Sinner (MATURE 18+)

13

I had three hours until my betrothal to Alias was public.

The day after my coronation, I announced the news to the council and surprisingly, they agreed it was the best way to save our kind. My aunt no longer attended the meetings, but when she heard the news, her reaction shocked me the most. She held her hand over her mouth and gasped, sinking into the chair behind her. Tears sprang to her eyes and she cried silently, shaking her head back and forth.

"I'll be fine, aunt," I had said, kneeling down in front of her. I put my hands on her knees, and she pursed her lips together.

"You're so strong Elena, but he's psychotic. He's demonic, nothing like Carsir or any other demon you've encountered," she had whispered, hands trembling. I wanted to ask her what she meant, but she stood and walked around me. "I pray for your life."

That encounter alone shook me to my core. I ignored the shiver going down my spine and turned up the setting on the treadmill before adjusting my headphones. Loud rock music silenced the world around me, my chest rising and falling quickly. I was accompanied by several other people at the gym, only men though, using the weights in the back.

My phone rang but determined to break 5 miles, I ignored it. My music paused once again as it rang once again. With a grumble, I slowed the machine down to a walk and answered.

"Elena? Where the fuck are you?" Chase exclaimed.

"At the gym," I managed through heavy breathing. "Why?"

"Because the makeup artist and hairdresser are here and you're not!" Chase had crashed at my apartment and was my unofficial secretary. I stepped off the treadmill and gathered my things before chugging some water down.

"I'll be there in 10." I used my towel to wipe the sweat off my brow and headed home. Chase opened the door immediately, and pushed me into the bathroom, ushering me to take a shower. I jumped in, scrubbing the sweat out of my hair and shaved everything. After my shower, I pulled my robe on and entered the living room where the artists sat impatiently. Seeing me, they're faces lit up and jumped up to ready me.

"Excited?" Chase asked. I rolled my eyes, tilting my head so one could do my makeup and the other could blow dry my hair.

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm about to get engaged to the man I love and not the man who threatens to slaughter everyone I love," I humoured drily. I closed my eyes as shadow was applied on my lids.

"I gather you'd much rather get married to Carsir," he commented, sighing. I peeked one eye open and raised a brow at his tone then closed it a moment later.

"I doubt he wants to even be with me anymore, I mean, I am his step-mother!" I felt the hairdresser hesitate before continuing. I couldn't have begun to imagine what was going through her head while listening to our conversation. Carsir hadn't reached out to me for the past few weeks, and it has begun to worry me.

"The man is head over heels into you Elena, if anything, he'll want you more now," Chase said, from my side.

"How? Isn't that kind of incestual?"

"You're not even related- but he'd be more motivated to go after something he can't have. He's a territorial guy, trust me I know."

"I know you know. And you never tell me anything about what happened between you guys," I said, finally opening my eyes. Chase ran a hand through his hair, looking away.

"I honestly don't know, but I know I'm the reason he moved," he admitted. "I had to be." I frowned.

"What did you do to send him off like that?" I asked. He shook his head slowly, biting his bottom lip. "Did you give him something?"