Innocent Devil’s Harem Ch. 108 (Patreon)

November 27, 2022

NOTE: Here it is. The unraveling of the mystery of Kai, as well as the mystery of the black stone. I hope it was worth the wait!

<< Chapter 107 | Ch 1 (Book 1) | Ch 16 (Book 2) | Ch 31 (Book 3) | Ch 46 (Book 4) | Ch 61 (Book 5) | Ch 76 (Book 6) | Ch 91 (Book 7) | Ch 106 (Book 8)

- CHAPTER 108: Tragedy -

I sat in the East Drawing room on the floor, leaning against a white leather couch, with Natalie and Rosa having moved to sit down on either side of me on the cushions, while Serenity decided to walk over and sit directly behind me, her legs on either side of my shoulders, gently running her fingers through my hair as we debriefed about everything that happened.

After all, it had been an extremely eventful day.

There was a lot to discuss.

Mrs. Rebecca, Michelle, Gabriella, and Avery were all squished on an adjacent three-seater white leather couch, and the Ifrit Elizabeth had tentatively taken a seat in a white leather armchair designed for one person. Alternatively, Gwen was comfortably standing close by, seeming completely at ease and ready to do anything asked of her.

And then there was Miriam and Delilah, the redhaired green-eyed and the black-haired blue-eyed pair of succubi, one deeply tan, the other surprisingly pale.

Both were on their knees, sitting on their heels, their fists clasped on their thighs, in almost a perfectly mirrored position of each other. Side-by-side, in front of me, but still positioned in nearly identical postures. Delilah was still wearing her shiny black leather pants and sheer loose-fitting shirt, while Miriam was dressed in a leather top that showed off all her belly and back, coupled with tiny leather shorts that left her tan legs completely exposed.

And, now that everyone was back to a hundred percent after having our fill of blood, there were certain things that we needed to talk about.

Specifically, things that were prompted by Gwen, of all people.

Out of nowhere, the maid had made just one request, which sincerely confused everyone at first.

Even me.

Her thinking on the subject was very superficial, her mind not even giving a hint as to the reason why she was making such a request, and so I had no idea what she was aiming for at this point. Only that it was important we talk about it.

Her request?

“Mistress, please share about how you became a succubus.”

Technically, it was a subject the short redhead had shared with me before, about the monster who went around demanding everyone worship him as a god, punishing those who refused, first making them suffer, by slaughtering their entire families in front of them, and then cursing them to suffer forever, until they changed their minds and pledged themselves to the monster.

However, after a mysterious group weakened it by dispersing the monster into hundreds of horrifying creatures, the cursed humans, now capable of using magic, were able to work together to take down the individual abominations, and the total destruction of the mysterious being resulted in unexpected blessings.

The women, who were disfigured and damned to an eternity without love, became beautiful and found more than plenty. And the men, who were made to look like corpses, damned to be powerless and never have hope, became handsome and discovered a sincerely disturbing level of power over others.

And so, succubi and incubi were born.

Immortal beings of great power and influence over others.

However, there had still been lingering effects of their curse, such as their need for lust, which resulted in the positive effect of succubi being able to love just about anyone, even the ugly and physically unappealing, but also prevented them from having a long-term relationship with a single person. As was the case in the situation of the man who Miriam fell in love with, shortly after becoming a succubus, but who she almost killed in the process.

The same man who later said he would leave and find a way to be with her, and that they would one day become one, like Adam and Eve.

But Miriam had already told me all that, which just left the short redhead confused.

In response to Gwen’s suggestion, Miriam had been sincerely stunned, asking a simple question.

“Why?”

Gwen didn’t hesitate. “Because it matters, mistress. I think master needs to know everything. How you two know each other. What happened when you were first cursed. And…what you lost, as a result.”

Delilah seemed shocked. “You told her?” she hissed in disbelief.

Miriam likewise hissed in response. “Yes, I told her. I trust her more than anything, and besides, she can read minds.”

That immediately sobered Delilah up, with her not responding…

Only to then begin to occasionally shoot wary glances at the tall maid hesitantly afterward.

Even Elizabeth seemed stunned to hear about Gwen’s abilities, focusing up at the taller woman, prompting Gwen to simply nod without looking, answering Elizabeth’s silent question, which I could see in Gwen’s head.

“Can you really read minds?”

But now, the two succubi both appeared a little uneasy as they sat stiff in front of me, almost looking like they were in trouble for some reason, even as Serenity continued to run her fingers tenderly through my hair.

