Sardonix takes me into Lorry's finest hotel through a fire exit, uncaring that I'm being led in naked.

He takes me straight to his hotel room, security ushering us forward. Once within his luxury guest room where a fire is burning bright, he shuts the door and locks us in.

I stumble forward, shivering from the cold and being wet for so long. I'm just glad a gas fire is burning on the highest heat setting. The other lights stay off, so the flickering yellow over the pebbles keeps a flickering romantic light across the large room. It's spotless and clean, with minimal furniture but thick expensive golden lace curtains, drawn across the windows, and a large enough kitchen set up, along with a spacious living area and separate bedroom through an arch way.

Sardonix seats himself on the main couch by the fire and tells me lightly, but it's still a direct order, "Go take a hot shower, sweetheart."

He just called me. Sweetheart? Hmm. Wow. Coming from a Lycan, it's phenomenal. It's so casual and nice and normal. It's such a human thing too, suggesting a shower. Lycans never cared if their bitches were dirty, hell, they didn't care if they were wet with their own blood.

I look over Sardonix in awe, and I feel a little taken aback.

I forget he is a Lycan in that moment and I smile and nod. I quickly walk into the bathroom, where it is perfectly clean, towels rolled up and some soap, shampoo and conditioner available for me.

I blast the hot water and stand under the shower head. I clean and I love every second of it's warm embrace. I warm myself right up and only then do I jump out to grab a large fluffy white towel. It's like heaven, patting it around me, drying off.

The very opposite of hell. This is heaven.

I didn't close the bathroom door on Sardonix so he could watch me all he liked, although he's casually reclining back on the couch now, feet up, shoes still on, as he is texting on his phone anyway.

When I'm dry, I walk out in the towel and awkwardly take a seat at the small table by the large bar fridge.

"You want a drink?" Sardonix growls, without looking at me, "Take one."

God, this meany was so generous.

He was confusing to the senses and my heart.

"No, I shouldn't drink any alcohol," I respond, "But thank you for your..." kindness.

I trail off. Sardonix raises a brow and a glare my way, before focusing back on his phone. He was annoyed I didn't finish the sentence, but is also not that interested in me while we are alone. Hmm.

It's relaxing seeing him so busy on his phone. Knowing I am not the object of his attention right now, helps me chill out.

I lean over to the bar fridge and extract a bottle of water.

I open it and drink the whole thing without stopping. I gulp it all down, fast and desperate – fuck I was so thirsty.

I feel his eyes on me as I drink from the water bottle a bit too fast. I put it down swiftly, scrunching it in my hand, fighting off the bubbles in my stomach, but I can't help it, I burp loudly and cover my mouth with my hand. I blush.

Oops.

I throw the bottle into the rubbish and clasp my hands on the table.

What now?

"Um. Thanks for letting me stay with you," I thank him, as politely as I can.

"I have to take care of you," Sardonix is far more relaxed out of the public eye, and away from his pack. I love this side of him, "You're only in this time because of the Hall of Two Truths. Your fate is tied to Lycans. Tell me about Anubis," he catches me off guard, but he finally lowers his phone and tosses it on the table, now glaring directly at me with his very focused blood moon eyes. He pins me to the spot with them. Now? He watches the smile wipe right off my face. A... Anu...Anubis... oh fuck no. I can't think about him. "Was he your first?" Sardonix asks me boldly, while I'm looking at the table. I nod silently.

When Sardonix says nothing, I assume he wants me to speak about it.

Fuck.

Where do I start?

"...Anubis wanted to... he wanted to murder me..." I whisper, "I don't know why, when I loved him so much. With all my heart. He knew me as a fairy. I was doing an audit... I saw he was lonely. I was lonely too. I... just fell for him. I don't know why. There was something... romantic... about his brutal... honesty... and mission – he was driven to complete his tasks in the Afterlife. He was easy to understand, I guess. Until the end. When he said he'd fuck me to death," I gulp, after blurting that all out, "When I'm..." I trail off, but Sardonix says nothing, so I assume he wants to know more, "When I'm around Lycans, I have no control over myself. If you wanted to kill me –" I raise my head. I look him in the eye, "I'd probably lay down willingly, and let you do it, not because I want to die... but because I want to obey you... I am... crazy... I think I'm insane, or something," I gulp again.

