Blood Magic's Bond

Ch 12: The Blood Magic Ritual

Despite her racing heart, Astasha forced a calmness over herself. Not only was she about to break more magical laws than she had ever thought possible, she was also sneaking the most dangerous being in the kingdom out of the only place it was secure. There was no time for second thoughts now, though.

Once again, she urged the flames outside the Prince’s door apart. But before stepping through, she paused.

The moment the demon crossed that barrier, her life was forfeit.

She thought about the promises she had made, the oaths she had sworn, to the Advisory, the King, Cal, even herself. Somehow, each of them had led her there, to that moment, and with a final breath of freedom, she walked through the parted fire and into the hall, the demon right behind her.

Making their way out of the castle was slow going and full of anxious pauses. Each second, she waited for the alarm to sound, every corner, for Errant to come into view.

But after a handful of quick ducks into small corridors, and breathless moments tucked into empty rooms, they finally made their way out of the palace and into the woods.

"Clever, putting the guards under a waking sleep spell.” The two hadn't spoken since departing the room, and Astasha wished it would have stayed that way as the demon’s voice crawled around under her skin. “They'll have no clue time has passed when they come to. Pity it will still be their heads when it’s discovered what you’ve done.”

Astasha had indeed deliberated the position she would be putting the guards in, but her hope was that the King would have leniency towards them, considering he had been the one to encourage all of this in the first place.

“It was a risk that had to be taken.” She said shortly.

"Amazing, isn’t it, the things people will do for love that they are so quick to judge others for?" She didn't have to see its face to know the demon was mocking her, but she refused to let it get any further under her skin.

"Quiet. We aren't far from the Royal Gardens and who knows what ears could be listening?"

She knew it was smirking at her, but it at least kept silent as they wound their way through the woods.

Finally, they reached the clearing, the moon casting an eerie glow over it.

Astasha immediately threw up more shields around the area using spells similar to those on the castle’s doors, as well as an illusion charm which would compel any untrained eyes to see only an empty grove should they wonder by. Not that any of what she was doing would protect her should another member of the advisory come across what she was about to do. Her only hope was that it would keep them hidden long enough for her to complete the ritual.

As she finished her work and turned, she noticed the demon inspecting the runes she had etched in the ground earlier. "Still don't trust that I'll keep my word? I'm not a demon like you, I don't deceive and manipulate."

It looked up at her with a dangerous glare. "As I said before, the things people will do for love... I'd sooner trust a demon than a lovesick sorceress.”

She had been meticulously careful when setting the runes to ensure their true purpose stayed hidden, and of the buried stones and herbs, she had cloaked them well enough that even she couldn’t tell where they were. No, the only thing that could give her away now, was herself.

"If you have doubts about my intentions, I’ll gladly return you to your room and watch you die with the rising sun." She said as she strode toward him, removing items from the pouches on her sash as she went. "Otherwise, let's get this over with."

It studied her for a moment before sneering at her. “Yes, let’s.”

She took a deep breath and crouched before the demon, placing the blade and bowl she had used earlier on the ground. Unwrapping her hand, she began reciting the incantation it had taught her, and brought the athame back to her palm. The wound was still very raw, though the herbs had helped a thin layer heal. Bracing herself, she cut through the flesh, pain biting at her nerves. She kept her focus though. Everything had come to this and there was no room for mistakes.

She watched as her blood dripped into the bowl and prepared her mind for what came next.

All day she had told herself there was no other way, but now that it came to it, the consolation was gone. The only thing that gave her strength was knowing that once this was over, her love would be returned to her, and so, with that in mind, she re-bound her hand, stood, and slowly reached for the straps of her dress.

The demon’s eyes raked over her with a hungry smile on its face as she removed one, then the other. Holding the garment up for a second, she suppressed the churning of her stomach, and then let the dress fall, leaving her naked and exposed under the moonlight.

The demon licked its lips as it held out its arms. "Not going to undress me too?" It asked snidely. She shot it a glare and it chuckled, reaching up to pull its tunic over its shoulders and head.

