-PARTICULARLY GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING-
So up until now, I haven't really seen a need for any extra warnings, but this chapter gets a bit rough. Sexual assault and a moderately brutal death occur. So if that's something that you might find triggering, skip when you see this happy butterfly -> Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Once you see a second butterfly, it's safe to continue reading again. I'll also briefly summarize what happened at the end for anyone who skipped.
~A Perilous Proposal~
My squeaky black rain boots splashed through one of the lingering puddles strewn across the cobblestone pathway which looped around the circumference of Hawthorn Lake. The bright late morning sun whimsically peeked through the remaining grey storm clouds as they calmly drifted across the pale blue sky. It beautifully poured its crepuscular rays through the melancholic grey plumes, casting glimmers of silver over the surface of the water. Each ripple danced upon one another to create an enchanting watery mosaic of blacks, blues, and silvers while the light breeze created small lapping waves which gently caressed the rocky shoreline.
A cute little spotted pickerel frog created a small splash as it hastily hopped off one of the numerous lilypads lining the water's edge. It hid within the safety of the tall slender water iris leaves, with its beady black eyes warily peeking out to make sure that I wasn't some sort of dangerous predator. Wavering shadows of oak leaves danced across my frowning face as I realized that I'd missed the water iris's blooming season. It had always been one of my favorite things to walk along the beach and see the swaying yellow and purple blossoms sprouting from the glassy water. I then peered out over the lake at the backdrop of lofty mist-adorned mountains, seeing the first faint hints of orange kissing the treetops.
...I guess I missed the whole damn summer then.
I sighed while rubbing my upper arms, feeling the lingering chill that last night's storm had brought to the air. Although it was nothing compared to the cold anxious feeling filling my mind. This was it. I was going to officially end things with Justin. I knew it was for the best, but I still couldn't help but worry about how he would react to our sudden separation. Dread hovered heavily over my thoughts as I walked a little further down the path, wondering where the fuck he even was. There were no sounds other than the wind whispering across the water and the birds chirping within the trees. I tucked a wispy strand of hair behind my ear, contemplating giving up and leaving.
Fuck it, I should just go home and text him that it's over...
My boot squeaked while I gracefully turned around on my toe as though I were dancing, intending to head back to my car and leave. Then I froze, seeing a whole flock of formally dressed people hustling down the path like a sinister swarm of locust... What the?... It took me a second of standing there staring at them like a dumbstruck dingbat to realize that Justin was among them, dressed in a light blue dress shirt tucked into tan slacks with a dark brown belt. There was a velvety dark blue box in his hand and a charming grin on his face.
Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit!
My eyes frantically darted around in search of somewhere to hide. In a split-second moment of desperation, I dove within the waxy ovoid leaves and thin twisted branches of a mountain laurel bush like a crazed maniac on the loose. Although, there was no way they hadn't already seen me, considering that I was wearing a bright cherry-red dress and the fact that they were all pointing and heading in my direction... Dammit!
Cameras began to flash and murmurs of delight were heard all around as Justin made his way to me, egotistically grinning and soaking up all the attention as though he were some big-name hotshot. Terrence was filming not too far behind, wearing a green shirt and brown pants to blend in with the oaken background. Shiney black penny loafers crunched over the pine needles and dead leaves lying upon the damp cobblestone, as Justin approached the bush. I gulped with dread.
"Are you really so desperate to get lost in nature again?" He jokingly asked while parting the leaves above me. A bunch of amused laughter followed from his posse of onlookers.
Knowing that I wasn't getting out of this, I decided to play it off as coolly as possible. "No, I just dropped my phone and it bounced beneath the bush." I awkwardly laughed while popping back up, giving my phone an unnecessary dusting with my hand to further sell my act.
"Well, I'm sure that you're wondering why I've asked you to meet me here at the lake today." He held out his arms and turned towards the small encircling crowd who were now all filming and taking pictures. It was more like he was talking to them than to me.
"Not really, no." I grumbled while stumbling out of the bush, knowing that this was just one of his stupid social media stunts. "But I would like to talk in private if you don't mind."
