Zagreus went back to his room got a through shower and changed clothes. He doubted he could hide all of the scent of sex, but he would be a complete ass if he didn’t shower.

“Now for the hard part.” He opened his door, then the one across the hall. Something small flew out the door and hit him, then something else. A rain of random objects pelted him. He stood and waited.

“GO AWAY!” Cinder shouted.

He stepped inside. “No.” Firm.

She morphed into an aerial and flew up to a high shelf. “You reject me! You replace me! Now you come to show off!”

“No.”

“GO! A! WAY!”

“No.”

“WHY NOT?!”

“I want to help you.”

“HELP ME?! YOU HAVE DONE PLENTY ENOUGH TO ME LATELY!”

They would have to work out their problems later. “Tell me about your punishment.”

Jade spoke softly from the bed. “She had three options. The time limit is long past and she tried to attack you again, so she should get option three. I don’t know what it is now, but Cinder is terrified of it.”

“What are the other options?” He said.

Jade said, “Confess to you how she feels…”

“I HATE YOU!” Cinder shouted and threw something from her shelf top.

“…OR, she can become your submissive, like Karimere is to me.” Jade said.

“Can you do one of those?” He said to Cinder.

“I could stick my lance in your eye and watch you squirm!” Cinder said.

“Yes, but that does not get you out of your punishment.”

She walked to the edge of the shelf and glared hatred down at him with her arms crossed.

He waited. “I know they love sticking to their deals. But if you can meet the requirement, maybe they will let the time slide, especially since we were all unconscious for days.”

She finally shook her head and flew over to Jade’s shoulder. They spoke under a ball of silence for a while.

When it deactivated Cinder flew to the door, morphed and left.

“She was supposed to stay in here.” He said.

“She has chosen. She’s using your shower. She doesn’t want to taste like healing tank juice. Give her an hour then go to your room.” Jade said.

He felt queasy. “Why am I suddenly nervous?”

Jade gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Good luck. To both of you.” She left.

He waited the hour then went to see his betrothed.

***

The door was locked. He knocked.

“One second.” Cinder said. Her voice was calm, almost soft. There was the click of the door unlocking, then she said, “Enter.”

The door opened to reveal infernal Cinderella, nude, kneeling in the center of the room. Her horns had been polished. Her wings were wide and on the floor, vulnerable. Her head lowered. Her hands were raised, holding a note card and a collar.

He read the note: “Put this collar on me and I will obey your every command. I am here to serve you Master.” The collar was thick orange leather and had ‘Cin’ engraved on a metal plate. He picked up the collar. Cute pet name. I like it.

She lowered her hands and waited.

Why does everything have to be so complicated and backwards? This looks fun but I don’t want to do it like this, especially with her so mad at me.

“Please. I have chosen.” She said softly.

“Are you sure?”

“I want this. I have wanted it for a long time. I like you giving me orders.” She kept her head down as she squirmed uneasily. “Please. Or I will get option three. You said you would help me.”

He put the collar on her.

She hugged him tight with her head pressed against his stomach. Then her claws dug firmly into his back.

He could feel her anger rising.

She took slow deep breaths and slowly got herself under control. She let him go. She stood with her head down. “What are your orders Master?”

We have to talk about this. “Why did you just get upset?”

“I can smell her on you. I smelled her in your shower. You tried to hide it… Master.”

“I am hiding nothing. She is my wife. The last time I saw her she was gravely injured. I thought she had died. I went to check up on her. We had sex.”

“I see.” She tensed but forced herself to remain calm.

He said. “Now, I am checking up on my betrothed. Last time I saw her she was injured and passed out beside a lake in the middle of nowhere. How are you?”

“I had nightmares that you were dying and I wasn’t able to reach you. You were falling or crushed by stones or stabbed by Gessil. More and worse and it never ended.” She choked up.

He put his hand on her head and sent warm, caring sensations. “Those were just dreams. You did save me. Twice. I am only here now, because of you. We are both safe. I am so glad to see you are ok.”

