Again and again, Zamora found herself locked inside her room by Dante. She wasn't allowed to leave unless she was with him. She had started trying to accept her situation—resisting felt useless. That infuriating demon never listened to her anyway.
Dante appeared once more in her room. By now, she wasn't even surprised by how he always managed to enter without opening the door. You remember, don't you? He's a demon.
"What are you doing here?" Zamora asked, turning her head to look at the man standing in front of the mirror, smiling faintly at her.
"I'm admiring my girl. And you? Why are you staring off like that?" Dante replied casually, completely indifferent to her feelings.
"Hey, Mister—can't you see I'm wallowing in my misery?"
Dante chuckled at her sarcasm. "My advice? Just accept your fate. You're destined to be here with me. Even if you grieve for a thousand days, nothing will change, Zamora."
"Right. This is the fate of an orphan girl whose life got wrecked by a demon like you. What a beautiful destiny, isn't it?"
"Are you mocking your God's plan, miss?" Dante narrowed his eyes. "Let me remind you again—this is the best destiny your God could've given you."
Zamora mulled over his words. Maybe he was right. Perhaps this really was the best fate—only not for her, but for the demons who lived in this cursed palace.
"Fine. Just as we agreed. I'll carry your offspring," she said, almost as if her words were carried by the wind.
Of course, Dante was delighted. His lips curled into a wide, triumphant smile.
"Good. Then you—"
"But when the time comes, let me die quickly," Zamora cut him off. Dante's smile faded instantly.
"What's wrong with you? Do you even realize what you're saying?" he asked, frowning deeply.
"What do you expect me to say? Should I beg you to make me your wife? Oh please, Lord Demon, I'm not some lucky girl who gets that privilege," she said with a bitter smile.
Dante was silent for a moment before exhaling roughly. "I don't know what's going to happen to you. But until my child is born, you must stay alive."
With that, he left the room, unwilling to entertain Zamora's spiraling thoughts. Left alone, she felt her life collapsing again. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks.
Her trembling hand stroked her belly gently.
"Are you my child, or just his? Will I even be able to love you once you're born?" she whispered.
"I'm too young to be a mother. If it hurts you that I might not accept you, know that I've already been hurt—hurt by not being able to accept this myself."
Click.
The door creaked open. Zamora turned toward it, expecting Dante to have returned.
But no—it was someone else.
"Who are you?" she asked, confused, as a tall and striking woman walked in with an arrogant air.
"Glad to meet me?" the girl said mockingly, ignoring Zamora's question.
She gave Zamora a once-over. "Cheap," she spat, making Zamora flinch slightly. What had she done to deserve that?
"Do we know each other? If not, please leave. I need rest—I'm pregnant," Zamora said flatly.
"So this is Dante's chosen girl? Worthless. You're just leeching off this castle, so don't act high and mighty. I can't believe Dante's taste has sunk this low," the girl sneered with a scornful laugh.
"Say whatever you want. Just get out!" Zamora snapped, losing patience.
"Oh! How feisty. Relax, girl. I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Alice."
"Whoever you are—I don't care," Zamora muttered.
Alice chuckled. "I don't care about you either. But I'm here to give you a little reminder. Don't even dream of earning Dante's love just because you're carrying his child. He's mine. He always will be."
Now it was Zamora's turn to smirk. "Fine. I won't take your man. But I am carrying his child. You want to deliver it for me?"
Alice's expression darkened. Zamora could sense the insult had struck deep.
"Why so quiet?" Zamora pressed.
"Oh? Isn't it forbidden for an Incubus and a Succubus to be together? I heard something like that. Is that why Dante didn't choose you to bear his heir? How tragic," Zamora said, feigning sympathy.
Alice's rage boiled over. Her fangs bared in fury.
Zamora's eyes widened—she'd seen those fangs before. Dante had them when he was angry. Could this female demon burn her like he did?
Alice lunged and wrapped a hand tightly around Zamora's neck. Her eyes turned black as midnight. Zamora struggled, unable to break free—Alice's grip was too strong.
"You pathetic human! You and your cursed baby are ruining my bond with Dante!" she hissed.
"I-it hurts! Let… go!" Zamora cried, hitting Alice's arm with all her strength.
"You crazy demon!"
"I won't let anyone steal Dante from me! He's mine! Mine forever!"
"Dante doesn't belong to you! He's the father of my child!"
"What did you say? You dare defy me?!" Alice aimed her fangs at Zamora's throat.
"ARGHH! DANTE!!"
"ALICE! STOP!"
