Cursed Mate: The Roma Academy

Chapter 1

-Amy POV-  

Tinsley and Leon pass by me with giggles and all I can do is smile. I really like them. I wish I could have something like that someday. But I know I probably won't.  

Before knowing that my father is a demon, I didn’t think it was possible, and now even less so.  

I get to my room and open the door. The room is dark, my curtains are drawn together and only candles illuminate the room but not enough to really see that well.

I only left for a few minutes to get a snack but knew I had to come back quickly.  

“Are you going to keep me here like this?” A male’s voice echoes in the dimly illuminated room.  

“Yes.” I say, ignoring the man who calls himself my father.  

“My daughter, why would you treat your father this way?” Mammon asks.  

I now bring my attention to him. He stands in a circle of herbs and a pentagram that is drawn on the floor with my own blood and some of Tinsley's, which I managed to obtain. There are also white candles that signify purity surrounding him, keeping him in his invisible cage.  

“You are not my father. My blood might be the same as yours, but you will never be my father.”  

Marco has been more of a father to me than this man has or will ever be.

I take the small bottle with holy water and sprinkle it in his direction. He screams holding his face where the water hits and I can see that it burns his skin.

“You can’t keep me like this forever!” He angrily shouts.  

I sit on my bed with my legs crossed and tucked under me and then I open my black book.  

 I speak to him while at the same time ignoring him. “I can certainly try. If you are here, it means that you are not causing problems or plotting new schemes.”  

“This spell costs life force to keep up." He says. "You’ll soon be too tired to keep it up and when I am back in my world, I will find a way to come for you. I will destroy you, dear daughter.”  

I read the pages in the book or rather skim over them trying to find something interesting but still answer Mammon. “You know, the funny thing about all of this is that I know I am your kryptonite." I say. "Because I am of your blood, I am probably the only one that you are most afraid of... aren't you?”  

He stares at me with a serious expression now.  

“You know... the only reason you are alive now is because of your witch mother. When I learned that you existed, I came for you, and by the way, there are other ways to make my way into this world as I've stated before. Your mother cloaked you from me with her magic. I killed her but I was never able to find you. I know where you are now. I will destroy you and everything that you love.”  

As I hear this, my mind rages. “You... killed my mother!”  

He gives me a wicked smile, enjoying my reaction.  

I open the bottle of holy water and pour the whole thing on him. He screams in agony and I relish in it. I made it so that as long as he is in that circle, though he is still Astro-projecting, he can feel. 

“I will make you suffer for that!” I shout at him.  

Over and over, I pour holly water on him without mercy. He hisses and shouts but I don't stop until I have no more holy water left.

After the enjoyment of his suffering, I sit back on the bed with my new book as I watch him take deep breaths, trying to shake away the pain I just caused him. 

“I don’t know what your aim is here.” He says. “You'll run out of juice soon and this spell will fall as it has done before.” 

“Yeah... and just like before, I’ll summon you again.” 

He smiles without a single worry on his face. “True... but there is always a loophole.” 

“Yeah... one you haven’t found yet. So, get comfortable with the idea of constantly seeing me. We have so much to catch up on, dear father.” 

He snickers but doesn’t say anything.

I hate how calm he always is. As if none of this is of any consequence to him and it probably isn't but I hate it. I hate how smug he is. I sometimes just want to punch him in the face and turn that stupid smile upside down.

Taking a deep breath, my attention goes back to the book. I open it and start going from page to page. It is a book about demons called Demonium Enkyklios Paideia, which translates to “The encyclopedia of demons.” 

After several minutes, I finally find what I am looking for and read it out loud. 

“The seven princes of hell. Lucifer, the prince of pride. Mammon...” I look up at Mammon and find him watching me quietly. “...the prince of greed.” I continue. “Leviathan, the prince of envy. Asmodeus, prince of Lust. Beelzebub, prince of gluttony. Sathanas or Satan, prince of wrath, and Belphegor, prince of sloth. The seven deadly sins.” 

I look back up and he still silently watches me.  

“Nothing to say?” I ask but as I say this, my vision blurs for a few seconds.  

