The Cruel Prince

SEPARATION ANXIETY

Most nights were spent with her sprawled on the couch. Nights because there was never any daylight, and even if there was, Ying Yue never saw it. The house was locked and sealed tight with whatever spell Banye placed to keep her from running away.

Some nights he left the house for hours without her knowledge, returning with a bag of human food for her consumption.

He always left for reasons unknown to her.

Ying Yue grew a habit of pretending to be asleep when he's around, all for the sake of avoiding him and Banye is aware of it, so he left her alone, let her have her solace until she's ready to speak to him, open up to him, let him in.

He teetered in his own house without speaking, without touching her, strolling right to his bedroom as soon as he gets home where he's spent hours inside without making any noise. No noise at all which caused Ying Yue to be suspicious. She never took Banye for a quiet recluse type of guy.

She began to suspect there's more to him than he's letting on. He's more than what he makes her believe he is.

The silence sickened her and it drove her lonely. So lonely.

She missed home, her mind was mostly occupied by Wang Jian wondering what's he doing right now. A ripple of longing embraced her and sobs hit in full swing. She curled as the tears flowed like stream out of her eyes, burying her face on the pillow, trying to contain the noise she couldn't hide.

Her sobs hurled Banye into the living room, he didn't even bother walking, he appeared in the veil of smoke as he transported himself through thin air.

"Fei, Fei, Fei...don't cry." He crooned, sweeping her from the couch. "Get up...you don't need to be laying on the couch constantly. It's only making you more depressed." He said with terrible softness. Ying Yue dared not meet his eyes, not wanting comfort from another man. She tried to push him, weak, and too sad to shove him with all her strength.

"Just leave me be, Banye. There's nothing you could do that will make me feel better."

"How can I leave you alone when you're crying? And how would you know there's nothing I could do when you don't let me?" He cooed, wiping her dampened cheeks with his hand and smiled.

Ying Yue closed her eyes, holding back the rest of her tears from streaming. "I don't need you trying to make me feel better. You are not my friend, you are my enemy and right now you are holding me hostage."

He let out a sharp exhale, his face too damn gentle for a ruthless demon. There's not a hint of the true creature behind the gentleness, only the tender caring man tending to a crying woman. "I get it, and trust me I've been there, and I know how you feel. You love him, and you wish you could go back. I'm the only one who can make that happen, and I'm the only one separating you from him. I can clearly see you hate me for it, Fei."

His perfect set of eyebrows furrowed.

She opened her eyes meeting his endless abysmal ones, unsteadiness in her voice. "Then why can't you just send me home?"

Silence, Banye seemed to be studying her, and after a while, he loosened another sigh, gentleness never left his tone. "I can't, I can't give you back to him. You're mine and I can't give up what belongs to me."

"I will never warm up to you." 

He pulled her to him, his lips kissing her eyebrow. "How can you be so heartless."

"You are a demon."

"Doesn't mean I'm evil."

"You're keeping me against my will."

"You sold your soul to me."

Ying Yue bit her lip, a sudden rise of rage pooled in her chest and for a moment there was a glimmer of triumph dancing upon Banye's gorgeous lips, having won that argument.

"Come, get up. You smelled like you haven't taken a bath in days." He yanked the sheets from her lap and hurled her up to her feet. "I'll run you a nice bath water and perhaps, I'll take you again somewhere tonight."

"I don't want to go anywhere." She protested, jerking herself away from his hold.

"Then we will stay home and stare at each other. Perhaps, you can come up with something else to be mad at me about." He grinned, but she didn't smile.

"I see you're already mad, I make it too easy for you." He snickered and meandered to the bathroom, flicking his hand, making water appear and rise as he fills the hot tub. The aroma of crushed peppermint perfumed afterward.

Ying Yue followed behind, and stood casually, watching him do his magic.

Her face was in awe watching him and wondered what else he can do with just a flick of his fingers. The thought of him crushing all her bones with a snap of his finger came to her mind, causing her heartbeat to race.

"You seem to think the worse of me." Murmured Banye softly.

She whipped her head to him and frowned. This was not the first time he'd predicted what's on her mind. As a matter of fact, he seemed to read her mind like a book. "How do you do that?"

"How do I do what?" He asked, lowering his head to meet her gaze.

"How do you always know what's on my mind?"

"Your soul." He murmured with nerving quietness and pointed a finger to his head.

"My soul?" She echoed with a deepening frown.

"Yes, when I gave you your gift, I gave you part of my power, my soul, and in return, you gave me yours. I can sense everything, as long as my power circulates within you. The mind thing works pretty well with your loud mind, you may as well be saying your thoughts to me out loud." His voice distant and she had figured out he must've been hearing her plea for Wang Jian to find her.

She pressed her lips together, disquieted.

"It's alright." He said pushing a smile. "There will be a time when I will be the only man in your mind."

Banye withdrew away from the bathroom. "You should take advantage of the water while it's still warm, I soaked some relaxing herbs in it, it should make you feel less sad." His voice retreated away with him to the living room.

The door shut to the bathroom without her doing anything. Banye waved it shut before she could say anything else.