Prince Oro sprinted as fast as he could toward Nero and Amina, heaving breaths as he pumped his legs as fast as they would carry him. He was one of the strongest men in the kingdom, so what could possibly make him run away like a frightened child? That's when Amina felt its presence. Her body trembled, her limbs turned to stone, and her heart pounded in her chest as she tried to force air into her lungs but choked on the heavy, acrid air. It was a demon, she was sure of it. She had only sensed one when she was very young, nearly killed by it, but her parents had somehow saved her. But now, they weren't here, and she was weak. Her legs crumpled beneath her as she clutched at her throat. Nero held her up with one arm as he pulled his enormous blade from its sheath at his hip with the other. Amina glanced at him and felt her body tense. She had never seen Nero look so menacing, so terrifying. His red eyes deepened to a near black, his body rigid and ready to attack as he barked orders.
"Oro! Take her. NOW!" He screamed as Oro approached, handing her stiff body to him in one fluid movement. She was useless. A burden. Her body wouldn't move. She loathed herself as she allowed herself to be a mere witness to the horror finding its way to them.
"Take her and leave. Don't look back."
"Nero—"
"GO!" Nero shouted as his body moved to shield them. Oro slung her small body over his shoulder, pushing his body as hard as he could to reach the horses and get Amina to safety. She was his responsibility, he brought her here, and he was not going to allow her to die. Amina lifted her head as she gripped Oro's back, her eyes scanning to find Nero who was facing the most gruesome sight she had ever seen. The demon towered over Nero, nearly double his size, its mouth opening wide to display its uneven rows of jagged teeth. A dark haze surrounded it and as she tried to take in the sight, the demon looked past Nero to her. Its blood-red eyes zeroed in on her, a sadistic smile creeping onto its face. Amina's skin crawled. She tried to find her voice to shout at Nero to run but could only gasp as she watched the demon trying to get past Nero. Before she could see what his fate was, she found herself slung onto Oro's horse with him, bounding away and out of the forest. She wanted to go back. She wanted to help. How could they leave Nero to face that monster on his own? How would he survive? Could he survive...?
"W-we have to go back! We have to help him!" Amina shouted, finally catching her breath the further they were from the demon and its heavy presence.
"He can handle himself. I have to get you to safety and report this to his majesty. Demons were thought to be extinguished after the war. After Nero..." Oro trailed off, lost in thought as he maneuvered the horse through the dense forest. Amina found herself praying, pleading with whatever was out there, that Nero would make it back safely.
In less than an hour, they arrived back at the palace. Oro quickly jumped down from the horse, handing its reins to awaiting servants and instructing them to take Amina to her bedroom, as he doubted she could even walk on her own right now. Oro was out of sight before Amina even realized she was being helped down and led to her room. She was in a daze, confused, terrified. Why couldn't she move when she sensed that demon? It was as if her body had been shackled to the forest floor right then and there. If Nero and Oro hadn't been there... she would surely be dead, devoured by that monster.
A few maids helped her back to her room, undress, and bathe as she was caked in dirt, leaves, and other debris. She didn't fight them, just sat there as her mind went in circles as she worried for Nero. The maids dismissed themselves but Amina caught Ruby by her dress before she left.
"Ruby... please tell me if... when Nero returns. The second he returns. Please," she pleaded, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the maid's gown tighter and tighter, waiting for an answer. Ruby grabbed Amina's hand reassuringly and nodded, promising she would run straight to her to tell her when he returns. Amina nodded, releasing her, and curling in on herself as the images of the demon flashed through her mind. She shivered as its disturbing smile lingered in her thoughts.
Hours passed as Amina waited for any news. Oro had been in a meeting with his father, the king since they had returned. Amina paced her room so much, it was a miracle she didn't wear a path into the floors. Suddenly a knock came at the door, Amina rushed to open it and find Ruby looking pale.
"Nero... is Nero...?" Amina tried to get the words out but tears clogged her throat as she waited to hear if he was alive or dead. Guilt weighed heavier with each passing second.
"Ruby?"
"Sir Nero... has returned," she whispered, her hands trembling as she delivered the news.
"Where is he? Is he injured?" Amina shot question after question as she shoved past Ruby to find the answers herself. Ruby clutched onto Amina's arm, stopping her in her tracks.
"You shouldn't... He asked about you. I told him you were okay and he said that he didn't want to see you in his... current state," Ruby explained, gripping her wrist so tight it began to hurt.
"Is he hurt? How bad is he hurt? I don't care just let me see him. Let me help him!" She shouted, ripping her arm away from the maid and hurrying down the hall to find him, nearly running into him. Ruby had run after her, trying to stop her, but couldn't take another step as Nero came into view.
"I thought I told you to keep her away from me," Nero accused, his red eyes glaring holes into Ruby as she quaked beneath his stare. She tried to answer but Amina turned back and told her to leave, that she would explain. Ruby jumped at the offer, bowing, and scurrying away. Amina turned back, finally looking Nero up and down to check for injuries. She felt sick as she saw him drenched in blood so dark it was almost black. She reached for him but he slapped her hand away.
"Don't touch me." Amina's heart squeezed painfully as she held her hands together so she wouldn't try to touch him again. His rejection stung more than anything.
"A-are you h-hurt? There's so much..." Amina's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. She had never seen him look so... horrifying. His face was cold and severe, his body rigid and covered in blood, his eyes looking straight through her as if she wasn't even there.
