Chapter 5: Devil's Bargain

The days that followed were filled with a tense, oppressive silence. Lucian's presence, even when absent, seemed to loom over the mansion like a storm cloud, thick and heavy with unspoken words. Isabella kept to herself, wandering the long, shadowy corridors and familiarizing herself with the suffocating darkness of Drakmoor. But she couldn't shake the weight of the conversation she'd had with Lucian. His words echoed in her mind, repeating like a curse: _"You're nothing but payment for a bargain struck long ago."_

The truth was out now—her bloodline was responsible for this fate. Her ancestors had made a deal with the devil, and she was the price they paid. But that truth only left her with more questions. What exactly had they bargained for? What was the nature of this curse, and why had it been passed down to her?

She had to know.

Late one night, unable to sleep, Isabella found herself back in the library, a vast room filled with dusty tomes and ancient scrolls. She lit a candle and wandered through the towering shelves, her fingers brushing over the spines of books that looked like they hadn't been touched in centuries. Surely, somewhere in this mansion there was a record of the deal that had condemned her family.

As she searched, her thoughts kept drifting back to Lucian. She had seen the cracks in his cold facade, the hints of a deeper pain that lay beneath the surface. He might hate her, but she couldn't deny the connection between them. They were both trapped in this cursed existence, their fates intertwined whether they liked it or not.

Isabella's fingers stopped on the spine of an ancient, leather-bound book. It was worn, the title barely legible, but something about it caught her eye. She pulled it from the shelf and brought it to the table, opening it carefully. The pages were yellowed with age, filled with strange symbols and faded handwriting. It was a journal—old, perhaps centuries old.

She scanned the pages, her heart racing as she realized what she had found. It was a record of the original deal—the bargain her ancestors had made with the devil himself.

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_"We were desperate," the journal began. "Our lands were failing, the crops withering, and sickness spread through the village. My father, Lord Alistair Belmont, sought help from any source he could find. But none came. The villagers cried for salvation, and in his desperation, my father turned to darker powers."_

_"The demon appeared to him in the dead of night, offering a bargain that would secure our family's wealth and power for generations. The terms were simple: our bloodline would thrive, but at a cost. The firstborn daughter of each generation would be bound to the devil's son. An eternal union, sealed in blood."_

_"My father agreed, blinded by his desire to save our family. He thought the cost would be manageable—that the devil's son was a myth, a story told to frighten children. But now I know the truth. The curse is real. And I fear for the daughters of our line."_

---

Isabella's hands shook as she read the final words. Her heart pounded in her chest, the weight of the centuries-old curse pressing down on her. Her family's wealth, their power, their very survival—it had all come at the cost of her freedom. And now she was the latest victim of that cursed bargain.

A creak in the doorway made her jump, and she looked up to see Lucian standing in the shadows, watching her.

"You shouldn't be reading that," he said, his voice low and sharp.

Isabella stood, clutching the journal to her chest. "Why? Is this what you didn't want me to know? That my family bargained with the devil to save themselves, and I'm the one paying the price?"

Lucian stepped closer, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light. "It changes nothing. You're still bound to this curse. Knowing the details won't save you."

"It might not save me," Isabella said, her voice shaking with anger, "but I deserve to understand what's happening to me. My family doomed me to this fate, but I'm the one who has to live it. You act like I'm just another victim in your world, but this curse affects me too, Lucian. I'm part of it."

Lucian's eyes flickered with something unreadable, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked over to the table, his gaze fixed on the journal in her hands.

"You don't know what you're getting into," he said quietly. "The deal your ancestors made—it's not just about power and bloodlines. It's tied to something much darker, something far older than you realize."

"Then tell me," Isabella demanded, stepping closer. "Stop hiding things from me. If we're bound by this curse, we should face it together."

Lucian's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with anger. "Together? Do you really think you can handle the truth? You're playing with forces that could destroy you, Isabella. You have no idea what you're asking."

"I'm not afraid of the truth," she shot back, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. "What I'm afraid of is living the rest of my life in ignorance, never knowing what this curse really is. You may hate me, Lucian, but I'm not backing down. I deserve to know what I'm up against."

Lucian's gaze softened for a brief moment, and he looked at her with something close to pity. Then, with a sigh, he turned away, staring into the shadows as if searching for answers of his own.

"The deal your family made with the devil wasn't just for power," Lucian said after a long pause. "It was for immortality. Your ancestors wanted to ensure that their bloodline would survive for eternity, that no sickness or war could wipe them out. In exchange, they offered their firstborn daughters as brides for the devil's son. But the curse runs deeper than that. It's not just a union—it's a binding of souls."

Isabella's heart raced as she listened, her mind struggling to grasp the enormity of what he was saying. "What do you mean?"

Lucian's expression was dark, his voice low and full of bitterness. "The devil's son—me—isn't just a title. I'm bound to this mansion, to the darkness that surrounds it. Every bride brought here is tied to me, not just in life but in death. Your soul is part of the curse now, Isabella. You can never leave."

A cold shiver ran down her spine. "So, no matter what I do, I'm trapped?"

Lucian nodded slowly. "You're trapped. Just like me."

Isabella felt her chest tighten with panic. She had known this curse was dark, but the idea of her soul being bound to Lucian's for eternity—it was suffocating.

"There has to be a way out," she whispered, her voice trembling. "There has to be."

Lucian looked at her, his expression softening for the first time. "If there is, I haven't found it. But I've searched for centuries, Isabella. Don't think you can just walk away from this."

Isabella met his gaze, her fear mixing with a newfound determination. "Maybe you haven't found it because you've been looking alone. But now, I'm here. And I'm not going to just accept this fate."

Lucian stared at her for a long moment, as if weighing her words. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the library, leaving Isabella alone with the journal—and the crushing weight of her family's curse.