He laughed me off as though I had made a hilarious joke. His hand wrapped around mine with a loving smile upon his lips. Yet that smile did not match the dissatisfaction and distain glinting in his seafoam green gaze as it raked over my body and face. I had not gone to the tanning salon, nor was I wearing too much makeup. Just a bit of pink lipgloss and mascara.
My heart sank along with him as he slowly dropped down to one knee before me, realizing exactly what was about to happen. He was going to pull the most dreaded stunt imaginable. A public proposal.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no...
"Lucilia Febe Lovette." He began to tenderly speak, saying the wrong middle name... Oh, fuck no... All the products in his perfectly styled hair kept it safe from the ministrations of the wind, as he stared up at me as though I were the love of his life. "The reason I asked you to be here today is because from the very moment I first saw you, I thought that you were the most beautifulest woman I'd ever seen in my entire life. I knew that you were the one to complete me. To make me the happiest man in the world." The onlookers all swooned at his superficial speech. "And that's why I have come here today. To put a ring on your finger. To make you mine, forever and always." He opened up the large velvet encased box, revealing two rubber stamps. One with "NO" etched upon it, and the other with "YES." And between those two stamps, a beautiful diamond ring with a golden band was cozily nestled upon the blue velvet cushion, glittering radiantly in the sunlight.
My jaw dropped in stupefied horror while my eyes awkwardly darted around at all the surrounding people. Cameras were wildly flashing and all eyes were upon me, eagerly awaiting my answer. Justin did nothing but continue to grin up at me with a fake overly perfect smile. Not only did I feel completely put on the spot, but it was as though he had purposely tried to trap me into saying yes, lest I look like a major bitch.
I clenched my fist, feeling a swirling storm of rage brewing within the pit of my stomach. A bitter acidic feeling burned in the back of my throat at the audacity of this man. Without any warning, I hastily swooped up the "NO" stamp and stamped him across the forehead with it, leaving behind a big fat "NO" in bright red ink.
A chorus of gasps and shocked murmurs followed while Justin stared up at me utterly dumbstruck. "No." I harshly whispered while furiously glaring down at him. "I will not marry a man who finds no value in who I am as a person. Who only cares about my superficial appearance! If you truly loved me then you would not treat me as a mere trinket. You would show me love even while the cameras are turned off." I angrily gestured at all the cameras. "You would have at least asked about my wellbeing upon my return. You don't even know what happened to me for crying out loud! Nor did you bother to find out! I would be a fool to become your wife!" I threw the stamp to the ground, making it splash into a shallow puddle.
"Um, Lucilia..." He awkwardly scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Can we please talk about this?"
"Alright, alright, everyone! Turn off the cameras!" Terrence suddenly became visible while he spoke, then immediately camouflaged back into his surroundings like a chameleon. No one seemed to turn off their cameras.
"No. We're over, Justin! I will not be your girlfriend any longer and I will certainly not marry you!" I spun on my heel and began making a hasty retreat, pushing my way through the small crowd of spectators. "Oh, and my middle name is Faye! Not Febe!" I shouted over my shoulder while pointing at him.
"Lucilia, wait!" He desperately shouted after me as I began to rush back down the path, my feet desperately pattering over the wet stones.
The fresh air whipped across my smiling face and danced through my long hair, while my boots splashed through the puddles. It felt like the weight of the world had suddenly been lifted off my shoulders. It was finally over and all I could think about was returning home and being in the arms of my perfect prince charming...
-: ✧ :-✧-: ✧ :-
"Oh my god!"
My feet practically came to a screeching halt as I rounded the corner of the house, seeing Valarendrik crouched down and ripping off a bloody chunk of a decapitated deer with his teeth like something straight out of a cheesy zombie movie. Yellow black-eyed Susans and burgundy beebalm blooms merrily swayed all around the grizzly scene, with the plucky little chickens curiously watching in a circle around him. His midnight hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, with his sleeves rolled up and crimson smearing his hands and forearms.