Even as Rosa reached out to gently rest her hand on my right shoulder, just to touch me.

Finally, Miriam sighed heavily.

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Should we talk about him?” Delilah blurted out.

Miriam looked alarmed at that. “Umm, well…” She shot me an anxious glance, only to look straight down. “Umm…fuck…”

Which left me a little confused. “Miriam,” I said gently. “If there was a guy involved or something, I’m not going to be jealous. That was basically three-thousand years ago. That would be extremely petty of me to even care. I mean, you’ve only known me for a week, compared to your life of three millennia. And you’ve already told me about the ‘Adam and Eve’ guy.”

She grimaced at that, giving me a pained look. “Yeah, but…this was when I was human. Which feels different, because I had a choice then. I didn’t have a need for lust.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t know me. And you wouldn’t know me for three-thousand years, so I don’t see why…” My voice trailed off as I then frowned at that, an idea hitting me as I shifted my gaze to Delilah, who was looking at me through her thick eyelashes…

And who was also apparently very susceptible to having me focus on her ‘expectantly.’

She blurted it out without hesitation.

“We shared a lover!” Delilah exclaimed. “A boy who I shared my heart with, and who I loved so much, that I also shared my best friend with too. Miriam.”

My eyes widened at that.

Damn.

So even as humans, they’d been interested in sharing the same man.

But why the hesitation to talk about it?

“O…kay…” I focused on the short redhead, unsure of why this was a big deal. “So Delilah was with a man, and you ended up being with him too. And I’m assuming he’s deceased, right?”

Miriam nodded. “Yes, of course. It’s just that, I…” She grimaced. “I really did love him so much, and being around Abigail -- sorry, Delilah -- is dredging up painful memories. And a sense of loss, since the two of us are together again, but he’s not here with us.”

My eyes widened again, finally beginning to understand why Gwen brought it up. The maid’s thoughts were still silent on the matter, but I was pretty sure this was it.

No doubt, Gwen had begun to feel the pain in Miriam’s heart, sensing the agony in her thoughts, and figured it was best that I understand what was going on. Understand that Miriam had lost so much in her lifetime, far more than I could probably comprehend, and that seeing her long-lost friend was beginning to dredge back up some of that pain.

Possibly some of which was still unresolved.

Especially if the man they shared also died at the same time that they became succubi. I mean, if anything, that was probably why seeing Delilah again was causing so much pain. Because they had survived, while he perished.

I sighed heavily. “Miriam, it’s alright to miss someone you loved. And it’s alright if you need to mourn, even though it was a long time ago. I don’t have a problem with that.”

Miriam reached up to wipe her eyes, clearly trying to avoid outright crying. “Yeah, but…I love you so much. I don’t want you to think you’re not enough.”

I shook my head. “It’s alright. And if you need to cry and mourn, I’ll hold you in my arms all the same. Both of you have clearly experienced much more pain, loss, and trauma, than probably any of us can imagine, and now that you’re within my reach, I’ll never…” My voice trailed off.

Unexpectedly, the fine hairs on my neck and arms began standing up, as my skin began graying uncontrollably at a bizarre sensation beginning to creep along my entire body. A sensation of uneasiness and anxiety, my heart beginning to race.

Because…they were within my reach.

“Baby?” Miriam said in concern.

I tried to swallow, uncertain of what this unexpected feeling hitting me was. “Umm, sorry.” I paused, my train of thought completely lost, just trying to grasp at anything now. “Umm, so was there more? To share about when you first became cursed?”

Miriam glanced back at Gwen, who immediately responded simply.

“Yes.”

Miriam nodded and focused on me.

But I was still so absorbed in what I was experiencing, that I didn’t even think to check Gwen’s mind to see what she was thinking.

Shit, why did I feel so…almost spooked?

Unnerved?

Clearing her throat, the short redhead continued.

“Well, my family was attacked by that monster I told you about. It happened in the middle of the night. The beast sort of looked like a man, but was anything but. When he spoke, it was with a multitude of voices, as if he was hundreds of demons residing within one body. Hundreds of evil spirits, bound to one form. And he was unimaginably powerful. He picked me, out of my family, and demanded I serve him. Worship him.” She grimaced, again looking straight down as tears began filling her green eyes. “I refused. Told him I only worshiped the one true God, and would never serve anyone else. And so…”

She immediately held her hand up to her mouth, closing her eyes as tears fell to her thighs, and Delilah promptly reached over to gently rub her back between her wings.

