I felt my blood boil and my heart went out to them. How could he behave like that and not show a stitch of remorse?

“You can’t do that to human beings! What they could’ve done to deserve such fate?”

“I don’t need to explain myself, nor my attitudes to you or anybody, but since you insist, they helped to betray my father and kill my brother, as for those I have sentenced them to slavery.”

He boasted to me in the most merciless cold tone I’ve heard in my life and with no room for arguments, so was all this for vengeance? Although he told me I wasn’t a slave, I worried about my own safety, who knows my fate once we got to our destination. I may not be a slave into his eyes, but he held me hostage. What’s the difference? None in my point of view, I didn’t know which would have been the worst of fates, end up in the hands of those two perverts or the devil himself.

“Will it be worth losing your soul, so you can carry on with a vengeance?” I couldn’t make me shut up, I was too astonished to help myself, but I didn’t want to anger him.

“My soul is already damned, I don’t have anything else to lose.”

I didn’t dare look at him, I kept staring at the road in front of us. He may believe what he was saying, but I heard the biting tone in his voice. He did care, deep down I’m sure it was something that worried him every second of his existence. His muscles strained around me and I felt sorry for him, I knew I shouldn’t, but what happened in his life to make him what he is today? I don’t agree with his manners, but who am I to judge him?

The trip to the Argeş turned out to be a hell, I was under his scrutiny the whole darn time. He made it impossible for me to get close to those people, I couldn't even take water to assuage their thirst, and that broke my heart. He merely talked to me the whole way through, but at night I didn’t escape from sleeping with him entangled on me. No, he didn't try to seduce me, but for an excuse he confessed that since he's been having me in his bed, he slept better, as I chased his demons away, but he didn't know his demons haunted me now.

We’ve known each other for only three days, and it seemed like an eternity. I didn't know what to do, or how to act in front of him, and neither did he. I felt the pull between us, every time we touched sparkles would fly around. In spite his cruelty to the others he never wronged me in any way, I knew he was giving me time to come to terms with my fate. I wish I understood how could I be attracted to such an evil creature, and I knew he would be the death of me!

“Anton! Bring four men to serve as her guards, she’s not allowed to leave the premises until I come back.”

“You can’t do that to me! You said I was not your slave, neither hostage!” I yelled at him, but he was already gone. I looked at Anton frustrated.

“If you excuse me lady, and please don’t leave until I’m back with the guards, you don’t want to anger him,” he advised me and also left. About fifteen minutes later he was back with four huge men, I stared at them shooting daggers and stomped away sitting by the corner in a childish fit.

Three months have gone by. All this time if we exchanged a few words was too much and drove me insane. He provided me with new dresses, personal things, toiletries and food, but I wasn’t allowed to leave the room, besides a courtyard close by. The reconstruction of the castle was coming a long good, it wouldn’t take long to finish, but to what expense? I knew what he was doing to those poor people, sometimes I heard the crying and I couldn’t help at all, and for some reason he was avoiding me, but every night he would fall asleep with me in his arms, he never touched me besides sleeping by my side and everyday I grew more and more accustomed to the warmth of his body close to mine.

“Alizandra, come I want to show you something,” I was sitting by the courtyard, and he appeared out of nowhere startling me. It was the first time I saw a glint of happiness cross his eyes. He got me by the hand and lead me to a room facing the very steep precipice, I was marveled when I saw it, he had built a small chapel there. “I had the monks come and do the painting and everything else,” he added.

“It’s beautiful!” I gasped, it looked like a little monastery, I understood he had good intentions, but would God be happy with His house being built on the blood of others? My question was about to leave my lips, but I refrained myself, because I didn’t want to see that boyish face gone.

“Thank you for being here,” suddenly he embraced me by the waist taking me from the ground and for a second there I could see emotion where has never had none, a different side of him. I hugged him back and felt my body come alive and my heart skip a beat.

“Like I had a saying on that…” I retorted and regretted the moment it came out my mouth. He put me back on the floor and his face was back to the cold granite he usually wore. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that way,” I tried to patch up, but the damage was done.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be gone for a while, I have some business to attend. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but you’re protected here, and the place is heavily guarded. They will be moving you to our main quarters and please, do not disobey me in this matter. I don’t want you roaming outside the castle until it’s all done.” he warned me staring at my eyes, and goosebumps spread all over my skin, but not the good kind.

“Why? You don’t want me to see the horrors happening out there? The torture and punishment you’re putting those people in? Is that why?” as I came to my senses it was said already, I couldn’t take my words back, but the real dread came, when he stopped in his tracks and slowly looked at me, and right then I saw the devil flashing in those eyes.

Reaching me in three long quick strides he grabbed me by my throat and threw me against the wall knocking the air out of my lungs and holding me there placing a slight pressure on my neck. My eyes were so wide, I believed they would pop out of their sockets. The air felt too thick to breathe and my heart pounded so erratic I thought I was going to faint.

“Never, I mean, never challenge me this way, I won’t be this condescending with you again!” he was so close I felt the warmth emanating from his skin, his gaze left my eyes and settled on my lips.

Once I knew I felt his lips on mine in a rough, brutal kiss made to punish, but set my body on fire, and I melted into him. My arms flung to his neck bringing him to me, while his mouth devoured me and his tongue plunged inside harshly claiming mine. There was nothing sweet about the kiss, its purpose was to stake a claim and chastise me for what I dared to say, but I loved every minute of it, and I wasn’t willing to let go of him. He sucked and bit at my bottom lip drawing a few drops of blood which he licked staring at my eyes. We were both heaving for air and suddenly he let go of me putting some distance between our bodies.

“Where are you going?” I manage to ask in between gasps. “How long would you be gone?”

“It’s none of your business, Alizandra. You are warned, don’t defy me ever again!” He pivoted on his boots and left me there, frustrated, alone and cold.