Hell's Consort

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Vampire King Apollyon

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Apollyon joked, in an attempt to make his wife smile again, "I'm a genius, aren't I?"

Even if her cute nose was a little red, Luna glowered at him and said firmly. "You're getting conceited, husband."

"Tch." Apollyon pouted at her, squinting as he crossed his arms over his chest, "You don't praise me enough."

He desired to be showered in compliments by a beautiful wife.

Luna sniffed, and he thought she had cried again, but this time, she was beaming from ear-to-ear, showing all of her front teeth. "You are the most handsome man and the most powerful King I have ever met."

He narrowed his eyes at her, keeping his lips pressed in a tight line, "That didn't sound sincere."

Luna's spine was as stiff as a board, wincing at his jest.

Had she taken him seriously this time?

Apollyon thought that he should make her squirm in discomfort for his amusement.

"You are the best man I had ever sampled in bed." Luna blurted out all of a sudden.

Apollyon choked on his saliva.

He had cleared his throat and rubbed his chest at the same time.

"That sounded like I'm not the only one you sampled." Apollyon felt compelled to ask his wife as he scowled, "You had an orgy in Hell with your Archdemon husbands, am I correct?"

Luna blinked, frozen in place.

As if she realized that she had uttered the wrong answer, she changed tactics, "I love you, husband. You are the best at everything. Every man I see reminds me of you. You are the only one I recognize—mind, body and soul. If I could turn back the time where I first met you, I would marry you in a heartbeat." Luna said loudly that other faeries standing and talking near them have heard and looked over their tables. "

That's more like it." Apollyon smiled proudly at her, pleased, "I will graciously accept the compliment, you're Highness."

Apollyon returned his gaze to the spring faeries who couldn't mind their own business--especially women who were busy gossiping in the cliques they had formed at the event.

He glowered at them.

As his eyes ricocheted through every face of the guests, Apollyon prayed that nobody recognized them--even if they were passing acquaintances-- so that as the ruling royals of the Vampire Realm, they wouldn't be obligated to chat unless it was the Spring King and Queen who arrived.

Thankfully, Prince Aspen, King Zephyr and his Queen weren't there at the 'Ostara' yet.

Before Apollyon could go back and drown in his wife's green eyes, he made the mistake of meeting Princess Alisabethe's scrutiny from her faerie clique.

He was sure that it was the Spring Queen's daughter in that indigo  dress covered in a thick wolf fur coat with her long ash-grey curls, almost reaching her waist.

As if the daft girl had read his stare as a social cue to approach their table, the precious daughter of Queen Gloriana sauntered towards them.

Glancing high above them, Apollyon noticed that the wisps of dark smoke he brought forth to conceal them had twirled heavenward instead of doing its rightful job.

He cursed.

"Hello." Princess Alisabethe had stood between Luna and Apollyon's round table, lifted her skirts with her gloved hands and curtsied. "You're Highness, Apollyon." She bowed gracefully at him.

Apollyon didn't miss how her eyelashes fluttered coyly before shifting her gaze to his wife.

Princess Alisabethe turquoise eyes remained on the floor as she addressed his wife in a flat tone, "Empress."

His wife's bright countenance faded in the blink of an eye, replaced by cold demeanour.

It wasn't only him.

Luna also noticed Princess Alisabethe's mocking lilt in her voice.

Luna raised an eyebrow, ignoring the female standing before them. "Who is this lady, husband?"

"You seemed to have lost your memory, Empress, but it's alright." Princess Alisabethe eyed her with pity. She interlocked her fingers and brought them close to her face, assuming a cheerful and sweet persona, "I will gladly adapt from your lack of memories and remind you just in case you weren't fully healed from your ailment."

It sounded close to a passive-aggressive comment, but then again, it depended on the receiver.

If the receiver perceived it as an insult, it is an insult, and nobody could change that person's mind.

Luna chuckled for a whole minute in her stool, settled her hands on the table and stood up gracefully, towering over Princess Alisabethe.

Tilting her head, she crossed her arms and scanned her from head-to-toe, "Did you just make me sound stupid, little princess?"

"No, Empress. That is not my intention at all." Eyes widening at Luna's claims, Princess Alisabethe waved her hand in dismissal, " I just want to offer my help just in case you needed them."

"Thank you for your help, princess, but you should help yourself for now." Luna smiled graciously and curtsied. "I already have my husband to aid me. "

" The way you talked and ogled at my beloved…" Apollyon could sense irritation buried under a wave of amusement. "It seemed clear that you are a single female who claimed other women's husbands in your fantasies."

"Wife—"He shook his head and clutched her arm, "Don't."

Apollyon had trusted his wife to play it cool in front of the princess, but if he added Luna's pregnancy to the question, a peaceful resolution in the future would be impossible.

Still, Apollyon braced himself, alert and vigilant for any kinds of threats to his wife.

Apollyon and Luna might be in the Spring courts' territory, but one touch from the princess that would harm Luna, Apollyon would strike the seventh princess dead.

He wouldn't be sorry.

Princess Alisabethe paled at his wife's words, opening and closing her mouth like she was a fish out of the water.

Clearing her throat, she quickly recovered her pleasant composure, "I came here to introduce myself, Empress, in case you still have no idea who I am. I have heard that you have been cured of your strange illness by one of Queen Mother's witch doctors she had sent to Lilac Manor. I am Queen Gloriana's youngest daughter, Alisabethe. I am the Seventh Princess of the Spring Courts."