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Master of Fire

By: suggababy



He died saving her.

For nineteen years, entombed within a dark mausoleum, Demetri's spirit tossed and turned.

He had died to save her.

The vampires had formed out of the very shadows of the night. In a frenzy of flashing fangs and tearing claws, the monsters surrounded them.

He had loved her more than life.

He could not find peace while memories of his sacrifice haunted his soul. So, for nineteen years, his sorrow and rage grew in the silence of his tomb until they became enough to give him a form.

Demetri arose from his tomb on the anniversary of the very night he had been lowered into it.

Even as a ghost, the years had aged him: Though his chiselled features and defined body had remained the same, the corners of his eyes and mouth were now slightly wrinkled. His hair, too, had changed: Instead of framing his face in jet-black waves, it glowed in cascades of silver. Demetri's whole figure was now cast in a subtle icy glow that made the steely blue of his eyes all the more piercing.

Demetri breathed out of the mausoleum and up into the night.

The city had changed. It was bigger and faster and louder and darker. Even though the entire cityscape was blanketed by a hazy neon glow, it was much darker than he remembered it to be.

But it did not take him long to find her.

It was almost as if he could smell her spirit. It was jasmine and vanilla... it was happiness.

She was happy?

How could she be happy when his soul had tossed and turned for nineteen years in a tempest of longing and heartache?

How could Serafina be happy?

People whirled out of Demetri's way as he stalked down the street. His booted feet hardly touched the ground as he followed Serafina's scent through the city.

He stopped at the base of a towering apartment building. He took a leap straight up and flew upwards until he reached the penthouse apartment. That was where she was. He phased into the apartment and stopped in mid-air.

"Serafina?!" He howled.

The vampiress stirred slightly and opened her dark eyes. She took in the ghostly apparition and scrambled awake, shaking the vampire that lay beside her into consciousness.

"D-Demetri?" Serafina stammered. There was no mistaking those piercing eyes - not even death could blunt his gaze. He was wearing the same leather jacket she had watched him die in.

"How could you?" the phantom snarled at her. Demetri's eyes glowed with unbelievable anger as he started towards the couple.

Serafina's vampire husband hissed at the spectre and bared his fangs, but the ghost paid him no mind.

"I died saving you from these monsters!" Demetri roared. "And you became one? You married one?"

He lunged at the couple and grabbed the vampire by his throat, wrenching him up into the air.

"Jasper!" Serafina cried, reaching in vain for her husband.

Demetri glared at the vampire twisting fiercely in his grasp and growled contemptuously: "I will kill you."

+++++++

Tonight was Ember's eighteenth birthday.

The young girl's charisma was irresistible and undeniable: Her mischievous fanged half-smile was contagious and her amber eyes crackled with a constant fire. Every night was an adventure, and every day an opportunity to learn something new - that was why, even though she looked nothing like her parents, she was most certainly their daughter.

Ember's mother only became a vampire after she was born. That was why, instead of having pale skin, long fangs, an aversion to sunlight and heat, and hair the colour of moon-less midnight, Ember's fangs were short and delicate, she was unaffected by heat or sun, her skin was warm and tinged burnt sienna, her dark hair was streaked with flames, and she hated the taste of blood.

It was almost dawn and Ember was finding her way home slowly. It had been a fantastic night and she did not want it to end just yet. She swept through the city, smiling as heads turned and eyes lingered on her. She was dressed as any respectable vampire would: to kill. She wore thigh-high black boots, a tight black skirt, a red corset and a long, black coat. Her hair whirled about her face like a hellish halo and her eyes burned like cognac ambers.

She reached the gleaming grey monolith that her family called home far too soon. She raced up the stairs with inhuman speed, all the way to the twenty-third floor.

Ember turned her key in the door and stepped into the apartment. She hardly had the chance to shrug her coat off when she heard her mother's frantic cries.

+++++++

Serafina wailed hysterically as she watched her husband struggle and twist in the deathly grip of her ghostly ex-lover.

Suddenly there was pounding at the door.

"Mom?! Dad?! Are you okay?!" A muffled voice came through the door. "Answer me!"

"Ember! Darling, run!" Serafina cried out, stumbling out of bed and towards the door.

"You had a child with this creature?!" Demetri roared angrily. He whirled around and flung Jasper across the room. The vampire crashed through a glass table and lay gasping on the floor, impaled by long slivers of glass.

Serafina dashed towards her husband and knelt amongst the shards of glass, cradling him in her arms. She roared angrily at Demetri and bared her fangs at him.

"I never loved you!" Serafina screamed. "Never!"

Demetri choked out a wretched groan and then gasped: "After I died... how long did you wait?"

"I didn't," Serafina spat, trembling with anger.

Demetri roared furiously.

"Mom! Dad! Who the hell is in there?! Open the door!" Ember shouted, pushing against the heavy mahogany door with all her might.

Demetri swooped down and pulled the door open. Ember fell into the room and the wraith immediately grabbed a fistful of her hair and hurled her away from him. Ember slammed into the wall and fell, semiconscious, to the floor.

"Ember!" Serafina cried.

Demetri looked at the vampiress and then at her child. He scooped the girl up into his arms and strode across the room to the window.

"No!" Serafina sobbed. "Don't take my baby!"

"You already have your baby," Demetri purred mockingly, glancing almost idly over his shoulder at the teary eyed vampiress. "You will have him forever. Death will never separate you. Isn't that enough?"

"Besides," he said, as he and Ember began to dematerialise, "your child should have been mine."

And with that, they disappeared.

Serafina moaned piteously and buried her head in her unconscious husband's chest.

+++++++

Ember gasped in a breath of cold air as she awoke. Consciousness coursed through her veins and she shivered as she regained her senses.

Her wrists were shackled to the wall above her head. She tugged at her bonds in vain for a few moments before she gave up.

The room she was in was round, old, and made of stone. It looked like a tower room of an ancient castle. The windows had never seen glass and frosty breezes swept through the chamber every few moments.

How cliché: the ghost takes his prisoner to a medieval castle, Ember snorted to herself as she shivered.

Ember tried to digest the absurd, but very real and dangerous, situation she now found herself in.

"I was abducted from my parents by a ghost..."

Even when Ember said that sentence aloud and heard it echo back to her, it still sounded ridiculous. And yet, it was true.

She had been able to hear almost every word through the door. It seemed that this ghost had loved her mother, had died, and had an extreme dislike for vampires and her father.

Your child should have been mine... Did the ghost say that?

Ember renewed her efforts to escape. She struggled so desperately to twist her wrists free that she did not notice when Demetri faded into the room.

"You have an unusual name," he said, "for a bloodsucker."

The young girl started and glared at the apparition striding towards her. Even in the darkness, his blue eyes glimmered like the sea under a midnight moon.

"I suppose you think I'm evil," he mused.

"Or," Ember interjected hotly, "maybe I think you're pathetic."

Demetri raised a silver eyebrow and he knelt down to be at eye-level with his prisoner.

"You are just a child," he said, his fierce eyes inches from hers. "You don't know what it's like to be in love."

"Not yet," Ember retorted, "or do you plan to make sure I never get the chance?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Demetri said menacingly. He leaned so close that his lips brushed against hers when he spoke. "Maybe I will keep you here and do to you everything I never got the chance to do to your mother."

Ember shuddered as the ghost leered at her.

"And then," Demetri continued, "once I am sick of you, I will send your body back to your parents. I could send just your head... But I think they will want to see the whole thing."

"Do your worst," Ember hissed at him.

Demetri recoiled and a sneering smile began to tug at his lips.

"That's exactly what I said to the vampires," he said softly. "And, believe me, that is exactly what they did."

And, with those words, Demetri faded through Ember.

In the brief moment that the spirit passed through her, Ember felt all of his pain and sorrow and bitter rage. She saw flashes of a bloody fight between the ghost and a group of vampires and she saw her mother turn away and leave him for dead before the world went black.

And then, it was all gone.

A single, reluctant tear dripped down Ember's cheek. It was an unbearable pain.

+++++++

Wherever the castle was located, it seemed to be in a perpetual state of stormy twilight. For what seemed like hours, Ember stared out the window, watching the rhythmic amassing then recessing of black, purple and grey clouds beyond the stone casement, and thinking about all that had happened.

Aside from my parents, I have never loved somebody so much that I would die for them... And my mother said that she didn't love him.

The girl cringed thinking about it. That was when Serafina had sealed her daughter's fate.

But I still don't know what he's going to do to me... and I don't think he knows either.

Ember decided the ghost had been bluffing when he had threatened her earlier. After the phantom had unwittingly shared his pain with her, Ember decided that he wasn't evil.

He's angry, he's lonely... He's heartbroken, not evil. He would never be able to do those things to me... He still has feelings, even if he doesn't have a heart.

+++++++

Demetri breathed down through the castle in sighs of bitter rage and guilt.

"How could I have said those things to her?" he asked himself aloud.

