#84 The Monster
!Please be aware this Chapter includes very sensitive content.
Cassandra rolled to the side, slowly catching her breath. Her body was still slightly shivering from the
aftermath of that wild sex⦠How many times had it been? She vaguely remembered them changing
position thrice or four times, but her mind was still foggy. She sighed. She could feel that pearl of sweat
on her nape, and her hair sticking to her templeâ¦
Kairen gently took her in his embrace and pulled one of the familiar fur blankets over her. The young
woman was only too happy to lay on his chest.
Somehow, despite her exhaustion, her body was still too excited for her to calm down enough and
sleep yet. She kept her eyes open, her finger drawing circles on her Princeâs chest. For a long while,
they stayed together like this. His hands were gently caressing her back, going up and down her spine.
With the silence that had fallen in the room, they could hear the noises coming from the windows.
Some exotic birds were chirping. Human voices too, though they were too far and numerous to be
understood⦠Unlike the Onyx Castle, which was completely isolated, the Diamond Palace was still in
the heart of a vast City⦠There was always something going on inside. Cassandra liked this
atmosphere. Just the two of them, cuddling in that bedroom, while the world kept itself busy outside.
After a while, she heard him sigh, and couldnât help but worry a bit.
âAre you alright?â She asked.
âI donât like leaving you here,â he said. âIâll be back as soon as I can.â
âDonât worry⦠Iâll stay here with Lady Kareen. It will be fine. Just be careful, please.â
Kairen took a deep breath, and kissed her forehead. It didnât feel like enough for Cassandra. She got a
bit up, lying on his chest, to come and kiss him properly. The War God wrapped his arms around her,
hugging her and answering her kiss. This time, it was a slow, tender kiss. He let Cassandra take the
lead. Her thin lips on his were like a flowerâs petal, so smooth and light⦠She was getting just a little bit
bolder every day, too. He could feel the tip of her tongue, teasing him, giving him a little taste of her and
making him thirsty for more.
Cassandra smiled, and her lips went left, to kiss his cheek, where his beard was growing, little spikes
she liked to play with her fingertips on the other side. Kairen smiled, satisfied, letting her gently cover
his face with her shy kisses.
When she stopped, putting her chin on his torso, he brushed her hair with his fingers, a bit amused.
âWhy are you so amused about?â She whispered. 1
âYouâve changed⦠I remember the shy girl who would blush every time I touched herâ¦â
Cassandra blushed again hearing that, with a little pout.
âYou were so⦠You would put your hand under my skirt and say such obscene things.â
âDid I?â He said, with a little sneered. (3)
Cassandra softly slapped his chest.
âYes, you! Putting your hand under my skirt and asking if I was a virgin, too⦠You just enjoyed teasing
me so muchâ¦
Kairen smiled and, while she wondered what he was thinking, she suddenly felt his hand sliding
between her thighs, making her yelp in surprise. The War God gently caressed her opening, but she
was still so wet and sensitive from their wild activity just before, Cassandra was already shivering.
âWas it like thisâ¦? Orâ¦â
Just as he played, his finger moved between her wet lips, making her moan again. Her legs tensed up,
and Cassandra bit her lip, sending him an offended look.
Kairen chuckled, amused, and came to kiss her temple, though it was obvious his concubine was
sulking a little bit. She moved a bit, and pushed his hand with a sullen look.
âSo mean,â she whispered.
âMhâ¦â
He obviously had no remorse or intention to apologize for his past behavior. Cassandra sighed. She
was so scared back then, the Prince suddenly taking an interest in her had been completely
unexpected. Thinking about it, her feelings for him had evolved so quickly. She had been caught in a
storm and happy to submitâ¦
Kairen gently kissed her temple again, caressing her hair gently. She couldnât ignore him, she just
enjoyed his touch so much⦠Cassandra smiled and wrapped her hands around his neck, locking him
into some more kisses. It had been a while since they had been able to rest and snuggle together,
without worrying about any event to attend or anyone to accompanyâ¦
âKairen⦠Why didnât you take any other concubines? Before me?â She asked, feeling a bit curious.
He sighed, frowning a bit. He didnât like that question. They both knew heâd had concubines in the past,
but none of those women had made it out alive. Those werenât picked by him, either. Cassandra clearly
remembered Neboraâs words. All the concubines Kairen had been presented with were sent by his
brothers or father. From their meeting, she had somehow assumed it was natural for him to take new
concubines on a whim, as it was for any Prince. However, she had been proven very wrong as soon as
she arrived in the Onyx Castle⦠Not only Kairen didnât have any other concubines, but he also didnât
show much interest in any woman besides her. 3
His glare and disgust towards the women that had tried to seduce him previously had made her realize,
he absolutely loathed this kind of behavior. She truly was the only woman he ever showed any arousal
or interest towards. He didnât care about any other woman, no matter how young or beautiful she was.
As a healthy young man, it was a bit surprisingâ¦
âI hate those womenâ¦â He whispered.
