Hope - a fateful moment (Vol.4) ✅️

Chapter 20

His morning began with a light training session after he broke away from his demon. Then followed a warm relaxing bath that relaxed his muscles. He didn't want a muscle strain or worse to affect his fight. When he left the washroom, he already felt the presence of three demons in his room – all employees of the house.

"Kirash, we are here to prepare you."

Hope nodded, then they began. Heaven and hell, they worked on him for two hours. One demoness drew patterns with a color on his left arm, the other on his right. The third took care of his hair and face. He patiently let them do their work.

This is how actors must feel. Do I still look like myself afterwards? A smile stole onto his face. When they were finally finished and a protective layer had been applied, a fourth demon came with his costume. Will this be a ball? It's just a normal party, isn't it?

He would later learn that his definition of feast and Sereph's weren't correlated.

His costume was made of a black, extremely light and air-permeable fabric that clung to his skin. It was a one-piece that became tight at the bottom of the legs, hung a little loose up to the hips and fit tightly again on the upper body. Around his waist was a kind of silver belt.

He was sleeveless and the patterns on his arms matched the silver-embroidered patterns on the garment perfectly. It was a detailed replica of his binding mark, which extended over his skin. He ran over the embroidered pattern, just as he had done over his skin in the days before.

Around his upper arms were the tattoos he had received through the soul rings. As with Lyric and Nix, they had passed into his skin and become a part of him. In his short-cut hair was emblazoned a small platinum clasp in the shape of a lily. Further jewelry was omitted, because it was a work of art in itself.

A squiggly pattern ran across the left side of his face from his eyebrow to his cheek, and his eyes were framed with kajal. The lips wore a cherry-red color that stood out against his lighter skin.

The four artists were satisfied with their work.

Hope smiled.

"Then let's get Prince Sereph to see if he is satisfied too."

"No need, I'll see him myself," Hope said, walking away before they could object.

Sereph went through the last points for tonight with Jaden in his workroom. Today he would introduce Hope to his commanders, some higher-ranking commanders, and influential demons of his territory. A battle had broken out over an invitation.

Jaden had handled the whole thing professionally as always.

What would I have done all that time without him? He certainly wouldn't have become a prince of hell. When there was a knock, they raised their heads and the door opened slightly. The smell of peach and a hint of almond announced to him his loved one, but he hadn't expected what came through the door. Sereph swallowed, making no sound. Hope was... beautiful. He had never seen anyone more beautiful in his life. His heart began to beat faster in his chest, as if it wanted to jump towards him. Slowly his mate came up to him and smiled.

"So, how do I look?" Hope asked his demon. He couldn't see his expression, but he could tell from his heartbeat and breathing that he was excited – hopefully in a positive way.

Jaden cleared his throat. "You look great. I think we're done, I'll do the rest." He left the two alone. The air had changed, which had been a clear sign of his departure.

"You are beautiful, Dhan," Sereph whispered, even if that was the understatement of the century. A soft laugh came from his human's lips and he opened his eyes briefly. The butterflies in Sereph's belly began to flutter wildly as he got lost in his mate's deep lakes.