His confessions

In her drunken state, she regarded his words as a joke and he could tell. But he doubted she would take him seriously even when she was conscious.

The woman was a heartless thing. If she was conscious, she would probably refuse to indulge him with her presence even for a moment.

''Lies… Your Highness…'' she poked his chest with her index finger, shaking her head, ''Azrael, all lies. If you cared for me in the slightest.. then… then… forget it!" She looked at him as if he was a disappointment and then pulled her hand out of his grip.

When she turned around to walk away, her feet were suddenly swept off the floor as Azrael picked her up and walked towards the bed in the corner of the room.

''Ah…'' she yelped, startled, ''What…''

''Are you about to complain now?" Azrael narrowed his eyes as he threw her onto the bed and pressed a knee between her ankles. His knee trailed her dress upwards, settling between her legs as he hovered above her, their faces dangerously close. 

''Would you want me to prove to you how much I have missed you, day in an day out despite knowing that you are such a heartless little woman who wants nothing but to escape my side at any chance she gets…''

His words trailed off when she abruptly pressed her lips on his. Her movements were clumsy and her face was flushed, maybe due to the wine or her own actions. Her fingers strongly gripped the hair at the back of his neck as she closed her eyes and sloppily kissed his lips.

But then she stopped suddenly.

His eyes darkened.

Lareina licked her bottom lips, tilted her face to the side and frowned, ''Why did you bring a woman with you then? I despise…''

He cut her off by sealing her mouth with his. Unlike her movements, his actions were angry and rough, impatient as he pinned her to bed and kissed her lips without listening to any of her words.

A strange warmth pooled between her legs where his knee contacted her inner thighs. Her back arched at the ticklish sensation and a gasp escaped her mouth. The moment her mouth opened, he shoved his tongue inside, exploring every nook and cranny of her mouth.

His cool touch seemed to have an inverse effect on her body as the more he touched her, the further her body warmed.

"There has been no one but you. There will be no one but you..''

Lareina seemed to hear those whispers in her hazy consciousness.

''So, do not detest me for more reasons than you already do. It shows your hypocrisy, don't you understand?" he bit her bottom lips and then kissed her chin as his finger trailed down her chest.

Her body trembled, her legs tightening around his hips at the friction of his cold and rough fingers against the fabric of her gown.

''I… no… ahh…'' she gasped when his palm slid inside her dress, his words barely registering in her mind.

He kissed her neck, ''You are such a frivolous woman, telling me you despise me yet responding to my touch.''

''Your Highness…'' she gripped his hair when he bit her neck. A mixture of pain and pleasure erupted in her body and her mind cleared a little.

Lareina had never experienced something like this. She had been taught about it back in the human realm before she was married off and here, some of the older demonesses had told her about how to serve her husband on the wedding night.

But war broke out on the night of her wedding and her husband had to leave. All they shared was a kiss but that kiss was gentle and promising, nothing that made her feel so out of sorts everywhere like now.

''Call me by my name like you did before,'' he pinched her chin.

Up so close, she could see his striking violet eyes that looked just like faded black from a distance. Propped on one hand, he was pinching her chin while his other hand suddenly grazed past a forbidden spot.

Her eyes widened, a tremble tore through her body and she felt a slightly wet sensation between her legs.

''Do it.'' His fingers teased the spot through the thin fabric.

Lareina felt overwhelmed. Her body seemed to be burning in a way that made her ache for his touch. She was panting and gasping for air, on the verge of giving in to his demands, however embarrassing they seemed.

A cold breeze passed by, blowing out the candle.

The place turned pitch black and Lareina's hand chilled suddenly. Azrael's touches no longer warmed her body that shivered from the chill.

Azrael leaned in to kiss her neck, only to feel her skin shiver under his lips.

He stopped his movements and gently stroked the woman's hair instead, ''Lareina…''

Lareina moved her hand in the dark, trying to push him back, ''Go… away…''

The moment he let his guard down, she pulled away from him.

Having a demon's vision, he could see her movements in the dark. He caught the way she clutched the pillow, crying and shaking as she knelt on the corner of the bed and threw up on the floor.

Azrael's fingers trembled a bit as he raised them to reach out towards her but in the end, he placed his hand down, his eyes vacant and his heart cold.

Lareina opened her eyes to the familiar sight of her ceiling. The moon hung low and the distant hook of an owl pierced through the silence of the nights.

She sat up on the bed and spotted Rosie dozing off in the corner of a room.

Perhaps sensing her movements, the demoness was stirred awake immediately, ''My Lady, you are awake! Here, have this broth,'' she walked to her with a bowl.

Lareina's cheeks were a little warm and flushed at the reminder of their actions on the horse and then, in the cave.

The wine had muddled her consciousness but he seemed to have spoken about thinking of her when he was in war.

Lareina wondered if she misheard or imagined it. A part of her felt like she could not have. She had merely looked forward to his return. Unlike her who had fallen for him, she had not expected him to think of the woman he had merely known for a little while and married on the same day he had gone to war so she would not imagine something as far-fetched.

A hint of disappointment filled her chest when she looked at the other side of her bed that was well made and cold, ''Where is he?"

Rosie lowered her head, fiddled about a bit and under Lareina's unflinching gaze, she finally spoke up, ''My Lady, it wasn't His Highness who brought you back. Two of demonesses who work under him brought you back in a carriage.''

Lareina's heart sank a little as she looked at the spoon in her hand. But after a moment, she continued eating.

Only after she finished eating did she look at Rosie again, ''Bring me a mirror.''

Rosie quickly retreated and came back with a small mirror in her hand, ''Let me hold it for you, My Lady.''

Lareina pulled down the sleeve of her gown and a gasp escaped Rosie's mouth.

"M-My Lady…'' Rosie stammered as she blushed and looked over at her in disbelief.