The spirit sank down and rested on the satin throne of some ancient king and let his heart answer his spoken question:

Because she is Serafina's child and I cannot help hating her. She broke my heart and left me for dead after I fought to keep her safe. I gave my life to keep her safe, and she repaid me by falling in love with one of those monsters.

Memories filled Demetri's spirit and he sank through the floor into the dungeons below. He howled through the stinking cells until he passed out of the castle, and soared into the eternal tempest that made up the ghostly realm.

The girl is mine now.

+++++++

Demetri hazed back into the tower room and found Ember's flaming eyes closed in sleep. Her slim form was trembling with cold and Demetri quickly dematerialised the shackles that bound her to the wall.

She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, but did not awaken from her slumber.

Demetri knelt beside her and picked her up, phasing through the castle with her in his arms.

Ember's eyes fluttered open and she started when she found herself in the ghost's arms. Demetri looked down at her with the hint of a smile on his lips. He headed straight towards another wall and Ember quickly latched her arms around his neck and squeezed her eyes shut as they morphed through it.

Finally, they faded into the room that Demetri found for her: A fire was blazing in the hearth of a magnificent fireplace, and the bed was made up with satin sheets.

Demetri tried to lower the girl onto the bed, but Ember's arms were still tightly wrapped around his neck.

"Is this part of my torture?" she murmured.

Demetri dematerialised momentarily and Ember dropped onto the soft mattress with a gasp.

"Maybe," Demetri whispered as he faded back into view.

"Well, thank you," she said softly. "Um, I don't know your name."

Demetri's gaze hardened: "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that your mother never mentioned me."

Ember bit her lip and lowered her eyes. Of course her mother hadn't.

"Demetri," he said shortly. Then he turned on his heel and began to walk towards the wall they had entered through.

"Demetri," Ember called out.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," she said simply.

Demetri stopped in his tracks and turned to face the girl. His eyes met hers and he saw everything she felt for him at that moment. And it made him angry.

"You mean you feel sorry for me," he snarled quietly.

Ember's eyes widened as Demetri began to stalk back across the room towards her. His blue eyes were storming wildly.

The girl began to scramble backwards across the bed, but there really was no use in her movements of escape. In an instant, Demetri was on the bed and on top of her. He straddled the struggling halfling and his ghostly hands wound around her neck.

"Hate me, fear me," he snarled, "feel anything towards me but pity."

Ember gasped for air and clawed in vain at the ethereal hands wrapped around her throat. Her amber eyes were burning with angry shock and she bared her fangs at him.

Demetri stood and wrenched Ember up, holding the struggling girl up before him. With a powerful growl, he hurled her across the room. Ember's slim form slammed against the wall and she cried out in pain as she crumpled to the ground.

Ember rose slowly: Her lip was bleeding and she cradled her forehead with one hand.

Demetri jumped off the bed and began to walk towards the injured girl. He was scarcely five feet from Ember, when she lunged at him. Her eyes were sparked with a fierce, unholy fire and her fangs were bared to sink into him.

But, in the split-second before Ember collided with him, Demetri dissolved into thin air. Ember cried out as she hit the floor, and Demetri was over her in an instant.

He grabbed a fistful of the halfling's hair and dragged her towards the fireplace. Ember scrambled behind him as best she could on her hands and knees.

Demetri threw her onto the fur mat in front of the fireplace. Ember groaned and slowly propped herself up on her hands and knees. The ghost knelt behind her, gripping her chin and forcing her face up with one hand while the other grabbed at the edge of her corset and ripped it off.

"No! Stop!" Ember cried, trying vainly to twist away.

Demetri growled and pushed her face into the mat to muffle her cries as he tore her clothes off her bruised body with inhuman strength.

In moments, she was naked except for her thigh-high boots. Demetri flipped her onto her back as if she weighed nothing, and he shivered at the sight of her naked body.

God, she's gorgeous. And there is no one to stop me from taking her.

"Well, you're as beautiful as Serafina, but are you as much of a whore?" Demetri asked as he pinned her wrists over her head. "Tell me, are you a good fuck, halfling? Huh?"

Ember lay deathly still and her eyes gleamed with angry tears.

"Get off me," she growled.

Demetri shifted so that he could hold both of her wrists with one hand, with the other, he reached down to unbuckle his belt.

Ember thrashed and bucked wildly.

"No! No! Get the fuck off me!" she roared furiously at the ghost.

Demetri smirked and used the belt to strap her wrists together.

"That's better," he murmured, "now, I can do this..."

The ghost unzipped his pants and Ember's eyes widened at the sight of his dick. He wrapped a hand around it and began to pump slowly as he stared down at her. His other hand, however, was at Ember's pussy. He drove his fingers hard into her vagina and smiled as her face contorted in pain and reluctant pleasure.

Demetri stopped suddenly and Ember opened her eyes as his fingers left her sex. But the ghost was not done.

"No! Don't you fucking dare! No!"

Demetri hefted his penis and sneered at his captive. He slapped her vagina with it a couple times and slid the tip around the entrance.

He took one last look at her teary face, lust flashing like lightening in his stormy eyes, and whispered: "All the things I never got to do..."

And then he shoved his massive dick deep into Ember's pussy. The halfling screamed as he began to thrust hard inside her.

Ember's breasts bounced with the force of his thrusts, but he didn't stop. The ghost's powerful arms lifted the halfling's legs up so that he could force himself deeper into her. He groaned in pleasure as he felt the tip of his dick pressing into her insides.

"God what a tight little pussy..." the ghost grunted, thrusting harder and faster into the halfling.

It seemed ages to Ember before Demetri's breath began to quicken but, in reality, the ghost had not lasted long. He was reaching an explosive climax when he pulled out of her, letting her legs fall around him as he stood up. Demetri looked down and saw that his dick was red with blood.

"Oh my God," the ghost said incredulously. "Was I your first, little bloodsucker? Huh? Will I be the first and the last man to take you?"

Ember closed her eyes as tears threatened to flood them.

Demetri laughed darkly and pulled her onto her knees by her hair. As he stroked his cock to keep his climax from fading, he growled: "Open your eyes and your mouth, you little slut. Blood or no blood I want to see you chocking on my cock."

Ember opened her eyes, but found she could barely see through the mist of tears. The second she opened her mouth, however, Demetri wrenched her up by her hair and forced his dick down her throat.

The halfling gagged as she struggled to swallow all of his cock.

Demetri did not wait for Ember to get used to his size before he began to fuck her mouth. Soon he was slamming his cock into Ember's mouth so fast and so hard that she could not keep the tears from streaming down her face. Ember looked up at him and saw those glowing eyes fixed on her.

Demetri grunted and shoved his cock as far down Ember's throat as he could, the halfling's watery eyes sparkling up at him had almost sent him over the edge. He pulled his cock from her mouth and slapped it across her teary face before wiping the tip against her full, red lips.

Demetri took a step back and let Ember go completely. The halfling slumped to the ground and lay at his feet, gasping for air and leaking tears.

The ghost laughed breathlessly and then knelt over her face, pumping his dick fast and hard.

"Get ready to drink my cum," he murmured lustily. "And if you spill a drop, I'll make you lick it off the floor."

Ember did not move.

Demetri gripped her chin firmly so that her open mouth was beneath him. Ember did not struggle, but she clamped her eyes shut as Demetri let out a rasping cry and shot his cum all over her face.

Master of Fire Ch. 02



Ember glared at the window.

She had tried to climb out of it and down the stone walls into the swirling wasteland that surrounded the castle. But when she climbed through the casement, she found herself climbing back in... Even when she jumped straight out through the window, she landed inside the room.

Demetri had left her on the floor with her face covered in cum and her own blood, and wearing only her boots. She had managed to undo the belt that had held her wrists together so that she could clean her face. Now she used the belt to hold a sheet she had wrapped around her in place.

Ember shivered as a gust of cold wind filled the room. She knelt beside the fireplace, as close as she could get to the flames without being burned. She breathed in heavily, reigning in a surge of despair that threatened to flood her eyes once more with tears.

I have to escape, or he'll do it again.

With a sudden resolve, she set her jaw and clenched her fists.

I will not give in to him again. I will escape.

+++++++

Demetri faded into Ember's room. This time, however, he chose to remain invisible.

The room was filled with the lingering emotions of his captive: sorrow, anger, despair, confusion. But Ember's spirit was pulsing with a strong energy fuelled by anger and an instinctual will to survive.

He watched her for a couple moments as she paced the room, her fiery eyes flashing restlessly and the heels of her thigh-high boots clicking on the stone floor. Then, she stopped.

"You can't hide," she snarled.

Demetri materialised behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her body tightly against his.

"And you can't escape," he said softly.

Ember gasped angrily and tried to free herself from the ghost's grasp. Demetri chuckled darkly and ripped the sheet off his captive. He pushed Ember away from him, continuing to grip one of her wrists. She stumbled slightly as he pulled her around to face him and she fell to her knees at his feet.

