Bedeviled

Chapter 16

She lead me down his hallway as expected and brought me to a door I didn't recognize. She stepped to the side and smiled at me before vanishing.

I stared at the door for a minute before knocking. A moment later, it opened. Azerynir stood looking me up and down with a stoic face.

"Come in" He said dryly, stepping to the side to allow me into the room. This was his bedroom. Large windows covered one wall, giving full view to the dark snowy landscape.

A large chandelier hung in the center of the room from a fully black ceiling. The walls wooden walls were painted the same inky color. I noticed large claw marks digging deep into them. Everything was neat and in place besides his bed and the walls. The comforter was strewn about, some pillows misplaced across it, some scattered on the floor.

He held out a gloved hand to me. I hesitantly placed my hand in it, allowing him to guide me to one of the mirrors hanging on the wall. He placed me in front of it and stepped over to a table on the other side of the room.

A few crowns and various other pieces of jewlery were placed on it. He picked up a daintly looking necklace and a small box beside it. I assumed they were earings part of a set.

He walked back over to me and handed me the box. Inside were a pair of small tear drop shaped earings.

His hand reached over my shoulder and his two fingers rested under my chin, "Chin up," He said, lightly pushing my head upright.

I watched in the mirror as he lay the delicate necklace over my collar. Three similar looking, small diamonds hung from the gold chain. He cliped it on and brushed his gloved hand down the side of my neck to my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I truly am". He said, still looking down at my neck. I felt a chill run down my spine. He should feel sorry for what he's been doing to me. When I didn't reply he asked, "I don't want to hurt you, I just-I..." he paused, eyebrows knitting together. He only shook his head, mouth still open.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I asked, he only chuckled under his breath and walked back over to the table. I took this time to put the earings in.

He walked back holding a tiara covered in red jewels. I frowned and looked up at him.

"Why would I wear your tiara?" I asked. I was a duchess and did wear tiaras but it was unlikely I would ever adorn my head with another kingdoms.

"You're the Duchess of Vales, people expect you to look the part". He told me and began placing it in my hair. He was surprisingly skilled at this, securing it in just the right places. I took in my appearance, admiring the jewelry he put on me.

He placed his own crown on top his head and paced back to me, reaching out his hand for me to take. I placed my hand once again in his and before I knew it we were standing in a different room. No, different castle.

"Wha- How?" I stuttered out looking around. Others, who I assumed to be demons, wandered around us in the same formal attire we were. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves as anyone would at a ball.

"I shifted us here" Azerynir looked down at me, still holding my hand. I realized he must have teleported us somehow. He pulled me closer to him and placed his gloved hand on my exposed lower back. The gentle touch sent goosebumps across my skin and I struggled to keep my mind away from vulgar thoughts of what that hand felt like on the rest of my body.

"You are to act friendly with me, do you understand?" He waited for me to nod before continuing, "No attitude, everyone here believes we are more familiar than we are".

I scoffed up at him. He thinks he can just run around using me for show? He tilted his head in warning to my expression and I quickly dropped it. He began leading me into the ballroom next to us and stopped one of the souls carrying drinks.