"I'm fine," he confirmed, walking past her, leaving a trail of bloody footprints in his wake. She trailed after him, still scared but needing reassurance he was okay. He heard her tiny steps behind him and suddenly stopped.
"Leave me!" He snapped without turning back, striding angrily toward his room as he left her frozen in the hallway alone. Amina heard his door slam so hard she swore it probably splintered and shook the entire palace. She stood there and watched, transfixed as the servants ran to and fro preparing a bath and other supplies for him. One bumped into her as he ran past to bring Nero bandages. Amina nearly fell, catching herself against a wall, before turning back to her room and slowly shutting the door behind her. She found herself laying down right there in front of the door on the cold, marble floor, and cried herself to sleep as guilt, fear, and grief created a cocktail of painful emotions within her heart.
Nero stripped down to nothing once he was in his room, staring blankly at the wall as he dipped his body in the bath. He needed three baths to get all of the blood off of him. He didn't even notice the wounds littering his body. Servants tried to bandage them but he scared them away, needing to be alone. Amina's face flashed into his mind. She had looked terrified. He slammed his fist against the wall as he remembered her eyes filling with tears when she looked at him.
"Fuck!" He yelled, exiting the bath that wasn't the least bit relaxing and wrapping a towel loosely around his hips when he heard a knock at his door. He yanked the door open, ready to destroy whoever dared to disturb him after being told to leave him be for the next week. But behind the door, he found the prince and cursed that he couldn't deny him entry no matter how fiercely he wanted to. He opened the door just enough to let him pass before slamming it closed behind him.
"Well? What do you want? Must be important if you're willing to risk your neck coming in here," he spat, pouring a drink for himself as the prince found a seat and sighed.
"We have to go back," Oro stated simply.
"Fuck off," Nero replied, chasing his words with a shot of bourbon before refilling his glass. He didn't bother offering Oro a drink, he wanted him to leave the moment he knocked on the door.
"And... she has to come with us." Nero whirled around, hurling his glass just centimeters past Oro's head, shattering it against the wall.
"NO."
"I'm sorry, my friend, we don't have a choice. King's order," Oro finished, silently leaving and shutting the door as he heard a string of curses and crashes erupt behind it. He pinched the bridge of his nose, silently cursing the fact he had been born a prince before retiring to his room to try, and fail, to sleep as guilt gnawed away at the last piece of his conscience. Nero grabbed another drink as he tried to think of a way to avoid the king's orders.
Amina jolted as her demonic nightmare morphed into a beautiful dream. Nero gingerly picked her up off the floor of her doorway, his strong arms making her finally feel safe as she snuggled closer to his solid chest. He sat on her bed, laying her in his lap as he checked her for any sign of harm. He grimaced when he found scratches and small cuts on her lovely face and arms. She reached up, smoothing his grimace with her fingers, and smiled up at him as she cupped his face in her hands. He leaned his forehead onto hers and whispered, "I'm so glad you're okay besides these cuts. They better not scar your beautiful face or I'll kill that demon all over again." His breath smelled of sweet liquor but she smiled at his words, grasping his face in both her hands she replied quietly, "I was so scared you wouldn't come back." She felt a connection with him she couldn't explain. She was drawn to this scary giant of a man with no soul. He held her hands as they caressed his face, leaning into them with a chuckle.
"If the demon king couldn't take me down, one of his minions sure can't either, sweetheart," he finished and kissed her palm, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. She stroked a cut near his lip and leaned up to kiss it. A small light bloomed from her lips, healing his wound beneath them. Nero thought he must be drunk as he stared down at her soft lips that had just grazed his cheek. He wanted more. His hand slid to the back of her neck and he brought her face up to his to devour her lips. She melted into his kiss, opening her mouth as his tongue urged her to allow him inside. She had never kissed a man and never knew how wonderful it felt. Nero snaked his other hand to her lower back, bringing her body closer to his. Her body warmed beneath his touch as she strained to deepen their kiss. She never wanted this dream to end. Feeling his warmth after he had returned so cold and terrifying from his fight with the demon reassured her that he was still the same sweet, awkward Nero she had already grown attached to.
Nero pulled back to look down at Amina, her lips swollen from their kiss and her face flushed with excitement. He knew he should stop but her eyes looking up at him then glancing to his lips drove him over the edge. He flipped her on her back, holding her to him as he dove back into their kiss, her arms reaching up to wrap around his neck and pull him in.
"Amina," he groaned against her as he nipped at her bottom lip. Amina was panting beneath him and answered with a whispered demand to call her Mia.
"Mia," he whispered in her ear, tickling her ear with his breath before sending her over the edge as he trailed his tongue down her neck to kiss her collarbone and shoulders. He hovered over her, hard and panting as she trailed her hands up his stomach and chest. He shivered with pleasure before grabbing one of her hands, licking in between her fingers, and kissing her palm. He looked down at her, disheveled and beautiful, and kissed her once more before saying they should stop here and get some sleep. He wanted to continue but he wanted to be sober and her to be fully awake before they went any further. She groaned in protest at first but agreed once he promised to continue where they left off next time. He slid off the bed, tucking her in beneath the blankets and stroking her hair as she began to doze off again. He pecked her on the forehead before quietly returning to his room, unable to sleep as he remembered how she felt beneath him.