Chapter Nine:save her
Thane didn't even wait for the sun to rise before marching his men to the cell. The sight of Angelina and Mariana's sleeping figures infuriated him, and he ordered a bucket of cold water to be poured over them. They both woke with a frown, their clothes dripping wet and clinging like a second skin.
"You could still sleep peacefully?" Thane sneered. "I hope Nikko kills you brutally." He dragged them out in chains.
"Argh!" They groaned as pain shot through their wrists.
"Where are you taking us?" Angelina asked.
"You pretty little bitch, you still have time to talk?" Thane laughed. "Well, you've been sold to Lord Nikko—a thousand soul energy each. And with him... you'll meet your end."
A thousand soul energy?! For just one person! Angelina's eyes widened further as she beheld the different swirling vortexes in the room. How did he manage to keep so many portals open for a long time?
"You're using dark magic!" Mariana exclaimed.
"And so what?" Thane pushed them into a vortex with an evil laugh.
Angelina and Mariana stumbled as the vortex spat them out onto the cold, polished floor of a grand chamber. The room was dimly lit by flickering torches, casting eerie shadows on the walls adorned with ancient, ominous symbols.
"Oh, our goods have arrived," came a deep, mocking voice.
Both women turned toward the sound, their eyes meeting the figure stepping out of the shadows. Nikko, tall and imposing, with piercing eyes that seemed to look straight through their souls, grinned wickedly. His brown hair was swept back, and his aura exuded a cold, menacing power. He sat down leisurely on a throne made entirely of bone, the faint hum of dark energy surrounding it.
"Goods?!" Angelina repeated, her voice trembling with indignation. "How dare you call us that?"
Mariana whispered, her tone sharp with realization, "That's Nikko."
Nikko's smile widened as he examined them,his gaze lingering on Angelina a bit longer than usual."Thane really outdid himself this time. A mermaid and a pretty human. How delightful."
Angelina's jaw tightened, her instincts screaming for her to remain calm. She glanced around the room, noting the oppressive presence of Nikko's guards stationed at the edges, their weapons gleaming in the low light.
"Don't be afraid," Nikko continued, his tone mocking as he leaned forward. "I won't sacrifice you. Not yet, at least. You're both too pretty for that. Perhaps you'd be better suited as my concubines."
"What?!" Mariana spat, her eyes blazing with fury. "Let us go! You have no right to keep us here!"
Nikko's smirk deepened as he stood, his towering figure casting a long shadow over them. "A feisty one. I like that. Don't worry; once I've had my way with you, you'll beg to stay."
Angelina took a step back, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest. "I have a mate already."
Nikko's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Oh really? And where is he now, this mate of yours? Why isn't he here to save you?" he sneered.
Angelina flipped her hair back, exposing the faint mark on her neck. "See this? It's proof of our bond. He will come for me."
Nikko's eyes narrowed as he examined the mark. For a moment, his expression faltered, but he quickly recovered. "A mating mark? How amusing. And who, pray tell, is this mate of yours?"
Angelina lifted her chin defiantly. "He's the devil." This was her last resort.
The room fell silent. Even Nikko's guards shifted uncomfortably, their gazes darting between Angelina and their master. Nikko stared at her for a long moment before bursting into laughter, the sound echoing through the chamber.
"The devil? Your mate?" he mocked. "Everyone knows he's dead. And even if he weren't, claiming to be his mate would only seal your fate."
He signaled to his guards, his tone dismissive. "Take them away. Lock them up."
Angelina and Mariana struggled as the guards grabbed them. "You'll regret this," Angelina shouted, her voice trembling with both fear and determination. "He'll come for me. He'll come for us."
Nikko sneered, waving them off. "Let him try."
The guards dragged them into a dark chamber, the heavy door slamming shut behind them. Angelina slumped against the cold stone wall, her mind racing. Mariana paced the small room, her expression grim.
"Are you really the devil's mate?" Mariana finally asked, breaking the tense silence.
Angelina hesitated before nodding. "Yes. But not by choice."
Before Mariana could respond,a woman barged in, slapping her in the face and pushing Angelina to the ground.
"You sluts! Stay away from my husband." She screamed. "Shit!" Mariana cursed as blood trickled down the corner of her lips. "We don't want your husband!" She shouted.
