CHAPTER 17 & 18

"Where is my Ruby??" He asked as anger laced his voice.

Nobody answer because no one knew where Ruby was. He then scoffed and asked his guards to search the palace from the ground up.

And they obliged, they split up into group, searching the palace up and down but they didn't see her.

Xavier looked at Yevon and saw that his emotions had changed, he was smirking before but now, he was worried.

"Do you know something?" Xavier asked his voice domineering.

"I.....I.....I" he stammered.

Xavier then snapped his fingers time froze and his eyes turned blood red.

"Do you know something?",

Yevon gulped down nothing

"I...I....I....wanted to kidnap her and marry her but my plan didn't work, and now I don't know where she is"

"What do you mean you don't know where she is?"

"I....I'm sorry I don't know!" He was saying the truth, but Xavier didn't believe anything he said, Xavier then held his neck tight and teleported to Astoria and left him almost breathless in a dark room.

"You will not eat nor drink, anything until we find her!" He said.

He then vanished, leaving him there in the room.

Days of searching, with all leading to dead ends but they couldn't find Ruby, Xavier was deeply worried. He didn't even eat or drink properly.

Evelyn had come to stay with Xavier in the palace because she heard what happened and wanted to console her best friend.

"Come on eat" she said as she placed the tray of food on top of the desk.

"I'll eat it later"

"You have to eat Xavier Ruby won't be happy if she sees that you aren't eating"

Just hearing her name made him sadder, tears fell from his eyes.

"Do you think I'll find my Ruby?"

"You will, I know that, here have it!" She said as she watched him eat his food.

_____

"Asher you okay?" Caroline asked, she knew was somehow worried about Asher.

"I'm fine Caroline" he said as he wiped his tears he was thinking about the day that Ruby left.

*"I don't love you I love someone else"* the words played in his mind repeatedly.

He is thinking about Ruby again!" She thought.

She couldn't take it anymore the guilt was eating her up, this was all her mother's fault. She walked up to Asher and held his hands and looked at him, he looked back at her.

"I want to tell you something" she said and he snapped out of his train of thoughts.

"Yes, what is it?" He said his voice low.

She then breathed out and said

"I'm responsible for Ruby's kidnapping but not her disappearance"

"I don't understand that statement!"

༺FLASHBACK༻

"I'm so tired of Ruby getting everyones attention, I hate it mum!!!!, cant we just get rid of her?"

"I have a plan dear!"

"What plan?"

"You know Prince Yevon who came to ask for Ruby's hand in marriage still has feelings for her, why don't you deceive him into kidnapping her!"

"Woah mum kidnapping, isn't that going to far?"

"Do you want to get rid of her or not??"

"I do!"

"Then do according to plan.

The next day, Caroline entered a carriage and went to Havencrest, she then entered the palace after asking the guards if Yevon is home and great fully he was.

"Yevon! She said as enetered the room. She then glanced at Yevon who was busy reading a book.

"Oh hi Caroline, what are you doing here?"

"I came to make a deal with you!"

"Okay what is it?"

"You still love Ruby right?"

He hesitated and looked at her.

"Why the question?"

"Do you still love her?"

"Yes I do!"

"Well I have a plan, how about you kidnap her and get married to her"

"No way I can't do that"

"You have to, or else I'm gonna tell her that you are responsible for..." He shushed her mouth and she smirked at him.

"Deal or no deal?"

"Deal!" He said as he shook hands with her and she left.

_____

"You conspired with Yevon to kidnap Ruby?"

"I'm so sorry, but he isn't at fault....I....am" she said her voice going lower in the I am.

"It's okay, let's hope that Xavier doesn't find out!"

"Doesn't find out what?" Xavier asked as he entered the room fully, he was passing by when he heard his name and the last words increased his interest.

"Um...um" Caroline stammered

"I thought I asked a question?"

"Well, I and Caroline have feelings for each other" Asher lied and Caroline stared at him hard.

Xavier heaved a sigh of relief, and then said

"Is that what you wanted to hide from me it's good news but for now let's focus on finding Ruby"

"I'll help" Caroline added.

Xavier then smiled at her and left the room, immediately he left she turned and his Asher.

"Why did lie like that?!!"

"Oh I should have said the Truth, you know how much that dude likes Ruby and im if he finds out you'll be I more grace danger that you are now. Yevon has being in the dungeon for the past few days and id he finds out what do you think he'll do to you?? Hmm"

She said nothing and he scoffed and left.

"Why is he so mad?" She asked herself and then walked away.

*

JERICHO, THAT NIGHT**

"I remember the first time we met, it was just like this but on a sadder note!" Zamiel said with Karina in his arms.

