Chapter 269: 146

"My lord, we brought the witch." 

"Bring him in." Lothaire ordered. 

His servants came dragging the male witch and then pushed him down on his knees beneath the throne. Lothaire looked at the young witch, who stared at him with utter disgust. Deep down he was also frightened, but he was good at hiding it. 

The servants held him in place, even though the witch knew there was no point in running away. Lothaire stood up from his seat and went down the stairs to get closer to the boy. He was young and didn't know how to defend himself.

Lothaire had found him through The Eye. His name was Ivan. He was a gifted boy, but he thought of his gifts as a curse and lived hiding them in fear of getting hurt. 

"Show your real self." The boy demanded. 

Lothaire was immediately amused. Witches knew that demons didn't always look the way they appeared. They believed demons were ugly. It wasn't entirely a lie. Demon's original form could be ugly, frightening, beautiful or all at the same time. The first time would almost always be frightening for humans. They feared everything that was unknown to them. 

Lothaire thought of himself as both beautiful and ugly, which made him frightening. It wasn't a good combination, but the way he looked right now was still him. 

Demons could transform and change their appearance from looking like their original self, the way they were created, or looking presentable so they could blend in with humans. Many demons have stayed in their changed form for so long that they evolved to look more like humans. Especially like the humans they lived amongst. 

People might say it is a disguise, but to Lothaire that was only their other form. Their evolved form. Today, most demons looked just like humans. Since demons were mostly male, they chose to stay in their changed form in order to find a human mate and reproduce. And most female demons were originally human and only turned demon after giving birth. 

"This is the real me." Lothaire said. 

The boy narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?" 

"Just answer my questions and do as I say and you will leave this place alive." Lothaire told him. 

Ivan clenched his jaw and gave him a deadly stare. 

Lothaire was impressed. He sat on the stairs so he could be at the same level as Ivan while talking to him. 

"Nature restores everything, is that correct?" Lothaire asked. 

"Nature restores itself." The boy corrected. 

Lothaire nodded. "Do you know anything about demon possession?" 

The boy frowned. "A little." 

"Tell me what you know." Lothaire said. 

"I know you shouldn't possess humans" 

Lothaire chuckled. "And if I do?" 

"Then you will be punished." He said simply, as if he was sure about it. 

"Who will punish me?"

"Nature." The boy said. 

Well, at least he didn't say God. Lothaire had expected this answer. "Does nature's punishment ever end?" Lothaire asked. 

"It depends on what you are being punished for. I can imagine your punishment never ends." 

Lothaire smirked. If the boy only knew. 

"The possession. How long will the punishment last?" He asked. 

"It depends on how long the possession lasted. I can't tell you an exact time." 

Lothaire nodded. He knew the boy wasn't lying, but this wasn't helping. He wanted to know when the effects of the possession would wear off. It was making him lose his mind. 

"Is there a way I can minimize the punishment?" 

"How about stop being the devil?" The boy suggested. 

Usually Lothaire loved people with a smart mouth, but he had been annoyed and itching to kill someone lately. 

He lost his temper fast and grabbed the boy's face, letting his sharp nails pierce his skin. "You better think before you speak if you want to be able to go back and tell the story of how we met." Lothaire threatened, bringing his face close to his. "Now tell me. How do I decrease the punishment?" 

The boy trembled. "You can't." 

"There must be a way." He spoke with clenched teeth. 

Blood ran down the boy's face from the wounds inflicted by Lothaire's claws. 

"Nature acts on its own. There is nothing I can do." 

Cursing, Lothaire released him. What did he expect? He had lived much longer than these creatures. They couldn't possibly know of a way out that he didn't. He was only acting out of desperation. 

He gestured for the servants to take him away. He would just have to wait for the effect to wear off, and only God knew how long it would take. 

Going back to sit on his throne, he opened The Eye. Things seem to come at him from many directions. Irene was, as usual, spending time with more males. Since she was spending time with a different male each time, he became concerned. What if it was true, and she found him? Her second mate. 

Lothaire had been in denial since the first time he found out about the second mate, but now he couldn't deny the possibility of it being true anymore. 

Irene wasn't originally a demon. It was possible that the restriction of finding one mate didn't apply in her case. Humans and witches could fall in love several times and have multiple soulmates. 

He cursed again. Why was this happening to him? 

**********

Irene watched Heaven sleep. She had been sleeping for many hours, waking up just to eat a little and then sleep again. She had been tired for so long, but she was never able to sleep well. This time she was sleeping peacefully, and Irene was happy that she was finally getting some rest. Maybe Zamiel had visited her dreams and assured her that he would come and get her.

Covering her with a blanket, Irene left her alone to sleep. She went on to do her part of the plan. The second mate thing had been concerning her, but now she was relieved that it was all a lie. The last thing she needed was dealing with a mate again. 

Staying in this place made her miss home so badly. She missed her son, her pets, her plants, and her peace of mind. Now she realized she would rather be alone than in bad company. 

Speaking of bad company, he appeared in front of her. What did he want this time? 

He held his hands out in defence, keeping a safe distance between them. "I was on my way to you." He paused, as if unsure. It was unlike him not to know what to say. "Will you have dinner with me?" He asked. 

Was that hesitance in his voice? 

"No." She said and was about to proceed when he placed himself in her way. He grimaced at his own action, but then looked her in the eyes. 

"Then sleep with me." He said. 

Irene was taken aback. What did he mean? Did she hear him right? 

He stepped closer to her. "You being here is reminding me of all the times we had together. I wish you didn't come here with Heaven." He reached for her hair, holding it between his fingers as he continued. "Your presence is torturing me. I see you closer now. I smell your sweet scent and my fingers itch to touch you."

Irene took a step back and her hair slipped from his fingers. 

"I know you don't like me. But you don't have to like me to want me." He said, stepping closer again. "Let us relieve our frustration. Just one night without thinking of anything other than what our body craves."

Irene couldn't deny that she was tempted. She hadn't been with a man for so long. She hadn't been touched for so long and now he caressed her cheek with his cold fingers, reminding her of what it felt like to be consumed by heat. 

"Come with me." He whispered, taking her hand and bringing her closer to him. 

No! She shouldn't. 

How could she be so easily swayed? 

She felt him lean closer and shut her eyes tightly. "Don't please." She breathed. 

Why was she begging? And who? Herself or him?

Lothaire stopped and Irene opened her eyes, confused. 

He sighed while letting go of her hand. He pressed his lips into a thin line, and a frown settled on his face. He looked troubled. 

Looking away from her, he rubbed his neck before turning back to her again. It was the first time Irene saw him doing human gestures and showing so many emotions. He was usually very composed. He would stand still and keep the same facial expression most if the time. 

Seeing him like this was new to her. 

This had to be it. What Zamiel wanted to know. Could the possession have done this to him? 

Irene straightened herself. "You are right. I have been lonely but soon, I will no more be. I am going to find my mate soon." She said. 

It was time to remind him like he had been reminding her every time. 

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