Intertwined: love, fire and sacrifice

3. Taming Beasts

3rd PERSON POV

Continuing their tour, Laius and Liv were walking across the hall, when a tall male with auburn hair, olive skin, pitch black eyes and a serious demeanour met them.

“Laius! I thought I wouldn’t ever see that Queen of yours! You were hiding her very well. Now I can see why. Hello sexy.” 

Liv rolled her eyes at his comment.

“Lucius!! That’s why I didn’t introduce you to her. But those were beautiful last words.” Laius said flashing Lucius a murderous look, as he wraps his arms around his mate’s waist. Liv looked between the 2 of them and swallowed hard. Heck, What Laius will do to him? Btw, why he was so dumb as to flirt with the King of Hell's mate in front of him? People here do have a death wish. Liv thought. 

But Laius expression changed, and he smirked, “Man, that was the first and last time you talked to my woman like this.” His tone had a hint of playfulness.

“Okay, Okay.” Lucius said rubbing his forehead, he looked a tad frightened. “Livia, I’m Lucius. Laius' second in command. He sure has mentioned me before.”

“I didn’t, we had so much more important things to talk about and do.” Laius uttered chuckling.

“Well, he may have mentioned you once or twice. Nice to meet you.” Liv said with a soft smile.

“It’s my pleasure, Livia.” 

“Enough, Lucius!” Laius interjected with an undertone of both menace and jokefulness. “Let’s get going Sweets.” He said taking Liv’s hand. She bid goodbye and went with her mate.

Lucius was surprised that he didn’t get burned or punched due to his comments, Laius has a short temper, even with his second in command, which was something close to a friend. A friend in the Hell way. Liv somehow has made the King of Hell more balanced or maybe happy men snap less and don’t burn others that often.

…

Next, they went in the direction of the throne room. In its antechamber, a huge 3-headed dog stood proudly, guarding a large wood crafted door. The door was engraved with different scenes of Hell's daily life, as souls being judged, their way to Hell, them being tortured in Tartarus, waiting in limbo or even lazing around in Elysium. The wood moved changing the scene every minute.

Liv took her time looking at it. It was somehow intriguing, besides chilling. The dog was watching her intently, his 3 pair of eyes trained on her. 

“Sweets, that is our ‘pet’ Cerberus. He guards the throne room. I’m quite impressed he is not barking at you. He is not as friendly as he looks like.” Laius said glaring at the scary and not friendly-looking at all red-eyed dog.

Liv looked at him. “well, he is not an adorable puppy. But also, not that bad, still a dog.” She moved to pet one of Cerberus heads, but Laius stopped her, engulfing her in his arms.

“It’s better to not do it. He can be very aggressive and blow fire.”

Liv nodded, still looking at the dog that was staring at her with 3 pairs of eyes, but there was nothing aggressive about his look, he seemed only curious. The animal got closer to Liv and bowed his head, she smiled slightly and pet him, what earned her a pleasured rumble from him.

“You are good taming beasts, Sugar.” Laius muttered mesmerised. 

“Well, beasts like me.” She replied.

He spun her around in his arms and cupped her faced. “We beasts love you.” 

“You are not a beast. You are… gentle and devilicious… you are...” Liv was at a lost of words. But she knew he was much more than that. She knew that he wasn’t evil and bestial, at least not towards her. She knew that even despite his inner darkness, he could manage to be kind, loving and make her heart melt in every way. “Or maybe not only that. You are also a kitten’s Master.” She teased. Laius smirked and brought her face towards his, devouring her mouth.

“We are both tamers.” He chuckled through their bond.

After they parted their kiss, Laius waved his hands and chanted some words under his breath.

“"Huc facies vestras in quibus personis et merge. Ubi tu es, qui non estis. Ubi se etiam in Inferus supercertari. Quo dissimulato verum sit verum, et dissimulato. Ne speres, tuam phantasia. Sicut non sequitur ad inferos stella retexerit Fatum. Et nemo. Spes nihil. Quod nollet esse. Ubi tu es Dei possidebunt. Et non est deus* ".

(“Here where your faces and your masks merge. Where you are, who you are not. Where besides oneself, the faceless agonise. Where disguise is true and true is disguise. Don’t hope, only make your fantasy. As Hell don’t follow the Star, unveils the destiny. Be no one. Hope nothing. As you are supposed to be. Where you are your own God. And a God may not be.”)

A dark chant that in itself challenged the Goddess. But Hell was no Goddess’ territory. The Throne room doors open, and they went inside, followed by Cerberus. He was indeed behaving like a pet, instead of a bloodthirsty beast, surprising Laius yet again. Liv certainly has this effect of calming all his beats, the inner and outer ones.

The throne room was wide and dark, when they walked across it, torches lit up by themselves and an organ played a dramatic melody, making Liv’s eyes go wide, to what Laius chuckled.

“We like a little drama here in Hell. It makes existence exciting.”

“Sure, it does.” She replied, chuckling too. Hell was indeed a curious place.

“We still have only one throne, Sugar. But your throne will be besides mine soon. You should choose how you want it. You know you can redecorate and change whatever you want, that is your Realm, my Queen.” He said looking intently into her eyes and kissing her hand in an almost reverent way.

“I think pink with dots will suit this place well.” She joked.

Laius chuckled, “If it’s what you want, pink with dots it is. It will even add an extra piece of torture to some chauvinist old male demons. A well-deserved one.”

“It was only a joke, but now I’m tempted. Nothing better than challenge the system and annoy some misogynistic old demons.” She replied.  

“That is my Kitten!” Laius chuckled.

Afterwards, they went to the basement,  a wide room with gothic decoration, medieval like instruments and machines. One of the walls was wrapped with a velvet wine-coloured wallpaper, the others were made of a raw stone. The room had some chains hanging from the ceiling, other chains linked to the furniture, cages, a X shaped table, a pillory and strange iron chairs. Besides that, some whips, paddles, flags and other hitting instruments were hanging on a series of wall hooks.

“What is it? A dungeon? A torture-chamber?” Liv asked, looking around. 

Laius chuckled, “More like sweet torture.” He said taking some strands of her hair away of her neck and caressing it sensually.

“Oh” she gasped.