“Sorry,” Miriam sniffled, trying to collect herself as she moved her hand from her mouth to wipe her eyes. “It happened so long ago, I don’t know why it’s hitting me so hard right now.” She took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes again and trying to continue, placing her tight fists back on her tan thighs. “He killed my family in front of me for refusing, murdered them horribly by melting their flesh and then making them explode into chunks of flesh and gore…and then, he cursed me. It was extremely painful, and I don’t remember much after that. Not until I woke up and found Delilah there with me, still in excruciating pain as she transformed too.”

My eyes widened at that. “Oh,” I said in sincere surprise. “So you were together when it happened?”

Delilah finally spoke up. “No, it was because of the boy we loved.”

My brow furrowed at that, confused now. “Wait, what?”

The black-haired minx focused her pained blue eyes on me. “He could…sense things. Things that weren’t normal.” She sighed. “This was before I knew that magic existed. And when Miriam was attacked, he could feel something was wrong.” Her expression pained. “I was with him when it happened. My family had always disapproved of his family, so we had to sneak around.” She grimaced, her eyes unfocused as if she was vividly remembering it. “He grabbed the nearest weapon he could find, a one-handed iron scythe, and ran straight for her without waiting for me. Woke up half our village in the process. Yelling that we were under attack.” Her jaw tightened at the memory. “Fuck,” she hissed, closing her eyes. “He just knew. There was no hesitation. He knew she was in trouble with such confidence.”

My brow was tense as I listened, just shocked that there was so much more to the story than what I’d initially assumed.

“So what happened?” I finally prompted.

Delilah sighed, reaching up to wipe her eyes. “We were no match for the thing that attacked Miriam’s family. Practically a bunch of ants trying to fight against a giant. But while the boy we loved was the first to fall, he was also the only one to not immediately die from the monster’s attacks. And so, rather than kill him, the creature cursed him too.”

I almost had to do a double-take.

“Wait, what?” I exclaimed. “He’s an incubus?”

Delilah and Miriam both looked at me in shock, only for the blue-eyed succubus to quickly wave her hands back and forth.

“No, no, no. His curse wasn’t like ours.” She grimaced then. “His was far worse.” She sucked in a ragged breath. “I actually thought he was truly dead, along with everyone else, but then the monster was upon me. It decided to curse me too, like Miriam, but our love tried to save me. And he even managed to wound the creature with his scythe. Or I guess maybe it would be called a sickle.” She sighed. “We didn’t even know magic existed, and yet he used magic to light his blade on fire.” She grimaced. “We later learned that fire was actually the monster’s only weakness, if you can even call it a weakness.”

“It’s why I know some fire magic,” Miriam agreed. “Even though I’m not very good at it. Other than our defensive spell, it was one of the first things we taught ourselves when we realized we could wield magic.”

Delilah’s expression pained, continuing from where she left off.

“I thought the abomination was really going to kill him, but instead it wanted to punish him. Death was too easy. Too quick. And since the monster could see that he was clearly fighting so hard to defend me, it gave him a much worse curse.” She took a shaky breath, her body tense. “For the rest of us, we were given the option to repent eventually, and serve the monster. But for the boy we loved, his punishment was eternal separation from those he cared about, with no hope of forgiveness. No hope of repentance. He became horribly disfigured, including his face, and everything about him was wiped from our minds.”

Holy fuck.

I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

That truly did sound horrible.

Miriam grimaced. “I don’t even remember what he looked like,” she agreed somberly. “Or what his name was.”

“Me either,” Delilah whispered with torment in her blue eyes. “I just know what I saw after he was cursed.” She turned her pained expression on me. “The monster stripped everything from our love, intending on leaving him completely incapable of feeling anything. Incapable of feeling any kind of desire. Instead, leaving him empty, only able to experience eternal pain, agony, suffering, and loneliness. But, without a doubt, there was one other thing that still remained anyway.” She grimaced. “I don’t think the result was exactly what the monster intended, but the void created by the curse, actually allowed for our love to hold onto one desire. Just one. A deep hatred and anger filled his heart, and he undeniably had a singular need for vengeance.” She took a shaky breath. “Even though I was writhing in agonizing pain, and pleading for help, the boy…left me there. Even though I tried to call out to him, unable to remember his name, he simply walked away without even a single glance back.” She immediately covered her eyes with both hands, bowing her head. “Not even a single glance back,” she whimpered, starting to sob again.

