Bound by Prince of Darkness

Meeting Tay

The first light of dawn crept through the castle windows as Maya finally made her way back to her room, her body heavy with exhaustion and the emotional weight of the night’s revelations. Her steps were slow and hesitant, each one echoing the turmoil inside her. The pain in her back still pulsed, a constant, searing reminder of the mark that now bound her to a fate she never chose.

As she entered her room, she instinctively reached for the hem of her dress, desperate to ease the burning sensation. She decided to take a shower, hoping the cold water would cool down the relentless pain. Stripping off her dress, Maya caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror, and her breath hitched in her throat.

There, on her back, was a sight she never expected to see. The golden runes, glowing softly, formed two vertical lines that seemed to pulse with a life of their own. But it was the black tattoo on her back shoulder that truly made her heart stop, a name, intricately written in dark ink: Tay.

"So this is his name," she whispered to herself, the realization sending a shiver down her spine.

The cold shower provided some relief, the water soothing the burn as it cascaded over her skin. But the relief was only physical; the turmoil inside her was far from settled. The night’s events, the truth she had uncovered, and the name that now marked her flesh weighed heavily on her mind. Exhausted from the emotional and physical strain, Maya eventually curled up on her bed, pulling the covers around her as if they could shield her from the world. Soon enough, sleep overtook her.

But as with every night before, her dreams were anything but peaceful. She found herself once again atop the mountain from her recurring dream, the abyss stretching out before her like an endless void. The oppressive weight of being watched settled over her, an invisible presence that made her skin prickle.

This time, however, she was not the scared girl from before. The anger and betrayal she felt in the waking world had bled into her dreams, hardening her resolve. Standing tall, she called out into the darkness with a firm voice, “Show yourself… Tay.”

For a moment, there was only silence, the wind howling around her as if mocking her defiance. But then, she heard it: a deep, rich laugh that seemed to resonate through the very air around her. The sound was both alluring and terrifying, sending a shiver down her spine.

Suddenly, the shadows before her began to shift, forming a figure that materialized out of the darkness. As the figure took shape, Maya’s breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Before her stood a man, no, not just a man, something more, something otherworldly. His features were exquisite, each line and angle sculpted with a perfection that seemed almost unreal. His long silver hair flowed down to his waist, gleaming like moonlight in the dim surroundings. He was tall, impossibly tall, with a lean, elegant, but muscular body that radiated power. But it was his eyes that truly captivated her: glowing with an orange intensity that seemed to pierce through her very soul, they held a depth that was both mesmerizing and terrifying.

For a moment, she was lost in those eyes, forgetting everything, her pain, her fear, even her name. All that existed were those burning, hypnotic eyes.

She was brought back to herself by the sound of his voice, smooth and playful, like silk brushing against her skin. “Hello… Maya. So, you finally learned my name.”

The words hung in the air between them, and Maya felt a rush of emotions: fear, anger, confusion, and something else she couldn’t quite name. She swallowed hard, trying to regain her composure, but the man in front of her, Tay, continued to smile, as if he could see through every barrier she tried to put up.

“Tay…” she repeated, her voice trembling slightly, but she forced herself to stand her ground. “What do you want from me?”

His smile widened, a dangerous gleam in his glowing eyes. “Want? Oh, Maya, you’re already mine. I’ve waited a long time for this moment, to finally speak to you.”

Maya’s heart raced, her breath coming in shallow, rapid bursts as she stared at the figure before her. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to flee from the overwhelming presence of the demon who had haunted her dreams for so long. But she stood her ground, forcing her trembling hands into fists at her sides. She wasn’t just going to roll over and accept this, whatever “this” was. She wasn’t a puppet, and she wasn’t going to let him pull her strings.

“You might have made a deal with my mother,” Maya began, her voice wavering but growing stronger with each word, “but I’m my own person. I’m not some puppet you can control. I have my own life, my own choices.”

Tay’s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of intrigue flashing in those glowing orange depths. Then, to her frustration, he chuckled, a low, rich sound that seemed to wrap around her like a velvet cord.

“Oh, Maya,” he said, his tone dripping with amusement. “You’re even more interesting than I imagined. Feisty, too. But you’ll soon learn that certain things are beyond your control, my spoiled princess.”

