by R. Scarlett
Slowly, Lilith turned to them and smiled.
“We will anoint the heir of High Court, to bless him with steel bones and an iron soul. To wash him in our sins so he absorbs them into his new flesh and to be reborn a beast. May he honor Sonolios and chase his maiden into the darkness. May his blood be a sign of cruelty, not compassion,” she recited, her voice loud and strong, echoing against the high cathedral ceilings.
Molly swallowed, fixing her grip on her baby and watching Lilith carefully. Each step she took, Molly’s stomach tightened to the point of pain.
When she stood right in front of them, her gaze piercing Molly’s, she gestured to Illya.
“Hand me the child,” Lilith demanded. “His skin cannot be tainted by you anymore.”
Molly gritted her teeth and gave her a sour look.
Murmurs filled the room, the court watching, waiting for one to move, one to strike.
Tensley stepped forward, half-blocking Molly and lifted his hand. “I will do it.”
Molly breathed out shakily at that and watched as Lilith begrudgingly handed over the bowl. She flashed Molly one final look and stepped back.
Tensley turned to face her, his large hands holding the porcelain bowl, the water wetting the tips of his tanned fingers.
He edged forward, towering over her, the baby in-between their two frames and bent his head over hers.
“This is simply blessed water. Nothing that will harm our baby,” he whispered to her and her shoulders relaxed. She glanced up at him through her lashes, seeing his bowed head, his dark hair falling over his eyes as he stared down at their son.
She wanted to kiss him then, the desire so strong she had to bite the inside of her cheek and tasted the iron blood.
Slowly, he lifted one hand and dipped his fingers in the water. She watched the water ripple gently, and just as slowly, he lifted them out, droplets of water sticking to his fingertips.
His hand moved and it hovered above Illya’s dark hair. A few droplets fell onto his forehead and he wiggled in her arms. Gently, Tensley’s fingers descended and smoothed across his son’s forehead. The droplets rolled down his head, drenching his hair.
“Awaken the ruthless beast, to bless his bones and his blood with iron and steel, and to soak him in the sins of our fathers,” he spoke, lowly, but with the dead silence of the court, every single member heard him clearly. One single stroke of his wet fingers on his forehead and he let his hand drop. “I’ll take him.”
Molly met his calm dark eyes and she felt the thunder deep inside of her. One look and she was his once again.
She passed the baby into his strong arms and he cradled him, without an ounce of worry when Illya cried out at the sudden movement. But soon he calmed, clinging to his father and turned to face the court, displaying the son of their king.
Each member bowed, a wave of men and women crouching to their knees and lowering their heads in respect.
Two people, however, didn’t bow.
Lilith and the prince.
Molly’s chest felt heavy at the mere sight of the demons on their knees in front of her husband and her son.
Tensley turned and came to her side, his head jerking to the side. “Come.”
Molly frowned but followed him as he marched beyond the thrones and to the balcony, situated at the front of the stone palace.
As soon as they entered into the sunlight, the thick crowd below them roared so loudly Molly flinched.
The wind blew her hair in front of her face and her heart raced, eyeing the excited crowd.
“They came to see him,” he told her, stroking Illya’s back. When she glanced at him, he was watching her, his head lowered next to their son’s. “The son of a demon and a daemon.”
With that, he lifted Illya and the crowd roared, throwing their arms up. The power of their cheers vibrated through Molly.
The power their son already held, the fascination he generated in people, astonished her, but also made her stomach twist painfully tight.
Tensley cradled him back into his arms and when they turned away, he swept a kiss onto his forehead. A forbidden gesture, but it melted her heart until she could hardly breathe.
Illya stirred, whining and his eyes fluttered.
Molly glanced quickly up at Lilith, only a few steps away and simply gauging her expression told her what she feared.
Lilith had seen his rare blue eyes.
“His eyes,” Lilith said, so loud the entire room behind her grew silent. “He’s a daemon. He has the daemon eyes.”