Holy…

Holy fuck.

I didn’t know what to say.

I glanced at everyone else in the room, Serenity’s hands having grown still in my white hair, realizing they were all just as stunned as I was. I then focused on the pair of succubi sitting in front of me, both looking absolutely miserable as they recounted this tale, of what they experienced some three-thousand years ago.

I knew it was hard on them.

And I knew that’s why Gwen wanted me to know.

Because they were feeling this grief again, even after so much time.

They’d been unable to mourn.

But then my brow furrowed, recalling what Miriam had originally told me about this story. That someone did weaken the monster eventually, enough so that the others could kill it.

I cleared my throat. “So then, is this guy the one who actually defeated the monster?” I wondered. “Or I guess you said it was broken up into hundreds of lesser monsters, which could be defeated more easily.”

Wiping their eyes, they both exchanged a glance, before Miriam spoke up with a sniffle.

“We don’t know,” she admitted. “It was commonly believed to be some kind of group, since it would be a lot for one person to do. I don’t think you understand just how powerful this abomination was. Even the individual monsters were difficult to defeat, and several of us died trying.”

I simply nodded.

Delilah continued from where she left off, her tone somber, looking almost like she was lost in the memory still.

“From the day I became like this…and watched my love’s disfigured form walk away from me…” Her eyes pained. “Without even a look back…I have not seen him since.” She took a shaky breath. “Not that I would know for sure if I had anyway, since I don’t remember what he originally looked like, or even what his name was.”

I nodded somberly again, my heart aching for them both, with my lack of response causing everyone to fall silent, as we all just processed everything.

It was a lot to take in.

A lot to accept.

And worst of all, I knew this was just scratching the surface.

They’d both been through so much.

And this was just one traumatizing story! One of many!

They’d gone through so many horrible things, and they didn’t even have each other for most of it, since they obviously got separated at some point fairly early on.

We all understood that.

I wasn’t the only one who realized the implications.

Every single person in the room had some level of sympathy and concern in their expression, with even Elizabeth appearing as if she was hearing this for the first time.

But then again, it made sense that she was, considering Delilah had obviously been a private person, not sharing her traumas with anyone.

And so, we all remained silent for a long few minutes.

Until finally, Miriam spoke up.

“But…it’s probably…better that way…” she finally admitted, with another sniffle. “I miss him, but not remembering the details helps. And…I know I need to let it go.” She scoffed then with another sniffle. “I mean, I thought I had let it go.”

Delilah frowned. “I did actually spend a lot of time looking for him,” she admitted. “Because I figured that if we had turned out immortal, with blessings even, after the monster was defeated, then maybe he survived too. But I didn’t have much to go on.” She sighed. “Only how he looked when disfigured, and most importantly the color of his magic.” She frowned. “But in three-thousand years I have not seen anyone who looks like him, or any magic that was like his.”

Miriam’s red eyebrows shot up as she reached up to wipe her cheek. “Color of his magic?” she said in surprise. “What do you mean by that?”

Delilah seemed stunned. “Oh, have I never told you?” She frowned. “I guess we never did talk about it much, after it happened.”

Miriam grimaced. “We didn’t,” she agreed simply…not continuing…

Or otherwise responding at all, as if she was just letting it go out of nowhere.

My eyebrows finally raised.

“Umm, so what color was his magic?” I prompted.

Miriam reached up to wipe her emerald eyes again, while Delilah focused on me with a big heavy sigh.

“Well, I saw it when he used magic to light his sickle on fire. He was consumed with so much rage that his flames were impossibly hot, and he struck our assailant with all of his wrath, the flames a blinding vibrant blue.”

Instantly, it felt like someone punched me in the gut.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

Serenity stiffened behind me.

Miriam’s eyes widened in shock.

“Blue flames?!” she exclaimed, only to focus on me in alarm. “Like, like…” She couldn’t continue.

Unable to focus, I held out my right hand toward Delilah, a blue flame igniting in my palm with a simple thought.

“Like…this,” I finished for her.

Delilah’s eyes widened in shock, only for her to focus at my face almost in a panic, her blue eyes widening even more.

“No,” she gasped. “No, no, no, no, no. H-How…” She paused, her blue eyes wide. “How did you know my name?!” she exclaimed. “Boy, how did you know that my name used to be Jericho when I was really young?! I have never told anyone that!” she yelled, growing even more hysterical. “Not even my best friend! No one knows! How did you know?!”