Demetri laughed and pulled Ember's face to his crotch.

Ember cried out angrily and struggled to push herself away from Demetri's groin.

"Are you hungry, halfling?" Demetri mocked, "Because I can given you something to suck."

"I'd rather starve!" Ember said through gritted teeth.

"I am not going to let you starve," Demetri said smugly.

He watched her struggle for a few moments more before he released her.

Ember fell backwards, glaring up at the ghost in disgust.

"You are disgusting!"

Demetri shook his head and knelt beside Ember. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her face towards his.

"And you are mine."

+++++++

It could have been half an hour since Demetri's last visit... Or it could have been half a day. The sky outside the window was not lit by any natural moon or sun, and Ember began to wonder if time even existed in this phantasmic realm.

She hugged another sheet around herself and walked over to the window for the hundredth time, looking to see if anything had changed. Just as with the other hundred times, nothing had: the sky (and what should have been the ground) bruised and blanched undisturbed by a soul.

But there must be other ghosts roaming this realm. There must be...

And, with this thought, Ember screamed.

Vampire screams cannot be heard by human ears, but the beings that can hear them, cannot ignore them. In the wild, bats are known to mostly communicate in high-pitched chirps and squeaks, but on occasion they have been known to emit a low, hollow peal. That is what a vampire scream sounds like: like the echoing tolls of a thousand melancholy bells. At first, there is no sense of urgency about the rippling waves of sound, but as the hollow notes echo farther and farther away, they begin to crash together and crescendo into a desperate cacophony.

Ember's haunting scream resounded out of the room and was carried away by the spectral storm... But would someone hear it?

Ember stood in the reverberations of her scream, listening for an answer while her keen eyes searched the sky. But her scream was answered by a silence and an empty horizon. So, she leaned farther out the window and opened her mouth to let loose another haunting scream.

But she didn't get the chance: Demetri's hand was suddenly over her mouth and he was wrenching her away from the window.

"You stupid bitch!" Demetri glowered, spinning Ember around so that her fiery eyes were locked with his. "There are things far more dangerous than me in this realm."

Demetri shook his head at the struggling girl and smirked as the sheet fell around her ankles.

"Though it might be nice to watch an incubus have his way with you when I'm finished."

Ember cried out angrily and tore free from the surprised ghost's grip. She was on Demetri in the same second: her fangs bared and ripping into his neck.

But her teeth did not draw blood and Demetri had overcome her after a moment's struggle. He straddled the girl and pinned her wrists above her head.

Ember let loose an animal cry and struggled beneath the ghost, bucking her hips and wrenching her wrists apart. Then, Ember began to scream again. 

Demetri let go of one of Ember's wrists and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Obviously I cannot keep you in this room," the ghost said through gritted teeth, and he held onto Ember tightly and then faded them both through the floor. Down, down they sank, melting through the castle until they reached the dungeon. Demetri remained straddling Ember as they landed, refusing to let her struggle away from him.

"No one will be able to hear you through these walls," he whispered in her ear.

Ember jerked her head away from him as far as his tight grip would allow. 

"What do you want from me?!"

"I want my revenge," he said, letting his words whisper over her skin. "I'm going to whip bloody patterns across your beautiful skin. I'm going to make you scream with every lash until you can barely whisper your surrender. Then I'll fuck you. I'll fuck your pussy so damn hard that you'll beg with your last breath for me to stop."

Demetri ground his pelvis against Ember's and laughed as she struggled violently to escape from under him.

"But I won't," he said.

Ember's eyes welled with tears and she closed her eyes tightly so that she no longer had to look into the eyes of her captor.

"Oh come on," the ghost whispered mockingly, "are you going to give in to me so soon, halfling?"

Ember opened her eyes and tried to choke out a few words, but her trembling lips would not allow it.

So, Demetri kissed them.

He pressed his lips against Ember's and slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting the bittersweet tang of her despair, the subtle spice of her anger.

It took Ember a few moments to even realise what was going on. When she did realise that her captor was kissing her, she did not know how to react. She had never been kissed like this: She could taste the hunger of his anger, the heat in his passion, and the salty aftertaste of sadness.

She tried to pull away from him, but Demetri just pressed his weight harder onto the girl and refused to surrender her lips.

Ember began to get angry, she was not going to let him have her so easily. She renewed her struggle and wrenched her face away from him.

Demetri pulled away from her and smiled at the familiar spark that smouldered in her eyes. 

That's better. 

Demetri leaned forward to kiss her again, and faded into thin air the moment their lips touched.

Ember rolled onto her side as soon as the ghost disappeared completely and choked out a miserable sob. She held a hand to her lips and whimpered at the sight of new blood issuing from the bloody lip Demetri had given her earlier. She was overcome by the failure of the only reasonable plan for escape she had. She continued sobbing as she crawled slowly towards one of the corners of the dungeon and curled up in the damp corner, shivering with sorrow, anger, and cold.

+++++++

When Demetri reappeared in the damp dungeon he found the halfling shivering in her sleep in a corner.

Her beautiful face was stained with blood, tears and dirt, her arms were covered in bruises from Demetri's harsh hands, and her tall boots were more brown than black. But, somehow, she was still the most stunning creature the ghost had ever seen.

He crept silently towards the halfling and knelt down in front of her, taking in her trembling body. The ghost reached out to touch her quivering lips. For a moment, Demetri wanted to gently run his fingers over her raw lips. But when the halfling emitted a soft, involuntarily moan, all Demetri wanted was to take her as forcefully as he could.

The ghost slipped his fingers into the halfling's partly opened mouth and shoved them hard down her throat when her flaming eyes started open.

Ember tried to struggle away from the ghost, grabbing onto his arm and pushing him away with her booted feet. The ghost laughed at his prisoner, revelling in the humiliation burning in her eyes.

"You like it don't you?" he chuckled lustily. "Don't you? You little slut."

The ghost grabbed a fistful of her hair with his other hand, forcing his fingers further down her throat. He smiled smugly as she choked on his fingers.

"You want more, don't you?" He murmured. "These fingers aren't enough for you, are they?"

Demetri finally drew back his hand and stood up. The girl coughed and hid her face from the ghost, refusing to let him see the tears falling from her eyes.

"No," Demetri said, "let me see your face."

The halfling didn't move.

"Show me your face, bloodsucker," the ghost growled, a gale building fast in his eyes.

Once again, the halfling refused to move.

Demetri reached down and grabbed Ember's arm, wrenching her to her feet and shoving her against the wall.

He shoved his forearm against her throat and stared into her fiery eyes.

Ember's eyes narrowed and she kneed Demetri swiftly in the groin. The ghost reacted on instinct even though he couldn't feel anything. He shoved his arm harder against her throat and clutched at his groin. When he realised that he wasn't in pain, Demetri glowered at the halfling and let her go.

Ember fell to the ground, clutching at her throat and gasping for air.

"You need to learn to be more obedient," he said bitterly.

"I will never give in to you, ghost," Ember retorted.

"You already have," the ghost reminded her, a dark smile returning to his face.

Suddenly the ghost grabbed her by her hair again and threw her into the middle of the room. Ember cried out and rolled onto her back.

In seconds the ghost was straddling her neck, his knees on either side of her face.

"You've already surrendered to me, halfling," he said. "You didn't fight hard enough. You let me take you."

"I didn't let you," Ember scowled. "You made me."

Ember tried to squirm away but she couldn't move very far.

"What a beautiful sight," the ghost said, leering down at her. "Those big, glowing eyes staring up at me... There's only one thing that could make it better."

Slowly Demetri's hands wandered down to his pants and undid his zipper, pulling his dick and balls out of his boxers.

Tears started spilling from the halfling's eyes again as Demetri started to stroke his member in front of her face.

"Open your mouth, halfling," the ghost commanded lustily. "I want to see those eyes staring up at me when my cock is halfway down your throat."

The halfling glared at him, sealing her lips tightly shut in response.

"You wanna play games, halfling?" Demetri murmured. "Very well then..."

Ember couldn't struggle away from the ghost as he slapped his dick across her forehead and ran his balls up and down her face.

She just lay there, taking the abuse, feeling his dick and balls rubbing against her face. Soon the ghost was jacking off over her face, letting his balls bounce on her lips.

"Why don't you put that sharp tongue of yours to use, huh?" Demetri murmured. "Lick my balls, halfling."

The ghost let out a darkling chuckle as Ember's eyes blazed in disgust and angry.

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"You will open your fucking mouth, halfling," he said lustily. "I need to feel my cock in your mouth."

With that the ghost pinched Ember's nose closed. The halfling's eyes widened slightly but she did not open her mouth to breathe. It seemed as if minutes had passed before the halfling began to show signs that she was struggling. The ghost positioned himself over her mouth, ready to thrust his dick down her throat the moment her lips parted. And that is exactly what he did.