Her eyes flicked up at him.

“You can look at me if you want. We can play the sub-thing later.”

“I told you before that I would show you my kinder side when in your room. I want to keep doing that. I am really trying. That, thing… upsets me greatly… Master.”

“That mark is part of me now. It is not going away. But I am not replacing you. I want you Cinder. I love you.”

She stared up at him, breathlessly, frozen, forever.

He cupped his hand on her cheek.

She leaned into it. “I want…” In an instant, her eyes went black, her canines extended, her wings went wide and she lunged for the left side of his neck.

“Down!” He said, sent and commanded as he jumped back.

She hit the floor and writhed. “Let me up! I will tear that weak mortal’s mark out of your neck and make you mine!”

“No.” He said sternly. This was not going to be solved through talking. She wanted him to show strength. She needed him to be strong enough to be worth the shame it was costing her. He grabbed the back of her neck and lifted her to her feet. He pushed her forward into a wall, pressing his body firmly against hers. “Is this what you want? Is this why you attacked?”

She hissed and snarled and but did not strike at him.

He bit hard on the side of her neck.

She moaned and writhed.

He whispered. “I know you are a virgin. My traditions say I must marry you if we mate.”

“I know.” She gasped.

“I want you in every way.” He caressed her. “If you accept now, go to my bed. If you want more time then go wait across the hall until the meeting. Choose. That is my one order as your master under this punishment nonsense.”

She made soft pleasant noises as his touches got more aggressive. She gasped. “Order me.”

“Choose.”

“I have. Order me. Master.”

He fingered her softly. “I am setting a rule. You are not allowed to bite me.”

She trembled. “But…”

He interrupted. “They want to see you in control of yourself. So we will show them. No biting.”

“Yes Master. I will try to contain myself.”

“You will. That’s an order.”

“Yes Master.”

He slowed and whispered. “After so long, are you sure you are ready for this?”

She writhed against him, “Master you have started this knowing fully what it meant. Show weakness now and you will not survive.”

Oh, I somehow forgot I was courting an active volcano. “Cin, Get on my bed.” He said sternly and gave her a firm slap on the ass.

Her body had gone back to normal as she lay on the bed. She was still avoiding him with her eyes. He spawned a few things. She looked over as he put on some thin silver bracelets with black chips in them. “What are those?”

“These help block my mental powers. It will let you focus on what you feel instead of being overwhelmed by my senses.”

“What about the other stuff?”

“I’m going to blindfold you and tie your arms to the bed. You will only feel what I let you to feel.”

“Did you use those with her?”

“This is not a competition. And after we do the rituals I expect you to use her name.”

“Did you?”

“No. But I didn’t think about them either. So you get special treatment.”

She smiled a little.

“Pull your wings in.”

“Yes Master.” She complied.

He tied the arm straps to ‘conveniently’ located eye hooks. And put the blindfold on her.

“This blindfold smells like Lilithana.”

“I can use something else.”

“No. No. I should not be surprised. It was my silly fantasies that ignored obvious things like this.” She took a breath, “Do with me as you wish, Master.”

He a moment and looked at her. Damn she is gorgeous. Her soft breathing moved her breasts, drawing his gaze. Her legs were together with, her knees up a little. Still being timid. He god-magicked his clothes away and got on the bed near her feet, touching and caressing slowly up her.

This was the woman who had saved his life. The woman who had shook the world to defend him. He loved her. He wanted her to enjoy this. He took his time teasing. He spread her legs and continued up as she made increasingly desperate sounds.

“Master… please.” She whimpered.

“Please what?” He wrote sonnets on her inner thigh with his tongue.

“Please don’t be weak. Touch me. Take me.”

“Your begging is weak.” He teased. “I am the Master. Your body is mine.” He bit her roughly, “Maybe I could start by edging you. Do you know what that is?”

