Luna tilted her head and arched an eyebrow.

Her voice grated in annoyance. "You don't want an heir?"

"No." Apollyon's tone made it clear that that was all the answer she was going to get.

He refused to look into her eyes, and Luna's lips pressed together in a slight grimace.

She had to make things crystal clear.

Luna wouldn't stop until she knew the truth about Apollyon's indifference over their future heirs.

"You married me for that reason, Apollyon, remember?" She shifted one leg over the saddle and sat on the horse sideways so that she could get a good look at his face.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Luna quizzed him some more, "What do you mean you don't want an heir?"

Luna stared at the Vampire King's perfect face and knew she had never met a more deadly being in her life—except for the Archdemons—when he wore that stone-cold expression matched with his pursed lips in a tight line.

"I don't want to have an heir." Apollyon trailed off as he peered at her beneath his lashes before he added, "Maybe in the next millenium."

Luna's head flinched back slightly at her husband's response, her mouth falling open.

That was too long.

Why did he marry her in such a hurry, then?

"Apollyon." She voiced urgently, and she couldn't help but stutter in disbelief, "You s-specifically told me that y-you wanted to marry top-produce an h-heir!"

The bastard had the audacity to trap her into marriage.

Her husband had stared into space and their surroundings—anything but her.

Luna watched his blue eyes with intensity as if that would help her to catch his blunders.

"So the reason you married me for an heir was a lie?" She repeatedly hit her husband on his solid chest with her clenched fist, but Apollyon just let her as he grabbed the reins from her with his other hand.

Her eyes had watered in frustration as it threatened to roll down her cheeks, but it paused when she realized Apollyon did nothing—said nothing—and let her beat him up for her satisfaction.

'Wait.' Luna paused as she scratched her cheek in thought. 'That was old news already, and she had agreed to it.'

Her husband had let her do whatever she wanted—even tolerating her small punches as if that would make her forget the fact that he had set her up—that if she accepted it, then everything would be fine.

Luna frowned, rubbed the unshed tears from her eyes, and exhaled a sigh.

'There was no use complaining when he was already married to the man.'

She glanced down on the ground with both of her hands on top of her skirts, seated sideways on the warhorse like a prim and proper lady.

Apollyon kept her caged in his arms so that Luna wouldn't fall from the saddle again.

He took hold of the reins, and Luna gladly let him so that she could sulk in silence.

Moments later, the Vampire King pulled drew her towards his warm physique, and she settled her head on the crook of her husband's neck.

She closed her eyes as her husband pulled her into a warm hug, lulling her to let her guard down and relax into his arms.

She deeply inhaled his masculine scent as her nose nuzzled on the side of his throat, which made Apollyon groan in pleasure.

"Wife. About earlier, I meant that I—" The Vampire King opened his mouth to speak, but he decided to pause for a few seconds, pursing his lips into a grim line before he spoke again.

He confessed his guilty pleasure, "The truth was I want you only for myself."

Luna was surprised at her husband's words that it took her a minute to respond.

Apollyon closed his eyes and sighed heavily as if this revelation was a weakness he never wanted to admit. "I don't want to fight with a child for your attention."

She avoided eye contact before turning to swing her other leg back to the side of Nimbus' saddle, riding straight instead of sideways.

Luna couldn't bear to watch Apollyon's blazing eyes filled with slow-burning heat, so she faced what was in front of her instead.

"It's going to be your child, Apollyon," Luna responded to her husband's concerns softly as she patted her husband's thighs pressed unto hers as they rode Nimbus.

She continued, "He isn't going to be your enemy."

Luna had no idea what had occurred in the Vampire King's childhood that he had considered his future heir to be his adversary when it came to her affection.

Her husband was supposed to love his future heir like how he had loved her if Apollyon ever loved Luna for real with all his heart—not just cheap talk.

Their future heir was the borne fruit of their lovemaking made in their likeness and a mix of their genes.

It didn't make sense that Apollyon would treat his heir as an antagonist blocking him from reaching her.

Her husband hadn't talked to her about his family, and it had been a long time since they last existed.

Apollyon only mentioned the family heirloom he had bestowed on her at their wedding, worn by her female ancestors.

Luna had seen the paintings of Apollyon's mother scattered all around the hallways of the Vampire Castle.

It was only Cederic who had shared something regarding Apollyon's family.

She hadn't even asked the Apollyon if both his parents were still alive or where their lineage came from.

Luna didn't know the reason for their death, either.

Were the Vampire King's mother and father both vampires?

Apollyon didn't talk to him about his past—not even once.

Should she ask him about it, then because honestly, Luna was dying to know?

What if the Vampire King didn't want her to find out about his childhood?

Should she ask the Apollyon about his past family, or should Luna ask Cederic instead?

Apollyon would probably scowl at her interrogations, hating her for making him remember things he didn't want to.

"You say it's a 'he'—" Apollyon's words were ice when he argued, "What if 'he' is a 'she'?"