The Devil's Bride | ✔

Chapter 3

The bright morning light seeping into the room woke me up from my slumber. The room was silent, eerily so.

A horrible feeling settled at the bottom of my stomach and I felt the sudden urge to throw up. I got up with a jerk, a hazy confusion settled over me like a heavy blanket.

My heart raced as I watched the sheets fall revealing the cold sweat that clung to my skin and along with it something that made my heart stop. My eyes fell to my hands, legs, the bed sheet and there I saw it- crimson splashed everywhere. Blood. So much blood.

The word echoed in my mind as the world around me spiraled. I pulled up my shaky hands in front of me, blood on them too. The memories of last night came rushing back to me. Samael. His promise. His words. Him.

I stumbled down my bed as I crawled towards the mirror. My nightdress was covered in blood too. There was blood sticking to my face, smeared across my cheeks as if I had cried tears of blood. I waited for a scream to rise up in my throat, for tears to float down, but nothing happened. I stood up on my feet. My legs were still sore. I took one small step towards the door, then another. Blood dripped down from my leg, leaving footprints on the wooden floor.

My hands clasped around the knob, painting it red too. It wasn't locked anymore. I turned the knob and the door swung open. I saw red.

The walls, the floor, the entire hallway was red. I walked like a ghost through the walls I had grown up in. Every corner revealed more of the same- stains on the carpets, droplets on the polished floor, bloody handprints on the walls. I followed the crimson trail as my steps carried me. I should've felt something- horror, grief, fear, but there was just hollow numbness.

Emotions hovered beyond my grasp. I climbed down the stairs, watching the entire space painted in crimson. There were no bodies though, neither was there any sign of life.

My steps faltered as I reached the same huge doors that I had always seen locked. Except that they weren't locked anymore. I pushed against them. They were heavy, too heavy for me to push them open, but they revealed a narrow slit and I slid my way inside.

As I stepped into the room, my breathe caught in my throat. I was greeted by the high vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate carvings, each reciting a different story. Light streamed through the stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the marble floor. There was no blood around here, no handprints, no splashes of red. And in its full glory sat the Devil's throne, a majestic seat carved from dark wood. It stood at the far end of the room atop a dais.

My feet carried me towards it as if a magnetic pull was calling to me. I left blooded footprints as I walked my way to the throne. I climbed the stairs, my eyes fixated on the seat. It held such power that just by looking at it, I felt shivers all over my body. My fingers traced the stones carved into its armrests.

From my hooded gaze, I looked at the huge space. As I completely turned to face the hall, my legs brushed against the rough surface of the throne's base. I looked at my blooded hands one last time, and seated myself on the throne.

The moment my back touched the throne, I felt a stiff hand on my shoulder. I turned my head and found him looking at me with pride. He tucked the single strand of hair behind my ear.

His lips left a ghostly touch on the side of my face as he uttered, "I've been waiting for very long. It is time for you to return with me, my precious wife."

I leaned against his touch, closing my eyes. I wasn't just the Devil's bride, I was His Queen.

THE END

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