And... I'm still thirsty.

Sardonix is still. Massive in human form. Giant but not as giant as his Lycan must be. Intimidating as a mortal but he nowhere near as menacing as his full demonic wrath must be. For some reason he has tamed himself to appear mortal in character and response. He swears only sometimes, having the harsh mouth of a Lycan. And he also looks patient, and Lycans were not patient. He confuses all of me.

I seem to confuse him, too.

"...because you are insane," Sardonix answers me, "There's nothing more to it."

"I think there is," I challenge him now, getting a little heated, my cheeks blush red as I state passionately, "I feel love for your kind. I love..." Anubis. Although it'd been so long since I thought of him.

"Love..." Sardonix tastes the word, "Huh."

"Are you going to kill me," I ask him straight.

Sardonix smirks and tilts his head, "Why would I do that? Are you scared of me?" I nod, "I don't kill females, no," I exhale a sigh deeply, relieved about that, "They kill each other. They fight to the death over me. In a frenzy. We travel because women are possessive of us."

"And you aren't possessive? Lycans are completely possessive," I counter.

"We can be, if we like you enough," Sardonix looks me over, "...I don't particularly like you... you're odd."

I'm taken aback by that.

"Why," I whisper, hurt and baffled.

"Something about you being a fairy – I think you'll hurt my feelings," Sardonix challenges me now, "You got a mean streak."

"I am not mean! What the fuck?! And since when do demons have feelings?" I fire back.

"You're annoying," he rolls his eyes over me, "Take off that towel, why are you wearing anything at all?"

"Oh, shut up," I snap.

Sardonix looks at his long sharp overgrown nails, clicking them together, smirking, he whispers, "...tell me to shut up again... I dare you."

"Shut. Up," I say it without hesitation.

Sardonix kicks up his legs and reclines back, hands behind his head.

"I'm going to cry myself to sleep because you're so mean," Sardonix sighs deep and dark, full of sarcasm. He closes his eyes and tries to look sad. He's not very good at it, but I already feel guilty.

"I'm sorry," I murmur, "I shouldn't have been so rude."

"It's okay," he whispers to the ceiling.

"It's not okay," I feel ashamed, "I have bad impulses. Sometimes I feel one feeling at a time... it's just how I am. I'm not stupid, or mean, I'm just... like... sophisticated, or something."

"That is the last thing you are, darling," Sardonix keeps his eyes closed, looking like he's about to take a nap.

"I thought you were going to fuck me," I admit.

Sardonix opens one eye.

Catches my stare.

Closes his eyelid.

And smiles a bit to himself, but says nothing.

After a few minutes, it really does sound like he has dozed off.

I stand up quietly from my chair, and tip toe into the bedroom.

I find a clean suit laid out for him and my fingertips trail off the priest's robe.

"HmmMmmMmm," I sing-song to myself, and I look for any spare clothing in the wardrobe, where his clothes hang.

I pick out a red shirt, and I put it on, buttons done up. It reaches my knees.

I peep out into kitchen and living area, and Sardonix is truly asleep, napping.

I turn to the bed and I crawl onto it, laying down my head on the pillow, knees to my chest, I close my eyes and rest.

I'm exhausted, and I'm warm and comfortable on top of the sheets, with the heater maintaining the temperate of the room, keeping it blazing hot.

I fall asleep in a Lycan's lair.

Probably not my best brainy moment.

But I was down from the adrenaline leaving my system, and so I was happy to doze off.

Just for a little while... what could go wrong?

****

Sardonix hijacks my dreaming.

When I 'wake up', it's not in the hotel.

I'm walking in a red forest in a lucid state, with red ember soil, black tree trunks with red leaves – and my hand is entwined with another.

I'm walking through the forests of hell with my very 'helpful' demon holding my hand.

I look up at Sardonix, confidently leading me down the path through hell.

His fingers are wrapped tight around my hand, while I walk close beside him – and we're both very naked. But neither of us care so much about that.

Silently, Sardonix leads me to a large tree and with a red vine growing around the trunk, pink leaves grow with soft white centres.

"Virgin flowers," Sardonix explains, "...it's too bad you're not one..." I look at him sideways, strangely unable to speak, as my tongue is too heavy, "What are you, Cleo?" he pulls me from the tree and we keep walking.