Maya felt a surge of anger, the heat of it mixing with her fear and confusion. She clenched her fists tighter, willing herself not to let him intimidate her. “What do you want from me?” she demanded, her voice sharper now, cutting through the thick tension that hung between them.

Tay’s smile widened, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “All in good time,” he replied smoothly. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

His nonchalant attitude only fueled Maya’s anger. She wasn’t going to be kept in the dark about her own fate. “What will it take to break this contract?” she asked, her voice shaking with desperation and defiance. “How do I buy my soul back?”

At her question, Tay’s smile faded slightly, replaced by a look of mild disappointment, as if he were discussing something trivial. “There’s no breaking the contract, Maya. Your soul belongs to me. It always has. It always will. It is not for sale!”

The finality in his tone sent a chill down her spine, but she refused to let it show. “No!” she snapped, her voice rising with a mix of anger and panic. “I’m my own person! I won’t let you dictate my life, I’ll live it on my own terms, not yours!”

Tay’s eyes flickered with something she couldn’t quite place, amusement, perhaps, or was it something darker? He took a step closer, his towering form making her feel small and vulnerable, but she refused to back down. His gaze bore into hers, intense and unyielding.

“You’re free to try, Maya,” he said softly, his voice carrying an edge that made her shiver. “But remember this: no matter where you go, no matter what you do, you’ll always be mine. And in the end, you’ll see that it’s not a matter of choice. You belong to me. It’s destiny.”

Maya’s chest tightened, her defiance faltering for just a moment under the weight of his words. But she quickly pushed the fear aside, standing as tall as she could. “Destiny?” she spat, the word tasting bitter on her tongue. “I don’t believe in destiny. I believe in free will, and I’ll fight you with everything I have.”

Tay’s lips curled into a knowing smile, his gaze never leaving hers. “We’ll see about that, my little flame. We’ll see.”

Maya was ready to unleash another torrent of defiance, but before she could get the words out, a sharp, searing pain surged through her back. She hissed, her voice strangled in her throat as the agony spread like wildfire. Tay, who had been standing in front of her, suddenly vanished, leaving her gasping and clutching at the air.

For a brief, blissful moment, she thought he was gone, that the nightmare had ended. But then, a cold touch on her shoulder made her jump, her entire body stiffening in shock. Tay was behind her, his presence looming like a shadow she couldn’t escape.

"Stay still," he commanded, his voice a silky whisper that sent chills down her spine. To her horror, Maya found that she couldn’t move. She tried to turn her head, to wrench herself away from his grasp, but her body refused to respond. She was frozen, trapped in place by some unseen force.

"Stop resisting," Tay said, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "Your efforts are useless. Now, let me take care of you."

Maya's heart pounded in her chest as she heard the ominous sound of something sharp slicing through the air. A second later, she felt the cool breeze against her skin as her shirt was split open, the fabric falling away to reveal her bare back. She could hear the faint rip as the material gave way, exposing the marks she knew were there: the golden runes and the black ink of his name.

"Exquisite," Tay murmured, his voice filled with dark satisfaction. "My name is on your back."

Maya shuddered as she felt his fingers, no, his claws, trace the tattoo on her shoulder, the touch sending sparks of cold dread through her veins. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Just as she gathered the strength to say something, anything, Tay's next action shattered her resolve. He bent down, his breath warm against her skin, and then, to her utter shock, she felt the wet heat of his tongue tracing the vertical columns of glowing runes etched into her back.

The sensation was electric, a jolt that made her entire body tense in response. Her breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling as she tried to process what was happening. She could feel the warmth of his tongue against her skin, the way it traced the ancient symbols with deliberate, possessive care. A violent blush spread across her cheeks, and for a moment, she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe.

He straightened, his voice a soft, dark whisper in her ear. "I always take care of what is mine."

The pain that had been burning through her back was gone, leaving only a strange, unnerving warmth in its place. Tay had done something, he had taken away the pain.

Maya’s mind spun, a whirlpool of confusion, fear, and a reluctant, shameful awareness of his touch. She wanted to scream at him, to fight back, but her body remained paralyzed, her voice locked in her throat.

The last thing she heard before darkness claimed her once again was Tay’s satisfied chuckle, the sound echoing in her ears like a haunting melody.

She was his, and he would never let her forget it.