Tensley’s jaw squared. “Yes, he is. Half demon, half daemon.”
Lilith couldn’t look away from the infant in his arms and it made Molly’s stomach tighten in worry.
Tensley glared at Lilith and continued to move down the aisle, Molly at his side.
She’d protect them both.
With her life.
TENSLEY EYED EACH court member that dared to near him and his family. Lilith had insisted on yet another banquet, justifying it as a celebration of Illya’s anointing. All he wanted to do was get Molly and their son home safe. The longer they stayed, the more dangerous the situation became.
Lilith appeared all sweet, but he wasn’t a stupid man. He knew she hadn’t forgotten about their last conversation.
It didn’t look like she had told the court about the curse just yet, but he wouldn’t put it past her to announce it when he and his close family were present.
He would protect them though. No one would approach them without his approval.
He watched as the prince sat across from him, his eyes dark with an anger that boiled beneath his skin.
Illya whined in Molly’s arms. She was sitting beside him and at the sound, she brought him close to her face, speaking to him softly.
“Is he okay?” Tensley asked, lowly, his gaze fixated on the surrounding tables—of the members chatting between themselves, stealing glances at the high table.
Molly cooed at the baby. “I think he’s just sleepy.”
His hand crept onto her thigh and squeezed. “Both of you need rest.”
She scowled at him, but her hand underneath the table squeezed his back. “Are you staying here?”
He clenched his jaw. “I’m not sure. I should.”
She nodded, but he knew it tore her up inside, just as it did him.
“I’d give anything to fall asleep beside you each night,” he whispered, stroking up her thigh and he felt her shudder under his touch.
He looked over at her and he could tell by the soft look in her eyes, she wanted to kiss him, to touch his cheek, but she held herself back. In front of the court, he was the beast, never the man.
But behind closed doors, he was hers.
Beast and man.
Completely.
Sinfully.
Hers.
Illya fussed and Molly sighed. “I think he’s getting hungry, too. I’m going to go to your bedchamber to feed him, okay?”
Tensley pushed out of his chair. “I’ll escort you.”
Molly fought a smile forming on her mouth and he helped her stand, placing a hand on the small of her back. They stepped off the platform and moved toward the hallway.
“My king,” Lilith’s voice disturbed his thoughts and he looked to see her approach them. Her eyes went to the baby fussing in Molly’s arms. “The members and I would like to see the baby. To judge for ourselves what power he holds.”
Tensley’s grip tightened and he glowered at her. “There will be no need. He is my son. Therefore, he is the prince.”
Molly pressed the baby to her chest, not hiding her scowl.
Lilith smiled thinly. “If you wish to keep that crown upon your head, you will hand over the baby.” She stretched out her hands and stepped forward.
Molly glared at her hands for a long moment and then shook her head. “You’re not touching my son.”
The crowd had quieted at the vicious sound of Molly’s voice.
Lilith’s smile tw
itched and she shook her hands out. “You will. You are not above this court. You are not above me.”
“I am the king,” Tensley hissed, stepping in front of Molly, guarding, shielding her from this fucking nonsense. “I am above you, and I say no. You are not touching our son.”
“You are nothing but a mere pawn in my court. You hold no real power over these people, over me, and you know it,” Lilith snapped. “I may have viewed you as a worthy king once, a worthy mate, but I can hear that wicked heart inside of you pounding, beating and it sickens me. It disturbs me how my dead husband ripped your iron heart out months ago and she’s already infected you again. How fast you fall, how fast you bow to a whore, to a traitor.” Her eyes shifted past him, but he moved so she couldn’t see Molly. He felt the rage wrap around his throat and wrists, chaining him to the spot. He wanted to rip her head off. He wanted to shred her to bits and pieces.
“Back down,” he barked, barring his teeth.
