FREE NOVELLA CHAPTER - Demon Heart Chapter Six
Demonheart by Kiss Carson
© Kiss Carson 2020
CHAPTER SIX
Dominique yanked on a thigh high boot and wriggled the vinyl
up her leg. In her mind, she replayed the events of the night before. Dinner. Yes, some sort of seafood with
salad greens. Ale. She pressed the
ball of her hand to her head. Way too much ale. She had danced with a few men
but she didn’t get to boogie to the drum and fiddle with Zachary.
Lust.
Warm shivers trickled through her, followed by a hot blush. Scream for mercy, Demon Lord. Oh, dear. Had she really said that? She snuck a look at Zachary. He sat on an upturned half barrel on the other side of the hut. Elbows on knees and head bowed, he didn’t look like a happy groom. Dark hair flowed across his face and concealed his expression. By the dejected slump of his shoulders he wasn’t overjoyed.
“Let me ask you this,” he suddenly said. “Did you conspire with Isha to trap me into marriage?
Dominique released a humorless laugh. “Why would I do that?"
“You have not answered my question."
She met his narrow gaze straight on. “And I won’t.”
“Because of guilt?”
“Because of my dignity.”
Zachary rubbed his face with his hands. He stood and paced the length of the hut. At the door, he turned and strode back to the barrel. As he passed, the irresistible scent of rain floated over her. If nothing else, he smelled good.
“This is a nightmare,” he muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
Annoyed with his words, and the fact that she couldn’t get her silly boots on, she kicked a shoe across the room. “You know what?” she demanded. “How about we pretend this never happened? There’s no ring. I don’t remember saying I do…or I don’t for that matter…or asking if I could think about it…” Dominique took a deep breath. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re not married.”
“I shall consider your suggestion,” he replied flippantly.
“Consider my suggestion all you like,” Dominique retorted. “Love isn’t simply given, nor is trust. I didn’t want to marry you, and you’ve made it more than obvious you didn’t want to marry me.” She touched the photograph of her and Jaye tucked securely against her breast. Tears threatened. She bowed her head and turned away from Zachary.
Isha entered the hut with a small wooden cage in her hand. “I have a gift for the bride.” She held the cage forward.
Dominique brushed a tear from her cheek and peered through the bars. “It’s empty.”
Alarm touched Isha’s features. “Empty?” She studied the cage. A broad smile lit her face as she blew kisses at the empty cage. “No, the cage is full. Take care of him. He will keep you company on the lonely nights.”
“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of those,” Dominique said as she took the cage and held it closer. “I swear there’s nothing in there.”
“No imagination,” Zachary said under his breath.
Dominique ignored him.
“You really cannot see the dragonette?” Isha asked.
Dominique shook her head.
Zachary leaned on the barrel and folded his arms. “A wondrous ruler you shall be. You cannot see half of your subjects.”
Dominique lowered the cage. “I don’t have any subjects,” she replied coolly and strode toward the door of the hut. Zachary's grasp on her wrist stopped her. Surprised, she turned to him.
Zachary's hostile glare turned to wide-eyed horror. He stared at his hand clamped around her wrist, aghast. He promptly released her, almost pushed her away. “Forgive me,” he whispered and backed away.
Perplexed, Dominique watched him. “Forgive you for what? You didn’t hurt me.”
“My thoughts—. Please, Domini, forgive me.”
Before she could say yay or nay, Zachary strode from the hut. Dominique ran after him. “Wait!” she called.
“Leave him,” Isha advised. “The Demon Lord must earn forgiveness.”
Dominique stared through the door. Forgiveness for what?
Lust.
Warm shivers trickled through her, followed by a hot blush. Scream for mercy, Demon Lord. Oh, dear. Had she really said that? She snuck a look at Zachary. He sat on an upturned half barrel on the other side of the hut. Elbows on knees and head bowed, he didn’t look like a happy groom. Dark hair flowed across his face and concealed his expression. By the dejected slump of his shoulders he wasn’t overjoyed.
“Let me ask you this,” he suddenly said. “Did you conspire with Isha to trap me into marriage?
Dominique released a humorless laugh. “Why would I do that?"
“You have not answered my question."
She met his narrow gaze straight on. “And I won’t.”
“Because of guilt?”
