Carved your name

"So, how shall we start this beautiful night?" Apollyon inquired, his question still hanging in the
air.
Lilith placed the glass on the table and tilted her head to glance at him. "Ahh... We should
sleep," she replied and left the chair to go to the bed when Apollyon caught her wrist to draw her
close.
His thumb brushed against the top of Lilith's lip as he wiped away the crumbs of the pie. "My
question wasn't about sleep," he said, his golden eyes meeting hers. He inhaled her scent and
added, "I find your natural fragrance more appealing. There is no need for perfume."
"I didn't apply the perfume. This is the handmaid doing," Lilith replied, releasing her wrist from
his grip. "You can sleep on the bed. I will sleep over there," she affirmed, pointing toward the
chaise.
Apollyon laughed to hear her statement, which confused Lilith. She didn't make any jokes, so
why did he laugh?
"We will sleep on the bed. Do you want everyone to gossip about us tomorrow in the morning?"
Apollyon arched his eyebrow at her, finger flicked lightly against the bridge of her nose.
"What will they talk about? Since when did the Devil Lord start caring about people's thoughts?"
Lilith queried, her tone tinged with mockery.
"Well, I do care when it comes to you. I would not like to hear people saying the Queen didn't
consummate the marriage with the King. Then, what will happen?" Apollyon asked her.
"The marriage will be annulled. Then, you will have to find a new woman," Lilith pronounced, a
grin tugged across her lips.
A chuckle escaped Apollyon's mouth. "Lilith, you are both amusing and intriguing," he declared.
"I will have to kill such people who speak ill of you and speak about having another woman in
my life," he proclaimed.
His statement irked Lilith. "Why do you have to kill others for your fault? Do you enjoy
bloodshed?" she suddenly turned furious.
"I have this hobby of punishing. It cannot be changed. Whatever annoys me I just end that,"
Apollyon answered. "Also, what's my fault? I am ready to consummate the marriage with you.
Only you need to permit it," he affirmed, the grin widened on his face.
"I refuse. I was against this marriage from the beginning. You were desperate to marry me. Now,
you will never be able to satisfy your sexual needs... not with me, at least," Lilith stated. She
headed to the bed and decided to sleep there. She warned Apollyon to sleep elsewhere but not on
the bed. Her sharp glance and firm voice made Apollyon smile only.
He watched Lilith covering herself from the velvet sheet. "Do you want me to blow out the
candles?" Apollyon inquired.
"No," Lilith said and tilted her head to gaze at him, "I don't like darkness." She again averted her
eyes from him.
"Very well," Apollyon allowed the few candles to cast their soft glow and then settled onto the
bed. As he did so, the mattress sank, making Lilith realize he had ignored her warning.
Lilith attempted to move away but found herself immobilized. She could only communicate with
her eyes, her voice seemingly lost.
Apollyon moved closer to her, untying the knot of his robe. His bare chest was now visible,
causing Lilith's eyes to widen. Finally, he stopped moving, resting his head on his palm with his
elbow propped up on the cushion.
With the index finger of his other hand, he traced Lilith's face until he reached her chin.
Lilith gasped for air as she could finally speak. "Let me sleep on the—" her words trailed off as
Apollyon's finger pressed against her lips.
"You will sleep here, by my side. It is our wedding night, after all," Apollyon huskily whispered,
withdrawing his finger from her mouth.
"What about the boundaries that I have set between us?" Lilith inquired.
"I will respect them. However, I won't stop coaxing you, seducing you," Apollyon replied.
"You are holding me against my wishes. Free me from this magic you have used to keep me
intact," Lilith urged.
"I already did. You were the one, who didn't want to budge," Apollyon said and smirked at her.
Lilith realized she could move, but she got so engrossed in the conversation with him that she
didn't check. She gradually moved a bit away from him when Apollyon's strong arm pulled her
back.
"Stop moving," Apollyon said. "Let me admire you before we sleep," he asserted.
Lilith turned silent and kept her gaze low. She fiddled with her fingers, wondering when he would
stop doing that. Lilith jolted when Apollyon's fingers grazed over her neck, on the flower mark.
"You cannot touch me like that," she murmured.
Promptly, Apollyon stopped, his eyes met hers. "Don't hate me for something I never did, Lilith. I
prefer to get hate when I do wrong," he asserted.
Lilith felt weird to hear that statement. Was she too harsh on him? She contemplated silently.
Once again, she lowered her gaze, but this time, only to get a bigger surprise.
Apollyon kissed the mark. Lilith froze with his act in her place, forgetting to breathe. "Goodnight,
Lilith," Apollyon whispered in her ear before lying down, a little distance away from her.
The sheet didn't fully cover his torso, leaving his chest partially exposed.
Lilith tilted her head to steal a glance at him and found his eyes closed. Her gaze inadvertently
fell on the letter etched on his chest of which only a slight part she could see. However, she
quickly averted her eyes, scolding herself for her curiosity.
"I carved your name on my chest," Apollyon said, ending Lilith's curiosity.
Lilith opened her mouth to speak, but words didn't come out.
"Do you want to take a look?" Apollyon asked.
"No," Lilith refused. "You are foolish. Who engraves the name of a person on the skin!?" Lilith
snickered and told him to remove that thing from his chest.
"I won't," Apollyon replied, keeping his eyes closed.
"What if one day I seal you? Will your love remain the same toward me?" Lilith queried.
"I trust my instincts. It won't ever happen. You and I are bound to be together," Apollyon firmly
pronounced.