“The beast, your wicked-so-called king,” Lilith said, so loudly, for every single member of court to hear, “has a heart. It pounds viciously inside of him, weakening him, making him crave things a demon should not. If he rules us, if he leads us, he will force us to damnation and disgrace. Think of your slaves, think of the filth that lives outside the walls of this castle. Workers, commoners, outsiders. They are no better than this king. What will they think if they see him ruling over us? What kind of image of us will this give them? That we are weak, that we are not above them, that our blood doesn’t run purer than theirs. They will revolt against us, they will seek more power. We must not let them, we must not keep a king that reflects badly on our lineage, on our blood and prestige. ”
The crowd murmured, casting glares his way.
She was turning them against him. She wanted him to bow down, to submit. He wouldn’t. Not when he needed as much power as possible to protect his family.
“Within this reformed beast lives a heart that must be destroyed at once, for if it is, his life will be forever ended,” she snapped and lunged.
He braced himself, lowering so she slammed against his shoulder and he shoved her back.
They propelled into the marble slabs, breaking under their powerful bodies and she scratched him deep across his cheek.
He shoved himself off the ground, the crowd parted on either side. He stole a glance toward Molly and saw Seto had gone to her side, protecting her in case any members got an idea to attack her.
But he knew she could hold her own.
Unlike the court. They had no idea what power rumbled beneath her bones.
Lilith, in her silky gown, held her head high, her delicate hands fisting beside her. “May the one to kill the king come out victorious once and for all,” she roared.
“You want the beast,” he roared back, rolling his shoulders back, the power thumping through him like a lightning bolt. “You can have him.”
He moved—fast, uncontrollable, and struck—over and over—her body warring against his, slashing her nails across his stomach, his chest. Digging deep so she reached bones and muscles and tore.
“Tensley,” he heard Molly gasp.
And then he gasped as Lilith dug deep into his chest—and clenched his heart.
Fuck.
If someone is to rip your heart out once again, you will die. You will not come back.
And now the queen of snakes had her hand wrapped around his pumping heart.
The fucking curse rippled through his mind. If she did, if she clenched his heart even tighter and pulled back, he’d be dead.
His heart pounded faster.
MOLLY’S OWN HEART clenched in horror as Lilith punctured Tensley’s chest. Seto gripped her arm and held her back.
It was all too familiar.
She had seen the exact same thing happen before her very eyes only months ago.
Only this wasn’t Fallen, this was Lilith.
And the man she loved would die if his heart were ripped out once more.
“Do not move,” Seto hissed back at her.
Molly dug her nails into his back and gritted her teeth.
All the color left Tensley’s face and he stood stiffly, and the fierce beast was now caged.
“Ah, your heart is strong,” Lilith hummed and Tensley’s brow furrowed in pain as her hand moved inside his chest. He tensed when her fingers squeezed. “One small move and your iron heart is mine, little pawn. Forever and always.”
The crowd grew deadly silent, witnessing the chance of their king’s death.
Molly couldn’t catch her breath and Illya cried in her ear. Panic clawed inside of her.
She had just got him back and now their future was threatened once again.
“Rip it out,” Tensley snapped at her, the beast peeking from his dark gaze.
Lilith straightened her back and sneered at him. “I thought I would reign over your beast, but she has already destroyed him. Tamed him so he wields to only her sweet voice. Your son—your son is a daemon and a demon. He has potential and the court has agreed…that he will rule. That I will raise him and nurture him into a true beast. Any member of high court would tell you, a king’s son is never his. He belongs to the court, and only the court can choose of his fate Just ask my son,” she said with a wicked smile.
Tensley snarled at her.
She clenched his heart again and his entire body seized, his hands rolling into fists beside him.
“Mother,” the prince hissed, moving into Molly’s line of sight. He edged closer, one hand lifted slightly as if to reach out and touch her.
“Stand down,” Lilith hissed at her son, her eyes swinging to him. “I will reign.”
The prince scowled at her.
“Hand me the baby,” Lilith spoke, her eyes focused on Tensley before her.