It was like the voice of a guardian angel. Alice's grip loosened immediately. Zamora gasped for air, her lungs burning.
Dante rushed to them. Alice stepped back, her demonic eyes slowly returning to normal at his approach.
"Leave, Dante! This is none of your business!" Alice shouted.
"You're the one who needs to leave! Do you even realize what you've done?! You hurt her, you insane witch!" Dante shouted back, his eyes starting to glow red.
"You call me insane over that village girl?!"
"Shut up, Alice! You're not thinking clearly!"
"Don't you yell at me!" Alice bared her fangs again.
"Leave now, or I'll report this to the Dynasty. You don't want her to punish you, do you?"
Hearing Dante's mother's name, Alice froze. Her fangs disappeared, though her glare lingered. She watched Dante inspect the red marks on Zamora's neck.
"Zamora, are you okay?" Dante asked urgently. The cold mask he always wore was gone.
"I'm fine… just sore," she murmured, rubbing her neck.
"Alice, you're in serious trouble. You almost killed her and my child! I told you not to touch her!" Dante shouted, eyes blazing.
"I hate her! I hate that thing inside her! I don't care if they both die!" Alice screamed before storming out of the room.
"Stay here. I'll send Bella to tend to your wounds," Dante said, then vanished.
A few minutes later, a beautiful girl in a rather revealing outfit entered. Unlike Alice, she had a warm, friendly aura.
"Come here, let me take care of your neck," she said gently.
Zamora nodded silently.
"Did Dante send you?" she asked while Bella treated her wound.
"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Bella. Dante came to my room earlier."
"I'm Zamora."
"I know. You're Dante's mate, aren't you?" Bella smiled kindly.
Zamora blushed slightly.
"Are you like that other girl…?"
"You mean a Succubus?" Bella clarified.
"Yeah."
Bella nodded. "Yes, we're the same species. But Alice is obsessed with Dante. Among our kind, it's forbidden to love an Incubus."
"Do you… like him too?"
Bella paused, then chuckled softly. "Trust me—everyone likes that handsome Incubus. But I wouldn't dare go against Dynasty's rules."
"Who is Dynasty?"
"Our leader's wife. Dante's mother."
Zamora's eyes widened. "So Dante's mother is a Succubus?"
"More accurately, she's a Half—half human, half Succubus."
"I… don't understand."
"It's okay, I'll explain. A Half is a human transformed into a Succubus. In other words, Dante was born from a human who later married into our kind."
"Only certain humans are chosen to be mates to Incubi. The weak ones… become prey in the forbidden forest," Bella added.
"So Incubi get to choose any human they want to marry?"
"Exactly. They're royalty. We Succubi are only allowed to feed in your world—we're not allowed to bring humans here. I used to hate that rule, but now I understand why the Dynasty set it. Humans cause too much chaos in this castle," she giggled.
"Can Succubi have children?"
"Yes, but I don't want any. Too much trouble. I'd rather deal with grown men than crying little creatures," Bella said bluntly.
Zamora fell silent. Could she even raise a child? That demon had put her in this situation.
"Zamora," Bella called softly.
She turned to face her.
"Don't hate Dante too much, okay?"
"Why not? Because he's an Incubus?"
"No, because he's not who you think he is. He's not evil—he just doesn't know how to handle his emotions. That's why he always looks so cold. But if you get to know him, you'll see—he's very different from his brothers," Bella smiled.
"He has brothers here?"
Bella nodded again. "You met one of them in the dungeon. He's Dante's blood brother."
Zamora shivered at the memory. That one was terrifying. Come to think of it, Dante had never been that cruel.
"Dante is very selective. He wouldn't choose just anyone to bear his child. That's why Alice hates you so much. She loves him, but he avoids her. He refuses to break the Dynasty's trust."
"Should I feel lucky?" Zamora muttered bitterly to herself.
"But Dante hurt me once. There's a symbol on my neck that shows up when he's angry." She touched the spot.
"He wouldn't have done that if you obeyed him. Dante hates defiance. He might seem cruel, but you haven't seen what he's truly like when enraged. If you don't fight him, he'll treat you like a queen," Bella said, standing up.
"Get some rest. I'll head back to my room."
"Thank you, Lady Bella."
"Just Bella for you," she replied warmly before leaving.
Left alone, Zamora mulled over everything Bella had said. How could she possibly obey every bizarre command from that demon? She was too young for this. She caressed her belly.
"Ouch!" she yelped suddenly and went still.
"Did... did he just kick?" she thought, stunned. She lifted her shirt and stared—her belly was already slightly swollen, as if she were three months along.
But it was still far too soon for that.