"Yeah" she said as her face fell as she remembered the night she met Zamiel.

🍁FLASHBACK🍁

On that night, it seemed to rain heavier than it used to, Ryan (Karina's father) sat on the bed as he looked after his sick wife.

Her condition seems to worsen with every passing day.

"Don't worry dear you'll be fine soon!" He said coaxing his wife. She smiled weakly at him and said

"I love you so much honey!"

"I love you too!" He said as she slowly closed her eyes and gave up the ghost.

"Kira!!!!!!" He said as he shook her lifeless body.

She didn't move her body cold. The two girls ran I to the room due to the scream of their dad.

They saw the scene of their lives as their mother was seen laying on the bed lifeless.

Karina couldn't bear the sight, she then walked away from the room and went to the balcony to cry.

"Why did you do this God?"

"My mum was kind to you!!"

"She loved you and yet you let her die like this, I can't believe it!"

As she closed her eyes she then saw a demon in front of her his face was actually not like the ones she saw in books.

He was quite attractive, his black long hair, silver coloured eyes and kissable pink lips.

"You want your mother back right?"

She looked at him with hope in her eyes, like as though he read her mind.

"Yes can you do that for me"

"On one condition"

"What is it I'll do anything!" She said with determination clearly written on her eyes.

"You'll have to marry me when you become 18"

She hesitated for a while lost in thought before she said

"Deal I'll marry you"

After that he vanished but her mum woke up after she he had left, unknown to her that her mum's life was just temporary.

After a while, he mum died on her 18th birthday, and he appeared to her again with pity in his eyes.

"Get out of my room, a$$hole!!!!!!!!!!" She said with anger and pain in her heart.

"I'm sorry your mother died, but it was a must she died, it's her destiny, I can't stop the power of her destiny"

"Your a demon of course you can"

"I can't, I'm sorry, please forgive me and the deal is off, you don't have to marry me"

"Get out please!" She said as the tears she tried to hold started falling down staining her face.

With his held low, he vanished and didn't come back.

____

"I know it's weird bro but I love her, how do I make her loved me too"

"The only thing you can do is wipe her memory, make her forget you made a deal with her then make her fall in love with you"

"But won't she be hurt if she finds out"

"Although she will but by that time the love she has for you will overpower the hate"

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me on that"

"Okay I'll do it"

That was what he did, and that was how she fell in love with him, it was when, she started to have flashbacks, and guilt was eating him up so, he decided to tell her the truth.

Although she hates him for a while, she ended up forgiving him, because indeed she was still in love with him, and in a reasonable explanation, it wasn't his fault so she had to forgive him....

🍁END OF FLASHBACK🍁

"I hated you alot back then I don't know what you did to make me love you the way I do"

Zamiel looked at her and said

"I'm sorry I lied to you"

"It's okay, it's all in the past now I've forgiven you"

"Thanks for giving me a reason to be happy again" she added

"Thank you for giving me a reason for my existence, I've lived for centuries but the time I spent with you, it made me realize that the best time of my life is with you"

"I love you Zamiel"

"I love you too Karina" he said as he their lips captured each other in a tender embrace.

*

THR NEXT DAY, ASTORIA****

Asher went to the borders of Astoria for the last time as he searched for Ruby for the last time when he saw a body hidden deeply in the forest.

He instantly landed on the ground and looked at the body and immediately recognized it as Ruby's and carried her in his arms as he squatted on the floor.

"Ruby!!!!, Ruby!!" He said shaking her body.

Her eyes flustered open and she her vision was in a blur, her head throbbing.

"Xavier" She said weakly.

He then helped her up and carried bridal style on his hands as he flew to the palace.

"I've found her!!" He said as soon as he reached there he then dropped her gently in her bedroom, Xavier rushed in.

"Ruby" he said as he sat close to her, caressing her hair softly.

"Xavier!" She weakly and he embraced her tightly never wanting to let go.

Asher immediately excused himself and went to his quarters.

Caroline looked at him a nsher face fell.

"Are you okay??" Xavier asked for 20th time.

"I'm feeling better thank you"

"Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"I'm sure, thank you"

He then gently kissed her lips and she reciprocated the kiss.

_____

"Hey!" Caroline said as she entered Asher's quarters.

"What is it Caroline?" He asked calmly

"Can I talk to you?"

"For what reason?"

"Please just give me a chance to talk to you!" She said and he reluctantly agreed.

"I know I may seem like a bad person but I have a good heart, I want you to change me please change me Asher, make me a better person"

"Really??" He asked

"Yes" she said sincerely.

"Why the sudden change of heart?" He asked and she looked at his eyes with his gaze not leaving hers.

She then lost a restraint and kissed him on the spot.

🍁TBC🍁