My mouth opens, words able to flow now that he's asked me a question, "I am Cleo."

"What are you, Cleo?"

"I used to be a fairy –"

"Even when you were a fairy, your traits crossed over to human – just like me. Tell me, what are you?"

"Well. What are you?" I ask him.

"A Lycan," Sardonix morphs a little, until his teeth grow and recede, "What are you?"

"Lonely," I answer, too truthfully, "Always lonely," my voice seems to echo, and with the truthful statement my hand touches air – as his spirit goes away.

I look for him but I am alone.

My heart slows, my stomach clenches.

I grab my stomach and turn around.

Where was Sardonix?

Why did he leave me?

The lonliness creeps in around me.

The trees are getting thicker as I walk through hell, now by my lonesome.

I wonder how I got here?

Was this really a dream?

Was this worse than a dream?

Was this a nightmare?

Was this death –?

The light is leaving, but the heat is increasing. The shadows grow and reach for me, so I choose to huddle next to a tree and sit down, holding onto a root, I look around, truly lost, even though I don't know how I got here in the first place.

Below my feet, is a little puddle of blood, glimmering with a strong reflection.

I look into it, seeing my eyes, full of black tears. They run down my face, and I notice more blood... but this blood? Is all over my shoulder, running down my front and back. Gasping in fright, I reach behind me and feel the cuts... from teeth marks.

A lycan bit me?!

When?

The bite bleeds profusely, all over, though I feel no pain, only a mild throbbing.

My throat feels dry again. So dry.

I sit back against the night tree and look around the empty landscape.

I hear the soil burn and sizzle to my left, and when I look, I see five claws digging into the ground off a large Lycan foot. The claws are razor sharp, the fur is snow white, a blaze of silver, while the claws shine like black thick obsidian. I look up the leg of the Lycan, to see Sardonix in demon form.

There is something wrong with his Lycan.

Half his face is scarred, so badly the eye and mouth are scarred the most. It bleeds too. One crimson eye is clouded over from the damage. The other eye is fine. His silver fang fur is shimmering black in some directions as the hellish wind floats by. His teeth are extraordinarily sharp, as if he chews on bones regularly.

Drool drips down his fangs, hunger and lust. His lycan cock is not my concern.

I'm staring at his hurt face, standing up, I reach for him, speechless, and he kneels beside me.

Sardonix is closer to me now, he stops baring his fangs, but keeps his eyes on me as he lowers his head even further, to show the golden thorns still stuck in his face.

They've been there a long time. I can see the skin trying to heal, and being cut, over and over again. It looks incredibly painful.

"The devil's crown was thrown at me by the devil himself," Sardonix tells me, "No one can take them out without being eternally cursed," he moves his head away from me, before I can touch them, "If you touch them, you'll be the devil's whore after death."

"I am a fairy, I'm sure I can pull them out, because in fact, I have no soul," I tell him, "...only a tiny Fate..."

Sardonix sees my hand on the trunk, sneaking up the bark, trying to get closer to his wounds. He puts his claws over my hand, before I can reach for him again.

"...if you have no soul, how come your flesh is so warm... your blood is ripe like heaven... you have a bright light within your eyes..." he tells me as if teaching me a lesson, "...what are you...?"

"I don't know," I answer honestly, "Maybe I am a tiny Sprite, they have some human blood... but they are very selfish. And I am not selfish."

"Yes you are," Sardonix looks me in the eye, telling me straight. I get offended and pout, but he doesn't care about that, "...bitch..." it's not an insult, just what Lycans call their females.

"Yes?" I ask, raising a brow.

"This is just a dream," Sardonix clarifies this to me.

"I am aware," I whisper back, "But it's just you and me."

"I don't trust you, Cleo, not at all," Sardonix tells me this very seriously.

"Why?" I ask, truly worried.

Sardonix brings his wolf head down to mine, he bares his brilliant teeth and they move next to my cheek.

He snarls into my ear.

"You're a Queen," Sardonix drawls, "To Lycans. But my mother is the Queen. You cannot ascend while Silvia is alive," he growls this low into my ear, "I cannot fuck you or I put her position in jeopardy."

"Can't I just be a princess to Lycans?" I whisper, "I don't want to hurt Silvia! She's my friend!"

Sardonix looks me in the eye as he lowers his head further, showing me the thorns again.