"Liar! I'll teach you two a lesson later." With that,she stormed off.
Mariana raised an eyebrow, her skepticism clear. "Well, choice or not, you better hope he shows up. Because if he doesn't, we're as good as dead."
Nessa stood before Lothaire, trembling slightly and drenched from the rain. She struggled to recount what happened.
"I-I tried to find you sooner," she stammered, her figure shaking slightly from the cold. She was under Lothaire's scrutinizing gaze and found it hard to speak.
"Go ahead, speak up," Logan placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
Nessa knew Logan was just trying to encourage her. "We were at the market, and pretty sister was so nice... but these bad men grabbed me. Pretty sister tried to help, but they took her too. She helped me get away, and I ran to find you, but..." Her voice cracked as she looked down at her muddied shoes.
"Where did they take her?" Lothaire demanded, his tone cold and sharp.
"Master, we shouldn't scare the little one," Logan said, his gaze fixed on Nessa, a flicker of emotion flashing in his eyes.
"She's with a bad guy,his name's Thane" Nessa answered.
"Order rooms" Lothaire ordered abruptly. "Get her a room,food and a warm bath. And Logan find who this Thane is."
"Come this way," Logan led Nessa away. "You're really brave for someone your age, looking for someone in this cruel weather."
"I had to do it. Pretty sister is so nice." Nessa looked up at his handsome profile.
"Get some rest" Logan said.
At sunrise, Lothaire and his men prepared to move. Nessa yawned repeatedly as Logan carried her on his back. Her chin hitting against his shoulder at every step.
Nearly an hour later,they reached a fork.
"Which one's the way" Lothaire turned with a frown.
Nessa got down from Logan's shoulder. She looked at the two roads with all seriousness. She was too concentrated on wanting to find Lothaire quickly the rainy night they escaped and wasn't really taking note of the path they took.
She turned around,meeting Lothaire's dark gaze. "I...I don't know," she admitted.
"Confused?!"Lothaire's tone rose,his impatience evident and frustration growing.
"We'll find her" Logan reassured.
He crouched to Nessa's level,his tone gentle.
"How about we search around a bit? You could remember something."
Nessa nodded, smiling softly. "Okay, Uncle."
Logan sighed. "Just call me Logan . Uncle makes me sound old."
"He's not always that cold," Logan said, noticing how wary the child was of Lothaire.
"I know, he's quite scary though," Nessa looked around for any clues.
"I don't expect you to remember real quick, study your surroundings first," Logan suggested.
Nessa looked around the spread of green and lush vegetation, finding nothing familiar.
"Study first," he repeated.
Nessa noticed a tiny object glittering under the sun; she quickly ran towards it.
"Mother's ring," she whispered. The ring must have fallen out of her pocket while running last night.
"Found something?" Logan asked.
Nessa quickly slid the ring into her pocket.
"This is the road, I remember now!" She smiled.
"You see, just study your surroundings," Logan ruffled her jet-black hair, making her giggle.
"The road, it's the left one," Logan announced as they approached the crew.
"Are you sure?" Lothaire asked.
"Yes!" Nessa replied confidently.
----
Lothaire stormed into Thane's hideout, his presence an unrelenting force that sent chills down the spines of those who dared to look his way. Shadows curled around his frame like living extensions of his fury, the air itself trembling under his power.
Thane, sitting at his desk with an air of false confidence, looked up as the heavy door slammed open. His smirk faltered the moment he met Lothaire's crimson gaze.
"You," Lothaire growled, his voice low and deadly. The single word was laced with menace, a promise of pain.
Thane rose from his chair, attempting to mask his unease. "What brings the great Lothaire to my humble abode?" he asked, his tone casual but strained.
Lothaire didn't bother with pleasantries. With a flick of his wrist, Thane was wrenched from his spot and slammed against the wall, an invisible force pinning him there. He struggled, gasping as his feet dangled above the ground.
"Where is she?" Lothaire demanded, his tone as cold and unforgiving as the grave.
"S-She who?" Thane stammered, his eyes darting nervously.
Lothaire's grip on the air tightened, and Thane choked as if an invisible hand was crushing his windpipe. "Do not test my patience, Thane. You took something that belongs to me."
