Kicking off the blankets off her because Luna had hidden for too long and it was already getting hot, Luna sat up from the bed. She narrowed her eyes towards the door, contemplating if she should follow the Vampire King and stop him from going to his concubines.

If he wasn't getting any sexual pleasure from his wife, then the Vampire King was obviously bound to find someone else.

Luna's brows creased in indignation.

Her bravado from having control over her husband had long since fled.

Perhaps, she had teased him too much that he got angry at her?

Will, he even come back tonight, or will they not see each other again?

Luna didn't even know where to go when she couldn't navigate the Vampire King's lair.

She realized that she had been scowling for almost half an hour already, and she forced her face to relax.

She couldn't make him stay if Apollyon wanted to go.

She couldn't give up her allegiance to Hecate and lose her strength to appease the King.

Luna wouldn't be able to sacrifice her virginity.

But, if she wouldn't, Luna would surely lose him.

Luna closed her eyes as she recalled how the sapphire depths of Apollyon's eyes sparkled with dormant mischief.

It was the devil's eyes set squarely in that angelic face that proved her undoing, knocking the breath out of her.

It wouldn't be difficult for his concubines to eagerly succumb to his charms when they were displayed in such dazzling abundance.

Before Luna could realize it, she had found herself reminiscing how she had leaned forward when Apollyon lowered his head toward hers, her lips eager to meet his, savouring the musky warmth of his skin.

Luna buried her face in the pillow, embarrassed.

She needed to bring herself back to reality since she had been clinging to a childish romantic fancy ever since she married Apollyon.

Luna had thought to cast her seductive spell over the Vampire King. Still, instead, she was the one mesmerized by his intense gaze urging her to give up everything for him and the tantalizing way his lips parted ever so slightly as he tried to bring himself to orgasm with her as a witness to his pleasure.

Her skin still remembered his touch and the way his fingertips move in a gentle caress.

The way he was so aggressive when it comes to her--his desire and passion.

Was she willing to sacrifice her advantage in this Realm so that she could keep him?

Luna ran her hands through her hair and massaged her temples slowly to calm her mind.

It felt like her thoughts were running in circles, and it was driving her crazy.

She didn't even know the Vampire King completely, yet she was already acting this possessive over him.

It was normal to be possessive because he was her husband, but this useless emotion would probably ruin her in the long run.

If the Vampire King found out, he will use her emotions against her and place them over her head every time he wouldn't do what he wanted.

Was there a hidden agenda behind this action?

She tapped her hands to the bed as if releasing some pent-up energy.

Drawing a deep breath, Luna splayed her arms wide to stretch then relaxed them.

Losing the Vampire King at this moment was making her paranoid.

Did Apollyon do it on purpose?

Was this some manipulation tactic?

If this was a game and she chased after him, Apollyon would think that he had won.

Why was she doing this again?

What were Luna's intentions of being the High Priestess of Hecate?

Will Hecate's magical power was worthy of the Vampire King, her husband?

If she lost her position as the High Priestess, maybe Apollyon would take her power and then treat her like nothing.

When all the powers bestowed by Hecate were gone because Luna had given it up, she will be gone too.

The truth was, she will be just a piece of accessory along with his other accessories.

Whether Luna was or wasn't his wife, maybe he would still go back to his Consortium.

Apollyon wouldn't give a damn about her opinions since she couldn't give him the sex.

Luna flung herself back to the bed with abandon and placed an arm over her eyes, tears of frustration almost rolling down her cheeks.

Silently cursing him in her mind, Luna hoped that her anger would reach his consciousness as he walked to whoever concubine Apollyon would go to.

Come to think of it, Apollyon didn't talk about the status of the Consortium with her.

Her head was full of clouds and dreams if she thought Apollyon would give his Consortium up if she told her to.

Apollyon could have any woman he wanted—including her.

Would he abolish them now that he had a wife, or would he still keep them although they were blood bonded?

