MY DARLING DAREDEVIL

Rejection

Damon’s heart skipped and he unconsciously took a step back from Daciana. His eyes went wide and confusion descended on him almost immediately. He knew nothing about mates, he knew nothing about the supernatural realm except for what he had been told. He had not even fully accepted their existence and he was only just realising that. Aziza was just someone who made his head and thoughts blurry at the very sight of her. Nothing ever seemed so serious to him except for the fact that she was protecting him and that there was something else deep in his heart. But he only just found that he was not human, he almost died immediately after and now he was finding out that he had a mate.

He shook his head, refusing to accept such foolish words. He was Damon Roxwell, a human, an heir and a powerful person by himself. He was not going to succumb to such stupid talks simply because he had been told that he was not a human. He refused to accept such nonsense.

“Stop blurting rubbish,” he snapped at Daciana. Her eyes went wide and she jammed her lips. She had not wanted to say anything because she found out that he didn’t know but now that she had spoken, why was he reacting that way? Finding a mate was the essence of their existence, most of them by the way.

Witches could simply fall in love if they wanted to. But most of them had a soul mate for them as well. Theirs had a more natural and simpler way of finding themselves. Like the humans, they could easily feel a connection to someone, fall in love and reproduce. This connection between them could be from their heart alone, but in certain cases, it has something to do with their magic. They feel the strongest power if they were around their soulmate and if love was involved, they were typically meant for each other. That was why the witches’ community grew bigger and stronger by the day. Because they fall in love with someone who they feel the strongest with, they reproduce a stronger child or children. Their powers were stronger by the day. But they were still different and their mating process was different and easier than the other species or factions.

A werewolf had only one mate in their entire lifetime. Only on a few occasions do they get a second chance to have a second mate. But that was when you deserve it. Someone like Kane would never have a second mate, because of his wicked nature. His incapacity to love and be compassionate or kind. If he carried on that way for a long time, the moon goddess would only measure his atrocity and his goodness. Whichever weighed more would determine if he would ever have a mate again. If he was good or changed quickly or if he did a very extraordinary or generous thing that would change something huge, then she could consider. So, most of them who lived bad and selfish lives most of their lives or who wronged their previous mate badly never got a second mate. Their lives ended up miserable, rogue, pointless and meaningless. Weaker ones died from the pain and loneliness brought to them by their mistake while other ones kept going with their long-life span either being good or wicked while hoping that the moon goddess might have a little mercy on them. She was cruel, but merciful and peaceful just like the moon and expected her children to cherish each other especially with the balance she brought by giving a better half that would make their long-life span worth living.

Vampires had a different case though. They were dead beings with immortality unlike the others. They never had mates but on few and rare occasions, their god granted them one to ease their suffering. Living for eternity without love was bizarre and tormenting. But whatever god they served, was more than cruel, wicked and as dead and rotten as they are. Once they lose their mates, they never get a second one ever in their life. So, they make do with lavish lifestyles, women and wealth as comfort. Most times, they find love as the humans do but if it's not their mate, it’s usually meaningless. They never show it, but those without mates were dying all over again from the inside, especially for those who had lived for more than a decade.

Demons had mates. The higher demons were powerful, too powerful and they could have anything they wanted. A lot of mates can happen too. Most times three, most times four, most times one. But even with the countless mates they could have, if they lost one, they might die from the agony. They were cruel, wicked, cunning and would never see a single light since they were from the devil themselves. But when they find love, when they find their mate, their long life of immortality makes sense and they become even more powerful. Whatever the case was, each faction knew the importance of a mate and no one ever toiled with one. The smart ones of course, the stupid ones only realize their mistake after having a long time in the world with nothing but loneliness and instability. They knew the fortune that came with finding a mate, so why did Damon act differently?

“She is your mate,” Daciana found her boldness. She did not like the way Damon spoke like he was irritated at the thought. But he was, he hated the thought of mechanically or emotionally being controlled to have a mate or to love someone by a stupid god or goddess.

“I said you should shut up,” he snapped at her. His headache returned with his numerous thoughts and feelings. He groaned and held his head with both hands, then he turned away from her. He hated this feeling and it was a reminder that he was not human like Morris had said earlier. He turned to a guard, he wanted to remain human, he wanted no part with all this rubbish. The guard understood that look and immediately turned upstairs to get his drugs.

“Having a mate is good, Damon,” Daciana simply refused to. She had lost a mate, she knew the importance of having one and would not want Aziza, the woman who had somewhat saved her from despair to go through such rejection.

“I don’t have a mate,” Damon growled and whipped his head back to her. His eyes turned dark, his demons roared and his powers surfaced from deep within. Daciana stumbled back, her skin crawling with fear and the hairs on her skin stood frozen. Something sharp, deep and powerful washed against her. A power she had never felt before, not from him, not from a powerful witch, not from a higher demon, not from anyone. However, his demons disappeared instantly and the guard came running back with his pills. He handed it to Damon who snatched it away from his hand. He stared at it while the guard fetched water. He had wanted to find out something important about himself, but when he did, he simply could not accept that he was like Aziza. She was fine being her, he accepted her that way but he was human. He had been human for over a century, he had been perfectly fine for so long already. A mate, a supernatural being, how could he suddenly accept all of that. Without a second thought, he put the pill into his mouth, took the cup of water and drank it.