He wants me to take them out. He's decided I can.

There is eight of them.

I know they cannot curse me. I start to pull them out, one at a time.

Each heavy shard falls into the soil and is swallowed by the soil.

One thorn pricks my finger and I suck on it, sitting back when all the thorns are out.

"I am cursed by the devil," Sardonix warns me, "Bitch... don't you know what that means...? Read my aura."

He stands above me, stepping over me so I fall onto my back and lean on my elbows, staring up at him, as his dick and balls hang over me, and his fangs shine brilliant even with no light.

My eyes roll over him, but I read nothing.

"I can't read you," I tell him, "I lost that full ability. I can only see you are distressed."

His foot and claws lift, landing on my stomach.

They pierce me and my organs, breaking my bones – and I scream awake.

****

I roll around in a fever and I lie on my back, trembling on the bed covers.

I smell incense in the air.

When I sit up and look into the living area, Sardonix is still lying back, but his eyes are rolled back, a candle burns and he is still in the dream.

I roll out of the bed and I run for the front door.

It's locked, and no matter how hard I try to wrench it open, it won't budge.

I hear the couch squeeze and move as he sits up, finally awake.

I stop breathing and freeze, my back to him.

"...it was a nightmare only... it deserved a bloody ending..." Sardonix tells me, as if it's no big deal. I turn around to face him, my back pressed against the door, "I am not cursed either," he explains, "I just wanted to see if you'd try and save me. Come here, lie with me," he pats his side closest to the couch. I hesitate, so he adds, "Lie with me, bitch."

I bite my lip.

I shuffle an inch closer.

"You want to hurt me," I whisper, asking it and stating it.

"No, I just wanted to scare you, come closer," Sardonix puts his arm up, waiting for me to jump on him. I obey the order. I walk forward and jump over him. I lie into his side, head over his shoulder, as he plays with strings of my hair, "Mm, you're a good girl," Sardonix chuckles, "I can't fault you with that. You do obey."

"You're warm," I whisper, holding his torso with my arm, looking up at him, looking down at me, cuddling into his side, "Lycans are always so very warm."

Sardonix puts his hand on my cheek and his thumb rubs back and forth along my cheekbone.

"You're kind of cute," he admits, "...I like that your eyes are full of light."

"I do not have a soul, that is still fact, I wish I was full," I answer, "Instead, I am an instrument of others."

"Shh," Sardonix keeps stroking my cheek, "Sleep if you want. I'm going to throat fuck you later. Every day. But when your roof is fixed, you can go home. I don't keep whores around like my father. I get bored. But I'll take you shopping this week if you like."

I shy away from his hand, but it follows me even as I try to burrow a bit more into the couch, by his side.

"Mm," is all I say, unsure. He will leave? Why did that make me sad? "...instead of terror... I feel sorrow..." I admit.

"You can cry with a lycan dick down your throat, I really don't mind," Sardonix shrugs.

"You really shouldn't require a blow job every day, for helping me, you said you had to, that it was your responsibility –" I tell him.

"I would never force you to suck my dick, you just seem desperate," Sardonix bites me bluntly with those words.

I lurch off of him.

I jump over the coffee table and I put it between us.

"I am not desperate for Lycan dick," I hiss at him, "Don't imply I am."

"You asked me to punish you and begged me to hurt you... yet you're not desperate for a demon to cut your soul into pieces. You have one, you dumb bitch, stop denying it, I can smell it – you got a big heart for Lycans, like a born fool,"Sardonix snarls as he sits up.

"Shut up! I'm done here. I can live under my temporary roof!" I decide, ignoring him, "Good bye. Where are my fucking clothes? Where did you put them?" I'm starting to yell and I'll scream if I have to.

"In the corner," Sardonix snarls, pointing to the drenched pile, "You better fucking run. Leave and don't come back."

"Last time I checked," I snap as I storm back to my clothes. I rip off his red shirt and start to dress in my wet bra and shirt, "You. Came. To. Me!" I accuse him, "Driving by my house. By the carnival. You. Leave. ME. ALONE," I am able to put on my shirt, but I struggle into the wet jeans. I hop around like a bunny, while Sadonix watches me struggle.

"I went near you to make sure you're okay," Sardonix explains, "I was fucking curious."