The Vampire King could only drink her blood and hers alone, so drinking from his concubines or any other girls from the Consortium was out of the question.

But what about fucking?

Can he fuck other women except her—his wife, his Empress, and his blood mate?

Luna had no idea because this was the first time she had mated with a pureblood vampire.

'But mates are very possessive.' Luna reasoned out with herself.

The devil in her consciousness shot back, "They can be possessive, but that didn't mean they can't fuck other people with no strings attached--if they really tried--just to get rid of their sexual urges."

Luna heard that thought as if it was spoken to her, clear and concise.

It didn't seem like that statement came from her thoughts alone.

It felt like it came from someone else.

Was that the Vampire King's thoughts she had caught by accident?

Luna halted all movement as she stilled her mind, catching the possible intruder.

A husky note crept into the voice in her mind, and she shivered. "I want you to perform whatever wifely duties I require of you, but I guess there was no happy ending to that, wife."

Now, Luna was irrevocably sure that the mocking words were from the Vampire King.

Luna should never entrust her hopes to Apollyon because the Vampire King would never truly love her.

+++

"I hate him!" Luna announced loudly as she swore, throwing the first thing she could grab to the wall. "The Vampire King is a vile, gluttonous, evil creature, and I hope his prick snap into two, and he dies from too much fornication."

"Oh, my husband is a fucking villain," Luna muttered angrily as she breathed hard, her heart beating wild and fast. "I will kill the Vampire King if I find him with other concubines or with any girl at all." She flung her hands up in the air. "I will destroy him and his kingdom if he cheated on me."

Luna was so furious that she couldn't sleep.

"I don't know what to do." That much was honest.

She scrambled out of bed, walked towards the vanity mirror, retrieved a hairbrush from the drawer, and began working on her hair.

After that, Luna stalked over to the tall cherry wardrobe in the corner by the window and retrieved a velvet shawl, wrapping it around her shoulders.

Her hands dug deeper into the wardrobe, and it brushed a smooth length of rosewood.

There was a note attached to it, and Luna was shameless enough to read the message scribbled on the piece of parchment whether or not it was for her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

To my darling Empress,

I couldn't wait to have your mind, body, and soul. I already have your mind and soul. It's just the body I am having problems with. I promise always to respect your decisions, keep your feelings into consideration and protect you at all costs. I would not do anything to hurt you with dangerous intent. You are my utmost priority, and I would die first before I break these promises to you.

This family heirloom belongs to my mother's grandmother.

Please take my heart inside you. Keep it safe, and I would do the same.

Your one and only husband, Apollyon

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Luna tensed, her heart lurching into an uneven rhythm as she absorbed every word.

The echo of Apollyon's sincere message was so clear he might have been standing just behind her, near enough to touch.

Her haste forgotten, Luna drew the rectangular box from its hiding place and gently lifted the lid.

A thin-silver chained necklace with a tiny blood-red teardrop made of diamond was nestled in the box's silk-lined interior.

Luna gently plucked the necklace out from the box after she had contented herself gazing at it in amazement.

The teardrop-shaped pendant wasn't actually crimson, but the thing changes its colour depending on the light.

She snapped the lid shut and shoved the box deep into the portmanteau beneath the most unmentionable of her unmentionables.

Luna went back to the vanity table to fasten the necklace and admired the way Apollyon's gift settled in her collarbone like it truly belonged there.

As she smiled at her reflection in the mirror, Luna tugged at the stopper from a bottle of lavender water on top of the table and brought it to her nose.

She dabbed the scent on her wrists, on her neck, behind her ears, and in her hair before returning the scent bottle.

Hopefully, this will increase Apollyon's ardour and tempt him to come back.

The clock ticked away another minute.

Every damn minute wasted by her stalling will make her lose Apollyon to a bunch of pit vipers in the Consortium.

Luna didn't actually think that she had to fight for her husband's attention like this.

It was time to figure out what her husband had been up to.