Thane could see Nessa's small frame.Realizing that playing dumb would only hasten his death, Thane gasped out, "The girl? I sold her! I sold her, alright?"
"To whom?" Lothaire's voice dropped even lower, each word a dagger aimed at Thane's sanity.
Thane hesitated for a fraction of a second too long, and Lothaire's power surged, slamming him harder against the wall.
"Lord Nikko!" Thane finally screamed, panic evident in his voice. "I sold her to Lord Nikko!"
The moment the name left Thane's lips, the air grew heavier, darker. Lothaire's crimson eyes glowed brighter, and an ominous energy filled the room. A series of events flashed through his eyes.
"Fool," Lothaire hissed, releasing his hold. Thane collapsed to the floor coughing and gasping for breath, clutching his throat as if he could still feel the phantom grip.
Without another word, Lothaire turned to his men, who had been standing at the ready. "Prepare a portal," he commanded, his voice brooking no argument.
The shadows in the room seemed to respond to his will, swirling together to form a dark, pulsating vortex.
Logan watched as his hands moved with urgency. "I'll handle Nikko for you," he offered. "No! I will." Lothaire stepped through the slightly unstable portal.
"You'll regret this," he muttered, more to himself than to Thane, before vanishing into the portal.
Thane, still crumpled on the floor, shuddered as the oppressive energy in the room dissipated. He had narrowly escaped death, but he knew this wasn't over.
"Take him away!" Logan ordered,his gaze still fixed on the spot Lothaire once stood. The clash of Nikko and Lothaire wasn't a good thing.
He looked down as Nessa tugged at his trousers,his gaze softening. "If you're so worried,you should go," she said.
Angelina and Mariana were roughly escorted into a lavish bathing chamber. The maids, silent and efficient, forced them into warm baths, scrubbing away the dirt and grime from their journey. Despite the soothing temperature of the water, neither woman felt comforted.
"This is humiliating," Mariana hissed under her breath, her arms folded tightly across her chest as she was forced into a shimmering blue dress that clung to her form.
Angelina, dressed in a soft pink gown with intricate embroidery, glanced at Mariana. "You look stunning," she offered quietly, trying to diffuse the tension.
Mariana glared at her, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Is that supposed to make this better? Dressed like dolls for that monster? Don't fool yourself. And... didn't you and your little friend think the opposite before?"
Before Angelina could respond, a stern-faced maid stepped forward, her eyes sharp. "Enough chatter. Lord Nikko is waiting."
"Please tell the devil to chop Nikko's dick off later. He has his .... appetites" Mariana whispered. Angelina gulped,she and Lothaire weren't the loving couple Mariana was painting. How could she,an Angel, ask the devil for something!
The two women were escorted down a long hallway, the whispers of servants following them like an unwelcome shadow. "Sluts," someone muttered from the corner, making Angelina's face burn with shame.
Mariana, ever defiant, turned her head sharply in the direction of the voice. "Cowards," she shot back, loud enough for the words to echo. Angelina bit her lip, focusing on the marble floors to avoid the judgmental stares around them.
They were ushered into Nikko's chamber, a large, dimly lit room adorned with dark drapes and glowing artifacts. Nikko stepped out from the shadows, his bare chest gleaming under the faint light. A towel hung low on his hips, and his evil grin widened at the sight of them.
"Well, well," he drawled, his eyes raking over their forms. "You clean up nicely."
"Let us go," Angelina said firmly, summoning every ounce of courage she could.
Nikko approached her, his fingers brushing lightly against the mating mark on her neck. "This mark... intriguing," he murmured. "But I'm afraid your fate is sealed, little one."
"Please," Angelina whispered, a crack in her voice betraying her fear. "I'm already bound. This isn't right."
"Right?" Nikko laughed coldly. "You think the world is fair? Whether you have a mate or not, you belong to me now."
A knock interrupted their exchange. Nikko's grin faltered, and he barked out, "What is it?"
A trembling voice replied from the other side of the door, "Master, he's here."
Nikko frowned. "Who?"
The voice was urgent now. "Lothaire."
For a moment, Nikko stood frozen, his expression darkening. Then, a smile that was equal parts amusement and malice crept onto his face. "The devil himself? How interesting."