Beauty And The Monster He Made

Chapter Thirty-Three

"I needed her. She's a death goddess in control of the Jeoseung. They collect spirits after their death. I needed their assistance, to lead the appropriate souls away to the other side, while collecting and incarcerating the blood thirsty ones here. Her Jeoseung collected most of the souls you see in this machine."

I hugged Eden who was in shock. It was her, down to her pet peacock. He did not dare cry, but something in his face shifted before he clutched his head. He bowed his head down to the ground, fangs elongating, nails digging into his head. I followed him down.

"I want her," he growled, lime eyes flashing, "Give me her."

"Help Ash and you get her back," Esmond answered with a smirk, "A god for a goddess, I think that's fitting. That is, if you don't have any reservations, Lilu."

I clenched my teeth and nodded, "Go with him."

Ash clamped Eden's shoulder and nodded. Esmond teleported them to the location where I stabbed San. He came back and the screen switched to that area, shown through the vision of one of the police officers.

"Let's get comfortable."

Esmond ushered us all into his private cinema painted in red accents and chairs enough to seat a thousand people. We sat at the back and his arm draped over the head of my seat.

"Wine, Wrath?" Esmond offered loudly and the Sin of Wrath stepped forward from the ground level.

His being was wisps of night peeled away from the sky. Onyx hair flowed down to his waist, glowing eyes vampiric red, piercings on his lips and a handsome pale face with sharp features. Darkness was so potent, like death, I felt myself shivering before him and I bowed my head in respect.

He vanished with a fissure in the air before appearing right beside me. He extended a hand to Esmond who shook it. He shook Cosmo's and then turned to me.

"Now, tell me what am I to do with you?"

"Don't kill him. He only seduced San so he could bring him here."

"He still slept with the enemy," Wrath said in disapproval.

"Whoa, wait, I never slept with him," I interrupt, shooting Esmond an incredulous look, "What rumours have you been spreading about me?"

"He's the Sin of Lust," Esmond ignored me and continued to pitch me to Wrath, "To prove his allegiance, he's going to decide how San dies."

"What?"

He waved a hand and on the screen was an image of San tied to a chair. The image of him was translucent as though staring at his soul. It was clad in white light with black on his lips; where I kissed him.

"I appreciate the games," Wrath told us, "But I need to see Lilu kill him personally before I believe this was all planned. Lilith is distraught. We all feel betrayed. That's why I invited her here and the rest of your children, Lilu."

There were fissures in the air and my children appeared in the seats. Their heads were turned towards me as though they had a thousand questions each. My mother appeared beside us, eyes heavy with heartbreak.

"Mother, I didn't betray you—"

She raised her hand.

"Destroy him, my son."

Leo sits in one of the seats, resenting my presence. Whatever Ash did in my body was enough to enrage everyone.

I gripped my seat, hating myself for putting San in this position.

The kiss we shared still spun in my mind. It was different from Esmond's bruising lips, and how they burned like hard liquor pouring down my throat. But San—his touch felt holy, like petals dressed in light.

I kissed a thousand lips. None of them made me feel like divinity and Esmond knew it.

"Not while he's tied up," I stated, realising to kill him was my only option, "I want the fight to be fair, but please, release my children. Where are they?"

The screen changed and my deceased children were translucent, their energy pitch black like shadows with sharp claws and canines which could rip out a throat. They had a thousand eyes, thousands of tongues, and dark wings.

"Father," they hissed as though they could sense my presence, and tears rimmed my eyes when I saw what my children became.

"Don't worry, I'm here. Everything is going to be ok," I promised even though they could not hear me.

I wondered what my children thought of me now, helpless, I wanted to hug them all. My throat clogged up and I squeezed my eyes shut.

I make a pathetic father. No matter how hard I tried, they still suffered.

"Fine. Put me in the machine, just release my children."

"The infestation they will bring about humans will change them. Parasites your children will become. Are you pleased with that?"

"I don't care, I want them alive."

My heart ached, my chest hurt and I didn't want to think of the consequences.

"Very well," Esmond said before getting down on one knee.

Everyone gasped, but no one seemed happy when he opened a small box.

My stomach sank when he opened. A ring shaped like a snake glimmered, and the thought of spending eternity with him made my head dizzy. He slid it onto my finger, then kissed the back of my hand. His lips then pressed against mine in a flurry of passion.

"Destroy him, my love."