Chapter 14: Chapter 14

“HOW DARE YOU COME THERE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION??”

Zachary blared and shot a murderous glare at a trembling Diana who was staring at him with confusion and fear.

“I-You n-needed me and I w-wanted to save you so-“, she stuttered nervously but a shriek escaped her lips when Zachary all of a sudden pounced on her and grabbed her arms in a lethal grip.

“ANGEL!! DON’T FUCKING TEST MY PATIENCE!! WHO EVEN BROUGHT YOU THERE?? DID I TELL YOU TO COME AND SAVE ME? HUH!!“, he growled shaking her violently.

Diana let out a whimper as she struggled to free herself, “Moon Prince told me that you needed help and- I am sorry I just wanted to help you and Moon Prince-”

Zachary’s eyes instantly turned dark. His fierce gaze got pinned onto her pink lips that were repeatedly chanting Calix’s name. He gripped her face tightly forcing her lips in a pout, “STOP WITH THIS MOON PRINCE, MOON PRINCE!! YOU ARE MINE AND YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO ME AND DO THE FUCK I TELL YOU TO DO, GOT IT OR NOT??”

Diana started crying loudly as she was terrified to her core. No one has ever scolded her, scratch that no one has ever raised his voice at her, and here he was not only lashing her but hurting her physically. She closed her eyes and continued sobbing hard. But ignoring her tears, Zachary kept berating her as his anger had still not faded away.

As soon as Zachary regained consciousness, the first word that escaped his lips was Diana. He was madly inquiring about his Angel as he was angry at himself for shouting at his sweet baby who came there just to help him. Yes, Zachary knew that Diana had used her powers to calm him down and she came to Hell only for his sake but her terrified face and sorrowful expressions were gnawing at his heart. His insecurities were at their peak and that’s what was making him go berserk.

The ruthless beast whose name was enough to freeze one to death was himself scared of his true identity. Cause he was aware that the day Diana will unmask his real self, her love and concern for him will be replaced with sheer hatred and disgust. But Calix unveiled his secret and since then Zachary was furious not only at him but was unleashing his anger on whoever crossed his path.

Zachary’s jaw ticked by her silence. He grabbed her nape and abruptly hauled her towards himself making her bump into his chest.

“YOU HATE ME, DON’T YOU?? YOU’RE PLANNING ON GOING BACK ON YOUR WORDS, RIGHT?“, he snickered and cupped her chin glaring straight in her teary eyes, “BUT I WON’T FUCKING LET THAT HAPPEN!! YOU HEAR ME? I WILL MAKE YOU MINE BY HOOK OR CROOK!! I WILL BURN YOUR WHOLE KINGDOM DOWN AND IF YOU DARE RUN AWAY FROM ME, I WILL CHASE YOU TILL THE END OF THE WORLD AND-”

“P-Please stop Z-Zac ”

A strangled sob escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest. Zachary stilled on his spot when he heard her sniffing. Her wisp of a figure went limp in his arms while her painful snivels echoed in the air.

“I am sorry for invading your territory without your permission but I have no ill intentions. Calix came to me with a plea, he only wanted to save you. No need to get embarrassed or scared, I did everything to save you. I love you, Zac, why don’t you believe me?”

Her strained voice which was laced with tiredness and weakness pulled the strings of his heart. Diana clasped her arms around his large torso and continued complaining like a child.

“Everyone is against our marriage, our love. They even told me that it’s all infatuation but I never paid any heed to them but you are so evil. You only shout at me while I bent over backward for you. I only do things to make our relationship stronger but you keep chiding me. If I am this stupid, then why don’t you leave me??”

She suddenly yelled and broke the hug. Zachary was startled when she abruptly pushed him back and started pummeling his chest while bawling her eyes out.

“I hate you. You always make me cry. You keep shouting at me when I always listen to you. You never appreciate me, I hate you. Go away. Go away, mad man. I hate you!!”

She screamed and pushed him back. Zachary was flabbergasted but his eyes widened when he saw her running. He didn’t even notice when she left.

“NO DIANA WAIT!!“, he shouted and instantly caught her with his tremendous speed.

Zachary grabbed Diana by her waist and pulled her towards himself.

“NO, GO AWAY!!“, Diana continued struggling in his grip but he only tightened his grip further.

“I was scared love.”

Her struggles died down hearing his pained voice. Zachary placed his chin on her left shoulder and closed his eyes while speaking ruefully.

