“What do you mean by that?” I asked, rubbing my brows and letting out a long sigh.
I was honestly tired.
My head hurt, my body hurt, and I was starting to think my entire life had become one big nightmare.
His red eyes remained calm, but there was something buried beneath them and I just couldn’t understand it.
“It’s not something serious.” Cross said and he began to walk away.
My eyes widened.
“I’m not done talking, how dare you walk out on me?” I said angrily, but he didn’t stop.
That only made me more furious.
“You stupid devil!” I screamed out and was about to run after him when I stepped on a stone.
“Ah!”
I stumbled and fell with a loud thud.
Before I could even complain, Cross immediately turned around.
The moment he saw me on the ground, his expression changed.
He rushed over so quickly that I barely saw him move.
He dropped to one knee beside me and gently held my ankle, carefully examining it.
For someone everyone feared as the Devil, his touch was really careful.
His long fingers barely brushed against my ankle, as though I were something fragile enough to break.
“Did you get hurt?” He said all worried.
I only stared at him.
Out of nowhere, anger took over me again.
Before I could even think about what I was doing, I grabbed his arm and bit down as hard as I could.
A strange taste filled my mouth and I stopped.
Cross didn’t move.
He didn’t groan or react.
He simply stood there and let me do whatever I wanted until I finally released him.
Thick black blood dripped from his arm onto the ground.
Instead of soaking into the soil, it hissed softly, and the dead grass beneath it withered almost instantly.
I stared in shock as the bite wound slowly closed by itself.
Within seconds, it was gone.
Not even a scar remained.
My mouth opened slightly.
What kind of monster was this?
“Are you done?” He asked.
I quickly stood up and dusted my clothes.
“If you think you have a chance with me, you should know it’s not possible because I have a man and in fact we are engaged.” I said.
Cross blinked.
His expression didn’t change.
“Engaged? Who is the man?” He raised his brows and anger flashed in his eyes.
“So you could kill him.”
“I won’t kill him but I could just take his left arm and right leg and one of his eyes.” Cross said heartlessly.
I simply stared at him.
My mouth remained open for several seconds.
Was he serious?
Did he just casually threaten to remove body parts?
I slowly pointed at him.
“What is wrong with you?”
He tilted his head slightly.
I lowered my hand and sighed heavily.
I just don’t know what to do to make him take me back home.
“What do you want from me?” I asked.
Cross looked directly into my eyes.
“I want you to be by my side as I rebuild our kingdom.” He said.
I scoffed immediately.
“Stay by your side? Our kingdom. That has nothing to do with me Cross, you have the wrong person.” I said.
“It has everything to do with you.” Cross replied.
I opened my mouth to argue again, then, my stomach growled loudly.
I froze.
Cross frowned and looked completely stunned.
“Why was your belly making such weird noises?” He asked.
I covered my stomach in embarrassment.
“Because you kidnapped me and starved me. I haven’t eaten the whole day.” I blurted out, raising my voice again.
Cross simply stared at me.
He looked genuinely confused.
Not confused because he didn’t care, he honestly didn’t understand.
“What kind of kidnapper doesn’t feed his hostage?” I said again.
Still nothing.
He just looked at me.
Cross seriously didn’t understand.
“What do you people eat?” I asked.
“I don’t eat, I only take blood.” Cross replied.
My eyes widened.
“Blood?” I said swallowing hard.
“Human blood especially tiny ones like you.” He said staring right into my eyes.
I immediately took several steps back.
A small smirk appeared on his face.
“I’m just teasing you, I don’t eat, I’m never hungry.” He said.
I nodded quickly.
“Right…”
Without thinking, I created a larger gap between us and forced a smile.
“Come with me, I need to take you somewhere.” He said.
“Promise you’re not taking me away so you can drink my blood.” I said looking suspicious.
Cross shook his head.
Slowly, he stretched his hand toward me and tilted his head slightly, silently asking me to take it.
