The Cruel Prince

THE LOVERS

By the end of two weeks, Banye laid her in her stomach and kissed her bare shoulder, going down her spine...and lower...and lower...until she's writhing underneath, begging him.

It was intentional, it was deliberate, and he's been patient until now.

Even when he can tell how wet she gets, how it made him suffer not to take her when her flesh would ache wanting to be touch, and even when his own skin begged him to claim her, do all the things he promised, he waited until the last day.

A well cherished last day when he filled her entire evening with magic.

Ying Yue knew she couldn't go back to Wang Jian after that.

Banye had been too calculated, planning and playing his moves until the time is ripe.

He won and she stayed with him.

Within the following month, Ying Yue learned how to block him from her mind, Banye taught her how to do it. Jumbling static wall until there's nothing but white noise.

Words spitting out her mind, none made sense to him, unless she wanted him inside her mind, and sometimes, she willingly invited him in.

Tease...~

"What about your wife?" Ying Yue asked one day at the balcony of their bedroom, during one of those slow peaceful nights when there's nothing else going on. This has become her favorite spot in the dark palace where they could watch the endless splatter of stars in the blanket the night sky. "What sort of thoughts does she think?"

Banye loosened a breath, he had his arms thrown loosely around her waist while they leaned on the rail of the balcony. He kissed her neck causing a ripple of shivers on her body. "I wouldn't know, I never gave her part of my soul."

Her heart skipped and Banye felt it, tightening his arms harder.

"Your thoughts are the only one I've been able to hear, Fei." He purred. "I'm not sure I even wanted to hear my wife's thoughts when she was alive, the darkness that wallows deep in there, they'll give me nightmares for days."

She remained still, wondering why would Banye say such a thing? "I thought you loved her..." Ying Yue murmured in a voice that's a little to silent, holding the croak of unsteadiness in it. "You made Jian paid for it."

"I did, and I got what I wanted, but like I told you before, I was a different man then. I enjoyed her company, we did things together because we were in love with each other. I'm the prince of this world and she's a beautiful creature with ambition. She went after me and I willingly let her pursue me."

She fought the urge to squirm out of his grip while Banye only tucked her in closer to his chest. "I know you may not like to hear what I say, but I'm being honest. I don't want to feed you with lies. I did loved her, and I was ruthless once, but I also never felt like this before. I've never given part of my soul to a woman and I've never came up with so many tricks working on making her mine. I worked hard, real hard to get you, Fei."

Ying Yue tried to hide her smile. Liar. She whispered through her mind letting him hear it.

He let out a soft laugh and whirred her around. Their eyes met for a second. "I love you and that's not a lie."

Banye licked her lips and kissed her. His kiss was deep, relished and patient.

She kissed him back growing more passionate with each twist of his tongue. Banye picked her up and carried her back inside.

*****

Ying Yue became his lover with her changes taking effect faster than it did. Within six months, her skin is pallid, her eyes an endless abyss. She hasn't seen the sun since she got there.

The underworld was a paradise of darkness, an Eden filled with stars and bright moon in the sky where the creature blends with darkness, but with her sharpened eyes, she can see them, all of them. A rabbit with dark set of fur, a fox with longer set of fangs. They were not the terrifying creatures tales from stories meant to scare children at night.

It's a different kind of world. 

****

After a while Banye began disappearing throughout the evening being called upon his duties that she's not certain of. Often, she heard murmurs form behind the walls or at the dining room.

Nikita, Xan, and Wan talked about missions and troubles that muted whenever she came around. It reminded her of Wang Jian's palace – when people murmured about the curse behind her back.

Banye's sentinels had been elusive to her, shying away from her presence as if she's still a visitor and not yet part of their family. It made her wonder how long Banye had been married to his wife and whether she'd been part of their crew.

She couldn't have been that skilled if Wang Jian killed her so easily, and if she had to use seduction to capture Wang Jungjae to begin with.

****

Within the next weeks or so, Banye began to disappear more called by his duties. There's plenty of roaring screams and arguments that erupted during their daily meetings.

Normally Ying Yue avoided the table while they talked of strategies, but she couldn't help but overhear the loud arguments and voices sometimes.

They talked about a Hunter, and it worried the sentinels especially Banye.

Ying Yue turned to the corner unable to keep herself from spying, half hidden behind the mouth of the dining room, watching Nikita, and Wan slouched on the table. Xan sitting on a chair deep in thoughts while Banye stood behind everyone. His presence dominant. His forehead furrowed, and his gaze focused on the wall deeply perusing about something.

They hardly even noticed her prowling the hallway.

She saw a big rolls of paper sprawled on the table with lines of tracks drawn on it. It looked like they've been tracking something or someone.

"Who's the Hunter, Banye? And what's he hunting?" She asked softly interrupting the intense meeting.

Banye whipped his head and inclined his chin, a slight shock obvious in his face. "What're you doing here, Fei?"

He had not expected her there. 

He walked up to her to grab her hand, the others didn't have to be told what to do as they disappeared to the other side of the wall to leave the prince and his lover alone.

"I was walking by and I couldn't help overhear things. Everyone has been so stressed out lately that it's making me worry. Who's the Hunter, Banye? And what's he hunting?"

Banye placed his hand around her back kissing the top of her head. "It's nothing you need to worry about. Every so often a witch, a warlock, or a powerful shaman comes around a wreak havoc in my land. I'm taking care of it."