“Because of my dignity.”
Zachary rubbed his face with his hands. He stood and paced the length of the hut. At the door, he turned and strode back to the barrel. As he passed, the irresistible scent of rain floated over her. If nothing else, he smelled good.
“This is a nightmare,” he muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
Annoyed with his words, and the fact that she couldn’t get her silly boots on, she kicked a shoe across the room. “You know what?” she demanded. “How about we pretend this never happened? There’s no ring. I don’t remember saying I do…or I don’t for that matter…or asking if I could think about it…” Dominique took a deep breath. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re not married.”
“I shall consider your suggestion,” he replied flippantly.
“Consider my suggestion all you like,” Dominique retorted. “Love isn’t simply given, nor is trust. I didn’t want to marry you, and you’ve made it more than obvious you didn’t want to marry me.” She touched the photograph of her and Jaye tucked securely against her breast. Tears threatened. She bowed her head and turned away from Zachary.
Isha entered the hut with a small wooden cage in her hand. “I have a gift for the bride.” She held the cage forward.
Dominique brushed a tear from her cheek and peered through the bars. “It’s empty.”
Alarm touched Isha’s features. “Empty?” She studied the cage. A broad smile lit her face as she blew kisses at the empty cage. “No, the cage is full. Take care of him. He will keep you company on the lonely nights.”
“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of those,” Dominique said as she took the cage and held it closer. “I swear there’s nothing in there.”
“No imagination,” Zachary said under his breath.
Dominique ignored him.
“You really cannot see the dragonette?” Isha asked.
Dominique shook her head.
Zachary leaned on the barrel and folded his arms. “A wondrous ruler you shall be. You cannot see half of your subjects.”
Dominique lowered the cage. “I don’t have any subjects,” she replied coolly and strode toward the door of the hut. Zachary's grasp on her wrist stopped her. Surprised, she turned to him.
Zachary's hostile glare turned to wide-eyed horror. He stared at his hand clamped around her wrist, aghast. He promptly released her, almost pushed her away. “Forgive me,” he whispered and backed away.
Perplexed, Dominique watched him. “Forgive you for what? You didn’t hurt me.”
“My thoughts—. Please, Domini, forgive me.”
Before she could say yay or nay, Zachary strode from the hut. Dominique ran after him. “Wait!” she called.
“Leave him,” Isha advised. “The Demon Lord must earn forgiveness.”
Dominique stared through the door. Forgiveness for what?
*
* * *
Zachary didn’t stop until he’d reached the border of Oasis and
the snow wasteland. Ashamed, he dropped to his knees and studied his open
palms. A warrior’s hands. The hands of a fair, yet firm, ruler. Not the hands
of a killer. All those years his mother had coached him on the ways of serenity
and respect, destroyed. He had become his father’s son. He closed his eyes and
raised his face to the sky. The warmth of the sun banished sharp shards of ice
from his heart.
“Mercy Stone, please hear my plea. Grant me patience. Grant me emotional strength. Grant me humility—."
“Your humility is what makes you so special, Demon Lord.”
Zachary relaxed onto his haunches. “Isha, my blood is tainted.”
“Yes. However, you will never be him. Domini will see to that.”
Zachary shook his head, not entirely convinced anyone could help him, now. “You did not see the pictures in my head. Instead of my father, I saw me.” He stood and dusted sand from his pants. “Why did you do it? You know the consequences of marriage.”
“Your mother suffered what no woman should.” Isha’s small hand rested on his back. “However, the past should not dictate your future.”
Zachary turned to her. “Why Domini?”
“She has suffered in life, just as you have,” Isha replied. “The Hope Stone lives within her soul. With a part of you, she will have a better chance.”
“A better chance of surviving,” Zachary said quietly.
“A better chance of surviving the ordeal about to unfold before her.”
Zachary bowed his head. “The process has started.” He lifted his hand to where his key once rested.
Isha nodded. “The Hope Stone cannot be stopped. Show her life, Zachary. Let her thaw your demon heart.”
“Mercy Stone, please hear my plea. Grant me patience. Grant me emotional strength. Grant me humility—."
“Your humility is what makes you so special, Demon Lord.”
Zachary relaxed onto his haunches. “Isha, my blood is tainted.”