His eerie black and ruby eyes shifted to mine, then he elegantly stood back up with a demure smile. It seemed as though he was a bit embarrassed that I'd caught him. "Pema expressed concern about not having enough currency to afford all the meat we should require, so I decided to hunt as to not be a burden." He apologetically explained while gesturing to the dead deer. "I ensured that the creature felt no pain and it was completely unaware of my presence before I took its life."
Noticing his swords on his hips and the very clean cut which had ended the poor thing, I felt sad yet fully assured that it hadn't suffered in the slightest. "It's alright, just a little startling to see, that's all." I lovingly smiled over at him while placing my hand over my stomach. Even while all bloody and grotesquely tearing apart a carcass like a hungry wolf, he still managed to completely enrapture my heart. I knew he was a carnivorous predator by nature, and I didn't want to make him feel bad about it by freaking out.
But thank fucking hell Pema isn't home right now...
"How did your meeting with Justin go?" The crown softly twitched with his nervousness.
"He asked me to marry him." I shrugged to show how irrelevant it was. "But the problem is, I'm already happily married." A giggle chimed from my lips as I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and began walking over to him. The closer I got, the more bloodstains I noticed upon the lush green grass.
Shadows quickly swirled over his arms and face, completely removing all signs of the blood until he looked perfectly clean. "Did he take the rejection well?"
My smile brightened as he stepped around the carcass and pulled me into his arms, holding me like I was his greatest treasure. "It's hard to say. He tried to call after me, but I was already running back to my car." I placed my hand on his chest while peering up at his handsome otherworldly features, seeing little wisps of hair dancing around his smiling face and the fluffy clouds drifting across the sky behind him.
His lips fell to mine for a quick loving kiss, while a few bluebirds happily sang along the fence post nearby making it extra romantic... I tried not to think about the fact that he'd just been gnawing on a dead deer. "I wish you had let me come. I've been worried about you the entire time." He murmured against my lips.
"You would have stuck out like a sore thumb! I could hardly hide myself, and believe me, I tried. There's no way no one would have noticed a big shadowy abyss man wandering around too!" I playfully poked at his chest with a giggle.
"I suppose you're right." He shrugged. "Do you think that will be the last we hear from Justin then?"
Some of my golden hair bounced over my shoulder as I knowingly shook my head. "I imagine he'll try to contact me soon, but I'm not going to respond to any of his calls or messages." He nodded in understanding, having quickly learned the terminology about the ways people communicate through technology on earth. "But, um anyway, you should really get this deer out of here. I don't know when Pema will be home and seeing this will definitely upset her."
"Then I shall take it deep into the forest and carve it up there." He nodded while glancing back at the poor dilapidated thing. "I suspect that your appetite for flesh will grow as our child does, so I will be bringing back most of it to store."
"Thank you." I gratefully smiled up at him, even though the thought of eating venison weirded me out.
As his lips pressed to mine once more, I felt as though I were basking in a springtime meadow, melting into his warmth. The cold and brittle season of my life had finally come to an end. And like the green sprouts which uncoil from the freshly thawed ground, I felt as though I was getting a new start at life. A second chance at happiness. His heart may have been unbeating, yet I had never known more great a love than that which came from my dark prince.
-: ✧ :-✧-: ✧ :-
"La-da-de-da-da" I happily hummed a little ditty while mixing the batter for a delicious batch of chocolate cupcakes in a large glass bowl. I usually tried to be humble about my baking skills, but in all truth, I knew full well that my sweet treats could rock the socks off of even the most sour-souled quibblers around. Valarendrik was still out in the woods dealing with the deer, so I figured I'd get a headstart on making dessert for when my mom showed up in the evening.
A warm breeze peacefully flowed in through the open window above the sink, carrying the chirpy songs of birds along with it. Ani Tsering was serenely knitting a traditional Tibetan-style blanket at the table, chit-chatting away with me between focusing on our projects. For someone who was blind, she really knew how to create a beautiful pattern.
