Chapter 8

Amon's POV

I shouldn't have kissed her. Why the hell did I kiss her? I don't want her to get the wrong idea about me. She considers me a friend. It's just that, she was so terrified after those men almost raped her. I just wanted to take her mind off of it. The kiss wasn't planned. It just happened. The worse part about it, I actually enjoyed kissing Raven.

After the kiss, all I did was hold her in my arms. We waited for the storm to pass but it didn't look like it was going to stop. So when the rains eased up, I helped her back to the village. After what they did, I honestly didn't want to leave her there, but Raven told me that it would be alright. I knew she was scared even though she wasn't showing it. It has been a week since the incident.

Now I was in my castle, laying on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. There was something that confused me when we kissed. It's been bothering me for the entire week. I won't deny that I have kissed more women than I can count but when Raven and I kissed, it felt different. My heart started to pound in my chest and the only thing I could think of was her. That never happened before.

"Your majesty?" Marax said, entering my chambers.

He stood by my closed door until I motioned him to come closer. I propped myself up to look at him. Once in front of me, he bowed.

"What is it Marax?"

"The prisoner is requesting an audience with you sir." He deadpanned.

I sat up, blinking at him. Did I just hear him correctly? My prisoner wanted to talk to me. That's rare. He hasn't spoken to anyone in years.

"Did he say why?" I asked, getting off the bed.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry sir. He wouldn't say. He did say that it was urgent that he saw you."

Sighing, I pulled on a jeans and shirt. Shoving my feet in the nearest shoe, I headed out my chambers with Marax following me. We walked down the long hall, hundreds of corners, a thousand stairs and into the darkness. We made our way to the dungeons.

The area was cold. Frost forming on the walls. Even though Raum was hot enough to melt mountains in a second, the dungeons of my castle was cold enough to freeze hell. Along the walls were chains and shackles. Dried, fresh and frozen blood were on the walls and floor. There was a fresh trail of blood, that was quickly freezing, leading to one of the dungeons door.

My prisoners didn't complain. They couldn't. The moment the uttered one word in complaint, their tongues were removed. Think what you want about me. I had to be this way. The previous king was too soft. He disobeyed the laws of his ancestors.

I guess I should explain the workings of my kingdom. The throne of Raum is passed down through the generations of Valac bloodline. The first king set rules that kept the demon world separated from the humans. We weren't allowed to have associations with them. They left us alone. We left them alone. The last king, King Ronove Valac, broke the rules of his forefathers. Since he had no heir, the strongest warrior in the kingdom was chosen to be the next king. And that would be me.

Rounding the corner, I stopped in front of the largest door in my dungeon. Marax opened the door for me and I entered. I may torture my prisoners but I wasn't a cruel king. They were given the opportunity to have a bath, as long as they didn't try to escape. They were also given two meals a day.

The prisoner was seated on his bed in a lotus position. His eyes were closed and his hands were clenched on the bed at his sides. Even though I say he's my prisoner, he never acted like one. He was too obedient. It was strange actually. It was like he knew what he did and accepted all the punishment that went with it.

"King Amon. It's nice to see you." He greeted me, opening his eyes.

His cobalt blue orbs stared at me. He had long black hair and a two days growth on his face. Unlike the rest of the demons who had a little colour to their skin, he was ghostly pale. I felt the power hum in the room, causing the hair at the back of my neck to stand.

I won't lie. The man before me was extremely powerful. Each demon have their own power. But those who are born in the Valac bloodline, had power to split and merge worlds. When the heir became king, they were given their ancestors powers as well. When I was chosen to be the new king, I was only able to receive half of the power since I wasn't the true heir. I didn't have the Valac blood in me.

"You did call for me. What do you need?"

"How is that human village that you torment?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, a smile on his face.

He called me down here for that?! I should kill this man. But I won't. I needed him alive. You see the man before me was the former king. If I were to kill him, the power I received when I became king would return to the ancestors.

"Ronove, what do you want?" I asked pissed. "You requested this audience with me. It's been almost eighteen years since you spoke to me."

"Almost eighteen years since you were given my throne."

"You abandoned it when you decided to fuck a human and be with her!"

He looked down at my words. That's right. We weren't allowed to have romantic or even a sexually relation with humans. Yet here the past king abandoned his throne for a mere mortal woman.

"I called you here because I wanted to see her." He said after a long silence.

Was he insane?! If I didn't need him alive I would have bashed his skull in.

"I heard she died seventeen years ago." I deadpan. His eyes widened at my words. He flew off the bed and was in front of me in seconds. He was a tall man of six feet two inches, but still shorter than my height of six feet four inches. He grabbed the front of my shirt, pulling me down to his level.

"Say it isn't true! Amon say that you are telling lies!"

He sounded desperate. I wish I could have helped him, but I couldn't.

"I'm sorry. But I have not lied. The villagers killed her. I knew I shouldn't have, but I ensured she was buried."

He released my shirt at my words. He looked frozen in shock. "And the baby. Did they kill the baby as well?"

Baby? What baby? I looked at him like he was an idiot. Was he an idiot?

"What baby Ronove?" I asked, stalking towards him.