“You will suffer.” Her tone was deep, threatening.

Master or not. Love or not. He had her pushed as far as he dared. His lips found her sex.

She moaned and bucked.

He pleased and teased her like that for over an hour, until she was responding with little more than satisfied moans. He removed the blindfold and kissed her softly.

Her breathing was slow and deep. She was still recovering from the healing tank. “Are we going to be one now?”

“Soon. But not here.” He untied her and walked her to the sim-room. She followed quietly, dutifully, until they entered.

“Why are we here?” One arm was crossed under her breasts holding the other tight. She almost looked scared.

“My bed doesn’t have room for you to spread your wings. Pick any location that you want. You can mark me now.”

She had a beaming smile as she let her wings out. The simroom turned into the orientation program. The Hall of Endrala stood shining in the distance.

“Really?”

“I put a lot of work into designing this place. And it was the first place we met, physically. It is special to me.”

“The place you tried to kill me.”

“I will make good memories for you here.”

He let her guide them. Her tension was slowly fading. He was unsure where in this massive illusion they were going but she stayed on the path. He regretted not coming here before they started. Watching her walk was tempting him to choose a nearby soft patch of soil as a bed. But he wanted this to be special. He was breathless as she spread her arms and wings then sung the magical note to open the door. They went inside, past the statues, all the way to the circular room with the columns, the exact spot where she punched him into the sky.

The floor was now a bed covered in pillows. They stood at the edge. “Do you like it?” She eyed him for his approval.

“It’s nice. But I have to admit I have avoided this illusion.”

“I made the bed part after I first marked you. I didn’t think I would get to use it but I felt like I needed to do something special for you. We worked and gamed, but never really spent time together. There was nowhere special I could think of. If you really don’t like this I could do an illusion of the Altar where we fought together real quick, or that lake.”

“This is good. The only thing I want to remember about that fight is how badass you looked when you rescued me, twice.”

She smiled and threw her arms around him tightly. “You did way more than you are supposed to do for a ritual. But I needed it. I’m not so nervous anymore. I feel like I can give you a mark you deserve now. You are strong, strong enough to resist when I begged you to take me. You are letting me do the ritual properly. Thank you.”

He took her hand and they walked to the middle of the massive floor-bed. He went to speak and she put a finger on his lips.

“I know. I reviewed the rituals. Let me do it.” She said. She lay him down and got on top of him then kissed him, soon she was pressing her flesh to his with gentle movements and delicious noises for a minute or so.”

He broke the kiss.

She sat up, on her knees, over him. “Oh, yes, the ritual.” She took a few slow, deep breaths then went into full infernal mode. With black eyes, long teeth, wide wings and a deep voice that shook the air with her power, she said, “We fought a glorious battle together and were victorious. You have shown me strength time and time again. You have gifted me with dignity, respect and a chance at freedom from a horrible fate. I have accepted your actions. You have touched me with great pleasure. I now mark you as my mate.”

He turned his head showing exposing his right neck and shoulder. He saw hesitation. He knew she wanted to scour him of Gwenyr’s mark and scent and take him whole. “This is your choice. You can wait if you want more time.”

She shook her head, pressed her body to his and did the crazy tongue thing on his right shoulder. The room took on an orange glow. Even with her mecromail’s power locked she had ample natural arcane. She whispered. “I am glad you are a remnant. Chocolate is not the only thing that drives you crazy. But you know that already don’t you?” There was a little venom in that last sentence.

He ran his hands slowly up her thighs, then her back, eliciting nice sounds, he reached her head and pressed softly. He said, “I love you.” Pressure. Waves of heat seared him like fire alternating with waves of cold that pierced like knives. He screamed and dots of pain burst in his eyes. It finally stopped and he could not feel anything.

The Queen of Hearts, Goddess of Skulls sat on his lap, grinding slowly. Lines of orange arcane pulsed on her wings like veins. She stared nowhere. “You are worthy to bed Cinderella. You are a Mecromancer of great power. You are my betrothed. You are… delicious.” She used a long thin tongue to clean up her lips and the little trail of crimson that had run down her chin.