"Valarendrik did a wonderful job fixing the chicken coop." She mentioned with a pleasant smile on her wisdom-kissed face.
"He did." I agreed, then gave the mixing spoon a secret lick... Holy fuck, it's been so long since I've had chocolate... "He did a great job fixing our bathroom door too."
She tilted her head in confusion. "Oh? What happened to the door?" Loud aggressive footsteps suddenly shook the entire porch and vibrated throughout the kitchen, saving me from having to respond. "Who is that?" Ani lowered her needles while furrowing her brows.
There was no way it was Pema or Valarendrik stomping up the steps like an enraged elephant like that, so I wasn't entirely surprised when Justin's seething face appeared in the window of the door. The "NO" was still stamped onto his forehead. His eyes were all crazed and bloodshot and his hair was slightly disheveled. It was honestly the first time I'd seen it look anything but perfectly groomed, and the sight was downright frightening. He furiously barged inside, loudly slamming the door behind him.
"What the fuck, Lucilia!?" He practically roared. "First you turn down my live proposal and now you're ignoring all my calls and messages too!?"
"Get out. You're not welcome here anymore." I firmly stated while boldly lifting my chin. The bowl clanked against the countertop as I placed it down, glaring at him to hold my ground.
He sinisterly laughed while running his hand through his short messed-up hair. "No, here's what's going to happen. We're going to go on live and explain to everyone that it was all just a big joke, a prank, then you're going to accept my fucking proposal!" His hands wrapped around the top of a chair, then he whipped it to the ground, breaking one of the legs with a loud crack.
Ani gasped and jumped up while I flinched from the abrupt crash, feeling my heart begin to fearfully pound. "You need to leave right now, Justin. This is unacceptable."
"Yes, get out of this home!" Ani agreed while making angry shooing motions.
"You humiliated me in front of everyone! And now you have the audacity to tell me to leave!?" He strenuously pointed to himself, then shook his head while charging towards me. "Oh no, no, no! I'm not going anywhere, babe! And this relationship is far from over! You hear me!?" He grabbed my upper arms while screaming in my face, making me stiffly lean back over the counter with wide frightened eyes.
"No, it's over, Justin. And besides, I'm already seeing someone else." I harshly whispered back into his beet-red face. "So get out!"
"What?" He softly uttered in disbelief, releasing me as though having a profound realization. "You're seeing another guy? So that's why you said no!?" He pointed to the "NO" stamped across his forehead and began acting like he was having a psychotic break down, hunching over while bitterly laughing with incredulity. "No, no, no... I don't think so." His head began to shake while he looked up at the ceiling, then what seemed like a title wave of fury suddenly crashed over him. "You are not seeing another guy!" He furiously kicked the chair, making it crash into the wall.
Oh shit! He's going crazy!
"Valarendrik! Valarendrik!" Ani Tsering began to shout in panic, recognizing how the situation was escalating.
Justin stormed over to her and aggressively shoved her into the hallway doorframe, causing her head to violently smack against the wood. "Learn to speak English or go back to China, you old hag!" He yelled while she sank to the floor unconscious. There was a small trickle of blood running down her forehead, pooling on the floorboards.
"Ani!" I cried in utter distress while rushing over to her. I was completely horrified and disgusted by both his actions and his incredibly racist comment. As I fell to my knees before her, Justin suddenly grabbed a fist full of my hair and roughly yanked me back up to my feet. "Stop it! You've hurt her! She needs medical help!" I shrieked in pain with tears falling from my eyes.
"I don't give a fuck!" He growled. Screams and cries poured from my lips as he began to angrily drag me by my hair down the hallway and into my bedroom, making me stumble the entire way.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
My feet dragged across the squeaky floorboards while he stomped over to my bed. He forcefully released my hair then immediately back-handed me across the face. I yelped in pain while falling sideways onto the mattress, feeling the swelling sting radiate throughout my entire cheekbone.
I held my face with a trembling hand, peering up at him in pure horror. "Justin, please stop it! Just leave!" I tried to get back up, but he swiftly wrapped a hand around my throat and shoved me back down.