He stood his ground. "The woman I fucked, as you so kindly put, had given birth to my child. A baby girl. If memory serves, her eighteenth birthday is approaching. And you know what that means."

"Yes I'm aware of it."

When the heir to the throne turns eighteen, they were given the choice to either take the throne then, or wait until their father is dead. Which ever one they chose, they receive the power of their ancestors through a ritual. If what Ronove said is true, then he has a female heir. The first female heir in the history of the Valacs.

"You have a child Ronove?" I asked uncertain.

The bastard had the audacity to roll his eyes at me. "Yes Amon I have a child if she is still alive."

"Do you know her name?"

"Raven. She has my black hair and dual coloured eyes. Her right eyes is blue while her left eye is red." Is it me or did he just describe Raven to me? He did, didn't he. I felt as though time stopped. I couldn't answer him. Of course his daughter was alive. I've been with her for almost twelve years. And her life has not been easy. Without another word, I walked out his dungeon, locking the door as I closed it.

I wasn't aware that I was moving. But the next thing I knew, I was back in my master chambers, staring at my bed. Well actually I was staring off into space. I couldn't comprehend what I just heard. Please tell me I heard wrong. I would give anything to not hear what I heard. My Raven is the daughter of Ronove Valac. That means she's half demon. That means she's the rightful heir to the throne.

"Your majesty? Are you alright?" Marax's words cut through my over working mind.

Trying to regain my composure, I turned to look at Marax. "I am fine. Did you overhear our conversation?"

"No sir. I walked away once you were inside. You told me never listen to your conversations."

That's true. I did tell him that. I just wanted to make sure. I didn't want him to know about Raven. They know I go to the human world, but not for what.

"Thank you. That will be all for the night Marax."

"Very well sir."

He bowed and walked out my chambers. When he was gone, I suddenly felt the urge to see Raven. Opening a portal to the human realm, I entered it. I emerged from the crater and looked around. I was in the forest at the back of Raven's hut. She would know I was here by now.

I sat on the over growing roots of a near by tree while waiting for her. After a few minutes, Raven came running into the forest. When she saw me, she threw herself at me. I caught her, holding her close to me. I buried my face in her hair while she wrapped her arms around my neck.

I am such a hypocrite. Ronove was prosecuted for having relations with a human. Yet here I am doing the exact same thing. But if Raven really is his daughter, she would be half demon. I'm falling in love with Ronove's child, aren't I? Oh no. It's not that I'm falling. I've already fallen for her. Why else would I be the way I am with her?

"Ami. You're here. You didn't come in a week. I was worried. I thought I did something to get you mad." Raven said pulling back to look at me.

She didn't do anything wrong. "Little Raven. You didn't do anything. It was me. I'm the one who kissed you. You are an innocent and I was..."

My words were cut off when her lips pressed against mine. Acting on instinct, I kissed her. Moving my hands from her hips, up to her hair. Knotting my fingers in her hair, I angled my mouth to deepen the kiss. She gasped, giving my tongue access. Raven pulled back to breathe.

Have mercy! I just kissed her again! Well she did kiss me first. But the point is we kissed. Raven cupped my face and made me look at her.

"Ami, it's okay. I liked the kiss." She said, her cheeks turning a bright red. She leaned down and kissed me again. I wanted to push her away but I didn't. Kissing her should be okay. Raven pulled back. Placing my hand on her cheek, I traced her lips.

Sighing, I dropped my hand and leaned my head back on the tree trunk. I fixed Raven's legs so that she was straddling me. She placed her head on my chest. Running my fingers through her hair, we stayed like that.

"Ami, what are you thinking?" "I'm thinking that I want to take you away from here."

"That would be nice. But you can't."

"Why can't I?"

"The village chef is planning something. It concerns me. I just don't know what it is."

"That's all the more reason to take you away from here."

Pulling back, she looked at me. She shook her head. "Please. Let me stay here for a little while again."

She's begging me to stay in a village where she is abused and the men try to rape her. I didn't answer her. I pulled her to me and held her close to my chest. We stayed in silence for a long time.

I'm going to have to tell her about her parents. But how do I do that? The day for the sacrifice is approaching. Which is also the day of her birthday. I won't be able to see her for the three days after.

While thinking about what to do, Raven started to fall asleep. I gently shook her awake and carried her back to the entrance of the forest. Setting her down, I waited for her to leave. She didn't. Not immediately.

She tiptoed and placed her lips on mine. I smiled against her lips before returning her kiss. When she pulled back, her face was bright red.

"I will see you tomorrow right?" She asked biting her lips like she was unsure of my answer.

"I will meet you at dawn by the waterfall." She grinned up at me before wrapping her arms around my waist. I reciprocated the embrace. We kissed one last time before she finally left.

I watched as she entered her tiny hut. Once she was safely inside, I left. Concerning her mother, I know what I will do. The day I return after the sacrifice, I will take her to her mother's grave. It's the least I could do. I had no idea that her mother was the woman I buried for Ronove.

I opened a crater and returned to the castle. I have acknowledged my feelings for her. I just don't know how she feels. I guess only time will tell.