Bound By Blood

Chapter 5: The beginning

Maria's POV

I stared at the parchment lying before me, those words refused to leave my mind.

"Sign it. Everything else... will make sense afterwards." What does aunty mean by that, why is no one telling me what's going on.

Nothing is making sense anymore

The photographs.

The fire.

The mysterious stranger.

My parents' disappearance.

Taking a shaky breath,I reached for the fountain pen resting on my desk

"This is insane… but here goes nothing"I said as my hand hovered over the signature line.

"...Absolutely insane” I said before giving a self mockery laugh

Yet...

I signed it.

Maria Cermen.

The moment the last letter was completed, a sharp sting shot through my right hand.

"Hiss—"

I instinctively dropped the pen.

A tiny bead of blood welled from the tip of my index finger.

"...What the-"

Before I could react, the bead of blood fell.

It landed directly on my signature, as if it was programmed to do that. I watched as the blood spread unnaturally across the parchment, weaving through ancient symbols hidden beneath the ink.

My office trembled, as if an earthquake was about to happen. A strong wind burst through the room although every window was shut.

The parchment lifted from the desk, golden runes ignited across its surface, not with fire but with light.

The crimson seal dissolved into glowing embers that circled the room before disappearing into the air.

I stumbled backwards, scared out of my wits. This was the first time I've witnessed such a thing.

"What the hell is this?” I asked out loud to no one in particular

The contract slowly rolled itself closed.

Then—

It vanished.

Not burned.

Not destroyed.

Simply...

Gone.

A familiar voice broke the silence.

"I was beginning to wonder if you'd change your mind."

I spun around immediately to see Carlos who stood lazily beside the windows, hands tucked casually in his pockets as though he'd been there all along.

"You..." I was short of words, I could not help but step backwards

“What are you ?” I asked with fright as I stared into his eyes, and in a blink of an eye he was right in front of me .

“A demon.” Carlos said with all seriousness

I stared at him in awe and took an involuntary step back.

"What did you do?" I asked regaining my composure but I was screaming inside my head praying for him to leave

"I did nothing." He replied nonchalantly before taking a bite in an apple that appeared from only god knows where

He looked at me calmly

"You completed what was already begun centuries ago."

I was dumbfounded, this again.

"I signed a piece of paper!" I resorted back

"Correction, you renewed a Blood Oath."he said as he walked towards my desk and sat down.

"I don't even know what that means!"

"You will."

His gaze drifted to my left hand.

"You should start packing."

I frowned because to me he was speaking in parables

"...Packing?"

"My mansion." He said with a pause before continuing with "You'll be moving in today."

I could not but give a short, humourless laugh

“Hahaha” very funny I said while rolling my eyes.

“Indeed dululu is Sululu, I'm not going anywhere."I told him straight to his face

Carlos said nothing.

Instead...

He raised his chin slightly "Your hand."

Confused,I looked down, my breath caught in my throat.

A thin crimson mark had appeared around the base of my ring finger.

It shimmered faintly beneath the afternoon light before settling into my skin like an elegant ring crafted from living ink.

I rubbed it desperately, It didn't move

"No..."

I tried again, nothing, panic flooded my chest, I glared at him with hate and spite

"What did you do to me?!"

Carlos remained infuriatingly calm.

"I merely reminded your blood of a promise it never forgot." He said teasingly

"A promise, an Oath blah blah, would you stop all this rubbish. What do you want from me? Why are you all keeping me in the dark? It's not fair !" I felt so frustrated and hurt why are they doing this to me it's not fair I have a right to know it's my life

"I know that..."

For the first time...something almost resembling pity crossed his face.

I hated that he was right, I hated the look that he was giving me.

I was frightened, terrified, even, he was able to pull all these under my nose

But beneath this fear burned something hotter. Hatred and thirst for revenge

Hatred for the man who had walked into my life and turned it upside down.

Without another word, Carlos walked toward the door.

"I'll return tomorrow."

"If you're not ready..."

His golden eyes met mine

"...I'll carry you myself and oh we'll hold a conference to announce the wedding, see you later my beloved *chuckle*” that was the last thing he said before he disappeared the way he came

The office fell silent.

———

I immediately grabbed my phone to call Aunt Isabella.

"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."

I called again.

Nothing.

Then father.

Voicemail.

mother.

Still nothing.

“ahhhhhh” breathe Maria breathe you can do this “There has to be an explanation."

Suddenly...

A memory surfaced.

Something like this had happened before, in the book that grandpa gave me, there was a chapter about ancient blood contracts, who knew something like this was real, I let out a chuckle before driving to the Cermen Library

——

I sprinted through the mansion.

Ignoring the startled servants.

Ignoring the guards calling after me

The doors to the Cermen Library burst open.

Dust danced through shafts of afternoon sunlight.

Thousands of books lined the towering shelves.

I hurried toward the oldest section.

"I know you're here..."Jackpot I found you, I said with a smile..

The worn leather cover had the same symbol as the one on that parchment

With trembling hands I opened it.

Then I froze. The pages had been torn out no no no this can't be happening

Not ripped recently.

Removed carefully.

I grabbed another one missing pages, I went through all the books that had similar settings and in every book pages were torn out of them.

I don't need to investigate to know that someone within did this

But who could it be ?

——

Three days later...

Every major news station in Spain broadcasted the same headline.

BREAKING NEWS

CEO Maria Cermen Announced Marriage.

Flashes exploded across the room.

Journalists shouted questions from every direction.

"Miss Cermen!"

"When did you get married?"

"Was this arranged?"

"Is this a merger between MAEX and the Ivanov Empire?"

I stood behind the podium in a spotless ivory suit.

Inside…

Carlos Ivanov stood beside me.

Perfectly calm.

Perfectly unreadable.

The cameras adored him.

I forced a smile.

"It is my pleasure to announce my marriage to Mr. Carlos Ivanov, heir to the Ivanov Empire. We look forward to a prosperous future together." I said as I stared at the crowd I could sight Sofia from the crowd, with a frown on her face

The applause sounded distant.

Artificial.

Like everything else.

As the reporters continued shouting questions, Carlos leaned slightly closer.

His hand drifted behind me grabbing my waist and pulling me closer

A strange chill ran down my spine.

Without looking at me, he spoke softly enough that only I could hear.

"Smile, Maria." He paused

"If we're going to deceive the entire world….we better make it convincing."

I kept smiling for the cameras.

But for the first time..I wondered whether I had just married a man...Or stepped willingly into a nightmare.

This is the biggest gamble I have ever made

——

Far beneath the world of mortals,beyond fire, beyond darkness, beyond death itself...

Hell.

A man rood draped in black robes that complimented his silver hair that shimmered beneath the crimson glow

Liam oliver the Duke of hell

“so..” a faint smile crossed across his lips

“ The Blood Oath has awakened”