Page 10 of Illicit Bargain

He smirks, a dark glint in his eyes as he wipes a smear of blood from my cheek. “You think you’re ready for that kind of power?” His tone is taunting, challenging.

“I know I am,” I insist, my voice trembling but unwavering in its resolve. “I need it. I need to be free of this... this weakness. I can’t live like this anymore.”

He studies me for a moment, eyes narrowing. “There’s a ritual. It’s not for the faint of heart. It’s painful, and there’s no turning back. Once you complete it, you'll turn into a demon. You'll no longer be confined by the failures and weaknesses of your kind.”

“What do I need to do?” My voice is steady, despite the fear gnawing at the edges of my resolve. "I'm willing to do anything to achieve that."

His eyes crinkle with amusement as he stares down at me. "Little one… you're different from all the rest."

8

JAVAN

"Let's get out of here," I say, glancing at Catandria. She's still trembling, blood and sweat mingling on her skin. She looks at me with those green eyes, full of determination.

I like that.

She nods, and we move quickly through the rest of the barracks, where distant screams and the scrambling of lost humans echo through the air. We step over the numerous bodies, my handiwork, and reach the exit of the barracks without incident.

Outside the stone walls, the moon casts a pale light over the landscape. We head towards the river, the sound of water rushing over rocks a welcome change from the chaos we left behind.

She stops at the edge of the water, looking at me expectantly. "What about the ritual?" she asks.

"That can wait." I strip off my bloodied armor and jump into the river, the cold water shocking but refreshing. "Join me."

She hesitates, wringing her hands that drip with dark elf blood. "I can't swim."

"Good thing I'm here, then." I grab her arm and pull her in. She gasps, flailing, but I hold her steady. "Relax. I'm not letting you drown."

The water swirls around us, washing away the grime and blood. I run my hands over her skin, feeling the tension in her muscles. "You're going to make a perfect demon," I murmur, more to myself than her.

Her eyes widen. "Perfect? How can you say that?"

"Because I see it in you. The hatred, the desperation. It's intoxicating." I move closer, my body brushing against hers. "What drove you to this point, Catandria? What made you want to become like me?"

She looks away, her expression hardening. "They took everything from me. My home, my family, my dignity. I want revenge. I want power."

I pull her closer, feeling the heat of her body against mine. "Tell me, what did the dark elves do to you? To your people? I want to know every detail."

Her breath catches, but she doesn't pull away. Instead, she looks up at me, eyes burning with hatred and sorrow. "They came at dawn," she starts, voice trembling. "We were a small village, nothing special. Farmers, mostly. My father was a blacksmith. We had no defenses."

I nod, encouraging her to continue. "Go on."

"They killed anyone who resisted. Men, women, even children. My father... he tried to fight them off with his hammer. They laughed as they cut him down." Her voice hardens, anger seeping through the cracks of her composure. "My mother and I were dragged away. They made us watch as they burned our home, our neighbors' homes. Everything."

The water laps against our bodies. I tighten my grip on her, grounding her in the present. "What happened next?"

"They separated us. My mother was taken away. I haven't seen her since." Her eyes flicker with pain, but she presses on. "They brought me here, to this fucking place. Made me a 'flesh' slave. Every night, another dark elf would come and... use me. They enjoyed breaking us, making us beg for mercy they never intended to give."

Her voice shakes, but she keeps talking, each word laced with venom. "I tried to escape once. They caught me, beat me until I couldn't move. After that, I stopped trying to run. I started planning."

I raise an eyebrow. "Planning what?"

"Revenge," she says, without hesitation. "I watched, I listened. I learned their routines, their weaknesses. I waited for my chance. And when I heard about you, I knew you were it. My ticket out of this nightmare. My weapon against them."

I chuckle, the sound low and dark. "A weapon, huh? You think you can wield me?"

Her eyes flash with defiance. "I can try."

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