My chest was hurting as I realized I knew…how I knew.

My heart was racing.

I couldn’t breathe.

“Because…” I whispered, feeling like the room was spinning. “Because you did tell one person,” I said quietly. “And…” I tried to swallow. “And because…Wrath is my name…” I felt like I was going to pass out. “And…Vengeance is my purpose…Rage is my power.”

“What?” Delilah gasped.

“It’s my spell,” I said quietly, unable to see straight. “The one I used on my father. And one that I feel like I’ve known for an eternity. One that defines who I am…or at least, who I used to be, when I didn’t have a name.” I reached up to grab my forehead, as I continued. “For…Fire is my element, Flames are my power, Inferno is my punishment, and Incinerate is how I devour.” I then turned my pained gaze toward their frozen expressions, feeling like I couldn’t fucking breathe. “But sometimes…an enemy is too strong to destroy. So instead, I am forced to resort to something that is both ‘more and less,’ something ‘stronger and weaker.’ Rather than Incinerate…” I set my gaze on Miriam’s wide green eyes. “Rather than Incinerate…I must instead use Decimate.”

Miriam was trembling now. “Decimate?” she whispered. “B-Baby, what are you trying to say right now?”

I reached up to grab my head again, feeling like I was really going to pass out, the room was spinning so fast.

“I…I don’t know,” I gasped. “Oh my God, I don’t know.”

“Master,” Gwen said in alarm, suddenly right there, kneeling next to me. “Calm down, master. Please calm down.”

I was beginning to panic.

I felt like I really couldn’t breathe.

And then I remembered something.

The stone!

I focused on the alarmed redheaded succubus. “Miriam,” I gasped. “The message. The black stone! Where is it? I need to use it!”

Michelle straight-up bolted out of her seat on the couch.

“No!” she yelled. “Sweetie, you can’t. You know it’s cursed!”

I focused up at her, knowing she was right, feeling the intense waves of concern in her aura, and the panic in her thoughts, but also…

Knowing something else.

“You’re right,” I agreed, my tone more confident now as the room stopped spinning. “It is cursed. And it does require my blood to hear the message…but…” I focused back on Miriam’s wide emerald eyes. “But my blood is special, my beloved. My blood breaks curses. The spell was never meant to harm me.”

Everyone was stunned.

Miriam finally spoke up in barely a whisper.

“Are…are you sure? My love, I can’t survive if something happens to you.”

“I’m sure,” I said confidently.

“Why?” she whispered.

I sucked in a ragged breath, feeling like I was going crazy right now, yet feeling confident in my answer.

“Because…” I said quietly. “Because, I think…I’m the one who cursed the stone.”

Everyone froze solid.

Miriam was almost speechless. “As an infant?” she managed.

“Before then,” I whispered.

Now she looked like she was about to pass out too.

Until finally she focused up at Gwen.

The maid replied without hesitation.

“Yes, mistress, I’ll be right back.”

No one spoke, no one moved, for a painfully long few minutes, until finally Gwen returned with the chest containing the message from my now deceased father, as well as the midnight stone that was supposedly from my mother…

Gwen bent down to hand me the chest…

I reached out to accept it.

“Wait,” Miriam blurted out. “I need to hear it too. Let me use that spell so I can hear it too.”

Delilah looked like she was about to pass out. “I…I want to hear it,” she pleaded.

Carefully, I set the chest down next to me, and reached out for them both, causing the pair to look at each other in confusion.

“Come here,” I whispered. “I think…I think I’ve been waiting to do this…for a really long time.”

They both focused on me in alarm, before hesitantly moving closer, both of them easing between my legs and then facing each other as I wrapped my arms around them to pull them against my chest.

A spell already coming to mind.

One that I felt like I’d prepared an eternity ago.

I took a deep breath, holding them both tightly in my arms, my eyes beginning to sting.

I felt the room begin to vibrate, and yet I wasn’t worried about being low on magic.

For, unlike other spells, I’d already paid the price for this one.

Long ago.

A spell that had already been cast, and yet had waited thousands of years…

For me to finish.

I took a deep breath, as I spoke out loud the words I yearned to say.

