Hell's Consort

*****************************

Archdemon Empress Luna

******************************

"I thought if I don't tell you, the Archdemons would just go away from my consistent efforts to ignore them, refusing their deceptive offers and bargains." More hot tears streamed down Luna's face, and there was pain at the back of her throat, which made it difficult to swallow, "I want them to leave you out of this. I would rather be hurt than you, Apollyon."

"I wanted to believe you so bad, but I can't rely on the words of an Archdemon. I'm torn that you have become an Archdemon, but my heart is telling me that you are my wife." Apollyon let her go, and there was audible stress in his tone. "This conversation about you not trusting me…you not asking for help just because you don't want to bother me as if I'm busy doing something else..."

"This felt like déjà vu, ain't it? You are the only female I have ever met in this entire Realm who is adamant about being independent and doing things alone. Luna, I aim to be your husband, your lover, your best friend, your caretaker, someone who would aid you and lighten the burden you carry around your shoulders." Apollyon's hoarse voice sounded furious when he grudgingly told her, "You are always worthy of my love and attention. We can get through this together as long as you don't abandon me when you are always determined to have your way."

"If you don't want me to read your thoughts, then tell me what's on your mind." He pleaded, "I have changed. You don't have to be so afraid anymore."

Luna was still confused by her soul's abrupt arrival from this Realm, terrified at the demonic sacrifice Apollyon had ordered the conjurer to do to bring her back.

She was in pain because Apollyon still didn't completely believe that she was Luna, but that will surely change after this heart-to-heart talk.

Apollyon had remembered their past conversations.

He still hadn't forgotten her!

"You have suffered enough from Lilith's obsession with the curse of the Blood Beast." Luna had no malicious intent of isolating her husband in the process, but if she could turn back the time, she would do it again.

Everything Luna did, leaving her husband out of her business with the Archdemons, was to protect Apollyon so that he wouldn't suffer with her to keep up with every bargain she had made with them.

"I did it to protect you." In a way, Luna was sacrificing herself to protect his husband. "You must understand."

"I am your shield, Luna, but you are discarding me for that purpose." Apollyon's voice lowered, "I thought my heart had died in my chest a long time ago, replaced by a bottomless pit."

When she glanced up at him, Luna noticed that her husband had this gaunt appearance that was eerie, as if he had wasted his life away before this reunion.

Her heart longed to reach out to her husband's pain.

"You don't trust me enough to help you with your situation!" Apollyon continued as he combed his raven locks with his fingers in frustration. "We are husband and wife who belonged together."

Luna noticed how his fingers had trembled with suppressed anger, "I can't comprehend how a person can have a blood bond with three people, and it happened to my wife, out of all people."

"I thought that a blood bond between vampire mates was exclusive." Apollyon faced her head on, and Luna sniffed, fighting back the tears, "The soul tie would be so strong that it didn't necessarily end even until death."

"It wasn't my intention to be blood bonded with two Archdemons, and I was successful in sending those Archdemons back." Luna wailed as she fixed her gaze at the floor.

Luna had cried so many times today, and she didn't want to let her husband witness her tears only for him to look away because he couldn't handle the emotions which threatened to overwhelm him, "We were married for a short time before I fell deeper into their trap. It was easy to turn me into an Archdemon because I already had Archdemon blood running through my veins after Gluttony, and Lust tricked me into the blood bond."

"I'm really angry about you were becoming an Archdemon," That was an understatement from his husband.

The word 'Archdemon' can make Apollyon's blood boil in anger, hot steam coming out from his nose and ears, "I blame myself that I hadn't prevented this. Like the past Vampire King, my father, we were cut from the same cloth."

Apollyon said as he clenched his fists, biting back a growl, "It felt like I don't know how to care for my mate and keep her safe from harm."

"It's not your fault, Apollyon, and I'm not blaming you." Luna sobbed, her tears falling on the bloody iron floor, "I may not know anything about your family, but you are you. You are my mate."

"I have done everything I could to save you, but I felt like I was blind all these years." Apollyon replied, drawing in steady breaths, "I don't know what I'm doing, whether it's right or wrong. I have tried everything just so you could return to me, resulting in nothing because I don't know how and where I can access Archdemon Magic."

Guilt ate at him, and Luna felt helpless.

Her weakened legs were close to giving up.

"It made me think you don't really need me in your life, after all."

He wasn't listening.

It wasn't his fault!

"I suffered in Hell, Apollyon." Luna watched him with trepidation, not because she feared her husband but because of the memories of her time in Hell resurfaced.  "Even if I was trapped there against my will for a long time, doesn't mean that I don't need you. In Hell, Lucifer tasked another Firstborn Archdemon, which was his brother Satan to become my Master who would teach me the ways of how to wield Archdemon Magic to create Portals."