Once I arrived home I saw Father discussing something with a boy in a chair. A servant who stayed by his side, dull, thin, but mysterious who was he? The boy was Marquis Richardson and then I recognized the servant Vincent. "Zera." My father spoke catching my attention.
"Yes Father?" I flinched as my position shifted to face him, the corset rubbing against my wounds and bandages. My body ached from the dance lesson more than usual, perhaps because of all my body had endured over the past two days.
"I will leave you to Marquis Richardson, be sure to be on your best behavior." He stood, and left.
I looked at the young Marquis nervously, the glare Vincent had was practically unbearable. "Well, how are your wounds?" Marquis Richardson asked politely in an empty voice.
"O-oh, my arm is healing slowly, they say it will take a few weeks at the most." I smiled shyly, did he care or was he being polite? I glanced at Elijah, being surrounded by males made me uncomfortable, I began shaking a bit. I didn't realize was backing against a wall until I felt the wall and my back collide and send pain scratching at my back.
"My lady!" Elijah helped me and looked at my back. "Forgive us, but I need to tend to her wounds." Elijah said, I didn't budge.
"I'll wait down here." Marquis Richardson said his face held a hint of emotion, but I couldn't tell what.
"E-Elijah, it's fine." I winced at the feeling, but stood my ground.
"My lady." Elijah started and I put my hand up.
"Sh-shall we go to the gardens? Th-the flowers are lovely, we can..enjoy some tea there as well." I attempted a smile, I walked to Marquis Richardson, "E-Elijah, why don't you get Anthony to start the tea and join us in the garden?"
"I won't be long my lady." He looked at me, I wasn't sure what he was thinking, I sighed.
I showed the marquis and Vincent to the gardens, I was in front and we approached the benches, I heard their voices. Although I couldn't understand "Zera, perhaps you should go to the doctor." Marquis Richardson said to me I turned to him.
"Why i-is that?" I asked, not wanting to sit on the bench.
"You clearly are in pain, and your dress is being stained with blood." I froze as he touched my back. He held his hand up and his fingers were stained with crimson. "Let me escort you to your room, then I'll alert your fa-"
"No!" I shouted, then I was immobilized once again.
"My lady, we will need to treat your wounds again." Elijah come up from behind. I nodded, "Pardon Lord Hunter, but I must tend to her wounds from the accident again." Elijah lied, he would attend to my wounds, but from the accident they were no issue.
"We'll wait here." Lord Hunter stated and sat on the bench.
"Very well." Elijah bowed and led me to my room.
"He wants to take me to the hospital and tell Father of my wounds." I slightly panicked, but stayed calm.
"The reason you are afraid of Marquis Richardson telling your father is because...?" Elijah looked at me, but was it of curiosity?
"I am...not sure what he'll do to me..." I whispered, out of fear of being heard, or was it because I didn't want Elijah to hear my uncertainty? I was clueless, but Elijah scooped me up as a husband would carry a new bride. "E-Elijah?"
"I will not let him harm you, but I cannot always be there." He whispered in my ear, mouth so close, what was he after? Once we arrived to my room, he gently put me on my bed, with my face buried in the pillow. "Hold still my lady." He said as he opened my dress, and removed the bandages, my broken arm hung over the side.
After he managed to subside the bleeding he left off the corset and put a new dress. Aviana wrapped herself around me, luckily she didn't touch my wounds she rested her head on one of my shoulders, "Thank you Elijah, come on, we mustn't keep Marquis Richardson waiting." I led him with Aviana around me back to the garden, Vincent laid his eyes on Aviana. His eyes flashed a crimson red I froze, "E-E-" Elijah rest a hand on my unoccupied shoulder.
"I must say, it is not wise to show a mere child even a piece of who you are." I glanced at Elijah who smirked, I remembered Hunter was next to him and I quickly looked back.
"H-Hunter...s-s-slowly st-step away from V-Vincent." I stammered, a demon? With the Marquis? Why?
"No need to be alarmed Lady Zera, he is perfectly safe, as he is my master." The servant said, Aviana hissed. "I don't plan on harming your mistress with two demons protecting her, beast." He spat at Aviana, I glared, stupid demon!
"Vincent, enough." The Marquis looked at the demon, he removed his bow-tie and unbuttoned the top three buttons on his shirt. Under his collar bone there was pentagram within a circle, a line surrounding it like a spider's web. It glowed silver and black, my mouth dropped. "I made a contract with Vincent when my parents were murdered in the shootout." He sighed.
"My lord gives me the orders, Lady Zera." Vincent said, but I was too shocked to feel relief.
"He is like me, my lady, a demon." Elijah said in my ear, was that supposed to be soothing?
"What are you giving in return?" I asked, Aviana was wrapping herself around my legs, slowly lowering herself from me body, I had an ever-growing bad feeling.
He stood silent, emotionless, I didn't like it, he was like a cold inanimate stone trapped. I opened my mouth, but he responded, "I am giving him my soul in return."
I froze, it was the last straw of sanity that had broken, "Your soul? You're joking correct? You couldn't have done that!" I shrieked, I felt as if all color left my face, and I had enough, Aviana lowered herself to the ground and I took that as my chance to leave them all, to the safety of my room.
YOU ARE READING
Demon's Path
FantasyA young girl lives in the late 1800s, she lives with her abusive father who blames her for the death of her mother, who died from child birth. She has to survive life with her father as things take a turn for the worst. Secrets are exposed, creature...