The halfling barely had the chance to gasp in a breath of air before Demetri's massive member was pressing against the back of her throat.

The ghost let go of her nose so that she could breathe and then began to fuck her mouth. 

He loved the sound she made as she choked on his cock, gagging every time it touched the back of her throat.

"God that feels good, halfling," Demetri snarled lustily. "Your mouth is as good a fuck as your pussy."

The ghost skull-fucked Ember hard and fast, and he kept fucking her mouth until he was bursting to cum.

"Oh fuck," he groaned. "I'm cumming halfling. Drink it you little slut. Drink it all."

The halfling was forced to swallow the cum shooting down her throat. As soon as Demetri stood up, she rolled onto her stomach, coughing and crying.

"Enjoy your breakfast, halfling?" the ghost asked smugly as he zipped his pants up. "You'll have to work for your lunch."

He paused as he fastened his belt and pushed her over onto her back with his foot. 

"I like that, actually," he smiled, toeing her with his boot. "You'll have to get me hard if you're hungry. How does that sound?"

The halfling shoved the ghost's foot away and crawled shakily into the corner.

"I'll die first, you fucking asshole," she muttered.

"I told you," he said, walking slowly towards her, "I won't let you starve."

Demetri was suddenly looming over her, rubbing at his groin.

"In fact, I'm almost ready to feed you again."

Ember tried to shrink into the cold stones behind her as the ghost knelt in front of her.

"Are you still hungry?"

"Get the fuck away from me," the halfling growled through gritted teeth.

"I get shivers when you try to fight back," Demetri whispered. "You don't want to be mine, but you are. You're all mine."

The ghost grabbed the back of Ember's neck and pulled her close to him.

"Give us a kiss."

Ember tried to struggle away but the ghost would not let her lips escape his. He enveloped her mouth in such a brutal kiss that by the time Demetri finally pulled away from the halfling, her lower lip was bleeding again.

Demetri let go of the halfling and faded through her into the dungeon walls.

Ember could feel the ghost's lust and rage as he faded through her, she could see memories of him raping her, hear her own heart beating, see the fear and anger in her own eyes.

Worst of all, she could feel how much he wanted her. Flashes of his fantasies, of rape, torture and brutal domination filled her mind.

It was too much for the halfling. Ember cried herself to sleep, huddled in the darkest corner of the dungeon.



Master of Fire Ch. 03



Ember woke up to find her wrists pinned above her head by another pair of iron shackles.

Just as before, she tried vainly to slip her wrists from their bindings. Ember slumped against the wall and let her arms hang limp.

Ember sighed and then spoke aloud: "What do you want from me, ghost?"

"You'll see," came Demetri's voice in her ear.

Ember started as Demetri faded through the wall from behind her to kneel before her.

"I think I already have, ghost," she muttered. "Every time you fade through me I get a glimpse of some fresh hell."

"Are you refusing to say my name, halfling?" Demetri asked teasingly.

Ember's eyes crackled.

"That's a shame," he smiled, "because I was looking forward to hearing you scream it."

"You expect me to call you by your name?" Ember said icily. "You're a monster."

"Then we can play Beauty and the Beast," Demetri said, flashing her a mocking grin.

"Well when you die, I can promise I won't save you with a confession of undying love," Ember retorted.

"Thank God I'm already dead then."

"Which means my mother didn't do that either."

Ember glared at the ghost, knowing full-well how hard her words must have stung him.

Demetri's smile vanished and his blue eyes narrowed. He cocked his head and reached out his hand, brushing it down Ember's face and then slowly wrapping his fingers around her throat.

Ember tried to squirm away from is touch, but he gripped her neck tightly.

"I loved her more than my life," Demetri said slowly. "I loved her more than my fucking life and she ripped my heart out and tore it to pieces."

Ember panted for air.

"You don't know how to pick your fights, halfling," the ghost said as he eyed his struggling prisoner.

"Neither... did... you!" Ember managed to gasp.

Demetri's fingers loosened, and then he ran his hand down to cup her breast and tease her hardening nipple. He felt his captive's chest rise and fall quickly.

"You're right," he murmured, his eyes still holding hers.

He leaned in close to Ember and smiled as she tried to shrink back into the wall. His hands dug into her flesh and she gasped in pain as he lowered his head to bite at her nipple.

"But you are a fine consolation prize, halfling," the ghost said, his words whispering over her breast. "There is nothing to stop me from taking you whenever I want. I can do whatever I want to you."

"Fuck you," she said hoarsely.

Demetri's eyes flashed angrily: "Is that a promise, little bloodsucker?"

The ghost stood up and his gaze hardened as Ember glared up at him.

"You look so much like your mother did," Demetri growled, "the night she fucking killed me!"

Demetri punctuated his cry by swinging a kick at the chained halfling.

"She broke my heart when she betrayed me for a vampire, and then, to add insult to injury, she had you," Demetri roared.

Ember choked as his booted foot met with her stomach once again.

Demetri bent down over Ember, grabbing her chin and wrenching her face towards his. Demetri blinked in surprise when Ember's eyes met his. They burned with anger, pain and determination, but there was something else buried beneath those feelings.  

She still feels sorry for me. She pities me.

"Don't you dare pity me!" he said dangerously. "Don't you dare fucking pity me!"

The ghost straightened and swung another kick at the halfling. Ember cried out in pain and tears ran down her cheeks as Demetri kicked her, again, and again, and again.

"I will break you, halfling," Demetri roared. "I will break you!"

The ghost revelled in the sharp cries that the halfling emitted whenever his booted foot came into contact with her slim form.

Finally, he stopped. He stood panting, taking in the battered body of his captive. She looked defeated, crushed from the outside in. But, despite the tears spilling from her eyes, they still burned with deep emotions.

I was wrong. Those eyes are nothing like Serafina's. I can see into the depths of her soul through those fiery eyes. I can see the anger, the despair, the way she feels about what happened to me... those wild emotions that she has no control over.

He knelt down and ran a thumb over her lips. She had bitten them almost bloody.

God, she is so beautiful... so young and full of life. I want her to fight me. I want to chase her. I would chase her to the ends of the earth just to have the chance to take her at the world's end.

Demetri leaned down and his mouth engulfed hers in a torturous kiss. Ember winced as he bit at her lower lip and consumed her mouth in a feverish kiss.

Demetri broke the kiss and stared into her eyes without emotion. He was lost in thought, and she barely had the strength to keep her eyes open to hold his empty gaze. He watched as the fire that had flamed so brightly in her beautiful eyes faded to ash. The ghost straightened abruptly and wrapped his hands around the shackles that bound Ember to the wall. The irons opened at his touch and he pulled her to her feet by a fistful of hair.

"Fight back," he purred in her ear. "Come on, halfling. Fight back."

Ember struggled to stand on her own, but her body was in agony and she could hardly meet Demetri's eyes.

As soon as she gained her footing, Demetri let go of her hair and shoved her across the room.

Ember cried out as she landed on the cobbled floor. Demetri's eyes flashed as she slowly propped herself up. His lips curved in a lusty smile as he strode towards her.

Ember tried to crawl away from the ghost, but Demetri was before her in an instant. He loomed over her, smugly shaking his head at the girl lying at his feet.

"Is that all you got?" Demetri asked darkly, using the toe of his boot to lift her chin up so that the halfling's teary eyes met his. "Huh? You going to give up?"

"Never," Ember breathed, angrily pushing his foot away.

"Then fight back," Demetri sneered, toeing her with his boot.

Ember gathered her strength, rage building inside her as the ghost patronised her.

"Where did that flame go?" Demetri taunted. "Did I stamp out the fire in you?"

Ember began to push herself up, using the wall as support. She drew herself up to her full height and spat in Demetri's face.

"No."

Demetri stood motionless for a moment, holding Ember's fiery gaze with his stormy eyes. Slowly, Demetri wiped his face and then he pulled his hand back sharply.

Ember didn't flinch.

"Not scared of me anymore, huh?" Demetri chuckled lightly: "We'll see how long that lasts."

Then the ghost backhanded Ember across the face so hard that her legs gave out beneath her and she crumpled to the ground. The halfling slumped on her hands and knees before him.

Demetri knelt behind her and grabbed her waist. She barely had the strength to resist, but she gathered all the energy she had left in an attempt to escape him once she heard him undoing his pants. She frantically clawed at the cobblestones in an effort to escape the huge dick that was now running over her ass.

Demetri laughed and he tightened his grip on her hips to hold her still.

"Have you ever had a man's dick in your ass, halfling?" He slapped her ass so hard his fingers left welts on her bare flesh. He let out a dark laugh as she cried out in pain.

"I'm gonna fill your ass with my cum," he said, and then he plunged his dick inside her.

Ember cried out with each thrust that the ghost made. Her body ached all over, and her ass felt like it was on fire.

Demetri did not last long: The sight of his prisoner, wearing nothing but his belt hanging around her hips and her thigh-high boots, with her face pressed into the ground as he pummelled her ass, was too much to bear.