Almost immediately, his body calmed down, his throbbing head eased and all pain disappeared. Daciana watched the man in front of her, the feeling disappeared just as it came. For a moment, her mind went blank and she suddenly realised how important it was to return home. This was their true leader, this was true power, just like in the stories, he was a true blood and more, this was what they needed. Swallowing hard, she took a step closer to him.

“Don’t you feel anything with her?” her voice came low since she was still very scared that he would snap again. Damon neither turned to her or reacted, but her words struck his heart.

“Don’t you feel a difference with her? The peace, the pull, the magic, the ecstasy, the joy…” she did not stop. Each word pierced deep within him as he recalled all his reaction and feelings whenever that red hair was nearby. It was never so with any other person.

“Don’t lie because I have been watching you for a while. You are different from her, you feel everything. She is your mate, your destined one, to rule side by side with you when you return to claim back what was cruelly taken away from you. She is the essence of your being.” The demons who had been subjected to go back to sleep within him whimpered at the thought of their mates. His heart ached at her words and each of them were like a needle, a thousand needles piercing his heart, making him accept what he did not want.

“She is your mate, Damon….” Daciana’s voice came with a lot more finality and he snapped his head to her. His headache hit him one more time and his feelings suddenly becoming very confusing. But before he could say a thing, a force rushed past him like lightning, pushing him slightly away from her and Daciana’s body slammed against a wall as eyes as dark as abyss and a red ring around it glared at her.

Aziza’s hands wrapped around her neck and lifted her off the ground with so much strength and power. Her eyes went wide with fear and her throat burned with pain, so much pain, tears came running down her eyes.

“Aziza…” Damon called out, going close to the red hair whose deadly aura was chilling to the very blood in his veins. The guards and maids unconsciously moved away from the scene knowing how mad and blood thirsty she was. Aziza ignored that voice that pulled at her heart and her demons growled at the woman in front of her. Her rage was reaching the very heavens and ending her life would just take a few seconds. How dare she? How dare she spill the truth she had hidden for the sake of his life? For the sake of her agenda? For the sake of the love she had for him?

She had been in the bathroom, washing off her bloody skin and stench for so long. She lost track of time, simply because she enjoyed the water and the familiar scent of Damon’s wash. Then Russel had communicated with her, asking her about what happened, how she was doing, where Daciana was and giving her instructions to come to him immediately. She had been so lost in her mind that she got distracted from her environment, she heard nothing else. Except for one time someone came into Damon’s room and left immediately. Even when she came out, she had been in a rather pleasant mood and had kept humming absent minded while she dried her hair, took in the scent of her mate and stubbornly grumbled about the gown Damon had gotten for her. She had only stopped for a minute when she heard the words of Daciana.

“Aziza….” Damon moved closer to her, seeing as she was not listening. Daciana was a woman who she spared her life and who helped her in return, she could not kill her in a fit of anger.

“Please,” he moved closer and stood in front of her, where her line of sight could reach him. His heart skipped and chilled at the aura and anger and beauty surrounding her all at once. He placed his hand on hers gently and stared at her.

“Please...” he repeated a word that he had almost never said in his life for the second time. Her hand chilled at his touch and sparks ignited at the place he touched. She still refused to listen to him, Daciana was already dying but she could only truly die if her heart was out. However, Damon refused to let up and held her still, his touch was disturbing and her demons were succumbing to it rather fast. She had no other option than to let go. Daciana dropped on the ground lump and Damon turned to her. She was as still as she was dead and that did not sit well with him. He meant to go closer to her but she suddenly shot up with a loud gasp, holding her throat. He frowned, seeing that she was not dead after all and turned to Aziza.

Her eyes were still filled with anger and so much killing intent, but he could not help but worry over her. His heart ached to even consider the fact that she was so angry but he said nothing and only stared at her. She, on the other hand, kept her gaze on Daciana, still wishing that she would kill her. But deep within, she wanted to avoid Damon, after what he knew now.

He stared at her for a long time, his eyes held concern and his heart adoration. She looked totally bad and evil yet so gorgeous, it would probably be the death of him. The thought of having her as a mate suddenly did not seem bad and he could not help but wonder if it was true. He hated the idea at first, but seeing her now was making his heart act differently that he even frowned and tried to look away. The moment he did, his eyes came back to her and it roamed her body. The gown she was putting on made her look really sexy with her neck and arms in view. He had never seen that part of her body before anyways. And her thighs and long legs were exquisite and sexy. The flair gown did nothing to hide her curves and he could not help but smile at just staring at her.

Aziza realised how quickly things had escalated and gone out of control. She didn’t do all this for so many years only to have him dead in her arms. Her feelings and everything she had shunned to get results and not to go back to those nightmare ones before. She had to do something, anything. With a firm decision in mind, she turned to him, with cold eyes and a hard heart.

“Are you….”

“Yes…” she answered the question before he completed it. His eyes shone brightly and his heart danced for a strange reason, leaving behind his argument earlier.

“I’m your mate and you are mine…” she said the words whole heartedly.

“But listen,” her voice turned even colder, then she crossed her hand over her chest, giving her an arrogant and prideful look.

“I’m your protector, you are a prince, an heir and the ruler of the supernatural. I do not want you, if I did, I would have come clean about this the moment I found out. Don’t be delusional to think that the mate bond would change our relationship. You are a stranger, a means to an end, nothing more, nothing less.” With that she turned to the door.