A dark sarcastic chuckle forcefully fell from his lips. He leaned over and mercilessly squeezed my throat to completely cut off my airway. "You need a good reminder of who exactly it is that you belong to, Lucy." He vehemently stated.
My face turned bright red from the lack of oxygen as I sputtered helplessly and desperately clawed at his hand. My teary eyes fearfully widened while I watched his free hand move to the zipper of his pants. Extreme terror filled my soul and made my blood feel ice cold within my veins, realizing exactly what he was going to do. I tried to clamp my legs together but he shoved his knee between them while threateningly pulling out his slightly less than average-sized erection.
No!No!No! Please no!
My trickle of tears became a river of distress streaming down my gasping face. Screams which couldn't escape through my strangled voice seemed to bellow out from my soul unheard. While my heart raced with utter panic, pumping the blood through my suddenly numb body. He roughly pushed my dress up over my squirming thighs and looped a finger around the crotch of my panties to push them aside. His perfect face looked like that of an angel as he cruelly stared down at me.
"You're mine, Lucy." He growled while forcefully shoving his finger into my dry vagina. "This is mine! Not anyone else's! And I'm going to have what is mine! Then I'm going to find that dweeb who thought he could take you from me and kick his wimp ass!"
I closed my eyes and flinched in agony as his finger thrust deeper into me, feeling a shooting pain and uncomfortable pinch. But then, pathetic sputtering gasps suddenly filled my ears and his hands limply slipped away from my neck and center. I desperately gasped for air and coughed while holding my throat. Weakly, I glanced up to see a stormy tendril of shadows swirling around Justin's neck, holding him up like a measly rag doll while he kicked and struggled to breathe.
Valarendrik's large clawed hands were immediately upon me, as he frantically searched for injuries. "Lucilia! Are you okay?" Sobs wracked my chest as he gently cradled my body to his.
"Va-Val." I hysterically cried while grasping at his shirt, feeling a massive rush of relief wash over me.
"It's alright, I'm here." He leaned me back and scanned over my bruising throat and cheek with a look of utter heartbreak and anguish.
His knuckles gently caressed over where Justin had struck... Then the most furious look of rage I'd ever seen in a soul began to surge within his crimson gaze. His lips curled back over his fangs, revealing thick black drops of venom dripping from their razor-sharp ends. His shadows writhed like angry vipers within his hair and the crown frantically squirmed upon his head, making him a nightmarish sight to behold. Gone was my kind-hearted prince as he suddenly transformed into a truly bloodthirsty abyssal monster.
Oh, dear... Justin is dead. Very, very dead...
His lips lovingly pressed to my forehead, then he turned his attention back to Justin's pitiful frame and menacingly stood back up. A storm of brooding shadows began to suffocate the room, swirling with malice like the winds of hades. Terror and confusion flashed into Justin's seafoam green eyes while he desperately grasped and clawed at the shadows around his throat, perplexed by how his hand went right through them, yet their grip around his neck never loosened.
"You tried to force yourself on my wife!?" Valarendrik's booming voice echoed with a harrowing abyssal tone that malevolently cracked like thunder rolling across a deep valley.
Justin's terrified eyes darted between us, no doubt shocked stupid by the demonic-looking abyss man claiming me to be his wife. He weakly whimpered through his crushed windpipe, with tears flowing down his cheeks and the fear of death etched onto his reddened face. Valarendrik predatorily stalked towards him, each step more threatening than the last. And even though Justin's feet were dangling off the floor, Valarendrik still towered over him as he sneered in his face.
"You have struck and strangled the woman carrying my child!" He harshly spat in Justin's face while firmly grabbing his manhood and balls in one hand. "You pathetic excuse for a man."
...Wait? Why is he holding Justin's junk like that?
"I suggest you look away, Lucilia." Valarendrik menacingly flashed his sharp teeth and fangs at Justin as he spoke.
"N-N-No... Pl-Plea..." Justin fearfully struggled to stammer out with what little breath he could muster up.