"Oh, get ready for it, halfling," he growled. "I'm cumming. I'm filling your tight ass with my cum."

Ember's face contorted deliciously as she tried to fight back the tears that welled in her eyes when she felt his hot cum filling her ass.

Demetri panted and pulled out of the young girl. He stood up and did his pants back up before he grabbed one of her wrists and dragged her back to the shackles embedded into the wall so he could clamp her arms back inside them.

He lifted her face so that she was staring at him through teary eyes and whispered: "Just because you haven't given yourself to me, doesn't mean you aren't mine."

Ember was barely awake when Demetri faded from the room. Her body was in agony and wracked with constant shivers from the cold and damp, and she did not have the energy to stay conscious.

+++++++

When she first saw him, Ember thought she was dreaming. At first, he had seemed a slinking shadow and then suddenly a dark figure was striding from the darkness towards her.

"Let me go," she whispered hoarsely, closing her eyes as he knelt down before her.

Fingers reached out to cup her breasts and run down her thighs.

"What a beautiful little blood-biter," he hissed.

Wait.. That - that's not Demetri's voice...

Ember opened her eyes slowly in confusion. The darkling creature crouched before her was certainly not her captor: He was built like a human man, but his skin was covered in scaly ridges that crawled over his naked frame, his eyes were lid-less and pupil-less, from his rippling head rose two horns, two spiny wings protruded from his back and a spiked tail whipped agitatedly behind him.

"What are you doing here?" the creature hissed again, a forked tongue flicking against her cheek. "You don't belong here..."

Ember's brow furrowed and she turned groggily away from the creature.

"Speak to me, blood-biter," he whispered, his jagged tail wrapping around her neck.

Ember shook her head and the creature began to squeeze. Ember let out a rasping cry as the spikes dug into her neck.

Help me... oh God please help me...

The creature grinned and Ember felt blood dripping down her neck. The creature cackled and began to lap at her neck with his forked tongue.

Ember had no energy to scream, and she felt herself slipping from consciousness the longer the creature drank her blood.

Please... Please...

Ember had just slipped into unconsciousness as Demetri melted through her into the dungeon. His spirit was pure power and anger in that moment. He grabbed the creature as he faded through her, and fought the howling demon into a corner.

"You should not have brought her here!" the creature screeched.

Demetri roared angrily as he lunged at the beast and faded them both through the floor. They burst into the buffeting winds of the phantom realm and Demetri tore at his aggressor furiously.

The demon howled with each blow that Demetri struck and fought back with his lashing tail and clawing hands.

"He's going to find out, ghost!" the demon cackled as he dove at Demetri. "It's just a matter of time. And then he's going to take her all for himself!"

Demetri grabbed the demon's whipping tail and wrenched him downwards, grabbing and tearing at his wings.

Finally Demetri had him by the throat.

"You won't live to tell him," he whispered threateningly.

The demon's eyes were an unholy blaze of green as he laughed in the ghost's face: "He's gonna find your pretty little blood-biter!"

The ghost's lip curled in anger and he shoved an invisible hand inside the creature and ripped out it's heart. The demon howled in pain and fell down through the clouds until his shadowy form disappeared from sight.

The creature's heart turned to dust in Demetri's hand, and the ghost let the sooty remnants be blown through his fingers. Then, he turned and faded back into the castle. His eyes widened as they took in his bruised and bleeding captive. Her neck was laced with blood from wounds the creature had inflicted, and the injuries he had inflicted on her had barely healed. Though vampires' healing rates are almost a hundred times faster than that of a human, a lack of nutrition, hydration and sleep had taken their toll on the halfling.

Oh God. What was I thinking? She needs food, she needs water... She looks so weak.

Demetri fell to his knees before Ember and cupped her face tenderly in his hands, his eyes flickered with shame when she flinched at his touch.

"Y-you -" she whispered hoarsely.

Demetri shook his head and brushed her hair from her eyes.

"I am so sorry, little halfling," he said softly. He quickly dissolved the shackles on her wrists and shrugged his jacket off to wrap around her shoulders. He tore off his shirt and dabbed at the blood covering the halfling's neck.

Even though Ember could hardly see through the haze of tears filling her eyes, she suddenly noticed as Demetri pulled her gently into his arms that every inch of his defined torso was laced with scars.

The vampires... she thought groggily.

The ghost stood up and kissed the halfling, fading them away as she fell limp. Demetri hugged her close and sped up through the floors of the castle.

+++++++

Ember's vision was blurry when her eyelids finally fluttered open. It took her eyes and her mind a few moments to digest her surroundings. She gazed around dizzily and realised all at once that she was in a steaming pool of water, that she was lying in Demetri's lap, and that they were both naked.

The ghost had one arm wrapped around her for support, holding her in his lap so that he could wash away the stains of abuse that covered the halfling's body.

Groggily, she tried to push the ghost's hand away and roll out of his arms, but he held her still.

"Halfling, you're safe," he whispered. "The demon's gone. He won't hurt you again, I promise."

"Y-you al-" the halfling tried to speak, but her dry mouth could not form words.

"Oh, here, I have water for you," the ghost said gently, reaching behind him for a goblet of water. "Please, you must drink this."

The girl's lips parted slightly and he tipped the goblet slightly so that the cool water could trickle into her mouth. He watched as her lips slowly regained their colour, the ashen hues fading from her skin the more she drank. When the glass was empty, there would be another waiting for the ghost's outstretched hand. Eventually, however, he reached and found his hand wrapping around a warm earthen mug that smelled of fruits and herbs. He lowered it to her mouth and smiled slightly as the halfling shook her head and reached out to hold the mug herself. Her strength was returning with each sip, but her breathing was still haggard when Demetri took the empty cup from her hands.

The ghost continued to dab at the halfling as she lay in his lap, but, despite his gentle touch, Ember cried out in agony when he ran a hand over her ribs.

"I-I am so sorry," the ghost stammered as he cradled the writhing girl in his lap. "I am so, so sorry."

Eventually, the pain eased and Ember's moans turned to silent tears that glistened on her cheeks as she slipped back into unconsciousness.

Ember woke again only a few minutes later, but in her mind and to the ghost, her faint had lasted a lifetime.

"Oh, thank God, you're awake," the ghost whispered gently, running his fingers over her face.

Ember pushed his hand away purposefully this time and she tried to stand, but her body was still too weak. Demetri looped his arm around her waist and pulled the her back towards him, holding her still in his arms.

"You are still too weak, you must stay still," he said, burying his face in her dripping hair. "God, I thought I'd lost you, but you're safe now."

"Safe?" Ember whispered hoarsely. "Y-you almost killed me! You kidnapped me! You raped me! You-you..."

Demetri silenced his prisoner with a brief, but powerful, kiss.

"I'm sorry," he breathed. His lips brushed against hers as he spoke: "I just can't control myself around you."

Ember shook her head weakly, lying limply in his arms. She was painfully aware that his cock was resting against her beneath the water.

"Let me go," she said, her voice strengthening quickly.

Demetri did not answer her, instead reaching one arm over his shoulder to produce a bunch of chocolate-covered grapes.

"The chocolate will give you some energy," he said.

Ember reached for the grapes gratefully.

I don't know why he is doing this. But, still, I am just so hungry...

But Demetri pulled the grapes away from Ember's outstretched hands.

"No, no," he said, "just bite them off the stem."

"I don't want to play games," the halfling said listlessly.

Demetri kissed her lightly on the corner of her mouth and spoke low: "But you are such a dangerous little plaything... Indulge me."

Ember frowned, but she was starving, so she opened her mouth and bit one of the grapes off the bunch.

Demetri's dick throbbed a little as the halfling ate from the bunch dangling from his fingers. Her beautiful lips were smeared with chocolate by the time she was through.

He smiled at her as she swallowed the last grape, marvelling that colour was already returning to her wan cheeks.

"There's that glow," he sighed. "I was waiting to see the fire return to your skin."

Gently, he pulled the hair from her neck and smiled when he saw that the wounds had closed.

"I think it was that tea, honestly, but a little food has done you a world of good," he said.

He touched her lightly on her ribs again, asking her if they hurt each time and apologising each time she winced. Finally, his hand returned to her face and he took in her beauty, as if for the first time.

"God, you're eyes are beautiful," he breathed.

Ember lowered her eyes, and Demetri seized on his opportunity to kiss her once again. Her lips were sweeter than ever because they were tinged with chocolate, and he licked them clean as he withdrew from the kiss.

"You taste so fucking sweet," he whispered against her neck.

Ember started to lift herself out of the ghost's arms. But he was having none of it.

"No, no, no," he said between nibbling kisses on her neck. "I almost lost you. That demon almost killed you."

"I almost wish you had let him," she murmured bitterly.

"I won't let anyone will take you from me, halfling."

"Oh right, killing me is your job," Ember retorted, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke.

