I had almost run back to the church heading to my office. I had called out Achlys' name through pants. In an instant, he had appeared in his usual black cloud of smoke.
"Wife, what is the matter?" Before he could touch me I put both of my hands on his broad shoulders. "Achlys, I have to ask you a question."
He didn't seem fazed, only nodding in response. "Are you... killing... civilians?"
"..." He didn't respond right away, the aura in the room instantly darkening. I forced myself to look at him as he stared down at me. I couldn't read him at all, his face was plain.
I did not want to believe it. He wasn't denying it at all. What did I expect? He is the devil himself standing right in front of me.
"No way... are you serious?" I let go of his shoulders backing up, only for him to close the space, coming closer. His expression had turned to a grin.
"How long were you going to hide this from me?" I frowned taking more steps back, Achlys closing the space once more.
"Darling, what did you expect, I am the devil after all." His tone had changed, sounding all the more gravelly.
"I.. You.." I couldn't muster up a sentence. Soon enough I had bumped against the wall getting trapped in Achlys' body. I looked down unable to keep looking at him.
I squeezed my fists, gnawing my cheek. I didn't know what to say. His hand took strands of my hair, bringing it to his lips. I whipped my head the other way.
"My sweet sweet wife" he sang his gaze still kept on me dark red eyes glimmering, his sharp teeth sparkling.
His gaze moved to my neck. "Such a thin little thing... I could snap it in less than a second." His finger caressed my neck, nails slightly scraping the side, blood dripping down.
I gritted my teeth grabbing his wrists prying them off my neck.
"You...I.." I couldn't finish my sentence.
"You trusted me?" He finished my sentence eyes still trained on my neck. "You are acting as if I'm going to kill my precious wife" he murmured tongue sliding against my neck where the little dribbles of blood have been sliding down.
I shivered, pressing the palm of my hands against his hard chest. "Please..stop.."
But the devil did not listen, only enjoying the sweetness of the angel's blood against his tongue, lapping at her neck as if he was a starved man in the desert.
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord" He had murmured grinning onto her neck.
Striving for her purity and chastity. He fed off it as if it was water for his soul.
The only thing I had remembered from that night was his body pressed against mine, and my body is drained.
-
The sunlight peeked through my eyelids, I squinted groaning in displeasure. I was dressed in a nightgown, but this was not my room. I felt tired, unable to get up without breathing heavily.
A window was beside me, showing a beautiful garden, with roses, tulips, chrysanthemums, and others I couldn't quite locate.
I sat up glancing around the large room. I remembered what had happened to my neck I reached out to touch it expecting it to be painful, only to feel my smooth neck, without a trace of a scar.
"..."
I tried getting out of bed, holding onto the side table for support. "I see you are awake, wife." I flinched in surprise, heart-pounding quickly.
Achlys had closed the door behind him. I couldn't even hear him enter. He approached me calmly with long strides. "You are too weak to stand you should get more rest."
I almost had slapped him then. I was angry at what he had done to me, but most importantly I felt betrayed and disgusted in what he had done to that poor boy and possibly more civilians.
I had clenched my fist. One more step and I was going to punch him.
He must have sensed my hostility as he stood where he was. I sat down on the edge of the bed.
I folded my hands together.
"Please leave." I asked. I don't know why I said please. There was silence for a while. "As you wish."
Then as if he wasn't even there he vanished.
By the time my anger had faded, his face was ruined. I sat up from on top of him. Doing this has caused some damage to me. Did I feel sympathy for the devil?
I bit my lip, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. My fists were coated in his blood. I knew well he could have killed me a long time ago, but he didn't.
My thoughts were confused, all over the place did I love or hate him? my head scrambled everywhere. I held my now pounding head frowning.
"My lovely wife...so perfect." Achlys started to murmur sitting up, putting his palm to my cheek.
He continued to speak. "for each punch you landed on me, I fell more and more in love with you. My perfect saint."
No more than one tear slipped at his words, which he quickly wiped away with his thumb. And then a kiss. It was soft, passionate, possessive, and filled with emotion.
I had returned it slowly, more tears falling with the kiss. It wasn't forced and filled with lust, but love.
"My Arya.." He murmured in between the kiss, his hands getting entangled in my hair, drawing me closer, deeper.
"My Achlys" I had murmured back grinning. I then realized I am no saint. I'm a sinner. I will sin again and again and again if it was for the devil himself.
-
"Ah, your holiness... I'm glad to be working with you again." Kluger smiled bowing in my presence.
"Likewise, Sir Kluger." I returned the smile. "have you found any leads in the investigation?" he asks sipping the hot tea. "Ah, yes I feel like I am onto something.. Like I felt the same aura from the alley before. I just can't stick a pin to it."
It wasn't necessarily a lie. He nodded in response inspecting me. I kept a calm facade. "I heard you had been gone for a couple of days claiming you were sick... Are you all right"
I smiled. "yes, I just was exhausted from working. I need a couple of days to rest" Not necessarily a lie either.
"It's good to hear that you're all right.."
"..."
"..."
There was an awkward silence before he started the conversation again. "some say that the culprit may be the Grand duke... They are quite suspicious of him."
I flinched. Hopefully, it was not obvious. "Is that so? that is quite absurd... but I suppose we could ask him a few questions," I replied coolly.
"...Yes, I suppose so. I will contact him." He set down the cup of tea.
"Ah!, I will. Since it will be looked over as important if it is from the temple." I intervened trying not to sound persistent.
"All right, that makes sense. Then.. until next time, Your holiness he bowed before leaving. I wiped the smile off my face, letting out a breath of air.
with that, I got a quill pen, invisible ink, along with paper, starting to write. It was quick and onto the point. "They're onto you. Be smart."
Over that, I had written a proper letter in normal ink. "Grand Duke, I apologize for the sudden request. Sir Effyis and I need to ask you questions about the investigation of corpses with missing hearts. Please make this request into consideration.
St. Arya Trugerine.
I then sealed it giving it to a maid. Kluger was suspicious of me. IT is not surprising though. He is an observant scholar. I folded my hands under my chin letting out a breath of air. A grin settled on my face in delight.
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