“I was scared that you’ll leave me. My colorful days will turn again dark. I will again fall into that pit of despair and darkness from which I always wanted to come out. My life which was basking in happiness and peace will turn sordid, dour, and worthless again. You’re the beacon of hope in my life, Angel, and I can’t afford to lose you. You consecrated my dark world by your divine presence. I am sorry for my misbehavior but I am selfish. Just how a flower withers due to the lack of water, the same way my breathing will stop the day you’ll a-abandon me,” his voice cracked at last.

Diana softly grabbed his arms that were tightly coiled around her dainty waist and caressed them. Her ocean orbs pooled with fresh tears as his genuine words thawed her rage.

“I will never leave you, Zachary. I love you. Why do you keep saying this again and again?”

“BECAUSE I AM A DANGER TO YOU!!”

Her heart lurched in her chest when he abruptly shoved her away and seethed. Diana turned around but paled in shock when her teary eyes met with his blood-red ones. In front of her stood the same bloodthirsty beast. She was again groped by that dangerous aura that had sprouted the beans of fear in her mind. Black and purple veins were popping out from his face and neck. He looked murderous.

Diana unknowingly stepped back in fear when Zachary started advancing toward her like a predator.

He shot her a devilish smirk before speaking in his deep voice, “Saw that? That’s what I am love and you’ve to spend your whole life with this ghastly monster who can tear you in shreds or crush you between his fingers in a blink of an eye. I fooled you cause I am crazy for you. Yearning to get your love and make you mine that’s why I beguiled you by my charms but this is the reality. The reality which will haunt you till the end of your life.”

He rasped. Diana flinched when her back was met with something hard. She looked behind only to see herself trapped between a tree and Zachary who was smiling at her like a freak. He towered over her small frame and bent down to her level. Her heart started to palpitate wildly when he gripped her quivering chin and jerked her face up.

“You’re afraid of me. You will leave me. Fool me as much as you want but I can read your face. You may have powers still you don’t hold the ability to deceive the invincible Demon King, love. I am a psychopath, a freak, a beast, a ruthless Demon of Wrath-”

Zachary continued belittling himself but his words died in midway when a pair of soft, trembling lips were closed on his mouth. He looked down only to see Diana kissing him with closed eyes while tears kept running down, ruining her cheeks.

She finally pulled off and glared at the shocked King.

“It doesn’t matter to me if you’re powerful or not, I don’t care if you’re a King or not. I know no Demon King and I don’t care if you are a monster or not? All I know is that you’re my Zac. The man who stole my heart, the prince who rules my heart and owns my life. I neither want to relish in your authority nor do I care about your wealth. I only care about my Zac and I can never stand tears in his eyes. I can never see him in pain and I never want to become the reason behind his tears. You are precious to me, indispensable to me. I can’t even think of my life without you. I am ready to fight with this whole world for you. I also don’t care if you love me or not but I DO!!”

She cried and tiptoed to his level. Zachary was overwhelmed but he was shell-shocked when Diana pulled him by his collar and again sealed his lips. A smile broke on his face. Without wasting time, he grabbed the back of her head, threaded his fingers in her long hair, and started kissing her passionately.

Diana gasped when he bit her lower lip. Zachary instantly shoved his tongue down her throat and continued devouring her like a rapacious wolf. His hands started running down her body greedily making her jolt in surprise. She finally gave in to his rough demands as she wrapped her arms around his neck and started massaging his charcoal mane.

On the other hand, Zachary was kissing her as if his life was dependent on it. He wasn’t even letting her breathe and was ravaging her mouth like a caveman. His fingers which were working with the speed of light started fondling her gown. Diana yelped in shock when he pulled the left string of her gown to her cleavage. She somehow released himself from his sinful lips that were tormenting her nonstop but a loud gasp escaped her mouth when her eyes met with Zachary’s lustful ones that were glaring at her. Her eyes fluttered when he wiped her lips with his thumb and dropped his gaze to her bare cleavage. Her flawless, porcelain skin looked so tempting. He wondered how his marks would look on her?

Diana quickly grabbed his large shoulder blades in panic as if she heard his perverted thoughts, “Zac, stop. This is not right.” She tried to put some sense in his thick skull but her pleas fell deaf on his ears. Zachary gripped her chin and lifted her face making her swan-like neck visible to his hooded eyes. Diana clenched her fists when he buried his face in her neck and started showering feathery kisses.