The bite was working and he was starting to get feeling back, very nice feelings. His hands ran up her side squeezing hard on her breasts.

She looked down at him coming out of her trance. “My betrothed. I must give you a gift before we mate.” She spawned two glowing power swords, spun them and drove them into the mattress wide of his shoulders.

He heard them stick into the stone floor below. Even in his horny-bite state he could tell this was not going well. Next, metal cuffs appeared in her hands and she quickly cuffed one hand to each sword, at the crossbar. He wanted to resist but his body wanted to please the glowing goddess of pleasure and desire.

“That will do.” She looked down at him with her void colored eyes. “Now, I can rid you of that pesky mark. Now, I can take you for my own.”

He growled a protest. That mark was part of him. He would not let anyone touch it. He forced his body to obey. Everything was surging. Instincts and desires flooded through him.

“You don’t like that? You have rejected and replaced a goddess. Death is the only worthy punishment for you. I am showing you a kindness by merely correcting your mistake.”

He morphed and snapped at her with massive shadowcat jaws. His arms were stuck in the cuffs and they messed with his powers. All he got to morph was his head and lower body. She leaned away from the bite. A claw on his foot sliced into her wing and caught the main limb.

She was snatched up, off him and tossed into one of the columns. She stood, shook herself and roared.

He snarled back at her and strained against his bonds.

She calmed herself and walked slowly over to him. She held out her hand, palm up, within reach of his bite, a sign of non-violence.

He sniffed it and licked it softly.

“Even prone and drugged you challenged me to protect her. You show strength of mind and heart. I will accept you as you are Zagreus Shadowbane. My gift is that I let you live and let you keep your other Love Eternal. Morph back so that we may continue the ritual.”

He complied.

She stood over his lap and came out of her infernal mode. She ignored the tiny trails of blood leaking from her slashed wing. “Sorry about that.”

He pulled against his restraints and bucked his hips. He tried to put arcane into his arms and pull the swords free. He could barely think or focus. The fighting was over, only pleasure mattered and he wanted it.

She sat over his thighs and rubbed her hands up his chest. “Shhh, my betrothed. I am here for you. Relax and we will make love.”

Her voice, her touch, nothing else mattered. He moaned softy.

She kissed him. She slid and moved and squirmed. Her body moved back and forth repeatedly.

It felt good and the increasingly annoyed looks she made were just delightfully cute.

She growled at him. “Why is this not working?”

“Do you need instructions?” He laughed at her cute face.

“If you were not out of your head, I would slap you.”

“I could help. Let me free. I will…” He moaned deeply.

“No. This is going to be soft and romantic. You be still.” She huffed at him, then guided him with her fingers. Her eyes fluttered and she moaned softly. She sank onto him slowly, delicately, heightening every sensation.

His body desperately wanted to move, but he resisted the urge, for her.

They met completely. She held still and looked him in the eye. “Thank you for protecting me from Lili. Thank you for this moment, for refusing my begging, for being my first, for being my betrothed, for putting up with my anger and violence. I love you.”

He kissed her and they made tender love.

She finally sat up, riding him hard as her eyes went dark. She released a guttural moan of ecstasy. The illusions around them distorted and flickered. She collapsed on him shaking and sweaty.

His head pounded. His neck ached. The bite effects were fading fast.

She rested on his chest.

“You ok?” He said.

“Yea. Tank fatigue. Give me a minute.”

After about half an hour she moved.

She kissed the right side of his neck, “Love Eternal.”

His neck seared like it was being severed with an arc lance. Aqua, orange and lavender arcane swirled around him. There was a buzzing alarm and the illusions all shattered, even the bed. He fell and hit stone hard with his arms still tied high and wide to the sword crossbars. The universe was agony. Then, everything was gone.