Page 7 of Dark Captivation

“Well, I didn’t exactly introduce myself to you as the Demon God. When I came to Earth, I was reborn as a preteen, to you I was just ‘Mally’, your friend. We played together in the forest near your village. Almost every afternoon, after you left school. How could you not remember?” His cold hand cupped my forehead as if to make sure I was alright.

This had to be some kind of trick. Ask anyone from New York to LA. The Demon God was the greatest liar ever born and impossibly charming. He could sell snow to an Eskimo.

“I don’t know you,” I said, pulling away from him.

He stretched on the couch, brushing his long black hair behind his ear. The two, long black horns that protruded from his head appeared to grow a little longer than it had been a moment ago. “In time you will remember that you are mine. Until then, know that I will never let you go. Never again.”

Profound emotion bled in his voice, his eyes reflecting a sadness and vulnerability I didn’t think possible for a being as powerful and old as him.

A million questions ran through my mind. He said he was reborn as a preteen when he came to Earth. Malek is supposed to be thousands of years old. Why did he need to be reborn? And even if what he was saying was true, and we were friends years ago, why did he think that meant he owned me and could prevent me from leaving?

“I’m not your property. Even if I did make a promise as a child, that has nothing to do with now. That was a long time ago.”

“Our promise is forever.” He showed me his fangs as ridges formed over his nose and his eyes squinted in anger.

My jaw tightened and my mouth gaped to yell at him. But instead of words, a big growl flew from my stomach, so loudly the birds outside could hear it.

“You must be starving. You’ve been here two days and haven’t eaten a morsel.” Malek marched to the door and called out for a servant to bring in some food and drinks.

“I don’t want your demon food, whatever that might be.” I was hungry, but more than that, I was so tired of men treating me as property. I lunged from the chair and met him by the door. “Just send me on my way and I’ll pick up something at the nearest McDonalds.”

“Just as stubborn as ever.” He shook his head, hiding the faint smile that wrinkled his cheek. “I'd like to see a McDonalds top what I’ve got in store for you.”

His expression brightened and his tone softened as if for the first time today he was asking instead of commanding.

“Please.” He outstretched a hand in the table’s direction and his head dipped.

Deciding it would be a bad idea to leave on an empty stomach, I reluctantly sat at the table, and he took the seat next to me.

A team of male servants marched in, trays in hands. They set a plethora of colorful and delectable dishes on the table. There were baked hams covered in glaze and pineapples, roasted lamb chops and mint sauce, macaroni and cheese with the most pungent of smells I’d ever scented. And those were just the dishes I recognized; the rest looked delicious but too exotic for me to identify them.

“Well, what do you think?” He poured me a glass of wine.

I gazed across the amazing spread before me, and my eyes showed I was impressed, but I didn’t want to say it. Every cell in my body told me it was a bad idea to get too chummy with the Demon God.

I needed to appear stoic and unaffected so he wouldn’t easily pick up on my weaknesses.

I took a bite of the ham, and my taste buds sang. I tried the chicken and what might have been squab next. A party went off in my mouth. So many flavors, and seasonings, most of which I didn’t recognize, melded together to create pure culinary perfection.

My muscles softened to jelly as pure ecstasy overcame me.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” A knowing grin graced his face.

It didn’t matter how perfect his food was, I still didn’t trust him. Everything was too perfect. It was like everything had been chosen for my exact taste and preferences.

“It’s good.” I said, trying to downplay how impressed I was.

“Good.” He appeared pleased as he helped himself to the lamb chops and mint sauce. “I want you to be as comfortable as possible here. You are free to roam the palace grounds as you wish and do as you desire. And you may ask me anything you wish, and I will answer as best as I can.”

I was happy to prod deeper and hopefully catch him in a lie.

“Okay,” I set down my knife and fork and took a sip of the wine. “How exactly did a lowly she-wolf cub come to be friends with the all-powerful Demon God?”

He choked, coughing as if I’d said something that surprised him. “You sell yourself short. There is no one else in this world capable of doing what you did for me.” His eyes light up like diamonds.

“Oh, and what’s that?” I wiped my lips with the napkin.

“I lived in the dark, bleakness of the underworld for thousands of years. My role was to oversee the torture of all the wayward souls sent to my realm. I was becoming a monster and grew to lament my fate. I left the underworld and came to Earth, reborn as a child so that I could learn what it meant to be a man and not a monster.” Something smoldered in his eyes as he spoke. He looked right through me as if he were looking directly into the abyss of his past.

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