He glided his hot tongue all over her bare flesh making butterflies in her stomach. Diana closed her eyes tightly as his touches were doing magic on her body. Lost in a stupor, she was completely under his control. Diana jerked whenever he would suck her skin roughly and occasionally a bit on them. She tried to push him but Zachary grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head. Her petite figure was squirming in his brutal hold like a dying fish. Her body was lost in a daze but her mind kept whacking her to get away from him as soon as possible.

What if someone sees them? She’ll be doomed.

But does this rebellious stallion cares? Not at all.

Diana bit her lower lip hard stifling her moans when she felt his lips lowering down to her cleavage. Zachary smirked when he noticed goosebumps on her skin.

She was damn sensitive and he just fucking loved it.

Diana moaned in pleasure when Zachary placed a sloppy kiss on the top of her cleavage. Her ears turned red as she was utterly ashamed of herself. So she grabbed his shoulders and tried resisting him one last time. But to her surprise, this time her attempt was successful as Zachary lifted his head and peered at her flushed face.

Diana lowered her gaze and bit her lips in embarrassment, “I-Stop it, please. S-Someone will see.” Her voice was barely audible which made Zachary chuckle. He joined their foreheads before pecking her swollen lips, “My shy and cute kitten.”

Diana shot him an accusatory glare and pouted in anger. Zachary continued laughing. “You should leave now,” she scowled.

All of a sudden Zachary grabbed her right cheek in his palm and made her look straight in his cold eyes. She furrowed her brows, utterly confused by the sudden change in his demeanor.

“I trust you but as a Demon King, I need an assurance”, he said, his expressions were austere and his voice was deep which made her insides churn in dread.

“A-Assurance?”

Zachary smiled when he saw her staring at him innocently with her doe eyes. He cupped her face in his palms before leaving a lingering kiss on her forehead.

“You don’t have to worry. Just close your eyes and believe in your Zac, right sweetheart?“, he cooed softly in her ears. Diana immediately bobbed her head in affirmation.

Zachary then started peppering soft kisses all over her face. He kissed her eyes, then nose, and finally took her lips in a searing kiss. Diana was initially taken aback but his touches always do wonders for her. Her racing heart eventually calmed down and her grip on his shirt eventually loosened.

Zachary finally stopped when he noticed her slumped shoulders. He quickly grabbed Diana and rested her head on his chest before settling himself on the ground. He covered her figure with his large wings and stared at her baby face for a long time.

Within a blink of an eye, his iris turned red and the softness shining in them was replaced with grim and malice. His face morphed into rage and evilness. Zachary opened his mouth revealing two white and sharp fangs. Very cautiously he lifted her chin making her neck visible to his dark eyes. He then smirked cynically and started caressing the pulsating blue vein on the left side of her neck.

“I love you sweetheart but I can’t afford to lose you. I am sorry but my mind is still clouded with insecurities that had trapped my stone heart that only beats for you with strong chains of possessiveness, apprehension, and obsession. I know you love me but I just can’t help it,” he stipulated while licking her throbbing vein and kissing it slightly.

Zachary then glanced at Diana who was sleeping soundly and smirked.

“Forgive me love but don’t worry, you won’t even remember it.”

With that, he pierced his sharp fangs deep inside her.

Ariel who was watching everything from afar gasped in horror. She was too worried for Diana and came in search of her but to her dismay, she again found her with that Demon. Ariel was terrified for her little sister-in-law who was oblivious of the deeds of this blood-sucking monster. Zachary made sure not to hurt Diana so as soon as he marked her, he licked that spot which instantly vanished leaving no trace behind. He smirked in triumph and hugged Diana tightly.

Ariel’s jaw clenched in anger. She knew why Zachary was doing this.

To put tabs on Diana.

Devils mark their beloveds to have knowledge about their whereabouts all the time and keep them safe and sane. But it is not only restricted to that. It also assured them

that their beloveds can never leave them, no matter what.

Ariel stumbled back as her world came crashing down right in front of her. She had no idea that Zachary can go to this extent to claim Diana. And he made sure to put her under a spell before marking her so that she doesn’t panic. He was too clever and she underestimated him.

Now it was almost impossible to tear them apart.

“I won’t be able to save Di now. This beast has marked her. But I just can’t sit back and let everyone destroy her life. I know it wouldn’t make any difference either but I had to give it a last try. It’s a complete do and die situation.”

She murmured and glared at Zachary with teary eyes who was staring at Diana with love and admiration. She quietly scurried away and made her way to her only hope.

’But rather she knew that instead of saving her life, she was inviting a new threat for Diana.”

*****