He had first stolen her internal energy before corrupting her own essence—an essence she had mostly mixed with hers but not fully. The part that came back to bite her was the fact that, even though they were in her body, he still had total control of it, something that shouldn't have been possible. She felt herself slowly losing it, along with all her essence.
Murra's anger grew, her red eyes turning an even bloodier hue, wanting to lash out at him even though she knew better.
Grinding her teeth, she slid off the bed, naked, with all the wiles she could muster, her eyes clouded with tears as she begged for her life. She watched, powerless, as he looked at her with a cruel grin stamped on his face.
"I-I beg you! You're killing me! I swear to forever work for you, using both my body and every bit of my essence!" Real tears started to form behind the fake ones. She would have attacked him if she thought it would work.
"Your essence?" Black chuckled. "Last I checked, it was completely mine," a diabolical glint in his eyes.
Ophari slowly distanced herself from Murra even more, judging the space between them wasn't enough. She wondered if she should do the same for Black, but quickly realized that there was nowhere in the clan she could go where he wouldn't find her if he wanted to. Moreover, escaping without his permission seemed impossible.
For a full breath, Murra had nothing to say, her wet eyes settling on his cold, dark ones, finding no trace of sympathy in his gaze.
Still, Murra couldn't accept death so easily. She clenched her fists at her sides and made another oath, one she was confident he would accept.
"I, Murra Kain, submit myself as a slave, the basest of all humans under your care! My life and death are in your hands!" She breathed out, trying to console herself with the thought that if she performed well, she could gain a semblance of freedom under him.
"Look to the future, Murra! You'll wait and plan, and his powers will still be yours!" she thought, focusing her eyes on him. She wasn't surprised to see a flash of shock on Ophari's face from the corner of her eye, though she paid it no attention. She waited for Black's response.
It wasn't until two long blinks later, after more of her essence had drained away, that she finally heard him speak.
"A slave, huh? I already have one. Why should I take another?" he replied with a sly smile hanging on the side of his face, clearly enjoying himself at her expense. He saw the astounded look that settled on her face when he refused her.
"I am a hundred times better than her!" A trace of anger seeped into her tone, which only served to make Black enjoy the situation more. He could have drawn out the entirety of her essence at once, but he hadn't—just to watch her horror slowly turn into despair.
He didn't respond further, his eyes fixed on her with no intention of looking away until the deed was done.
Murra gritted her teeth tightly enough to taste blood as she felt her heart begin to race, thumping heavily in her chest even though she did nothing but heal. A sure sign her organs were already failing.
"I—I swear I and all under me into your service!" A trace of fear crept into her voice, knowing that if the man in front of her accepted, the realm around them would bind her words, enslaving all members of her family to the monster in front of her.
"Murra!" Ophari barked before she could stop herself, shocked by the offer. Murra's family was one of the largest, and binding them to the man before them would ignite an internal war.
Despite Ophari's shouts, Murra paid her no attention, her gaze fixed solely on Black. Ophari could see and feel Murra's body slowly hollowing out.
Murra's eyes remained locked on Black, waiting for him to accept and return her life, knowing it was all she had to offer—something he would surely benefit from.
"It's a mistake, but the only one he won't throw back in my face," she thought, a calm expression settling over her features as she waited for her fate to be sealed.
Finally, she heard him open his mouth to speak.
"I refuse!"
Shock and terror flooded her gaze, slowly transforming into unadulterated hate as she realized there had never been any doubt in his mind about what he wanted from her. She raised her gaze back to his face and saw his grin widen as he realized she now understood his intentions.
"You will die here!" he said, his words echoing in the air around them. Ophari's face turned pale as the words had an even greater effect on her, causing her to tremble. Murra's expression slid into one of deathly calm and acceptance as she felt the last of her essence slip away.
"We'll meet in the afterlife!" Murra said in a tone dripping with utmost confidence as pain slowly gripped her body, her face twisting in immense effort to hide it.
"Only if I'm visiting!" Black chuckled, a hacking laugh resounding against the walls as he watched her body—a sickly thing of nothing but bones and skin—flop to the ground and turn to ash. He could have willed it to remain, but even the essence that held it together was gone.
"I don't accept pennies! I am the SUPREME of Pleasure, and unlike what you might have heard of me, I take!" he declared loudly, mostly to himself and to the IMMORTALS and SUPREMES he was confident were watching, but unable to interfere.