Page 51 of The Hellbeast's Betrayal

“So even now, your memories are lost to you?” he asked as if saddened by this.

“I know everything I need to know.”

One of his brows raised in challenge.

“Is that so?” he asked in gentle mocking.

“You kidnapped me, brought me to wherever this Hellish place is, and intend to use me like some kind of weapon!” I threw at him, making him smirk.

“My, my, what pretty webs they have weaved around you,” he replied, now looking at his long black nails, like talons from a bird, sharp and deadly.

“Oh, so it’s not true then? Well if not, then I will just be on my way,” I said, getting up out of the bed and walking to the door to, indeed, find it locked. I looked back at him, to see him grinning.

“Needs must, my dear.”

“Your needs, you mean,” I replied, making him shrug, and without his cloak, I could now see his muscular frame dressed in an old-fashioned suit. As if he had just stepped out of a gothic ball to speak with me.

Every inch of him was dressed in black, his pale grey neck visible with the shirt he wore unbuttoned beneath his waistcoat. This showed the same scars that snaked down his face, reaching his cheeks, telling me they were most likely all over his body. His hands, however, were black, as if his skin had been soaked in ink. This was a glaring contrast to his shoulder-length white hair that had been pushed back from his face.

“Let us not quarrel, for tonight is a celebration of victory.”

I took a step back, my hand going to my heart.

“You won the battle?”I whispered, making his jaw harden for a moment before his features smoothed out. His mask of ease once more slipping back into place.

“It was never a fight I intended to win, merely a distraction.”

“To get to me,” I guessed, causing one side of his lips to curve upward.

“Although I have to admit, I was surprised to see the HellBeast had let you out of his sight. Your idea, no doubt,” he said, making me grit my teeth as I stayed silent. “How selfless of you.”

“Don’t mock me! At least I have a heart!” I snapped, making him suddenly move before I could react.

I was quickly pushed up against the door with his hand around my neck. I gasped as I was pinned in place, him looming over me with his much greater height. Then he ducked his head closer to my ear and told me,

“Oh, I have a heart,human Ella…a heart for taking pleasure and a stomach for inflicting pain… I suggest you not forget it, or you will find out which I choose to favor,when you are in my bedroom.”

I swallowed hard, hating that I’d slept in his bed and wishing I had the strength to fight him. He tilted his head at me, as if assessing me once more, before letting me go and taking a step back, allowing me to breathe again.

“Now I am here to escort you to the celebration, for we have a kingdom that wishes to welcome their Queen’s return,” he told me, making me shake my head.

“I am not going anywhere with you!”

“Of course, as your King, I could command it of you. Oh yes, I could make a spectacle out of you in front of them all, show them how well I…bring you to heel”,he said, suddenly in front of me again, inches away from my face, making me flinch back as his cold breath hit me.

“Although I am surprised that you haven’t tried to fight me using your powers, nor have you tried to bring forth the book of souls. Is that because they told you not to, told you what would happen if you even tried?” he asked after giving me space again, making me say nothing. Because I didn’t know what would happen to me if he knew I had been stripped of these precious powers he craved so much.

“It matters not, for soon you won’t have a choice. Now as for your homecoming, let’s pick out something more fitting, should we?” he said, now walking over to the large armoire that was at least eight feet tall.

I was left standing by the door watching him in shock, as he opened the double doors and ran his fingers along all the dresses in there. All of which were dark colors, and he paused at an emerald-green one.

“Ah,, your favorite color of late perhaps… no, let us go with something more suited to my own attire,” he said, pulling a black and grey ballgown down from the rail and holding it out for me.

“Yes, this will do nicely. Here, go put it on,” he said, nodding toward the wooden screens in the corner, that like the headboard, held scenes of a story, and now I could see it better, it looked more like a war depicting Hell on Earth.

“I am not wearing that,” I told him.

“You can change by your own free will or I can do it for you, it is up to you, as I assure you, only one of those choices would I find entertaining,” he replied, making me shiver at the thought.

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