Demetri drew away from her and held her eyes. His voice was soft as he admitted, "Halfling, I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to you."

"That's fucking bullshit," she sobbed angrily. "You almost killed me a few hours ago."

"A few hours ago, I had not thought anything could take you from me. You were mine and mine alone. Mine to do with as I pleased," the ghost said with quiet intensity. "I wanted to take out my rage on you, I wanted to take out my frustration on you. I hated your pity."

Demetri paused and brushed a strand of hair from Ember's face.

"Then I realised that what I saw in your eyes wasn't pity. It was sympathy," the ghost's tone was almost entreating as his eyes searched hers. "You understand my pain, don't you?"

Ember wiped the tears from her blazing eyes, refusing to answer.

He's been through so much fucking pain. I have never loved anyone that much... And she said she didn't love him. She said she didn't love him...

"You are a hopeless romantic, aren't you?" Demetri smiled softly. "Even after all the things I did to you, you still sympathise with me. You have such a beautiful soul. As beautiful as your body."

Demetri ran his hand down her leg.

"You are so gorgeous, even when you cry, you are the most stunning creature I have ever seen."

Ember stared nervously into his eyes, breathless and speechless. She could feel the ghost's cock hardening.

"Don't you dare," she whispered, her eyes filling with hurt anger. "Don't..."

"Don't what?"

"Don't rape me."

"You aren't really in a position to stop me, are you?"

The halfling tried to push herself away from the ghost, but his grip around her waist was firm.




Master of Fire Ch. 03



"I thought you weren't scared of me."

Ember struggled to pull Demetri's arms apart: "I'm not."

"Then stop trying to escape."

The halfling's eyes widened as Demetri pushed his dick against her. She held herself as far from him as she could manage, her pleading eyes burned into his, and her fresh tears seared his skin as they fell.

"You should have let me die!" she cried. "You should have just let me fucking die!"

Demetri froze. He loosened his grip and watched motionlessly as the halfling fell away from him. She stood out of his reach in the water, clutching her shaking arms around herself.

"I don't know why I care!" she said angrily, emotions stoking the flames in her eyes to a raging fire. "You just play with me! You tell me shit about how you couldn't bear it if I was hurt and then you go and try to rape me again. You are so full of shit! You - you -"

The halfling looked as if she was about to faint. She was still weak from her injuries, and she was exhausted from the emotions running wildly through her heart.

"I'm sorry, halfling," Demetri said softly. He slipped off the ledge and waded towards her. "You just incite so many conflicting passions in me all at once. At any given moment I feel a thousand emotions towards you. I feel transfixed by your beauty, both the beauty of your body and of your spirit; I feel incensed by the connection you bear to the woman who killed me and broke my heart; I feel a powerful need to have you, to take you, to own you; and, yet, I feel an even more powerful need to love you and have you love me."

Ember turned away, taken aback by the ghost's honesty. She clutched at the side of the pool to steady herself.

"I am always painfully aware that your body, at least, is in my power and I can take you whenever I want, but that, when I do, I am losing more and more hope of gaining the part of you I value the most."

The ghost reached out towards her, but the halfling turned to face him before his fingers reached her.

"Don't touch me," she spat.

"I don't mean-"

"You're a fucking liar!"

"Please, just let me help y-"

"Get the fuck away from me!"

Ember could go no further, try as she might to shrink into the stones. She glared at Demetri through teary eyes as he slowly continued to wade towards her.

"Don't you fucking dare," she growled.

Demetri stopped. His eyes glowed dark and fierce. He was fighting with himself.

Finally, he held out his hand to her, whispering: "If I didn't care about you, nothing you just said would have made any difference to me, and you would be begging for mercy beneath me right now."

The fury in the halfling's eyes did not fade.

Ember was still for a few moments more, but then she nodded and stepped forward. She took the ghost's hand with trembling fingers and he walked her to the pool's edge. She took her hand from his to pull herself out of the water, but Demetri had pulled her into his arms before she could blink. They rose up out of the pool and Demetri set the halfling lightly on her feet. She tried to pull away but he held her close, staring breathlessly into her eyes, then raking her body with a quick, longing glance.

Ember shuddered slightly and could not hold the ghost's gaze. She wrapped her arms around herself to hide her nakedness and looked away.

"Look at me," Demetri said.

His prisoner closed her eyes.

"Look at me," Demetri said again. He turned her chin gently so that she was facing him again.

Ember opened her eyes slowly and her fiery eyes smouldered.

What is she thinking? I cannot read those eyes.

"Usually I know exactly what the fire in your eyes is saying," he said, "but I can't read them this time."

The halfling's lower lip trembled, and he could see the tears building in her eyes.

"Ah, there's something I recognise," he murmured, pulling her body closer to his. "Please, please don't cry. I will try my hardest not to make you cry. I promise. I promise, I promise."

Demetri cupped Ember's face in his hands and his blue eyes pierced hers with such honesty that could barely hold his gaze. Ember's breath caught in her throat as the ghost stepped forward and began kissing her tears away. His kisses wandered over her burning cheeks, then down to capture her mouth.

Ember did not know what to do. She could feel the ghost's lust seething beneath the gentle movements of his mouth; She knew how hard he was trying to restrain himself from taking her again.

He pulled out of the kiss suddenly, let his hands fall, and slowly stepped away from her.

"If I don't stop now, I'll do something I'll regret," he said.

Demetri walked past her to where his clothes were drying on the floor, he picked up his cleaned white button-down and brought it for her.

"Wear this until I can find you some real clothes."

Ember pulled the shirt on and picked up her boots as Demetri dressed, shrugging his leather jacket over his bare chest.

He looked at her and his body tensed at the sight of her in his shirt. It was far too big for her, and it hung off her shoulders and clung to her curves in ways he wished he could. He watched as she bent down to slip her boots on, and his heart would have quickened if it still beat within his chest as he caught a teasing glimpse of her breasts.

She straightened and wrung a few more drops of water from her hair, which was dripping into long, spiralling tendrils around her face. She glanced up and saw the ghost's glowing eyes fixed intently on her.

"Where are we going now?" she asked softly, folding her arms across her chest to cover herself just a little more. She felt so exposed and vulnerable under his gaze.

"Um, well, I suppose I can take you back to your room," Demetri shook his head as if to clear it. "Or, if you are still hungry, which I'm sure you must be, we can head to the kitchen."

Ember hesitated.

"Honestly, I do not want us to part company just yet," Demetri said softly.

"Oh, you want to rape me in the kitchen?"

"I don't want to rape you anymore," the ghost said with soft, but definite, conviction. Then he smiled smugly at the girl, mischievous thoughts glinting in his blue eyes like the sun on the ocean. Lust flooded his voice as he said: "I'm not going to take you again until you are on your knees begging for it."

"Don't hold your breath," Ember said, anger creeping back into her voice, "because hell doesn't look like it's going to freeze over anytime soon."

"Oh, you're getting your spirit back," the ghost smiled. "Well, there's a time limit on my generosity and kissing you and touching you does not count."

"Go fuck yourself."

"Well I'll have to now, won't I?"

Ember shivered and clutched the opening of his shirt closed around her neck.

"Do want me to do it in front of you?" Demetri said. In a ghostly blur, he was suddenly behind her, purring in her ear: "If I can't cum in you, I might as well cum on you."

Ember swore and whirled around to confront the ghost, but he captured her lips in a kiss before she got the chance to bare her fangs.

Ember wrenched her face away from the ghost's and drew back her hand to slap him.

But Demetri grabbed her hand and whispered low: "Do not provoke my anger, halfling."

Then, the ghost's eyes grew calm again, as if the storm inside had blown over, and he wound his fingers through hers.

"I'm sorry I said that, I shouldn't have."

Ember nodded warily.

"Let me take you to the kitchen, you need to regain your strength."

Before Ember could protest, the ghost had scooped her into his arms and was fading them both through the ceiling.

Ember stayed rigidly still as they morphed up towards the kitchen, but as soon as they began to fade back into sight, she struggled out of the ghost's grip.

Her boot caught on the uneven cobbles, but before she could hit the ground, Demetri's hand was around her waist. He lifted her slowly and then let her go gently.

"Thank you," she muttered, her eyes lowered.

"It was nothing," he said softly, turning away to rummage through the kitchen.

"Do you have a favourite food?" he asked.

Ember pulled herself onto the stone island in the centre of the kitchen and watched in reluctant amazement as the ghost pulled out and then put back stores of food from seemingly empty shelves.

"Um, not really," she shrugged.

"Well, these shelves seem to stock anything and everything. Just tell me what you want, and I will find it in here," he said, half turning to catch the halfling's gaze.

She looked away and shook her head slightly, dropping lightly off the counter.

"I'm not hungry," she said, walking towards the fireplace.

The ghost turned around fully and his gaze hardened: "I told you I would not let you starve."