âThe concubines?â
âYou⦠Didnât ask about my bedroom. The one in the Imperial Palace.â
âNo⦠I figured you didnât want to talk about it⦠and I didnât want to pry.â
The Prince sighed. For a while, Cassandra wondered if he was going to end the topic there. He put an
arm over his face, covering his eyes. He didnât look side, just⦠bothered. She felt a bit unsure, as she
couldnât see his expression. Was it too sensitive to bring up? She hesitated a bit on what to add, biting
her lip. 2
âKairenâ¦?â
âThat room⦠We lived there when I was younger. Shareen, mother, and I. One night, when I was
twelve or thirteen⦠I woke up, very late. I was feeling sick, strange. I didnât know what it was. I realized
I wasnât alone⦠A servant woman was there.â
ââ¦In your bedroom?â
ââ¦In my bed. She was on me⦠Sucking me. I stayed there. I couldnât move. I felt like a monster was
trying to eat me. I got mad⦠Krai got mad, and we killed that woman. Iâm not sure exactly what
happened. You saw the room.
Cassandra was speechless. She clearly remembered that bedroom. It was as if a beast had gone
berserk inside. It
was Kairen and Kraiâs wrath that had unleashed inside.
âThe young concubine felt her heart going crazy inside her chest. She was mad and terribly sad. She
was sickened by what had happened to her Prince. He was so young! How could that woman do such
a thing! For a minute, she had a hard time calming down and holding in her tears. Never had she seen
such a vulnerable side of her Prince, or even imagined he had oneâ¦
âIâm so sorryâ¦â she whispered, her voice almost breaking.
âDonât be. That woman is dead.â
âBut⦠why did sheâ¦â
âShe was probably trying to become a concubine⦠Some women target the Imperial Family so they
can improve their lives this way.â
Cassandra felt utterly disgusted. How greedy could a human being be? To go ahead and rape a young
boy! She had never been so shocked before. She had always felt like the Imperial Family was
absolutely untouchable, always the ones inflicting the pain, the ones in control of other peopleâs fateâ¦
Never in a million years would she have imagined they were the target of such monsters. (4)
No wonder the Prince was so disgusted at those lecherous women, after what he had gone throughâ¦
Moreover, two of the concubines he had been sent afterward had tried to kill him. How could he still
believe in any woman after that? He was seen as prey by those monsters from such a young age. The
War God had grown to be the man he was because he had learned to fight the worst kind of monsters
from a young ageâ¦
âShe was the first person I ever killed,â he whispered. âMother found out in the morning. She got rid of
the body, and we moved to the Diamond Palace again. She kept as few servants as possible, but I
wasnât afraid. I would just murder anyone if I had a doubt⦠I kept killing, my father sent me to the front,
where I could unleash as much as I wanted. It wasnât the same, but somehow, the sight of blood helped
me more than anything elseâ¦â
âSo thatâs how you became the War God so youngâ¦â
âI felt like I belonged to the battlefield more than anywhere else. I hated being here, or in the Imperial
Palace. I slept better on the ground than in any bedâ¦â
Cassandra suddenly remembered how desolated and empty the Onyx Castle always seemed. Any of
Kairenâs bedrooms, she had always thought they didnât look like anyone lived there⦠And no one did.
The Prince avoided those place, and preferred his army tent. Everything made so much sense nowâ¦1
âWhen I met you⦠You were the first woman that didnât care. You showed only fear. Any woman I had
met, no matter how scared they were, there was always that⦠thing in their eyes. That slight hope that
I might get interested in them, fuck them, and make them my concubines. That greed, the same greed I
had seen in that womanâs eyes. â¦Iâd rather kill them.â
He took his arm out of the way, to come and gently caress her soft cheek.
ââ¦You were the only one. You didnât lust for me. You were just scared. When I tried to tease you, see if
youâd show your true colors, your lust as a woman, you just turned out to be an even more innocent girl
than I had thought. When that woman hurt youâ¦â
âLyria? My former masterâs concubine?â
âYeah. I saw⦠In the way she looked at me, and the way you looked at her. You were different.
Somehow, I understood⦠Why Krai liked you. You were just⦠pure. So pure. You didnât have that
greed in her eyes, not even that will to save yourself. You were just scared of me.â
Cassandra sighed. It was all so⦠sad.
She hadnât thought much about their first encounter. The War God was so undecipherable, back then,
she would
have never imagined he looked at her that way. That certainly explained a lot.
âIs that why you didnât let me⦠satisfy you?â
Kairen caressed her lips with his thumb, slightly nodding.
âI donât want to see you like that⦠I donât need that.â
âI understand,â she whispered.
They stayed silent for a few seconds, just staring in each otherâs eyes lovingly. Cassandra could tell,
there wasnât anything the War God feared anymore in women. Instead, it had been replaced by this
wrath, that bloodthirst. The way he had found to cope had become his way of life⦠The blood that
dirtied his sword, the way he had dirtied his hands to save himself.
She was falling a bit deeper for that man. How was he still able to love her so tenderly, after what he
had gone through? Kairen had such a loving side⦠just for her. She smiled and, gently, came to kiss
him again. The War God answered her kiss, caressing her hair, her cheekâ¦
Cassandra deepened their kiss, taking the reins. She wanted him to feel her love for him. He wasnât
that scared boy anymore. He had grown into a strong, powerful man, who could kill, but still loveâ¦