Desiring The Cursed Demon's Heart

Aella blinked severally to make sure it wasn't the powder dust in her listless eyes that made her see something else.

Her body was transfixed in one spot, motionless and nearly trembling with fear as she stared back with utter confusion.

Aella had never seen any illustrations of the demon she was asked to slaughter. From the myths and stories told by the elders, it was merely words and nothing tangible.

Her head had done most of the imagination but nothing came even close to what she was seeing right now.

It was a male. A seemingly heavenly crafted male.

He was light in complexion and the glow of the moon did no justice to override the smooth surface of his skin. The long pointed nose placed above his taut but luscious-looking lips set in a firm line looked all too unreal to Aella.

His angular jaw was sharp enough with the shadow cast as his golden orbs pierced deeply into her body, almost penetrating her soul.

She felt like she was naked under his stare and goosebumps filled her skin. She doubted it was because of the cold.

If this was the demon she was asked to get his heart, he looked nothing like the ugly, coarse-skinned and vicious-looking creature she had visualised him to be.

He didn't even have horns, for crying out loud!!

Aella was dumbfounded. It wasn't even the fear anymore, but rather the complete amazement that rendered her body unmoving.

She could feel his gaze on her as his eyes travelled from the tip of her frenzy hair to her dirty boots and her body was left on fire from the intense look he gave her.

She wasn't even sure if he could see her properly because she was in the dark room but something told her that he could see through the darkness.

Every. Single. Thing.

"W-Who are y-you?" Her voice barely a whisper, she decided to ask.

Her heart nearly leapt from her chest when his glowing golden orbs settled back on her face as he regarded her emotionlessly.

"Bane," his rumbling voice came out as sleek as oil and her veins pumped even faster when his deep tone resonated all over the walls.

'Bane'. Aella scoffed inwardly at the irony. He was literally the bane of her existence.

"I-" she was about to say something else when he disappeared without notice from her sight.

She didn't even hear any footsteps as her world was returned to the unlit doom. Aella was left feeling conflicted.

Who was that? There was no way that could be the demon she was looking for, he looked too…humanly to be such a ferocious creature.

But then again, his pulchritude was of one Aella had never witnessed before. He had an almost mystical gleam to his demeanour.

Her heart constricted when she remembered the infiltrating golden orbs. She shook her head immediately.

He must be the demon's servant, she reckoned. The demon must have enchanted the male to serve him or he might just be a prisoner like her.

But she wasn't so sure how an uncultured creature could ever command a human.

Her sense went adrift when her nose caught a scent of something savoury. As though by instinct, her stomach growled when she saw a tray of food just mere inches into the room.

Aella frowned, not knowing when that was dropped there. Did the servant put it there when she was occupied by her thoughts?

Why would they feed her anyway? Wasn't she food to the demon? Or maybe it wanted to fatten her up before he devoured her? That seemed like the only reason.

Just like when they reared chickens to gain more weight so they would be plump when they were about to slaughter them.

She looked down at her skinny arms and tiny waist. She definitely didn't look like an appetising meal like this.

Aella peeked tentatively at the quite ample dish prepared for her. It smelt like freshly boiled meat mixed with herbs and vegetables, and she spotted a freshly cut loaf of bread with rice pudding by the side.

Her stomach moaned in protest and her lips smacked hungrily just by the sight of the delicacy waiting for her.

She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something sumptuous and warm.

Due to the perilous journey she had been on for the past month, she had to quench her hunger just from the stale bread, stony jerky and pelt of water she packed in her bag for the journey.

She didn't even know how she had lasted till this point with little to no food for a few days because she had to conserve her stash of nutrition.

Her body was nearly crying to move forward and gobble down the entire content but her mind was as terse as a pillar.

She didn't know if it was poisoned or what the intent was behind the meal so she wasn't going to fall into the trap.

She was in dangerous territory and she had to pry cautiously. With clenched fists, Aella moved towards the end of the room and she sat down on the icy floor.

She closed her eyes and tried not to think or smell the delicious meal calling out to her.

As impossible as it sounded, she didn't relent.