“For…” I grimaced as pain filled my heart, before continuing. “For what feels like an eternity, I did not have a name. For what feels like an eternity, I was unable to reclaim. Cursed I once was, blessed I now am. For, what was once mine, is mine once again.” I took a shaky breath. “Failure was once my shame, Wrath is how I overcame. ‘Unrecognizable’ was once my damnation, ‘Perseverance’ is how I achieved redemption.” I held the short women in my arms more tightly. “Separated for an eternity we once were, United is what we will now become. Forever and ever I have waited for you, and now I offer you the choice…for our bonds to renew.”

No one spoke as the walls continued to rattle gently, a long pause following my words, before either one of them realized the spell wasn’t finished.

They both looked up at me at the same time, as I held their gaze, realization crossing their expressions, their eyes filling with tears.

Because now they truly understood, I’d suffered for thousands of years, yet even now was giving them a choice.

One they could refuse.

Miriam’s face was scrunched up in grief, and Delilah started to sob, as the redhead spoke up. “H-How do we respond?” she whimpered, her tone pleading. “How do we say yes?”

“You know how to respond,” I whispered. “Because I’m also the disfigured man who came to find you after the monster was defeated. The one you fell in love with, even despite my appearance. The man who your heart knew, even while your mind had forgotten me. The same man who made you a promise…to find a way to become one, once again, like Adam and Eve.”

Miriam’s hand flew up to her mouth as she visibly fell apart even more, her body trembling violently in my arms next to a sobbing Delilah.

“And so,” I continued quietly. “You say yes, by saying…I want to become one with you.”

They were both struggling to respond, both sobbing violently now, Delilah grasping at my torn suit desperately, as she tried to manage words.

“I want…” she sobbed.

“To become…” Miriam whimpered.

“One…” Delilah managed.

Only for them to both sob again, speaking in unison.

“With you!” they cried out.

Instantly, the entire world around us vanished in the blink of an eye, and we were suddenly falling, faster and faster…

Toward each other, Miriam not having quite as far to go.

Until we collided all at once.

After what felt like an eternity, we were finally one, and after what felt like an eternity, I finally felt like I’d been truly found.

I’d been found.

I’d been lost all this time, and they both found me…because I first found them.

We were one.

For an eternity, we were one.

For an eternity…it was just the three of us…

Seconds rapidly turned into days.

Days into years.

Years into centuries, as it felt like we existed like that forever.

Forever.

Finally, after forever, we were together…forever…

And then we were back, my two succubi limp in my arms, their bodies beginning to tremble, as they slowly came too, realization finally hitting them, as they had true confirmation of what was true.

That I was the young man they once knew.

Able to feel my heart once again, after thousands of years, my curse finally broken.

They both resumed crying.

“It’s you,” Delilah whimpered, falling apart all over again. “It’s really you! Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s you! This can’t be real! I must have died! I must be dead! This can’t be real!” she whimpered.

Miriam was trembling violently now. “It…It was you…” she sobbed. “Every time I was in trouble, someone would always save me. Oh my God, it was you this whole time! You’ve been saving me over and over again, all this time!”

I held them tightly in my arms, wanting to be honest.

“I don’t remember,” I admitted. “But what I do know is how I feel right now. As if I’ve spent thousands of years working toward this moment. Thousands of years trying to undo what was done to me. Thousands of years trying to find a way to break my curse…” I took a shaky breath. “As well as yours…”

They both tensed at that…only to cry even harder, clinging to each other, and clinging to me as they were hit with an impossible reality, where the man they once loved…

Had been alive all this time, seeking out a way to be reunited with them, while they otherwise lived their lives without a clue.

Having no idea I was suffering.

No idea that I was alive and trying to fix what was broken.

No idea that I’d dedicated my life to breaking our curses.

It was intense heartbreak, for both of them.

Ironically, even more heartbreaking, than if I’d died.

For one…was a horrible loss, the other…a true tragedy.

And I could sense all that now…

Because we were one now, the bond I now shared with them just as strong as my other pairings. There was guilt, there was remorse, there was pain, there was agony, there was grief, there was loss, and there was even a little bit of fear.

But there was also something else.

Something bigger than all those things.

Finally, after so long…

There was hope.

They both had hope.

Because, even though I couldn’t remember much, there was one truth they could both sense now, the undeniable fact that…I was me.

However…

There were still things to do.

Still things to be concerned about.

Like the message that was left on that black stone.

I had an unnerving feeling that it was important, especially since I felt confident now that I was the one who cursed it, in order to protect the contents that resided within, including my very identity.

