When Xu Zhijian becomes a full-fledged demon hunter, he is given a talisman to summon his familiar. However, he ends up calling forth the sleeping 'Demoness' and finds himself bound to her without a choice.
Days go by and he begins to discover that...
As Zhijian hovered above her with an intense look in his eyes, Xiaoyu found her breath hitched in her throat.
Enveloped in his sandalwood scent that was pleasant and earthy, her cheek brushed lightly against his. He was being so dangerously close to her that her heart thundered wildly and she wondered if he could hear it.
"It's coming." His breath tickled her ear. "We've to pretend to catch it off guard. Forgive me."
Framing her face with his hands, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her scent in. Her cheeks flamed in embarrassment and bashfulness. She shivered at his touch, not knowing where she should place her hands except on his broad shoulders.
She knew that this was all an act, but she couldn't quell the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
Her body remained so still, that Zhijian had to nudge her. "Act along with me. I can't be doing this alone."
Her cheeks turned into a beet red colour. Her hands reached up to hook around his neck as she hugged him to her, pressing her face into his neck to hide her embarrassment.
After this mission was over, she knew she wouldn't live to see the day. She was planning to dig a hole in the ground and bury herself in it. How could she face Zhijian again without thinking about this moment?
From the corner of their eyes, a shadow slipped through the window and slithered towards them. When it drew closer, Zhijian leapt into action quickly. He pulled his sword out of its sheath and struck the intruder.
A nasty snarl filled the air as the demon was livid, realising that this was all a trap. With her blood-red dress billowing out around her, she swiped her sharp claws at him and the both of them engaged in a chaotic fight that was happening too fast for one's eyes.
The demon only had eyes on her target - Xiaoyu. Each time she tried to get past Zhijian to reach her, she was flung backwards by his relentless attacks. As he countered all her blows, his unbreakable defence was starting to weaken her resolve. Knowing that her chances of winning were slim, she turned and fled through the window, vanishing into the night.
The pair knew that if the demon was left alive, she could target someone else instead.
"Stay here and don't go anywhere." Zhijian instructed Xiaoyu, who nodded quickly, before he turned to pursue the demon.
After he left, she remained in the room. No matter how much time passed, she waited for him anxiously. Even if he was an outstanding swordsman, she was worried that he might get hurt.
And her fear soon turned out to be true.
He came back with a wounded arm. Three, long claw marks marked his skin and blood was already dripping down his arm. It looked really painful but Zhijian maintained a straight expression. She couldn't tell if he was just pretending to look strong in front of her. After all, he was a prideful demon hunter.
His eyes softened when he noticed her concerned look. "It's just a few scratches, it's nothing to worry about." However, his reassurance fell upon deaf ears when she grasped his arm for a closer look, a distressed frown creasing her forehead.
Biting her bottom lip, she held out her wrist and showed him the charmed bracelet that was sealing her powers. Accompanied with a pleading look, she mouthed to him.
"Remove it."
He hesitated, obviously caught in a dilemma. "I know that you mean no harm, but removing the seal would mean that I'm defying the clan leader's orders."
With an earnest look, she wrote a few words on his palm. "One minute. I promise."
After a few seconds of debating in his mind, he reluctantly nodded. He removed the bracelet on her wrist and watched her warily as she proceeded to work her powers on him.
He watched in fascination as she healed him quickly. The bloodied claw marks sealed up by themselves, leaving behind no scars on his smooth, pale skin.
"Incredible." His eyes shimmered in awe. "Thank you."
She nodded in return and gestured towards the window which he came through earlier. Her troubled eyes were clearly asking, 'What happened to the demon?'
He understood her easily. "Dead. She's not going to hurt anybody else anymore."
Still looking anxious, she drew her question on his skin. "Even her soul?"
"Don't worry, I may have killed her but her soul is saved," he assured her while sheathing his sword. He levelled his piercing gaze at her; the intense magnetic pull of it was so great that she couldn't seem to look away.
"You're confusing me," he said quietly. His mind was still mulling over their unfinished conversation from before. "You care for a vengeful spirit who wanted to kill you so much. Others may not see the goodness in you, but I can. I'm starting to believe you."
She was taken aback by his words. No one ever spoke to her this gently before. No one bothered to understand her. For the first time, she was being noticed in a positive light.
But she had sinned too, and that was irreversible.
Her gaze dropped to her feet. When she moved away, Zhijian pulled her back.
"You've already proved me wrong about your character," he added. "Now, it's time for you to prove your innocence."
His words affected her deeply and inexorably, causing a lump in her throat. All the emotions that she had kept hidden in her heart were threatening to spill.
Her mother had been right when she said that the eyes were windows to the soul. With the way he was staring at her, it was like he was prying off the layers of walls around her heart.
Zhijian was about to see her for who she really was; her sins, her fragility, everything.
He really shouldn't. Because if he did, her heart would break into pieces when their time together came to an end.
However, a part of her couldn't deny that she wanted him to see her for who she truly was. Not as the Demoness, but just a normal girl.
To bear such a thought terrified her, because she was falling fast for him.
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A/N: If you have made it this far into the story, I just wanna give you a big bear hug 🤗 for joining me on this journey! I really like writing this book a lot and I'm happy to share it with you! ❤️💜🧡💚💙
There's still a long way to go and I hope you can stay till the end! 😘