Tossing the shirt aside, it began to slowly circle around her, a predator circling its prey. She felt its hand run down her back, its breath on her neck. “Relax Tasha, remember what it is you want from this, your hopes, desires.”

Its fingers traced around her waist, slipping down to run between her legs, curling around her womanhood to plunge briefly inside her, causing her to gasp.

Think about Calder. She told herself, and taking a deep breath, she set her mind on what she had to do.

Turning, she refused to look into its eyes, imagining once again it was her Prince looking back at her. She reached for the laces on his pants, pulling them open and letting them fall to the ground, exposing his ready and waiting manhood.

Putting a hand on his chest, she pushed him down, standing over him.

Her heart was hammering away, but her breathing was level and focused as she knelt, one knee on either side of him.

Gently dipping her fingers into the bowl of blood, she brought them to the Prince’s abdomen, lowering herself onto his lap, until she could feel him at her entrance. Hands moved to her waist, and as she again began to mutter the incantation, they pulled her down onto him.

She gasped as he filled her and she could feel the energy inside her ignite. Her hand began tracing the runes she had memorized onto his chest, rocking her hips as she rode him slowly.

As she drew out the five points of sigils in her blood, the hands on her hips glided up, sliding over her breasts, teasing her n*****s. The feeling of power inside her grew, burning hotter as her movements quickened.

Once the pentacle was complete, the runes glowed brightly under the moonlight and she closed her eyes, concentrating on containing the energy building inside her. The hands teasing her chest moved from her torso down, gripping her from behind, pushing her harder and faster.

Closer and closer she came to the edge until she knew… It was time.

Opening her eyes, flames danced within them, her lips continually moving with the words of the spell. Her hand found the knife at her side, and with the bubble inside her threatening to burst, brought the blade to the Prince’s chest.

The incantation grew more intense and the demon smiled.

It was about to be free.

She was on the brink, the fire inside threatening to consume her, but timing was everything. With the knife over Calder's heart, she felt herself reaching the point of no return.

As she burst over the edge, a current of power rushed through her, igniting every fiber of her being, electric and burning. She cried out the last words of the spell, and in a fluid movement, pressed her own heart against the other side of the blade and pulled, slicing open the Prince's chest as well as her own. Grabbing him, she pulled him to her, devouring his mouth in a fiery kiss, their blood fusing and the power within her exploding out around them.

A moment later, she opened her eyes, the fire inside them gone. She was on her back on the ground, a pain throbbing in her chest. Looking down she could see the cut she had made, seared as if by fire.

And then she saw him.

The Prince was crawling toward her, his eyes like the sky on the ocean. "Tasha!" He reached her and pulled her into his arms, taking her face in his hands. She stared at him for a moment, using the residual energy in her veins to search him.

"Cal?"

"Tasha... why did you—"

"It worked." She touched his cheek as tears came to her eyes. He was free. She had done it, pulled the demon from him and sealed it within herself.

From the moment she had realized what it was inside him, she knew there was no way she could release it. But if she could trap it and silence it, it would buy them time.

Everything about the ritual was as it would have been, had she been planning to actually set it free, but through subtle alterations of the runes, and the herbs and crystals she had buried earlier, she was able to weave the binding and silencing spells into the demon’s plan. She had fulfilled her side of the Demon’s Pact, releasing it from Calder, but when she had cut herself open and brought their blood together, it had lured the creature from its freedom, into her trap.

Calder's eyes traveled over her as his hand moved to the scar on her chest, the same as his own. "Tasha..." his face saddened as he realized what she had done.

She lifted his chin with her fingers to look into his eyes. "Trust me. Now we can find a way to destroy it without harming you or anyone else."

A look formed on his face and Astasha realized they were truly seeing each other for the first time in five years. Her heart raced as their eyes locked. This kiss would be the first true kiss between them since he had left.

But it never came.

"What have you done!?"

Astasha's blood went cold as her head snapped around to look behind her.

Errant was standing at the edge of the clearing, Cordelia right behind him with a smirk on her face that was colder than even the demon's.