Page 24 of Damsel to the Demon

She nods, her jaw clenched in concentration. She reaches out, grasping the captain's face in her hands. Her fingers dig into his skin, leaving angry red marks.

"You are nothing," she hisses. "You will obey me in all things."

The captain's eyes snap open, glassy and unfocused. His lips move, forming words I can't quite catch. She leans in closer, her ear nearly touching his mouth.

"What was that?" she asks, her voice dripping with contempt.

"I... obey..." the captain rasps, his voice barely above a whisper.

A wicked grin spreads across Mercedes' face. She turns to me, her eyes alight with triumph and malice. "He's mine now. What should I do with him?"

I cross my arms, leaning against the wall. This is her moment, her revenge. I'm curious to see how far she'll go.

"Whatever you desire," I reply, gesturing toward the broken elf. "He's your toy now. Show me what you're capable of."

I watch Mercedes, her eyes gleaming with a newfound power that sends shivers down my spine. The captain lies at her feet, a pathetic heap of flesh and bone. His once-proud demeanor has crumbled, leaving behind a shell of a man.

"How does it feel?" I ask, my voice low and hungry. "To finally have him under your control?"

She turns to me, her lips curling into a wicked smile. "It's... intoxicating," she purrs, her voice dripping with dark satisfaction. "I never thought I'd feel this... alive."

She kicks the captain, eliciting a whimper from him. The sound sends a thrill through me. I've seen countless beings broken, but watching her embrace her newfound power is something else entirely.

"My family..." she starts, her voice catching slightly. "They'll never come back. Nothing can change that."

I nod, understanding the weight of her loss. It's a pain I've never experienced, but I can see it etched in every line of her face.

"But this," she continues, gesturing to the captain's prone form. "Seeing him like this... it helps. More than I thought possible."

She crouches down, grabbing a fistful of the captain's hair and yanking his head back. "Look at me," she hisses. The captain's eyes, once filled with cruel arrogance, now shine with fear and subservience.

"It won't bring them back," Mercedes says, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it's a start."

I feel a swell of pride watching her. She's taken to her new powers with a natural grace, embracing the darkness within her. It's beautiful to behold.

Her face contorts with unbridled rage as she launches herself at the captain. Her fists rain down on his face, each blow punctuated by a guttural cry of anguish. Blood splatters across her knuckles, but she doesn't slow down.

"This is for Thomas!" she screams, slamming her knee into his ribs. "For my papa!" Another punch lands squarely on his jaw.

The captain's body jerks with each impact, but he doesn't fight back. His eyes, glazed over from my influence, stare blankly at the ceiling.

As much as I'm enjoying the show, I can't let her kill him. Not yet.

"Easy there, wildcat," I say, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Remember, we need him alive."

She whirls on me, eyes blazing with hellfire. For a moment, I think she might attack me too. But then she blinks, and a flicker of reason returns to her gaze.

"Right," she pants, wiping blood from her chin. "Alive. But why? I want him dead, Azaruk. I want to rip his heart out and feed it to him."

I can't help but chuckle at her bloodthirsty enthusiasm. "Oh, we'll get there. But first, why not have some fun? You've only scratched the surface of your new powers."

She tilts her head, curiosity overtaking her rage. "What do you mean?"

I crouch beside the battered captain, running a claw along his cheek. "You've bent his will to yours. Now, make him dance. Make him suffer in ways that'll haunt him long after the physical wounds heal."

A slow, wicked grin spreads across her face as understanding dawns. "You're right. Quick death is too good for him."

She turns back to the captain, her voice dropping to a silky purr. "Get up, you worthless piece of filth. It's time for you to entertain me."

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