Dark Enchantment

7

Chapter 7

Asher

I stormed out of the room, my heart pounding in my ears, as adrenaline coursed through me like a wildfire. Just moments ago, I had watched my brother lay his hands on Elara, kissing her with a possessiveness that made my blood boil. I wanted to rip him apart, to peel the skin from his bones for daring to touch her. But I knew I couldn’t—not yet.

Leon had made his sacrifice, and that made him stronger than me, at least for now. But I wouldn’t let him sit comfortably on that throne. Not when it came to Elara.

As I reached the corridor, my temper erupted. Without a second thought, I shoved Leon against the wall. His laughter rang out, mocking and infuriating. “What’s the matter, brother? Jealous?”

I pushed my forearm against his throat, feeling the heat rising in my face. “Do you think you can take her from me? Be the one to break her?” I leaned closer, my voice low and dangerous. “You won’t. Not you, not any of the others. I’ll be the one to break her. Understand?”

Leon met my gaze, and for a moment, I saw something shift in his expression. But it was fleeting—he laughed again, a sound that grated on my nerves. “You really think you can stop me? Look at you. You’re all bark and no bite.”

With a swift motion, he waved his hands, and I felt an unseen force slam into me. I was thrown down the corridor, the wind knocked out of my lungs as I hit the floor, the cold stone biting into my skin. Dazed, I pushed myself up, my vision swimming with rage.

“Get up, Asher,” he taunted, leaning against the wall with that infuriating smirk plastered across his face. “You’re not strong enough to break her. Giver her to us, let us break her.”

“You don’t know what you’re messing with, Leon. Elara is no ordinary girl. She’s nothing like the other women we’ve sacrificed.”

I turned away, but Leon’s voice cut through the air like a jagged blade. “I don’t give a f**k what you think, Asher. Elara belongs to all of us, whether you like it or not.”

Those words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my heart raced with panic. I could feel the color draining from my face. Leon’s sadistic nature wasn’t just a rumor; it was a chilling reality. I knew exactly how far he was willing to go, and the thought of him having any claim over Elara made my skin crawl.

“Listen, Asher,” he continued, his voice low and taunting, “you can delude yourself into thinking she’s all yours, but you’re wrong. And the sooner you accept that, the better.”

Each word dripped with malice, and I felt my pulse quicken. I had always known Leon was dangerous, but this was beyond anything I had prepared for. The idea of him manipulating Elara, of dragging her into whatever twisted plans he had, sent a wave of nausea through me.

But I couldn’t let that fear take control—not now. I had my own dark thoughts, my own plans brewing in the depths of my mind. I wanted to make Elara choose the dark side, to embrace the power that flowed through her veins. But I knew I had to do it before my brothers got to her first. If Leon got his way, he’d shatter her spirit and twist her into something unrecognisable.

“Don’t think I won’t do what I have to,” I shot back.

Leon stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “You think she’ll choose you over the rest of us? You’re living in a fantasy. The darkness will become her, and as I force it on her, it will be intoxicating. I’ll make her want it. And when she does, it won’t be you she turns to. It’ll be me.”

As I stood there, watching Leon saunter away with that infuriating smirk, his words echoed in my head like a relentless drumbeat—“Elara belongs to all of us.” The anger boiled over, and I slammed my fist against the wall, feeling the jolt of pain snap me back to reality. I couldn’t let him have her. I wouldn’t.

I marched back to the room where Elara was being kept. I barged in, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it with a decisive click. The anger surged within me, clouding my judgment, and I could feel the tension radiating off me like heat from a fire.

Elara sensed it instantly. She scrambled across the floor, and retreated into the corner with wide, terrified eyes. The sight of her fear twisted something deep inside me, igniting a possessive rage. I wanted her all to myself; she was my chosen sacrifice, she was mine to manipulate, and she was mine to f**k.

I stalked toward her, my intentions dark. I gripped her ankles and pulled her toward me, watching as she struggled against my hold, her breath coming in quick, panicked bursts. Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I saw fear.

“Don’t fight me, Elara,” I said, my voice low and steady, though my heart raced. “You don’t understand what’s at stake here.”

She stared me down, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she awaited my next move. I wanted to erase Leon from her thoughts, to replace his touch with mine, to claim her as my own.

Without another thought, I leaned in and kissed her, my lips crashing against hers with a ferocity that surprised even me. My hands moved to replace where my brother’s had been, cupping her face and pulling her closer. I tasted the fear on her lips, mingled with an undeniable spark of something deeper.

Her resistance faltered for just a heartbeat, and in that moment, I felt the power shift. I needed her to realise that if any of them touched her like this, that I would force her to regret it. After all she had the power within herself to stop them.

When we finally pulled apart, I looked into her eyes, searching for a sign of acceptance or understanding. “You’re mine, Elara,” I said, my voice a low growl. “And I won’t let anyone take you from me.”