Married To The Mad Vampire Lord

"Isabelle, I lost the lands and the money in the next rounds. It is a huge amount, and my father will not let it slide just like that. He might even disown me for it. I... I made a huge mistake, falling for those bastards' tricks." He yanked at his collar and paced the space before her, agitation written in every movement, while she stared at him in utter disbelief, her breath catching as the weight of his confession sank in.

She had never seen Deven in such a state, nor had she ever imagined he would risk gambling his father's money like that. But then, everyone had flaws and did things that made them imperfect, just like how she always sneaked out to meet him when her parents trusted that she was their obedient, innocent Isabelle, not knowing the things she longed to do with the man she loved.

She didn't love him any less for hearing that he had gambled. She reached out and took his wrist, but she was startled when he flung her hand away in a violent motion that struck her face by mistake. The sudden sting made her gasp, her fingers flying to her mouth where the back of his hand had landed.

She saw regret immediately flash across his face when he realized what he had done, his expression twisting in horror as he quickly began to apologize. Gently, he pried her trembling fingers away from her lips, which were slightly bleeding. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to. Oh Lord in heaven, I hurt you, sorry, forgive me," he stammered, his voice breaking as he pressed his handkerchief against her lips to stop the bleeding.

Seeing the deep remorse in his eyes and knowing it had not been intentional, Isabelle managed a faint, reassuring smile, though her lip throbbed painfully. He hurriedly took her small hand into his, holding to it as though afraid she would pull away, his gaze searching her face.

"I am in deep trouble, and my head is all messed up. I am sorry, my dove." He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles tenderly, his voice weighted with guilt. She let her forgiveness show in her eyes before stepping forward, resting her head softly against his chest, seeking comfort in his arms despite the pain on her lips.

"It's fine, it doesn't hurt, Deven," she whispered, brushing aside her own pain. Then, as if his troubles were now hers as well, she continued softly, "We can find a way out. Perhaps I can talk to my pa and get him to help you. He will do whatever I ask, and—"

"And the scandal it will bring, that I gambled my father's money away? It will ruin my reputation, Isabelle. You can't tell anyone about this, because I have found a way to get everything back," he told her, stepping back from her hug as he looked into her curious, trusting eyes.

"What way?" she asked softly, a knot forming in her stomach at the strange urgency in his tone. Was he going to gamble again?

"While we were playing, my friends mentioned to the men that I was engaged to a beautiful woman. The men who have beaten me made an arrangement with me because they believe I won't be able to do it. They bet that if I do it, everything they won will be mine again." He reached out to hold her hand. "So, Isabelle, I want you to cooperate with me and understand why I did what I did. I will still love and marry you no matter what, but I want you not to blame me for this."

Before Isabelle could think or ask what he meant, her husband-to-be opened the door of the small house they had given the name "Our Heaven," and then he pushed her inside, slamming the door behind her. Isabelle lost her balance and fell into the dark room, hearing the lock click as Deven locked it from the outside. Panic gripped her heart as she stumbled up to run to the door, but just then a hand gripped her wrist.

Isabelle's heart slammed against her ribs in fear as she turned to find three strange men eyeing her, smiling in a lecherous way that made her skin crawl, one of them holding her wrist with rough fingers. She yanked her hand away.

"Wh-who are you?" she stammered as she began to step back, edging closer to the door like a cornered bird.

"Don't act ignorant, my lovely dove. You heard what your lover explained to you. In order to get back his wins, you are ours for tonight. We will give you something to compare with that lover of yours on your wedding night." One of them sneered, and they all laughed, a sound that turned her blood to ice.

"No, Deven, open the door, please, and stop this cruel play!" She ran to the door, hitting it with her fists and screaming for him as she could see his shadow standing outside on the porch. She twisted the handle and tried to yank at the door, but it never budged.

But just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, she noticed Deven's shadow shift, and then he walked away from the porch. A moment later, the sound of carriage wheels reached her ears, the dreadful confirmation that he had truly abandoned her there. Her bones went weak, and her heart turned over in utter disbelief at everything. "Deven..."

I must be dreaming. This can't be real. You wouldn't have done this. No! she cried in her mind as she began to bang on the door, calling and begging him not to leave her. But the creaking sounds of his carriage soon faded away, carrying with them the last shred of her hope.

"Deven!" She screamed out his name.

Before she was even prepared, the men behind her yanked her back into the room. She fought them with everything she had, she struggled while her heart shattered into tiny, jagged pieces at the betrayal of the man she loved. How could he? was the last coherent thought in her head as her attackers overpowered her, one of them holding both her legs pinned to the floor, another forcing her hands above her head, while the third began ripping at the layers of her gown.

She tried to scream, but a sweaty palm clamped down hard over her mouth, smothering her cries and locking away her scream of terror. Fear and disbelief filled her innocent, tear-filled eyes as she tried to shake off the hand, desperate to beg for mercy.

Her life changed forever that night as the three men took turns forcing themselves on her, her small strength nothing compared to theirs. Pain and agony engulfed her completely; every moment was torment, every breath a wish for it to end. She wanted to die just to escape it.

At some point Isabelle stopped feeling altogether. It was like something had died inside her, and her sunshine-and-rainbow world had suddenly turned plain dark, without even a spark of light. Hot, silent tears trailed down her cheeks as they finished what they wanted to do and pulled back their trousers, leaving her on the cold floor of the same house where she had laughed, loved, and felt like nothing could ever hurt her in this world for as long as Deven was there.

She didn't even realize they had left her there, her body trembling from the wrenching sobs tearing from her throat. Her heart constricted, twisting and killing her where she lay, the emotions that burned inside her too strong for any words to give shape to.

Her body hurt all over; she couldn't even tell where the pain was worst, every part of her feeling like one throbbing wound.

"How could you…" she whispered hoarsely, the words scraping out of her raw throat as she tried to move. But it was as if her legs no longer belonged to her.

Isabelle wished she could have died rather than go through such a thing or ever have experienced it. What finally pushed her from that floor, what forced her broken body to move, was one thought.

"You can't get away with this...I will make you pay..."