"Oh yeah, because all of a sudden you care so much about me," she rejoined sarcastically.

"Yes!" Demetri roared, starting towards the girl. "I care about you because you are mine and I will not let anyone or anything take you from me."

"Fuck you!" Ember cried. "I don't belong to anyone!"

"Yes, you do," Demetri said, his words as sharp as the edge of a knife as his hands wrapped around her arms. "Always remember that I can do whatever I want to you, even though I may choose to exhibit self restraint."

Ember turned her face away from Demetri's defiantly. The ghost glowered and his nails dug deeper into the halfling's arms. She closed her eyes in pain and tried to pull away from the ghost.

"Let me go," Ember said angrily.

"Oh, come now, little bloodsucker," Demetri said, letting go of her arms to snake his hands around her waist. He pulled her close and his lips brushed against hers as he whispered his dark promise: "You know very well you will never be free of me."

Ember gasped as she felt his hands move down to grab at her ass and in that moment Demetri's lips enveloped hers in a deep kiss.

With sudden resolve, Ember bit Demetri's tongue. Though it caused him no pain, the remnants of Demetri's human instincts caused him to immediately push Ember away and clutch at his mouth. In that instant, the halfling bolted out of the kitchen.

Demetri cursed when he realised what she had done, but then his lips curved into a smile and he followed after her in a ghostly flash.

Ready or not, here I come. He chuckled to himself as he streaked down the corridors. I will catch you, Ember.

Ember did not dare look behind to see if Demetri was close as she raced through the castle. She flew down the stairs, venturing as deep into the castle as she could, hoping that he might lose her trail.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! He's going to kill me if he catches me, he's going to kill me!

Ember's eyes glowed as she dashed through the darkness. She could hear nothing behind her, so she finally glanced over her shoulder.

Nothing.

But, in that moment, Demetri appeared in front of her.

"Got you," Demetri laughed darkly as she flew into his arms.

Ember cried out as Demetri wrapped an arm around her from behind. He pulled her hair back with his other hand so that he could whisper in her ear: "You can't escape me."

Ember cried out and tried to twist away from Demetri, but he held her firmly. His lips brushed her neck as he whispered: "What do I get as my prize, halfling?"

The halfling panted frantically, panic setting in when she realised that she really was in his power again.

Demetri suddenly noticed her gasping breaths and turned her around. He was startled by the terror in her eyes and he loosened his hold on her. As soon as he did, however, her knees gave way beneath her and Demetri barely caught her in time.

He knelt with the halfling in his arms, whispering sweet apologies down at her and promising her safety.

"I am so sorry," he said softly. "I did not mean... I was playing with you. It was a game. I don't want to hurt you again. Please, please forgive me. It was a game. I won't do it again. I'm sorry..."

Eventually Ember's breathing returned to normal and she tried to get up. Demetri was having none of it, however.

"Oh no," he said, scooping her into his arms and phasing through the stone floors. "I am taking you back to the kitchen where you are going to eat. You barely have the strength to stand, let alone survive my capriciousness. You need to eat something."

Ember nodded and shivered. Demetri pulled her closer to his chest and, when they reached the kitchen, sat her down on the counter and pulled off his leather jacket to hang it over her shoulders.

She thanked him quietly, silently taking in the scars covering his chest and the way his powerful muscles rippled with each slight movement the ghost made, and hugged the jacket around herself. She shivered despite the fire blazing in the kitchen's hearth.

"Are you really that cold?" Demetri asked with concern, gently lifting Ember's trembling chin. The halfling nodded, pulling herself away from him slightly and averting her eyes. The ghost reached out again and brushed the damp hair from her face. Ember flinched slightly, but the ghost's movements were soft and almost soothing. He ran his fingers down her face, stroking her gently.

Ember finally gathered the strength and looked back at the ghost. She found Demetri's eyes fixed on her, glowing like the ocean under a full moon.

He's looking at me so... so... tenderly...

There was no other way to describe the look in Demetri's eyes as he gazed at his captive. He blinked when he noticed that she was staring back at him. He pulled his hand away and cleared his throat.

"I think... I have to...um - I'm sorry but I have to go," Demetri said, the words falling out of his mouth as he backed out of the kitchen, fading as he went.



Master of Fire Ch. 04



Ember stared at the spot where Demetri had faded, not knowing what to think about the ghost's hasty retreat. She turned her gaze back to the fire and got lost in the flickering of the flames for a short eternity.

A low growl from her stomach brought the halfling back to reality. She sat up and slid off the counter, pulling the leather jacket fully on as she did. It was far too big for her small frame. Ember hugged herself and, as she buried her face in the soft leather, suddenly found her senses enveloped...

It smells musky, dark, a little smoky maybe. It smells like him. It's his scent. Oh God. 

Images of her rape passed through her mind: Ember suddenly remembered how it felt to have Demetri pressed against her, his weight on top of her, his dick thrusting deep inside her, his scent and strength overpowering her. But then, just as the flood of memories threatened to overwhelm her, she saw his eyes. In her mind the halfling saw the ghost's glowing blue eyes staring tenderly into hers.

Ember's lips trembled at the power of the conflicting and confused emotions rushing through her. She let out a half sob and frantically pulled the jacket off and threw it across the room. She sank to her knees as the jacket hit the floor, clenching her fists and blinking back tears in a desperate effort to avoid sinking into despair. 

Find your strength. Find your strength. Remember your family.. Remember...

Slowly Ember's breathing slowed and her heart stopped racing. Slowly, she felt the desperation and panic leave her. Slowly, she felt the fire rekindling in her heart.

Shakily, Ember returned to her feet. Though her knees were still trembling slightly, the flames that lit the halfling's eyes were again glowing brightly.

She shook her head to clear away any lingering emotions and began to search the kitchen for food. The halfling searched through every cupboard and shelf, but the kitchen was barren.

Where did Demetri get the food he gave me earlier? I saw him pulling food from these shelves! But there's nothing here... I don't want to call him but I am so, so hungry.

Ember slammed the last cupboard shut frustration: She did not want to call the ghost for help, but she was starving. She needed to eat something more than a handful of grapes if she was to survive this ordeal. The halfling sighed deeply, tears threatening to cloud her vision once more.

I have to call Demetri. I'm fucking starving...

She blinked firmly two or three times to clear the forming tears from her eyes, steeled her resolve and then called the ghost's name: "Demetri?"

Her cry was greeted with silence.

Maybe that's a sign. I should try to find my way back to my room... 

"Starving is better than whatever he has planned for me anyway," Ember muttered beneath her breath as she began to leave the kitchen.

"Please don't say that..."

Ember whirled around to find Demetri staring at her with pleading eyes. 

"How many times must I apologise to you?" the ghost asked.

"You wouldn't need to if you hadn't kidnapped me and raped me and threatened to torture and kill me," Ember growled bitterly.

"I have taken it all back. How can I convince you?"

"You can't," Ember said icily. "Because every time you try, you end up threatening me again. Every time my wounds heal, you just give me new ones."

The ghost's eyes hardened slightly and he nodded briefly. "Well," he said emotionlessly, "I came because you called me. What do you want?"

"Nothing."

"What do you need?"

"My freedom."

"Well you're not fucking getting it," Demetri snarled, his self-restraint finally failing. 

There was silence as the moment sank in. Demetri growled in frustration and held his head in his hands, smoothing his hair back as he regained his composure.

"Tell me why you called me," he said finally, his voice returning to a relative calm.

"There's no food," Ember muttered quietly.

"Of course there is," the ghost teased, smiling in spite of himself as he approached her. "What do you want to eat? Anything you can think of can be found in this kitchen."

"There's nothing... I looked," Ember said disbelievingly.

"Well maybe you weren't looking hard enough," Demetri smiled down at the confused halfling. Before she could protest, Demetri had wrapped his hands around Ember's slim waist and lifted her up onto the counter once again. He ran his hands up her arms and frowned when he noticed that she wasn't wearing his jacket.

Ember saw the question in his eyes and looked away, knowing what his reaction would be when he saw the jacket.

Demetri glanced over the girl's shoulder and saw his jacket in a pile on the floor. He said nothing, just walked silently over and picked it up.

"Not cold anymore?" he asked, shaking the dust from the jacket as he returned to stand before her.

When Ember did not answer or meet his gaze, Demetri gripped her arm tightly and pulled her off the counter.

"If I ask you a question," he said dangerously, "I expect an answer."

"No, I'm not cold anymore," Ember said, her eyes finally meeting his defiantly. 

The two stared at each other: though the storm in Demetri's eyes failed to douse the fire in Ember's, neither could her flames overcome the waves of emotion in his. Finally, the tempest in the ghost's gaze abated and he let the hand gripping the halfling's arm fall.

"I'm sorry," he said, holding out his jacket to her again. "Are you sure you're not cold?"

Ember reached out tentatively and accepted the jacket back, slipping her arms into the too-long sleeves once again.

