Chapter 1

"Say it."

"I –"

"I promised you darling. Now say it."

The voice was seductive. Alluring. Tempting him into sin.

"I –", Liam gulped in fear. Steeling himself for the aftermath, he took a deep breath and muttered,

"My heart is yours, lord of Favours, on the condition that you return my family home to me. It means a lot to me and I promise to devote myself to you if you fulfil your promise."

A gust of wind hit his face after that proclamation, carrying the smell of chocolate and cherries.

"Good boy", the voice crooned.

"And now we seal it with a kiss." Liam flinched when he felt soft lips on his in the dark, pressing

lightly on his mouth, coaxing him to open up. He remained still and silent until they eased off.

There was a rustle of something and Liam realised papers were being pressed into his hand.

"It is done. The land and the house in under your name, including the farm. You will find all

necessary details in those papers."

The air around him grew less charged and the scent of chocolates grew fainter when Liam realised that the being was probably moving away.

"But –"

"Yes, love?"

"What about the price?"

"Don't worry, sweetheart." The silky voice sounded amused. "I will definitely come to collect."

Days passed. Then weeks. Slowly Liam relaxed. No one would come to exact the price. After all who would bother with a mortal when you were an all-powerful being? Consoling himself, he went back to his normal life. Now living in his family mansion and a steady job that paid extremely well, he could enjoy life to the fullest extent. Drinking, partying and dating was his life now and he loved it.

One day he was sitting in his office, sipping on whiskey when suddenly the lights went out. Voice

rising in irritation, he called out- "Is someone out there?"

Getting no response from the servants in the house, he huffed in annoyance and got up from his comfortable chair fully intending on reprimanding those imbeciles.

"Did you miss me, love?"

Liam crashed into the mahogany table in his hurry to get away from the soft voice.

"Did you think I would not come to collect?" The voice tsked in admonishment. "You should have

known better Liam. Do you not remember your promise?"

"Do you-," Liam swallowed. "Will you make me fall in love with you?"

"In love?" The dark figure cocked its head.

"I promised to give my heart to you."

"Oh." A smoky laugh that raised the hair on Liam's arms and a part of his brain rebelled to be in the

presence of a natural born predator. "Remember the words you said, Liam. I want your heart, yes.

Your still beating heart."

"But you said you wouldn't kill me," he shouted shrilly.

"Poor, innocent Liam," the being whispered, its voice heavy, sultry. "I will keep my word just as you will keep yours."

Liam experienced a moment of relief and in the next moment he staggered to his knees in pain.

Drip, drip.

The blood dripped from his heart and onto the hardwood floors.

"Sifreyanto des nostra den. Rise, creature of the night, devoted servant of mine."

"What did you do?" Liam whispered in horror.

"Me?" It laughed airily. "No, dear one, it was you who committed yourself to me. Hereby, you

become a creature borne of night, sustained by the human blood, my devoted thrall. As long as your

heart is in my possession, you live. If you step out of line….well, the consequences of breaking an

oath isn't pretty." The suffocating presence vanished.

The lights flickered back on revealing a kneeling man with blood red eyes and sharp canines, mouth still open in a beseeching plea of mercy and an empty hole where his heart once was.

Humming merrily while walking home, the god thought, "They really should ask for more details first." The sound of carefree laughter rang in the air.