I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again. 

“Not much for me to say.” He says. “Seems you have all the information right there.” He points at the book. “How are you feeling anyway? Seems that this cage you have made for me is taking a toll on you. You know you won't be able to hold it for long.” 

I know he is right. But even if that is the case, I have made up my mind. I will continue to summon him over and over, as much as it takes to make his life just a bit more unpleasant.  

I take a deep breath and focus on the book again. 

“The seven princes of hell represent each of the seven deadly sins. They are the most powerful of all demons and rulers of hell, Pandemonium...” 

Pandemonium? 

I look at him and he smiles.  

“Lovely place. You should come to visit sometime.” 

“Your home, I assume?” I ask. 

“Our city. It is probably not what you expect when humans talk about hell. Pandemonium is a real city you know... a dark one with no sun and filled with demons but a city nonetheless.” 

I turn the book around and show him an image. A map of a city in the shape of a six-pointed pentagram. Each star leg has a written a name, a deadly sin, with pride being in the middle. 

“How is that so accurate? ...Ah! Must be a cheap copy of The Malum Arcanum. It’s probably incomplete.” He says.  

“Malum Arcanum?” I mumble to myself. 

"Yes, a book about my brothers and I and things that regard demons written by a demon."

"And where is this book?"

"No one really knows other than it is in the human world. Supposedly, a powerful witch stole it from our realm... who knows."

That's interesting.

I point at the book. “Is this that city? Pandemonium?” I ask. 

He sighs. “Yes. The top, dear daughter, is where we rule.” 

“We?” 

“Yes, you are my blood. Therefore, it is also your home.” 

I am unable to read his expression. There is nothing there. The way he stares at me is as if he was a normal, calm person. 

I can’t figure him out. One minute he wants to kill me, and in the other, I am his “beloved” daughter.  

My eyes haze again and this time I feel like I am about to faint. I feel drained and completely tired. I quickly shake my head and focus. 

He smiles. “You know, the only reason you can hold me here like this is because you have my blood running through you, my power. That makes you stronger than other demon-fathered children and so you can draw me in easily. Unfortunately for you, that power will be too much for your witchy human side and you will eventually lose control. May even kill some of your friends in the process.” 

“Killing... friends?” My eyes want to close.  

I feel so tired. 

He wickedly smiles knowing that I can’t hold on much longer. “See you soon, daughter dearest.” 

I slowly lie down on the bed, feeling my strength leave me. My eyes flutter close and the last thing I see is his annoying smiling face. 

“You... ass...” I drift into sleep. 

-dream- 

My eyes suddenly open to a dark room. I sit up on the soft bed and look to my side where mommy is supposed to be sleeping next to me.  

I rub my eyes to the red color light that hits my small face, coming from the slightly opened door in the room.  

“Maama?” At four years old, this is what I used to call mom. 

“Maama?” I call again. 

I hear noises coming from outside the door. Carefully, I climb down from the bed and walk towards the door. 

“No... don’t.” My adult voice speaks in my head. 

I know this is a dream, a nightmare, but somehow, I can’t control myself.  

I suddenly hear a thud that makes me jump, coming from the red-light room that is behind the door. 

My heart speeds up and feels like a pounding drum is about to burst out of my chest. 

 When I reach my hand towards the door handle, I stop and suddenly I am me. The adult version of me, not the four-year-old child. I hold the door knob tight, close my eyes and take a deep breath.  

“I am not doing this to myself. I will not go back to that moment.” I whisper. 

I force myself to smile and think of something that brings me happiness. Marco, my friends, and... him. The guy that makes me feel safe. The guy that makes me calm. The guy that I want so badly to kiss but will never have the courage to try. 

I open my eyes. The light coming from the room is now a soft light blue. I slowly swing the door open. Connor stands there with his arms opened towards me and a sweet smile on his face. Calmness comes over me and I stride right into his arms. He takes me in his arms ready to press my lips with his but nothing happens. When I open my eyes, I curse when I see that I am back in my room in my bed.

“Nooo...” I whine. 

Every dream I have with him always ends too soon. I hate it.