16 Only One Master

Before Loki could defend himself, he found a fist of flames in his face, which sent him flying another round.

"Arghh", he coughed out blood when he landed with his back again.

But Dante didn't stop, this time... He pounded him to the ground rather than sending him flying again.

To Loki, each punch felt like a piece of his flesh was being burnt away. And demons were meant to be resistant to fire- so just what sort of monster was this?

There was no time to react with a block or dodge.

All his mind could do was show him flashbacks of his childhood. The time he'd looked up to Dante and even given Ro piggyback rides.

A smile formed on his lips. How out of reality was he when he'd thought they could all live together as one big family? Once someone became the king, the rest won't be allowed to live in the palace anymore.

It was the law.

You'll just seize to exist and life would become hard... Just because you were second in line...

He could feel that he'd lost some teeth at a point, while the rest of his body had gradually begun to feel numb to the pain.

Why was Dante born above everyone else? It was a question he'd asked all through his life. Silver hair marked strength difference tenfold and he just had to be born with it!

Most demons worked all their life and still weren't unable to surpass their limits! So why was this bastard an exception?!

'Ahh…. He's still pounding me'. A thought went through Loki's mind.

Where does a Demon go when he dies?

They say it's hell...

That's why everyone tries so hard to stay alive, no matter how kindly you lived your life... You end up in the same place!

"Are you still alive?", Dante frowned above Loki's sorry face. He didn't seem to be able to see anything again, and most of the skin on his face had been burnt off.

From what Dante could make out, he had about seventy-five fractures in his skull. Even Ishtar wouldn't be able to bring him back to the way he was...

He got to his feet before spitting on his brother below him. "Say hi to our old man when you see him". Were his last words before he stepped on Loki's skull.

It shattered to pieces and he died immediately.

Surprisingly, Dante could feel a sudden urge to massacre more people. It was a bloodthirstiness that came whenever he lost his temper.

By the time he returned to Loki's broken-down palace, he'd met a rowdy house of maids rejoicing.

"We're free!"

"I can see my mother again!"

"We won't be molested night after night anymore!", every single woman cheered.

Velma who managed to push through the crowd couldn't help but feel saddened as the mark on her left shoulder disappeared. She'd only expected her master to return with bruises...

Falling to her knees, she pulled her hands through her hair.

'But... I was going to be the queen one day!', she panicked in her head before finally breaking down in tears.

Everyone that saw her crying knew she was the master's favorite and assumed she was mourning his death. If only they knew the true intentions of her heart….

After scooping the woman below him into his arms, Dante left the scene.

In a few seconds, he appeared inside his castle. "Calen!", he called out and the butler appeared.

At the sight of the woman, he spoke. "Everything is set...", before bowing politely.

"Don't let anyone inside without my permission. I do not wish to be disturbed". He demanded while making his way to the stairs and into their room.

"Yes, my lord", Calen whispered an earshot away. Even he was surprised to see his master go out of his way to save someone else... Especially a woman.

A satisfied smile formed on his lips.

Maybe he'd done a good job in bringing this woman to meet the master?

The only problem was that... everyone now knew his weakness was a woman.

Vanessa Hawkins.

Dante spent the following day beside Vanessa in wait for her awakening. It was on the second day he'd called a witch doctor to cast a suspension spell on her body. He still didn't trust Ishtar to take care of her in his absence….

"Vanessa...", he'd grown accustomed to calling out her. The sight of her helpless state made him restless for some reason.

If only he'd come looking for her sooner...

Or he'd chained her to the house.

After she'd left his castle in search of Ro, he'd just decided to take a nap till Calen had informed him about Ro being nearly beaten to death.

Ishtar had appeared at the scene to save him just a few seconds after Loki had left him for dead.

That was the moment he realized that Loki had probably come for Vanessa just as promised.

He'd gone as fast as he could to Loki's castle just to find the poor woman about to be defiled by his brainless brother.

Would he have been able to forgive himself for dragging her into such a situation?

Only if he'd let her return to her family just as she'd asked...

Some nights, her body seemed too cold..... he'd end up holding her close to warm her up. "Wake up..... Vanessa".

Luckily, the suspension spell would make her require no nourishment till she woke.

For more than a week.....

Her eyes never once opened.

"Vanessa!".

A thought had hit him one night. If he bit her, she'd become his servant and share part of his life energy...

Although she was already his servant the moment he'd won Loki, it was still possible to share his life energy with her...

But if he did that, what difference would it make from Loki? She'd want to leave one day and it won't be possible even if the two of them wished it.

But if he could save her life now.....

They'd find a way to solve that later...

Finally cursing under his breath, he lowered his face to her left shoulder. "You belong to me now, body and soul".

He thought out loud before biting her.

From now on... She'd seize to be a normal human being.