I hesitated, then for some strange reason, I placed my hand gently in his.
I blinked.
His hand was soft, not rough or cold, it felt warm and safe.
I hated the fact that my entire body relaxed the moment our hands touched.
What was wrong with me?
He is a devil.
Yet somehow, holding his hand made all the fear inside me calm down.
Before I could think about it any longer, Cross turned me around and wrapped his arms around me.
“W…Wait…”
Suddenly, the world around us disappeared and everything blurred.
The next second, we appeared somewhere else.
My knees nearly gave out and I turned my head to see that a massive bridge stretched before us.
At the other end stood an enormous broken gates.
The bridge itself looked old.
Parts of it were broken and hanging loosely.
Cross released me and I immediately noticed the change in him.
His eyes had become distant.
He became sad and angry, it was like this place brought back memories he wished to forget.
“What is this place?” I asked.
Cross slowly moved closer to the bridge.
“This was our hideout before the attack occurred.” He said quietly.
His voice sounded different.
I looked at the bridge.
“Wait a minute, are we crossing this thing?”
He nodded and stepped onto the bridge.
The entire thing shook beneath his feet.
My heart almost stopped and I pointed at the bridge in horror.
“You’re joking right. Well you can go, I’ll just chill here don’t worry I won’t run away again.” I said trying to walk away.
No, absolutely not.
That bridge looked thousands of years old.
One strong wind and I was finished.
Cross slowly raised his brows.
“You’re coming with me.” He said.
I forced a smile.
“You’re joking right Mr devil?” I asked.
“I’m not joking my bride.” He stretched his hand towards me again.
I immediately shook my head.
“I’ll rather die than climb on the bridge.” I said folding my arms.
Unfortunately, Cross had other plans.
Suddenly, I felt a strong hand grab my wrist.
Before I could react, Cross began dragging me toward the bridge.
“No!”
I immediately dropped to the ground and wrapped my arms around one of his legs.
“I’m serious! No, no!”
Cross continued walking like I weighed nothing.
I tightened my grip around his leg and screamed louder.
“Please! Please, Mr Devil.”
He didn’t stop.
I dug my feet into the ground.
“I’ll behave! I promise! I’ll even stop calling you ugly!”
Nothing.
Cross kept dragging me across the ground.
I cried, holding onto his leg for dear life.
He glanced down at me.
“My bride, you’re making things difficult.”
“Difficult?” I almost screamed.
“You’re dragging me to my death!”
Eventually, I realized crying wasn’t working.
I quickly switched tactics.
“My back! My back! You’re hurting me!”
Cross immediately stopped.
His eyes widened slightly.
“Really?”
I almost smiled.
Finally.
Before I could say another word, he bent down, picked me up effortlessly, and carried me over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?!”
“You said your back hurts.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
He ignored me and stepped onto the bridge.
The old bridge creaked loudly beneath his feet.
My soul nearly left my body.
“Cross!”
The wind howled around us.
The abyss beneath the bridge seemed endless.
I made the mistake of looking down and Instantly, my stomach turned.
I shut my eyes tightly.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my face against his back.
“I hate you!”
Cross tilted his head and the bridge shook again.
I felt tears forming in my eyes.
“You better not drop me!”
“I won’t.”
His voice was calm.
Meanwhile, I was one heartbeat away from vomiting.
After what felt like an eternity, his footsteps stopped.
“We’re here.”
He placed me down gently.
The moment my feet touched solid ground, my legs gave out.
I dropped to my knees and immediately threw up.
I hated heights.
Cross moved toward me.
“Are you okay?” He asked touching my shoulders.
I slapped his hand away, then I slapped him hard across the face.
SMACK!
“Aah!” I screamed instead.
The pain was intense and I heard something crack.
I grabbed my hand and I couldn’t control the tears anymore.
“Is your face made out of rock?”
Cross looked genuinely confused.
He touched his cheek.
