now. I gradually found people who could suddenly fill empty barrel with water as miracle instead of fearing them. I’m also glad to see how wise our King is as he had rooted off all the corrupted royals. Now Essex fee
The ground shook and the impact of the explosion launched both Dominic and Rose backward. When Rose couldn’t hold him tighter anymore, she almost slipped from his back and fell. Seeing that, Dominic changed to his human form, capturing her body even though he was on air and shielded her in a tight hug as they roll down across the cold floor with a harsh thud. Both Shawn and Gallahan was thrown backward. They tried to nail their feet on the floor to no avail as the extreme explosion would had destroyed the entire land if not because of the shield that Gallahan had perfected for years from his life. The entire world turn black for a moment and by the time it turn brighter again, Shawn saw Gallahan who had sprawled across the floor and Balbazor who had been reduced into a scorched human corpse. Even after that however, Balbazor didn’t stop moving. He crawled with his body like a snake, disregarding how his fingers had been turned into ash. No one could ever see his features anymore, o
Gallahan faced off Balbazor alone. It was a crazy feat to not even die after receiving the harmful attack that was made to eradicate humans and Gallahan’s performance so far have shocked everyone including Balbazor himself. “You are agile,” commented Balbazor. “But if this tentacles weren’t around me, I would have destroyed you in seconds by now.” “Making excuses now? When you killed my family with your curse, you were extremely silent. I’ll put that mouth of yours to rest too,” Gallahan quirked a smirked, urging anger and fuming Balbazor. The ancient demon opened his mouth again but this time, Gallahan had a smarter option. Rather than shielding himself, he rushed forward. Balbazor smiled, thinking how foolish this human is for coming on to him face to face but he was startled as he saw Gallahan had dodged his previous explosion attack. This time, Gallahan murmured a spell and a sharp blue light appeared from his hand which went straight directly to Balbazor’s thick neck. The an
“Brother, are we not related?” Young Shawn’s voice echoed against his ears. Dominic looked down at the child that had overheard the conversation of the adult. Gently he wrapped his fingers around his brother’s little ones and gave him a gentle smile, “Does it matter? Nothing will change even if we aren’t related, you will always be my brother.”Back to the present, Dominic found himself yelling at Shawn’s name as Balbazor had thrown a powerful magic at them. Rose’s eyes snapped open, showing the glistening green eyes of her had changed into purple. At the same time she uttered her spell, the wall broke. Dominic took no chance. He jumped from the staircase, landing down his two feet as a wolf and ran after Shawn. Surprisingly, Gallahan had stood in front of Shawn, shielding them both from the explosion. “I told you to stay away child!” Gallahan yelled to Rose who had rebuilt the wall.“I can help you ease the miasma,” she said, convincing the man only to see him frowning in disagre
When Dominic and Rose arrived at the foot of the door, they found that the glow of purple light had stopped and was quickly greeted by the roar of a monster. “It’s Balbazor, the ancient demon,” Rose explained, jumping down from his body. Dominic shook off his fur and turned into his human form, standing right beside her fully clothed. Although there are other pressing matter she couldn’t help and pointed out, “You can be clothed now?” “Hm?” Dominic looked down on himself, “Right I got taught by the other werewolves how to do that the last time we met.” Rose smiled, thinking how surely the relationship between him and his father had evolved into something closer where they could teach and talk to each other eye to eye. Seeing the progress, she felt moved. “Well what is with this Balbazor?” Dominic pushed the door open for her, they both entering the mansion only to feel the ground beneath them shaking. “He is the ancient demon who had formed contract with the first sorceress. She
Gallahan wasn’t daunted by the fact that Balbazor was more than fifth fold of him, looking even bigger and monstrous. Shawn could feel that demon had no pity or hesitation on him, willingly killing anyone who stood on his way. For a moment Shawn questioned how he could ever kill this monstrous being in front of him, finding it abhorrent that his entire instinct yelled that killing it would be close to impossible. Even coming near the monster he could feel the brimming heat that would burn his skin. “Shawn,” Gallahan called his attention to make sure the younger man wouldn’t feel daunted and eaten alive by his own fear. Shawn then watched Gallahan who in comparison seemed to be eagerly waiting for this chance to come his hand. It was something he had been waiting for a long time… finally he could avenge the death of his family who all ended due this demon’s twisted curse! “I want to kill you, you won’t even believe how much I have been looking forward to this day. My heart is beati
Dominic’s silver eyes also noticed the swirl of purple glow from the black mansion and turned his head again to the view before him. “What did you and the Master talked about?” Inquired Dominic while they run through the forest. “I told him that I will do something about the demon inside Isaac if he could help me end my curse but then he surprised me by saying that he doesn’t need help.” Rose responded. “I trust him.” “I do think he is someone who wouldn’t hurt his fellow sorcerer, you weren’t wrong in trusting him,” Dominic encouraged her. “But that sound too good to be true. He always ask people for payment if he help them.” “He did ask for something, he said to continue fooling my demon, Babylion,” uttered Rose. “I asked him why and he told me so he could use Babylion to kill that ancient demon in response.”“So this entire charade is because of him.” Dominic narrowed his eyes. They can’t seem to trust the Master completely, that man would do anything if it means to fulfil his
Shawn’s eyebrows furrowed as he saw a bright purple glow appearing from the room where the master and Isaac had fought in. As the master’s hand had been touched, Isaac had fulfilled his promise to erase the curse that plagued the Master. This should have call for a celebration regardless of the Master’s wish of never leaving the cave. But by fulfilling Isaac’s promise, the demon in him finally demanded for his reward and that reward was… for him to manifest into the world inside his body!When something suddenly clicked in his mind, Shawn bubbled out of anger.“Damn it! Damn it!” Shawn yelled, finally realizing the big mistake that he made by trusting that damn sorcerer king! He rushed out of the room, questioning everything that the sorcerer had done. He first of told him to imbue his magic on the crystal ball as if doing that would help. He said that by calming Isaac, he could convince him to drive out the demon inside. He also claimed that he wouldn’t kill Isaac thus why he had
Rose could feel the dark magic that entered her skin, crawling in such a disgusting way that she wanted to hurl but she couldn’t. There was something that was stopping her from moving and she couldn’t understand it as it felt slightly different when compared to the demonic magic that he uses on her. “Rose, make my life more colorful, won’t you?” Whispered Babylion. “Now go and betray your beloved. I want to see his face twisting in pain. From your memories, he seemed to the most fun to mess with.” Rose wanted to say no, she wanted to yell and disagree with Babylion’s words but she couldn’t move. She then had the sudden idea to play by what Babylion wanted and nodded her head slowly, agreeing that she would betray Dominic while her eyes turning unfocused, looking exactly similar as to someone who had just been bewitched.“Good, now play with me.” Back to the present, Rose run through her thins hands between her hair and pushed the golden locks to the back of her head, she sighed hea