I knew that I should have looked away, but I just couldn't tear my eyes from the brutal sight before me. Valarendrik's sharp black claws abruptly lengthened, piercing through the tender flesh of Justin's groin like scathing daggers. Justin managed to scream in utter agony as blood began to gush between his legs, over Valarendrik's hand, and onto my nice ivory and gold-threaded carpet. His harrowing wails echoed throughout the room, piercing the very fabric of my soul with their haunting timbre. Then there was a wet squelchy ripping noise and a sickening pop as Valarendrik barbarically ripped Justin's genitals right the fuck off his body.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT!
My hands trembled as I held my aching throat, watching in wide-eyed horror while Valarendrik sinisterly lifted the severed appendage up in front of Justin's horrified and pained expression. A deep seething growl vibrated in his chest, then he furiously squeezed his fist, squishing Justin's bloody dick and balls within his hand as though it were mere playdough.
He whipped the mangled glob of flesh to the floor like a bloody blobfish, making it land with a wet splat completely unrecognizable to what it once was. My eyeballs practically popped out of my skull at the sight of it. The shadows dissipated around Justin's neck, letting Justin limply fall upon his enfeebled crimson-stained legs. But before he could fully collapse to the floor, Valarendrik grabbed his throat and forcefully shoved him up against the wall, snarling and gnashing his sharp teeth in his face.
Black venom coated his fangs as he sank them into Justin's cheek, tearing the skin from his face like a grisly ghoul. Valarendrik snarled while holding eye contact with Justin and tauntingly swallowed the bloody chunk of his cheek right in front of him. Black veins webbed out from the bite wound, rotting and burning away his flesh with the apparently highly necrotic venom.
Holy shit, I did not know his venom did that!
Justin's face grotesquely disintegrated and blood violently gushed from the tattered gaping hole in his crotch. Valarendrik's hand glistened with crimson as he grabbed Justin's clavicle and ripped the bloody bone right from his body with a loud snap. Shredded skin and muscle limply hung from it as he threw it to the ground, then went right for the other one.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
I couldn't take it anymore and desperately willed my feet to sprint the living fuck out of there. It felt like I was suffocating as I rushed into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. My legs weakly gave out while I crumpled to the tile floor in utter distress. I never knew that Justin was such a monster, nor did I think that Valarendrik was capable of such barbaric cruelty. Tears puddled on the floor beneath my face as I gasped and sobbed, feeling as though I were having a panic attack.
Valarendrik is killing Justin... Justin's dead... Justin's dead... Justin's dead! Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!
"Lucilia?" Valarendrik's voice called from the other side of the door. The locked doorknob jiggled, then he ripped the entire thing from the frame and chucked it aside as though it were merely made of cardboard. His shadows had already cleaned all the blood from him, but the memory still scarred my mind. "Lucilia!" He quickly got down and swooped me into his arms, cradling my limp body close to his.
My hands quivered as I held onto his arm, feeling completely traumatized by what I had just witnessed. "Is-Is he dead?" I whispered through my tears.
"Yes." He harshly swallowed and rested his forehead to mine, threading his clawed fingers through my hair. "I'm so sorry that I did not get here sooner. But please, you must try to calm down for the sake of the baby." His body began to soothingly rock back and forth as though he were trying to lull a child to sleep.
Knowing that he was right, I sucked in deep breaths and curled into him, yet my heart continued to violently race. Each time I attempted to close my eyes, the gruesome images would flash through my mind. So I focused on the feeling of Valarendrik tenderly kissing my head and caressing my back instead.
Shortly after, we heard Pema come home and scream in horror, but still, we did not leave the bathroom out of fear of stressing me out further. Everything began to seem like a giant blur, a tangle of reality, as I distantly listened to her help Ani Tsering out the door.
All I could seem to do was sit there in my shocked state and hope that everything would be okay.
~The Quick Summary~
Justin sexually assaults Lucilia in a fit of rage. Valarendrik finds them, rips Justin's dick off, eats part of his face, then kills him.