Chapter 123 — Devoted

“ Tsk… Tsk!!! ”

Ava slithered forward from behind the trees, her hands rubbing the bark as she sucked her teeth.

“ Look at the poor Ragnar, betrayed and abandoned by his own blood. Look what they made you do! ”

Ragnar looked up, his hand and mouth smeared with the blood of his latest victim.

He bit off its flesh as he suckled its blood before it turned cold and solidified.

His eyes glared at her with the intensity of a rabid animal.

But then he looked away.

"Oh, Ragnar," she cooed, her voice a sultry whisper, "still pretending not to notice me? How disappointing.”

Ragnar growled.

“Aren't you Oedipus’s bitch? What are you doing here? " he retorted, his voice a deep rumble that echoed in the woods.

Ava's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Is that jealousy I detect, Ragnar?" Her words dripped with honeyed mockery.

“ You are nothing but a walking and talking piece of the graveyard soil… how dare you… ”

“ Oh, so you do know the difference between your daughter-in-law and me! ” Ava giggled.

“ But do you know we are more similar than you think? ” She conjured a glowing orb in the air before him.

" We both need to thrive on the same elixir to continue our journey.”

The orb shimmered with a hypnotic allure, exuding a fragrance that teased Ragnar's senses. His eyes narrowed, fighting the urge, but his hunger overpowered caution. With a swift motion, he seized the orb and devoured its essence in one voracious gulp.

As the taste exploded on his tongue, a surge of primal satisfaction coursed through Ragnar's veins. "You play a dangerous game, Ava," he growled, his voice now tinged with a mix of desire and defiance.

Ava's laughter danced like silken ribbons in the air. "Danger is my middle name," she purred, her form flickering with a playful mischief. "But tell me, Ragnar, how does it feel to crave something that only I can provide? ”

“ This is only available in dark dimensions. Only the Darkness can create this. The Dark Lord can authorize this.

Tell me how did you get this? ”

He tried to lunge forward but Ava was faster.

“ Whoah! Take it slow, big boy! I am here to help… ”

“ Help? I thought you were working for Oedipus? Did he send you here? Bad move… ”

Ava crossed her arms over her chest.

“ I work only for myself. No son of a bitch controls me.I am here to offer a deal…”

“ I'm not falling for your tricks. Oedipus tried that more than once. He forgot who he was dealing with! ”

He was about to heckle Ava but she easily shoved him back. He was still weak.

Ava circled him like a predator toying with its prey. "Yet here you stand, under my spell," she teased, her voice a haunting melody that echoed in the shadows. "What will you do now, Ragnar, now that you've tasted a glimpse of what lies beyond?”

The Ragnar's brows came together forming a deep frown.

“ What are you getting at? Be specific if you don't want me to tear you open and devour that fake little heart! ”

Ava chuckled.

“ Selene is about to awaken.

But your son refuses to curb her rise.

You have two options.

Kill your son and claim Selene for yourself. You get to live the fantasy life that you always wanted.

Or, kill Selene and save David.

Either way, it's a win-win.

I can help you cross to the dark dimensions for a very cheap price.

You see, I am all about profit making. Loyalty is not for me! ”

Ava smirked with a wink.

***

Oedipus was getting fed up with his growing weakness inside Lucas's body.

It wasn't easy to limit his powers inside someone so fragile.

He waited to let David suffer a little before he went back to torture him some more.

Oedipus’s only wish in life was to sever his connection with the darkness and live a free life. He had been enslaved for way too long.

Only someone with the caliber of David was able to sever that link of enslavement that was bound around himself and soul.

The links in the dark dimensions were often mingled and interconnected because there were too many who were entrapped by its sweet talks, either knowing or unknowingly.

He was using David to sever the thread of Selene’s pact because his own link was closely entwined with it.

Once David snapped that link, Oedipus would be free.

That's all he ever wanted.

That's all he cared for in reality.

All those lives he took, all those years of torture and cruelty,it all boiled down to that one singular desire.

Freedom.

Liberty.

“ You look very tense, Lucas… I mean Master! Can I help? ”

Seraphina walked in, clutching her pregnant belly with difficulty because it was prominently bulging.

Lucas didn't turn back to face her.