But, it was a curse that shouldn’t harm me.

I felt confident of that now.

Because my blood was special.

This body was special.

Taking a deep breath once Miriam and Delilah had calmed down some, I was almost a little surprised when Natalie held her fist out, the midnight stone in her grasp, as if she were going to hand it to me.

However, instead, she spoke up, tears streaming down her cheeks, her light brown eyes intense.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me,” she said firmly, almost harshly. “And I need you as my alpha. I will give this to you, but only if you are absolutely confident it won’t kill you.” Her expression pained then, her knuckles white around the stone. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we can’t survive losing you.” She scoffed, her tone growing sarcastic. “Even if you are a fucking old man.”

I couldn’t help but smirk at that.

Taking a deep breath, I responded. “Honestly, I don’t feel old at all,” I admitted. “And I don’t really have any solid memories of anything in the past. Just a certain…awareness, of things that might have happened. But I promise you that I feel confident about this. This body of mine is not an accident. My blood does break curses. That of which, I am certain of.”

Natalie simply nodded, placing the stone in my left hand, and then sandwiching both the stone and my hand in hers, grasping me tightly for a moment, before slowly pulling away as she left the stone behind in my palm.

Rosa then spoke up on my other side. “My lord, may I?”

I focused up at her as she reached for my right hand, and carefully brought her mouth down to it, her fangs elongating as she gently sank her teeth into my palm.

“Here,” Natalie then said, retrieving the stone again and handing it to Rosa, who proceeded to gently place it into the small pool of blood that had formed in my palm, the skin having already healed…the blood already beginning to disappear as this body of mine reabsorbed it…

And then the two touched.

Instantly, the moment we heard the sizzle, nearly everyone in the room experienced the same thing at once.

Much like the telepathy we shared, we all heard someone speaking to us.

The voice of a youthful woman, her tone full of confidence and certainty as she addressed me quite differently than any of us were expecting.

For, she did not call me ‘son.’

She instead called me…

Master.

“My master, I have done all you’ve asked of me, including sealing your power and third-eye, as requested. Even now, as I leave this message on the catalyst you prepared, I am holding you in my arms while you nurse, as a normal infant.” She paused. “I’m afraid I won’t be allowed to keep you for long, but everything appears to be proceeding as you planned. The immortal you picked to be your progenitor is excited by your birth, but has no intentions on interfering in your life, as he appears to do for all his sons. And, as far as I am aware, the succubus you love is still safely in his service. I will try to keep an eye on her from a distance, in case something changes in the time it takes for you to grow up, but please forgive me if I’m unable to. Also, I must inform you that the family you are to be placed with, is also fairly close to where your other beloved succubus resides. I doubt you will find her on your own, but when you return to me, I will show you where she lives. Finally, I must leave you with one thing, master.” She paused again, her tone becoming more firm. “Do not forget me. Please keep your promise to break my curse and allow me to share in this new life you’ve created. Please. I will be patiently waiting for you, with more things to share, just to ensure you don’t leave me out of your care. Sincerely, the servant you chose to be your surrogate, and to give you new life, Eve.”

Holy…

Holy fuck…

NOTE: Believe it or not, given that Kai was actually alive for a long time before 'being born,' we are only scratching the surface of the past.

In particular, I've left some very large hints about certain people (won't say 'who' just yet), and their pasts are undeniably tied to Kai, though they may not fully realize it yet. I'm sure you can guess who though...after all, it's not every day that someone has unusual circumstances tied to their existence.

FEEDBACK: 1) Thoughts on the big reveal?

When I originally wrote Book 1, basically 2 years before I posted it anywhere, I didn't have any long-term plans for this story. However, I'd been planning this chapter since basically Book 2 (or roughly Ch 16 to 30).

It's taken so long to get here, but hopefully it was worth it.

2) When Delilah asked, 'Should we talk about him?' did you know this individual was going to be Kai at that point, or did you think it was truly someone else? And if you thought it was someone else, at what point did he realize it was Kai? (Blue flames part, or sooner?)

3) Thoughts on the black stone message? As well as the person who left it? What do you think 'her' curse is?

4) Thoughts on the structure of this chapter? It can be hard to write this kind of thing when I know some of you will figure it out right away, just because you were already suspecting of the truth, and others might not fully figure it out until it's directly explained.

5) Any lingering questions you feel are unanswered? I can clarify things if I need to.

Chapter 109 >>

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