“Yes. However, you will never be him. Domini will see to that.”
Zachary shook his head, not entirely convinced anyone could help him, now. “You did not see the pictures in my head. Instead of my father, I saw me.” He stood and dusted sand from his pants. “Why did you do it? You know the consequences of marriage.”
“Your mother suffered what no woman should.” Isha’s small hand rested on his back. “However, the past should not dictate your future.”
Zachary turned to her. “Why Domini?”
“She has suffered in life, just as you have,” Isha replied. “The Hope Stone lives within her soul. With a part of you, she will have a better chance.”
“A better chance of surviving,” Zachary said quietly.
“A better chance of surviving the ordeal about to unfold before her.”
Zachary bowed his head. “The process has started.” He lifted his hand to where his key once rested.
Isha nodded. “The Hope Stone cannot be stopped. Show her life, Zachary. Let her thaw your demon heart.”
*
* * *
Dominique lay on her stomach on the straw mattress, chin in
her hands. Why couldn’t she see the dragonette? She stared harder at the cage.
Nothing. Maybe she needed another perspective. She closed her right eye. The
dragonette didn’t appear. How could she get enough imagination to see? Heavy
footfalls approached the door of the roundhouse. Moments later the hessian
curtain parted and Zachary stepped into the hut. Anger no longer pinched his
features, but despair radiated from deep within his storm cloud eyes.
“Dragonettes are elusive animals,” he said without looking at her. “Their songs are a delight to behold.” He picked up the cage and peered through the bars.
Dominique stood. “Maybe I should let him go. I can’t see him, and he’d be better off in the wild with his family.”
Zachary placed the cage back on the floor. “Do what you think you must. Although, I urge you to wait until we have left Oasis. Isha gave him to you as a gift.”
Awkward silence filled the hut. Unable to bear the sadness etched into every line on his face, Dominique studied the new metal container that hung from the elasticized belt around her hips.
“What happened last night?” she asked.
“Isha taught us to never let our guards down. Come, Domini, we shall continue our quest to save Demon Realm. Do not forget your dragonette.”
Dominique picked up the cage. She wasn’t sure she wanted to leave the safety of Oasis. In the twenty-four hours since she’d been there, she hadn’t encountered any killer demons, and Isha had treated her kindly – apart from marrying her off to the Demon Lord, of course. She never thought she would marry for convenience. Yet, here she was shackled to a man who would never love her, pining for the one man who had.
When Dominique saw Gagan, she frowned. Last she remembered, the bear had camouflaged extremely well with the snow. Now, a magnificent grey bear stood before her.
Zachary threw his arms across the bear’s chest and hugged him tightly. “Gagan, my old friend,” he said into the thick fur.
“What happened to him?” Dominique asked.
“Gagan matches his surroundings. In a few days when we enter the rainforest, he will change again.”
Isha passed Zachary a parcel of food and two flagons of water. “Safe passage across the snow wasteland. Stay away from the Pool of Truth,” she warned. “Some secrets are better left unsaid.”
“I shall take care, High Priestess.”
Isha studied him as though she would never see him again. “The woods are dangerous. Regret and grief reside in the shadows.”
“I know,” Zachary replied. “I have traveled those woods on many occasions.”
“I am aware of that. However, you have never traveled with your new bride.”
The smile fell from Zachary's lips. Dominique caught his sideways glance. “We will stay safe.”
“Dorian is never far away.”
Zachary's large hands cupped Isha’s cheeks. “You worry too much.”
“Return to me, Zachary,” Isha whispered. “You, and your bride. Overjoyed, I will be, to see you both. A tiny heir would be much—.”
Zachary's fierce hug muffled her last words against his coat. He released the small woman and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Dominique embraced Isha. “Thank you.”
Isha pointed to the metal container on Dominique's belt. “Guard that with your life.”
Dominique shook the container. “What’s in there?” She attempted to open the lid but it wouldn’t budge. Something thumped around in the container when she shook it again.
Zachary's hand covered the container. “Please refrain from shaking the life out of me.”
Bewildered by his words, Dominique looked at the rectangular shaped container and gave it another rattle. Zachary glanced over his shoulder.
“This portion of Zachary's heart is yours forever,” Isha explained.
Did she just hear correctly? “I’m sorry, I could have sworn you said a portion of his heart.”
