20. Married to a...Beast?

Sometimes we tend to become oblivious to things happening in our surroundings even when they occur right under our nose.

As if a bucket of ice was dumped on her, the blood in her face drain gradually becoming as white as sheet as she recalled all the incident of the past that transpired into this.

It all suddenly made sense.

From the night of the attack when she ran into Dra...Zeus, how he had constantly tormented her nights, to the sudden proposal from the strangers right when she was drove out of her home and even offering her a job.

She had been married to a beastly creature? All these while she'd been living with a....she shuddered.

All these time that he'd been with her, he had been helping her. When she had no idea herself, with or without her knowledge. And how did she repay him? She wasn't even grateful to him for what he did to her. Now he lay unconscious and as still as dead. Because he had tried to save her.

Que sniffed, conflicted between fear, guilt and gratitude. Her fingers tracing path on his body shook lost in her dilemma.

They subconsciously moved downwards towards the flame tattoo on his waist when her wrist was seized in a vice like grip by a cold hand stopping her movement. She gasped falling back but the hands holding her wrist prevent her from moving.

The person on the bed had woken up at some point and was staring at her with bloodshot eyes. The girl looked like her soul had flew out of her body and she was about to pass out any second. He had been unconscious for two days, stuck in the limbo until the girl appeared and a cool feeling seeped into his veins unlocking him.

Letting go of her hand, he go up from the bed and walked o the other side of the room. His steps were a bit shaky as moved and under her eyes, the gashes on his back healed completely leaving not even marks as he disappeared into the bathroom.

No longer in his sight, Que took that opportunity and bolt out of the her room. Her heart doing a marathon in her chest. She didn't know why but her fear for him increased in multiples. She hid under the kitchen counter trying to become as invisible as possible.

If only she could leave. She is definitely not ready to face him yet after what happened. Or ever. This is just so awkward. Biting her lips she looked beside her, the cat that had scratched her and ran out of the room the moment she entered was coiled up under the counter as well, burying it's head under it's limbs.

She quirked a brow, is that why the cat ran out of the room? Because it knew he wasn't human? Come to think of it, ever since she moved into that haunted house after marriage the cat has always been in hiding, never showing it's face especially when this person, in both his form is present. She knew all along he wasn't human.

Light footsteps padded into the living room and from her point of view she could see from his knees below. He left wet footprint in his wake, just out of the shower wearing black slacks. She moved farther away so he couldn't see her.

"Get me a bottle of wine from the cabinet, and bring two glasses." His cold voice sounded across the room this time the accent very clear as when he was in his black cloak. He settled on the couch and switch on the TV.

She pretend as if she wasn't there.

"I'm talking to you, Que. Don't make me repeat myself."

Having no other choice she crawled out of the table and picked a random bottle of red wine along with two glasses and slowly approached him. He was sprawled lazily across the three seater, his back resting on the arm and legs bend in different angles, taking up almost half of the couch. His long hair was wet and the buttons of his shirt were open, revealing a glistening toned chest.

Her hands shook as she filled both glasses to the brim trying to keep her gaze from him. His feature's were sharper than usual and although blood had returned to his face, he was still looking sickly. She turned to leave when he called again, pushing the other glass towards her.

"Seat," he ordered pointing at the space beside him. She opened her mouth to decline but a tilt of his head to the side quirking a sharp brow daring her to disobey had her swallowing down her words and nodding. She picked up the glass and sat at the opposite end of the couch, as far away from him as she could get.

"Closer,"

She shift a little.

"Closer,"

And then a little more.

His sighed heavily and a thick rope curled around her waist and pulled her to him, settling down between the gaps in his legs. The rope which was a very long black tentacle with a shiny short fur uncoiled around her and wiggled in the air behind him.

𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭.

Que stared wide eyed in horror, her hands shook spilling the wine in her hand as she open and closed her mouth. Torn between screaming and fearing he might tear hsr throat out.

"Speak,"

"You are not human." she blurts making him snort.

"Obviously. Like hell I'll be one of you brainless creatures." he twirled the wine in his glass and sip.

Que licked her lips and opened her mouth again when he interrupt her.

"Ask wisely. I'm only going to answer three questions. One is already up."

"What do you want from me?" she said after some thoughts.

"The better question should be who are you, Gattina, not what I want from you. You, Amaranth, have a unique soul that emits an energy which attract....𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 to you like a moth to a fire. Whoever get his hands on this treasure would wield a power that can subject everyone to their, thus why they hunt for you."

"What about you? What do you want?"

"You can call me the guardian of the underworld." He said cockily. "My job is to keep those on the other side on their side and you, Gattina are ruining my job. In other to carry my job out, I believe I need to get rid of you first." She inhaled sharply.

"Relax, I'm not going to kill you. Just make sure you stop radiating the energy and my job would be done."

"But,"

"Tut, your questions are up. You would do good to remain silent. For your safety, you submit to me and do as I say and I can guarantee you'll be cured." He traced his finger across her lips tilting her head to the side as she stared at him in trance.

"Ahem." Elder Talia cleared her throat standing at the entry jolting her back to her sense and she scampered back.

"It's time for your check up." Que nodded obediently and head out of the room. When had she got in? Que blushed even though she wasn't caught doing anything bad. The woman made no sounds at all as she move. Her feet gliding over the floor as if she was flooting moving fastly. Que had to increase her speed to keep up.

"Girl had no decorum these days" The woman said under her breath when she was close enough.

They arrived at a sunroom with various flowers and dwarf trees. Just like before, a mat was spread on the floor beside a tall cabinet. Que walked up to the mat and laid down like she did the previous time. She was still trying to process what Zeus said when the woman took out white crytal orbs and kept them beside her.

"Let's begin with what happened the night of the attack." She sat cross legged in front of her, "You should suspend all other things till after the session." Said looking at her meaningfully.

Que knitted her brow in thought and began. "I was walking down an empty tunnel looking for my cat when I was abduct..."

"Skip the details please. Move straight to the point."

"Ah?"

"What happened before you passed out?"

"We were surrounded and I thought we were going to die.. I guess I panicked and couldn't breath then I screamed then everything went black."

"How exactly did you feel that made you scream?"

Que racked her brain. How do she describe the feeling.

"My chest was stuffed and I felt like something was crawling inside me, wanting to be released and when I screamed, I felt like it was finally getting out and I felt empty, relieved." All she felt was powerless and was frustrated so she screamed. It felt like the years upon years of helplessness she had to let out just before she die, or what she thought at that time, but how can she explain that to the woman?

"Hmm. How do you feel now?"

"Light, and relieved. A little bit scared and anxious but I feel better than before. As if something inside me have... completely changed."

"I see. Lay down still." She put her hand on her stomach and pressed hard.

"Inhale and hold the air in."

She did as instructed and the woman placed the orbs on the positions as before. She insrructed her to exhale slowly and chanted in some weird tones.

When she removed the stones, they were glowing with an orange color. She hummed wrapping them in a towel and kept them in a box.

"Elder, what exactly is wrong with me?"

"I overheard the Lord talking to you about that, didn't he."

"I..Yes, briefly."

"You are best described as a weapon of mass destruction Mrs Menalik, i believe you have an inkling of that yourself. Leaving you untended would only endanger people's lives. There are people out there that would do anything to get their hands on you, to manipulate your power and rule over the world. Unless you are cured, you are a danger to not only yourself, but everyone. I believe you do not want that?"

She shook her head.

"Good. It'll be best if you cooperate with us in your treatment if you want to live. We'll start by training your core. You can retreat for now." Que thanked her and left, her head reeling with the new information she got.