MARRIED TO THE DEVIL'S SON

It was a cold night and hell was in a situation of chaos and trouble as the blood heir to the throne was left in thought of what is going to happen if he is not made heir due to the conditions being given to him. Seraphina always had believed that blood was just blood—red, fragile, and meaningless once it left the body. She learnt otherwise the hard way on the night Hell found her. On that cold night, when everyone was asleep and the thunder roared as a beast seeking whom to devour. The cut from a broken plate, nothing more than a careless slice from a broken glass as she closed her shop for the night. Although, she barely noticed the scratch on her finger by the cut the broken plate gave her until the blood dropped on the floor and began to emit a bright glowing light which she didn't know its significance. It glowed, as though a living ember burned beneath her skin. Seraphina froze, trying to catch her breath. The atmosphere around her thickened, as goosebumps filled her body as a result of the shock she was in at that moment. The lights flickered as it turned on and off. A low groan vibrated through the floor, through her bones, until the walls of the shop groaned in protest that's where the main fear kicked in. Seraphina took a piece of cloth, tore it into a little piece and tied it against her finger, panic rising, but the glow only grew brighter, at the same moment her heart was pounding in fear of what was happening. Then she saw shadows moving towards the curtains and out of curiosity she had the urge to move closer to see what it was, and at the sight of what she saw she stumbled and fell, she tried shouting but no one heard her voice. It was as if the entire room was sound proof. Demonlike beings came out from the corners of the room, stretching unnaturally across the walls. The unpleasant smell of smoke and sulfur was all around the room, choking and sharp. Seraphina; still on the floor gasping in shock as the temperature dropped suddenly, her breath fogging in front of her. She imagined her whole life flashing before her very eyes as she couldn't believe demons are real as they sound. “You have been found,” a voice said. Still in shock she couldn't process her choice of words, she stumbled and eventually she replied with a very silent tone, “what do you want from me”. The voices in the room weren't loud, yet it echoed everywhere at once as the wind rushed inside the room and everywhere filled with echoes of a deep devilish voice. Figures emerged from the darkness—tall, cloaked beings with eyes like that of death. She then said to herself, “am I about to die?”. They did not touch her, yet she felt trapped, pinned beneath their gaze. She could only watch them from beneath as her voice seized. “Who are you?” she whispered again but this time with tears in her eyes, though terror had already stolen the strength from her voice. “The bloodline has awakened,”one of the demons replied calmly. “The contract demands fulfillment and Time must not be wasted” Her heart was beating violently against her ribs. She couldn't process what was happening at that exact moment. One of them stepped forward and gave out a hand. Due to the shock she was in, she gathered a little courage to shift back Symbols burned faintly across his skin, ancient and alive. But the demon replied and said “we are not here to hurt you.” another continued with a smiling but also scary face! “You are Seraphina of the Seventh Line. Born of mortal flesh, bound by infernal blood. Chosen by covenant.” “No,” she answered, shaking her head. “You’re wrong. I’m nobody.” The being’s lips curved—not in cruelty, but certainty. “You are a bride, the one chosen, not by mistake to fulfill the covenant and the time is ripe”. The word struck harder than any blow. In suspense she tried to process what she just heard from what she didn't believe existed. Before she could scream or run, the ground beneath her feet turned into fire and shadows arose from beneath. The world twisted violently, sound tearing itself apart as heat swallowed her whole. She screamed as she fell into a pit she never knew existed. As Seraphina fell into the underworld, far below the earth’s surface, a mark burned into her palm—an infernal seal announcing to Hell that the Devil’s son had been given a wife. Joy filled the whole of hell. And destiny, once sealed by blood, could not be undone. After much falling before she approached the ground, she shut her eyes in fear of the unknown and also the thought that she was going to be squashed. She then felt a calm touch as she was carried by a very handsome lad. Eyes black as the darkness coal, hair in the colour of gold, his lips as red as blood, he was muscular and tall with such beautiful wings. It was the son of the devil by name Lucien. He is one of the most powerful beings in hell and the rightful ruler of hell after his father the devil himself ASMODEUS DAMRIES. But was faced with a challenge which only seraphina could solve and since the time was right she was also ready for the sacrifices to be made by the devil to cleanse his son Lucien. Lucien dropped her in the most gentl manners and he held her waist and stared deeply into her eyes. Overwhelmed by his beauty she wanted to speak but the words couldn't fly out from her mouth. Then he left her in front of the throne as he went to take his seat and wait for his father. Seraphina fell on her knees and started crying, tears rushed out but no one felt remorse for her, then a mighty voice as all the host of hell knelt in acknowledgement to “ASMODEUS”. With a chant “all hail Asmodeus king of hell and darkness”. Though it was hell, the room was filled with cold due to his presence. He took his seat and gazed into her eyes for some minutes and saw fear inside her.she slightly raised her head but couldn't stare straight at him due to the light he emitted. After much silence he asked them to take her to a room, she cried as she thought what she never expected came to pass. Whereby on earth seraphina’s parents searched the whole town looking for her, though it was a very little place she was nowhere to be found. A search party was raised. After much searching they came to a conclusion that she had been devoured by a beast. Her parents cried but their tears couldn't help them out. It was nearly three hours and poor seraphina was still sobbing when Lucian was passing by and heard her, he entered inside the room, stood at the door and watched her cry, then she asked “why is all this happening to me”. But Lucien was so heartless to listen or attend to her, he just gave a devilish smile and left the room. By the way, he meant a maid by the name Elena, one of the slaves that was trapped in hell because they were not worthy of the covenant. He ordered her to go to Seraphina's room and keep her company till the next day. By the time Elena could walk down to the room, Seraphina had slept off. Elena just watched her as she slept. Seraphina quickly woke up due to a nightmare and saw Elena watching her, she then asked. “Are you one of them? What are they going to do to me?” Questions just flew out from her mouth. But she was lucky Elena decided to keep Seraphina safe and told her what she needed to hear. “You are the rightful bride for the Prince” Elena whispered. It is said that the rightful bride is going to help in cleansing the Prince and making him worthy to be the rightful heir to his father's throne. Seraphina then asked why she was whispering and before Elena could answer they both heard a noise coming from the hallway and both girls shivered in fear not knowing what would happen to them.