Isha nodded. “I did.”
Dominique's mouth dropped open. Her eyes darted from Isha to Zachary. “His heart? Why isn’t he dead?”
“This is the way of the demon,” Isha replied.
“Where’s the key to the box?” Hysteria tinged Dominique's voice. “I want to give his heart back.”
Isha laughed, genuinely amused, and patted Dominique's hand. “Take care, Lady Demon.”
Dominique couldn’t believe what she’d heard. Was this a level up in the game? Objects gained: One demon husband. One partial demon heart. One huge bucketful of confusion. She met Zachary's look of faint amusement. What on earth would she do with part of his heart?
“Dragonettes are elusive animals,” he said without looking at her. “Their songs are a delight to behold.” He picked up the cage and peered through the bars.
Dominique stood. “Maybe I should let him go. I can’t see him, and he’d be better off in the wild with his family.”
Zachary placed the cage back on the floor. “Do what you think you must. Although, I urge you to wait until we have left Oasis. Isha gave him to you as a gift.”
Awkward silence filled the hut. Unable to bear the sadness etched into every line on his face, Dominique studied the new metal container that hung from the elasticized belt around her hips.
“What happened last night?” she asked.
“Isha taught us to never let our guards down. Come, Domini, we shall continue our quest to save Demon Realm. Do not forget your dragonette.”
Dominique picked up the cage. She wasn’t sure she wanted to leave the safety of Oasis. In the twenty-four hours since she’d been there, she hadn’t encountered any killer demons, and Isha had treated her kindly – apart from marrying her off to the Demon Lord, of course. She never thought she would marry for convenience. Yet, here she was shackled to a man who would never love her, pining for the one man who had.
When Dominique saw Gagan, she frowned. Last she remembered, the bear had camouflaged extremely well with the snow. Now, a magnificent grey bear stood before her.
Zachary threw his arms across the bear’s chest and hugged him tightly. “Gagan, my old friend,” he said into the thick fur.
“What happened to him?” Dominique asked.
“Gagan matches his surroundings. In a few days when we enter the rainforest, he will change again.”
Isha passed Zachary a parcel of food and two flagons of water. “Safe passage across the snow wasteland. Stay away from the Pool of Truth,” she warned. “Some secrets are better left unsaid.”
“I shall take care, High Priestess.”
Isha studied him as though she would never see him again. “The woods are dangerous. Regret and grief reside in the shadows.”
“I know,” Zachary replied. “I have traveled those woods on many occasions.”
“I am aware of that. However, you have never traveled with your new bride.”
The smile fell from Zachary's lips. Dominique caught his sideways glance. “We will stay safe.”
“Dorian is never far away.”
Zachary's large hands cupped Isha’s cheeks. “You worry too much.”
“Return to me, Zachary,” Isha whispered. “You, and your bride. Overjoyed, I will be, to see you both. A tiny heir would be much—.”
Zachary's fierce hug muffled her last words against his coat. He released the small woman and placed a kiss on her cheek.
Dominique embraced Isha. “Thank you.”
Isha pointed to the metal container on Dominique's belt. “Guard that with your life.”
Dominique shook the container. “What’s in there?” She attempted to open the lid but it wouldn’t budge. Something thumped around in the container when she shook it again.
Zachary's hand covered the container. “Please refrain from shaking the life out of me.”
Bewildered by his words, Dominique looked at the rectangular shaped container and gave it another rattle. Zachary glanced over his shoulder.
“This portion of Zachary's heart is yours forever,” Isha explained.
Did she just hear correctly? “I’m sorry, I could have sworn you said a portion of his heart.”
Isha nodded. “I did.”
Dominique's mouth dropped open. Her eyes darted from Isha to Zachary. “His heart? Why isn’t he dead?”
“This is the way of the demon,” Isha replied.
“Where’s the key to the box?” Hysteria tinged Dominique's voice. “I want to give his heart back.”
Isha laughed, genuinely amused, and patted Dominique's hand. “Take care, Lady Demon.”
Dominique couldn’t believe what she’d heard. Was this a level up in the game? Objects gained: One demon husband. One partial demon heart. One huge bucketful of confusion. She met Zachary's look of faint amusement. What on earth would she do with part of his heart?
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