Page 6 of Damsel to the Demon

Chaos erupts. Wedding guests scramble for the exits, panic etched on their faces. But the captain's voice cuts through the mayhem like a whip.

"Kill them all."

The soldiers move with terrifying efficiency. Swords flash, screams pierce the air. The room that moments ago held such joy now reeks of fear and death.

Papa lunges towards my younger brothers, his face a mask of desperate determination. "Run, boys! RUN!"

But they're too slow. A soldier grabs Mikey, yanking him back. The blade flashes, and Mikey's scream cuts off abruptly. I squeeze my eyes shut, unable to bear any more.

Rough hands grab my face, forcing my head up. The captain's cruel eyes bore into mine. "Open your eyes, little bride. You'll want to see this."

I struggle against his iron grip, but it's useless. My eyes fly open as I hear my Papa’s pained grunt.

Two soldiers drag him across the floor, their fists raining down mercilessly. Blood streams from his nose, one eye already swollen shut. They throw him down in front of me, and I can't hold back my scream.

"Papa! Please, stop this!" I thrash wildly, trying to break free. The captain's arms tighten around me, crushing the air from my lungs.

"Mercy," Papa wheezes, reaching out a trembling hand. "Be strong, my girl. Be-"

A boot comes down on his outstretched fingers. The sickening crunch of bone mingles with his agonized cry.

The captain's fingers dig into my jaw, forcing me to face him. His eyes gleam with a sickening satisfaction as he surveys the carnage around us.

"This, my dear Mercedes, is what happens when you say no to me."

My stomach churns. The room spins, the coppery scent of blood thick in the air.

"You thought you could be happy?" He chuckles, the sound devoid of warmth. "Foolish girl. You can never be happy. Not without my permission."

I try to look away, but his grip tightens. Tears stream down my face, mingling with the blood spattered across my cheeks.

"Oh, those eyes," he breathes, leaning in close. "So full of pain and anguish. It's beautiful."

Before I can react, his lips crash against mine. The kiss is brutal, possessive. Bile rises in my throat as his tongue forces its way into my mouth.

Rage, hot and sudden, surges through me. I bite down hard.

The captain jerks back with a howl of pain and fury. Blood trickles from the corner of his mouth, and for a moment, I feel a fierce satisfaction.

It doesn't last.

His hand whips through the air. The slap connects with such force that my head snaps to the side. Pain explodes across my face, and the world tilts dangerously.

As darkness creeps in at the edges of my vision, a single thought crystallizes in my mind. I want to die. To join Thomas, my family, my friends. Anything to escape this nightmare.

The last thing I see before consciousness slips away is the captain's triumphant sneer.

4

AZARUK

The night air carries the stench of unwashed bodies and despair. I wrinkle my nose, disgusted by the weakness of these dark elves.

Damn,their arrogance reeks worse than their bodies.

My skin itches beneath the illusion of a dark elf soldier—a disguise I've perfected over centuries of deception. The magic clings to me like a second skin, concealing my demonic features beneath a facade of pointed ears and ashen skin.

Torchlight flickers across the camp, casting long shadows that dance between shabby tents and makeshift barracks. Dark elves mill about, their faces etched with a mixture of cruelty and boredom. I've infiltrated their ranks with ease, slipping into the role of a nameless grunt.

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