Molly frowned, bringing Illya to her chest as he grunted. She wouldn’t give up her son, but Tensley…
Warmth gathered in her eyes.
When Molly didn’t budge, Lilith squeezed Tensley’s heart so tight he screamed out in white-hot pain.
Molly flinched as the baby cried.
“Bring me the baby or I’ll rip his heart out,” she snapped, her pear white teeth barred in anger. “And you can well and truly say good bye to your fairytale, little whore.”
Molly stared at Lilith before she slowly glanced at Tensley.
He looked back at her, sweat building on his ruthless, heavy brows and on his top lip.
Tensley’s gaze struck her deep to her core, to a place only he lived inside of and she clenched her jaw, aching to cry out in anger, pain and rage.
A look so soft, so tender even a beast would be moved.
A look that asked for forgiveness.
A look only one who knew they would die would give to the one they loved.
His wrath lurked beneath the surface, but his heart was there. Full and powerful and beautiful and in the hands of a monster.
“Don’t move, Molly,” he told her, his voice low, husky, everything she loved and craved. “Don’t hand over our son, Molly. Never. I’ll… I’d die for the both of you.”
She glared at him and before she could speak, Lilith snarled back at him.
“Give me him!” Lilith roared, all the blood rushing to her face, the veins in her neck bulging in rage.
Molly glared at her, unable to move, unable to breathe, and the baby continued to sob.
Lilith snarled, stomping a foot and looked toward the crowd. “Take the baby from her. Now!”
For a moment, no one moved. Then a guard stepped forward, marching to Molly with determination.
Molly felt the icy sensation—deep inside of her veins, inside of her core and once the guard entered into her line of sight, inches away from her, she snapped.
Her eyes glowed and the guard stopped mid-step, his muscles freezing, his leg straining to move against her power.
But she wouldn’t let him.
She took one step forward and raised her head, her eyes drilling i
nto his and he lowered, onto his knees, grunting, groaning as she controlled his movements.
The crowd grew loud with murmurs and Lilith glared at the guard.
“Stand!” she commanded him, but he shook his head, unable to move, unable to speak. “Useless piece of trash, stand!” she roared again.
“He can’t,” Molly bit out.
Lilith barred her teeth. “Get her. Now!”
More guards moved toward her, but each time they neared Molly, she summoned that icy strength, forcing them to kneel in front of her.
She moved another step closer.
“You will remove your hand from around my husband’s heart,” Molly demanded, her voice soft, but with an edge of a threat no one could miss. “And you will kneel before us.”
Lilith snapped her head back to Tensley and gripped hard, a brutal cry escaping his lips.
“Stay where you are, whore. Or I’ll rip his precious heart out,” Lilith said, watching Tensley’s pain stricken face. “And I’ll devour it in front of you.” She licked her lips, as if she was imagining how it would taste. “Just like Fallen would have done.”
Tensley caught Molly’s gaze. “Stand down.”
Molly shook her head, the icy sensation overwhelming her senses. She was on a warpath and she wanted blood.
“Hand over the baby,” Lilith snapped once again, her footing becoming restless the more Molly neared, the more Molly stopped each guard summoned.
Only a few more steps and she’d be right in front of her.
“You tried to destroy us, you tried to ruin us,” Molly spoke, fisting her hands beside her. “But you failed. Time and time again. I will never leave his side. I will never give up my son. Someone once told me that when none of the options sounded appealing, to create your own,” she said, her eyes briefly falling upon the prince.
“His heart is mine,” Lilith hissed and began to tug at Tensley’s chest. Tensley's body shook in pain and Molly paused, her breath catching in her throat. “I am the queen. I am the queen of High Court and you hold no power over me, you fucking whore.”
Molly smiled faintly and tilted her head to the side, her eyes still glowing vividly. “I am the queen and I will bow to no one. Including you. A viper like you. You may have venom Lilith, but so do I. Let’s see whose venom is the more poisonous.”