Chapter Thirty Three.

Chapter Thirty Three.
“It’s not your fault,” Kaidon said quietly, his voice almost gentle now. “I have you now.”

Taliya blinked, startled by the tenderness in his tone. But it only deepened the unease curling inside her. Why did she feel this twist in her chest? Why did his words stir sadness in her, when they should only frighten?

“So that means… you’re a demon king?” she mumbled, almost to herself.

But Kaidon heard her.

He stepped closer, his red eyes steady on hers. “You don’t have to be scared of me, Taliya. The last thing I want is to lose you. If I do… I’ll go insane.”

Her heart sank. There was no doubt in his voice, only raw certainty—like a man clinging to the last thread of his sanity. But Taliya couldn’t match the weight of his emotions. She didn’t belong here. She didn’t belong to him.

She wasn’t his soulmate.

And yet, despite everything—his intensity, his obsession—something inside her cracked a little at the sound of his voice.

Still, her mind fought to reason.

“If you’re cursed… then why do you need someone to continue your bloodline?” she asked, her brows drawn in thought. “Isn’t that… torture? To keep creating more of your kind, only to pass on the same curse?”

Kaidon went silent for a moment, his eyes darkening.

“Our bloodline cannot perish,” he said firmly. “If it ends, the heart of Brimhaven dies. And with it, the balance between realms will shatter.”

“But wouldn’t that be better?” she asked, confused. “Isn’t it more merciful to let it go than to let it suffer forever?”

“No,” Kaidon replied sharply. “It would be worse. Brimhaven is the anchor—the North is the heart of this world. Our survival… holds the realm together. But only if the bloodline continues with the true soulmate.”

Taliya stared at him. “So… I’m your real soulmate?”

Kaidon nodded once, without hesitation. “Yes.”

She let out a dry, startled laugh. “But how? That doesn’t even make sense. I’m not even from—” she cut herself off just in time, her eyes wide.

Kaidon’s brow lifted, catching her slip.

“I mean…” she cleared her throat nervously, “I’m not a demon. So how could I possibly be your soulmate?”

He tilted his head slightly. “Like I told you before… you’re a carrier.”

“I know, but… why?” Her voice was laced with panic now. “There has to be a reason I’m this… thing. I mean—” she lowered her voice, barely above a whisper—“I’m not even from this world.”

He didn’t react to her words with surprise. Instead, he stepped closer, his gaze locking hers in place.

“A normal human woman can’t carry the bloodline of a demon,” Kaidon said, his voice low and grave. “If she does, the child may survive the birth… but she won’t. The demon will destroy her body from the inside out.”

Taliya gasped, her hand flying to her chest.

“That’s why we have carriers,” he added. “Rare women whose bodies can bear the weight of our bloodline. Women born to survive it.”

She felt the air thicken around her.

“But… how do you know I’m one of them?” she asked, her voice breaking. “What if I’m just a normal woman, and this is all some… mistake?”

Kaidon’s eyes burned.

“Your scent,” he said slowly. “It calms the rage in demons. It quiets the madness. It drives them wild with need. And only someone with demon blood… can even smell it.”

Taliya’s heart dropped.

Her eyes widened in horror. “You mean—”

“Yes,” Kaidon said. “No human can smell your scent. But I can. Every demon can. Because you are not ordinary.”

Taliya stumbled a step back, her hand trembling at her side.

“But I have to mark you,” Kaidon said suddenly, his voice low and unyielding.

Taliya froze.

Her breath caught in her throat, her heart slamming against her chest. “W-What?”

“I have to make you mine. Whole.” he added, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

A fresh wave of terror crawled down her spine. “W-Why so… so soon?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kaidon’s red eyes darkened. “Because you can still attract demons. And if any of them sense what you are… they’ll come for you. They’ll want to possess you.” His voice dropped an octave. “I will not allow that.”

Taliya stepped back. “W-What if… I don’t want this?”

His gaze sharpened instantly. “Then I’ll end this world.”

She blinked, stunned. “What?”

“If I can’t have you,” he said, his voice frighteningly calm, “then no one else will. And everything else… will go down with it.”

Taliya gulped, tearing her eyes from his and staring blankly at the ground. Her mind spun with everything he’d said.

The intensity of his obsession wasn’t just terrifying—it was suffocating. He wasn’t bluffing. He would really destroy everything.

And the worst part?

He believed it was love.

She tried to slow her racing thoughts. If she could just keep him talking, maybe she could understand more—maybe even buy herself time.

“Wait… so you mean only royals with demon blood can use powers?” she asked, forcing her voice to stay steady.

“Yes,” he replied simply.

She swallowed. “What about Rylan? Is he… a royal?”

“No. He doesn’t have demon blood,” Kaidon said. “His bloodline comes from witches.”

Taliya nodded slowly, her brain grasping for pieces. “Oh…”

She hesitated, then asked, “What about Javen? Is he a witch too… or does he have demon blood?”

Kaidon paused, his jaw tightening for a second. “He’s a hybrid. Part demon, part witch. But he’s not like me.”