"Go on, monkey. Say what you want to say," Hadeon urged, his grin widening to reveal his sharp fangs. Despite her resistance, Mallory gritted her teeth and raised her feet gingerly. "Good girl," he praised, his tone both mocking and approving.
"Step away for a moment, and you have already collected strays." The vampire turned to find Hadeon towering over him as he grinned. When the pureblooded vampire saw the lowly vampire's hand on Mallory, he questioned, "Having a death wish, are we?"
Hadeon placed his finger on Mallory's forehead, and as seconds passed, her heart rate slowly calmed down. As he stared at her, he noticed how she looked peaceful in her sleep. His gaze drifted to the necklace adorning her neck, one that belonged to him.
Caught off guard by the unfamiliar nickname, George halted in his tracks. Hadeon, sensing the confusion, arched an eyebrow and questioned, "Is 'monkey' your name?"
The Archdemon touched the threads, causing his fingers to bleed upon contact. He said, "These are made even for Archdemons, hm? What about me, with the Devil's blood in my veins?" He gathered the threads in his hands, causing more blood to drip onto the ground, but then the threads suddenly caught fire, burning into nothingness.
"Mother isn't here," Raylen murmured, his disappointment evident. It was clear that the person before him wasn't his half-brother. As he came to realise who this deceased individual was, he swiftly took flight to return to the castle.
After nervously shifting her eyes, Maxi blurted out, "But… a-a woman might sneak into your tent after falling for you at f-first sight! Who's to say… y-you won't… m-mistake her for me in your sleep?"
As Emily's gaze landed on the mark, she instinctively moved closer to the mirror for a better look. The reality of Raylen being her soulmate sank in even deeper. It felt as though their relationship had taken a sudden leap, bypassing stages to arrive at this unexpected point.
It was a long shot, but she had persuaded Dante to arrange for Emily's stay at the castle, where Raylen would be present. And now that her plan had borne fruit, a hint of satisfaction flickered in her eyes.