Nothing had happened to him.
Meanwhile, my hand felt broken.
“Why did you do that? I was scared of heights and I begged you to stop but you didn’t!” I shouted at him.
Cross lowered his gaze.
He simply stared at me and looked sad.
“Why are you crying? I didn’t hurt you did I?” He said trying to hold my hand.
I slapped his hand away again.
“Take me back home right now!” I screamed.
Cross frowned slightly.
“No.” He replied and walked towards the gate.
My jaw dropped.
That was it?
No explanation, no sympathy, just the word “No”
I followed him angrily.
“Why didn’t you just teleport to the gate?” I asked.
“I only get to teleport once a day.” He said.
I froze.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I whispered.
Cross stretched his hand toward the massive gates.
The old doors stood taller than buildings.
Ancient symbols covered them.
Thick shadows leaked from the cracks.
Cross grabbed one side of the gate.
My eyes widened as the metal bent under his fingers then,
BOOM!
The giant gates flew open with a huge force.
The sound echoed through the ruins.
Black shadows rushed out like smoke before disappearing into the air.
Cross walked inside without hesitation.
After a few seconds, I reluctantly followed behind him, then I stopped.
The place was big.
Huge pillars stretched upward.
Broken houses and ruined structures covered the area and bones.
Thousands of them were scattered on the ground.
I could see piles and piles of remains.
“What is this place?” I asked.
Cross slowed down.
His expression changed.
“This was where my people hid when the attack occurred. We had no idea there was an enemy within who knew about this location and everyone perished.” His voice became so quiet I almost didn’t hear the last few words.
I just stood there.
The place suddenly felt heavier.
These weren’t strangers, they were his people, his family and friends.
His home.
“Okay.” I said.
The moment the word left my mouth, I regretted it.
Okay?
That was all I could say.
Cross didn’t react.
He simply continued walking.
In the middle of the ruins stood a throne.
Unlike everything around it, the throne remained untouched.
Not broken or covered in dust.
It stood proudly, almost waiting for its king.
Cross stopped.
His eyes remained fixed on it.
For a few seconds, he didn’t move, then suddenly, he flicked his hand.
The throne shifted and fell to one side.
Underneath it was a wooden board.
Cross bent down and broke it apart.
Hidden below was a box.
His eyes lit up with hope that lasted only a heartbeat before every trace of color disappeared from his face.
The box was empty.
“Where is it, where is it?” He said looking furious.
Suddenly, he began searching everywhere.
He threw broken chairs aside.
Old tables shattered.
Pieces of stone flew across the place.
His breathing became heavier.
“No.”
He overturned another pile.
“No!”
His voice echoed throughout the place.
Black shadows began leaking from his body and his eyes glowed brighter.
“WHERE IS IT?” He growled.
I immediately stepped in front of him.
“Yo devil, chillax.” I said.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
Cross stopped.
His shoulders trembled slightly.
“I can’t find my crown, it’s the only thing that can help me get my full powers back and restore Larvana.” Cross said, he was worried.
“So are you trying to say you kept it inside the box but now it’s not there anymore?” I asked.
He nodded.
His voice sounded weak.
“I need the crown.” Cross said.
Suddenly he coughed out black blood and staggered.
I didn’t even waste time and out of reflex, I ran towards him.
“Cross, are you okay?”
He tried to steady himself, but his body swayed and he coughed again, loudly this time before I noticed something in his body.
His hand was fading.
“Cross…” I whispered, looking confused.
“You’re becoming transparent.”
For the first time since I met him, genuine fear crossed his face.
“The seal is pulling me back!” He said weakly.
The transparency spread higher and faster to his waist.
Cross looked at me and forced a smile.
His red eyes locked onto mine.
“Whatever happens, find the crown.”
His smile vanished.
The transparency swallowed the rest of his body and before I could reach him, Cross disappeared into thin air right before my eyes.
“Cross?”