“ Have you seen, Ava? ”

“ No! But I am here! I can give you everything she can and beyond! ”

She looked absolutely desperate.

Lucas scoffed, scuffling his hair with his hands.

He still had a few hours to kill before he went back. He might as well get some entertainment. He stepped closer, his fingers brushing the edge of her swollen belly.

“ Really? Can you spread your legs with that big belly? ” He taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.

Seraphina's eyes filled with fear, but she managed a weak smile. "Anything for you, Master. I can endure anything for you.”

She nodded fervently, her hands trembling as she reached out to touch him. "Just tell me what you want."

She was a greedy bitch and she was willing to risk anything to climb back to the position she once enjoyed.

Lucas's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

His lips twisted into a cruel smirk as he leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear. "I want to see if you're as devoted as you claim…Good. Very good. But first, let's see how much you can endure."

He pushed her back onto a nearby couch, his hands moving with calculated roughness. Seraphina gasped, but didn't resist. She closed her eyes, surrendering completely to his cruel touch.

Lucas toyed with her, his actions growing increasingly demanding. Seraphina whimpered, but each sound was one of obedience rather than protest.

He pulled her roughly onto his lap, his fingers digging into her flesh with a possessive grip. Her body trembled under his touch, a mixture of fear and anticipation coursing through her veins.

He traced a line down her neck with his tongue, savoring the salty taste of her skin. His hands roamed freely, exploring every inch of her body with a brutal curiosity. Seraphina's breaths came in shallow gasps, her heart pounding in her chest like a frightened bird.

"You're so fragile," Lucas murmured, his voice a low, dangerous purr. "So breakable. And yet, here you are, offering yourself to me without hesitation. Do you even know what I am capable of? ”

Seraphina's eyes fluttered closed as she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes, Master. Anything for you."

Lucas's grip tightened, his fingers leaving bruises on her delicate skin. He pushed her dress up, exposing her thighs, his touch both cruel and teasing. Seraphina's whimpers grew louder, but she made no move to stop him. She was his to command, and she would endure whatever he demanded of her. He forced her legs apart, his eyes dark with desire and malice. "Let's see how far your devotion goes, Seraphina. Let's see what you're willing to endure for me."

His hands moved with a relentless precision, exploring her with an intensity that bordered on sadistic. Seraphina's body responded to his touch despite the pain. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her body arching towards him even as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Does it hurt?" Lucas whispered, his lips brushing against her ear. "Do you feel the pain I'm inflicting on you?”

Seraphina nodded, her voice a choked sob. "Yes, Master. It hurts”

“Good," he murmured, his voice a dark caress. "I want you to remember this pain, Seraphina. I want you to remember what you're willing to sacrifice for me.”Lucas's eyes darkened with a predatory gleam as he positioned himself between Seraphina's trembling legs.

Her body was already wracked with pain, and the fear in her eyes only fueled his sadistic pleasure.

Without further preamble, he thrust into her with brutal force. Seraphina cried out, the sound echoing through the room, a mix of pain and submission. Her body convulsed under him, each movement a desperate attempt to endure the agony he inflicted.

Lucas showed no mercy, his movements relentless and demanding. He reveled in the power he held over her, the way her body responded despite the pain. Seraphina's cries grew louder, her hands clutching desperately at the couch as she tried to brace herself.

"Does it hurt, Seraphina? But it is going to hurt a lot more" Lucas taunted, his voice a low, sadistic whisper. "Do you still wish to satisfy me? Are you willing to give me everything I ask for? Bear all sacrifices?”

Lucas's thrusts grew more forceful, each one driving her closer to the edge. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, her body writhing beneath him. The pain was unbearable, but she refused to beg for mercy. She had promised him everything, and she would not falter now.

“ Yes, Master! ”

She cried as the cramps intensified.

“ Good! Let me get that load off you then. I like my bitches slim and unloaded… ”

As the brutal rhythm continued, Seraphina's body began to betray her. Her breaths became more erratic, her contractions intensifying. She clutched her swollen belly, a scream tearing from her throat as the pain of premature labor overwhelmed her.

"Master, please," she gasped, her voice barely audible through her cries. "The baby... it's coming.”

Lucas's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction as he continued to thrust into her, his movements never faltering. "Good," he hissed. "Let it come. Prove your devotion to me.”