Demetri smiled despite himself and he offered the halfling his hand. Hesitantly she accepted it, and she felt a sudden warmth emanate from the ghost's spirit and spread up her arm.

"You must still be very hungry," he said softly.

"Yeah, I am," she admitted.

"Well, like I said, this kitchen is stocked with anything and everything. Just tell me what you want to eat and I will find it for you."

"I-" the halfling hesitated, thinking.

"Anything you want. Even blood..."

"I don't drink it," Ember said offhandedly, still concentrating on figuring out her craving.

"I want a steak," she said finally.

Demetri laughed and squeezed her hand before letting it go.

"That was my next guess after blood," he said, turning to the cupboards. "Let's see where it is..."

Demetri opened a couple cupboards without success before spinning on his heel to face the halfling. He stole his fingers between hers once again and began to lead her to the dining room.

"I have a sneaking suspicion it's not in the kitchen," he smiled.

Ember shot him a questioning glance and then gasped as they rounded the corner and entered the grand dining room: A low table set with two large cushions in the middle of the dark chamber was lit by a ring of dripping candles. A huge platter of meat sizzled in the centre of the table, surrounded by a basket of warm bread, a pot of steaming soup, and an opened bottle of wine.

"How did you do this?" Ember whispered as Demetri walked her to the table.

"Honestly, I have no idea how this realm works," he smiled. "I just know that it has, so far, every time."

"Oh my God..." the halfling whispered.

Demetri chuckled and said: "Go ahead and eat. I know how hungry you must be."

Ember sank to her knees and began to load her plate, tearing into the meat with animalistic hunger.

Demetri sat down across from her and watched her quietly, shame and sadness gleaming in his stormy eyes as he watched her wolf down nearly a quarter of the platter of meat in mere moments.

"I am sorry I treated you so terribly," he said finally.

Ember started slightly at the ghost's words. She had almost forgotten that he was there, watching her devour the meal like an animal.

She swallowed slowly, put down the knife and fork in her hands, and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Slowly she resumed eating, now very aware that she was under scrutiny.

Demetri watched her measured eating for a few moments until he laughed out loud: "Halfling, don't be ridiculous - just eat for God's sake! Even this little bit of food has done you so much good."

He reached a ghostly hand out to brush against her cheek.

"The colour is already returning to your cheeks," he whispered.

Ember nodded at him, appreciating his words more than she thought she could.

For a few moments, there was complete silence except for the sound of Ember chewing.

"Where had you gone, by the way?" Demetri asked suddenly.

The halfling looked up in confusion: "The night you took me?" she asked, swallowing a mouthful of bread.

"Yes."

"It was my birthday," she said softly.

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"God you are so young," Demetri sighed deeply as he ran a powerful hand through his silver hair.

"Old enough to die, apparently," Ember said coldly.

"Death doesn't care how old you are," the ghost retorted. "I was about your age when she took me."

"Death didn't take you. Someone handed you to her," Ember said, shaking her head at the ghost as she put down her silverware. "That's why you came back for revenge."

The ghost's eyes pierced hers as he nodded: "Yes, I came back for revenge."

"Are you going to take it?"

"I'm done with this conversation, halfling," Demetri said sharply.

The halfling leaned back on her palms and looked at the ghost with an air of defiance.

"But," Demetri continued more softly, "I would like to keep talking to you."

"Isn't it bad to become attached to your prey?"

"We'll see," he said.

Before Ember could blink, the spirit was behind her, lifting her into his arms and walking her to the fireplace. He sat down with her in his lap and hugged her as close as she would allow.

"Let me go," Ember whispered.

"But you are so cold," Demetri murmured in her ear, "I can warm you up."

Ember shivered and closed her eyes as he kissed her neck lightly.

"Oh, come on," Demetri said half-heartedly, "I'm not such a bad guy."

The halfling pushed herself out of his lap and turned around on her knees to face him.

"Do you really think that?" she asked.

"I know that," he said.

"So this kidnapping and raping innocent girls is just an afterlife thing?" She retorted.

Demetri swallowed but did not drop his gaze.

"I am just a collection of emotions, halfling," he said. "I cannot control what I feel anymore."

"I'm tired of your excuses," she bit back. "Sometimes I just wish you would get it over with."

The ghost's glowing gaze turned frosty and his jaw set as he said: "You'll most likely be dead by morning, but right now I want to talk to you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know more about you. I want to know what the world is like today. I want to know what your world is like."

"You shattered my world."

"Tell me what your dreams are."

"To escape from here."

"God you are impossible," Demetri groaned as he ran a powerful hand through his silver hair.

"Well, what the fuck do you expect?" Ember said, her voice rising as she started to get on her feet.

Demetri grabbed her arm and yanked her back to the ground so that she tumbled onto him and they both fell into a tangled mess on the floor.

"I expect you to do what I say."

"Then obviously you do not know me very well."

Ember tried to prop herself up but the ghost held her down firmly until she resigned herself to lying in his embrace.

"Oh I think I know you very well, wouldn't you say? At least one part of me has delved deep inside you," he teased.

Their conversation went around and around in circles for what seemed like hours. Demetri taunted Ember with his every comment and Ember fought back with biting remarks. Slowly, however, the conversation began to shift: Demetri began to tell Ember what the world had been like when he was alive, and she began to tell him how the world had changed since. He tried to describe death to her, and she tried to describe life to him.

The ghost recounted his childhood memories, hoping with each embarrassing tale to brighten the halfling's dampened spirit.

"- and then my mother walked in," Demetri said, concluding his last story in a melancholy voice

Ember put a hand over her mouth and tried to stifle her laughter... But she could do no such thing. Ember burst into laughter at the ridiculous story that the ghost had told.

Demetri propped himself up in shock, staring incredulously at the halfling as she tried to stop laughing.

I made her laugh! She's - she's smiling!

Demetri's lips curved into a smile as he watched Ember's laughter die and a beautiful smile linger on her face.

Ember blushed as she realised that Demetri had been staring at her. The look upon his face spoke his soul: he was happy that she was happy.

He made me laugh... And he's so happy about it.

"You have a beautiful laugh," Demetri said softly.

"Hopefully you like it better than my screams," she replied, a hint of malice creeping into her tone.

Demetri cleared his throat and slowly got to his feet. He offered her his hand and smiled sheepishly as she took it and stood up.

"Y-you should, um, probably get some rest," he said awkwardly. "I can take you to your room now, if you would like."

"Sure," she said softly.

A few moments later they faded into Ember's room. Demetri cleared his throat again when he noticed her staring at the rug where he had first raped her and grabbed her hand gently.

"Actually, there is a better room for you, " he said. "Come with me."

They appeared a few seconds later in another room that had one wall entirely made of painted glass windows, a bed covered in black satin sheets, and no rugs whatsoever.

The halfling smiled slightly as Demetri lifted her up into the bed and pulled the covers over her.

"Can I stay with you for a little bit longer?" the ghost asked. "You still haven't told me anything about your studies, or what you like to do, or anything like that."

Despite herself, Ember nodded and resumed their conversation. Ember suddenly felt as if she had known the ghost for years... they had a lot in common. Soon they were sitting in front of the fireplace with another bottle of wine as time slipped away slowly and unnoticed.

"Really?" Demetri asked, pouring more wine into each of their glasses. "The Count of Monte Cristo? That's your favourite book?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"I'm not sure, I just remember I was the only person who loved that book when we read it in school," he said shaking his head. "I didn't think anyone else understood it, really."

"Well I loved it too," she said, taking another sip of wine. "I love the Count, I love Haydee..."

"They made a movie when I was alive," Demetri said. "Didn't have Haydee and they changed the whole Mercedes story. They changed the whole thing."

"Oh, I know! I've seen it," Ember said. "They took out all the damn subplots and reduced his magnificent quest for revenge to stupid conversations and shows of wealth."

"Wow, you are pretty serious about it," Demetri chuckled.

There was silence for a moment before Ember spoke again: "You know, the Count realised that revenge was not the way to ease his pain."

Demetri put down his wine and stared at the halfling. Her fiery eyes were fixed on him, daring him to respond.

"He didn't find happiness in the deaths he caused -" She began, swirling the wine in her glass.

"He found it in the lives he saved and the love he had for Haydee," the ghost interrupted. "I know."

"Maybe -"

"Maybe you should stop while you're ahead, halfling," Demetri said curtly.

The halfling averted her eyes and pushed her wine away.

"Mercedes betrayed him," the ghost glowered. "It took him years to get over that pain."

There was silence for a moment as the halfling avoided the ghost's piercing gaze.

"I'll leave you now," Demetri said finally, rising to his feet. "Good night."

"'Night," Ember muttered as the ghost faded away.

She could not bring herself to crawl to the bed, so instead she curled up on the pile of pillows and blankets that she and Demetri had rested on and sunk into slumber as she stared at the fire.

++++++++

Ember woke the next morning to find her room bathed in a thousand colours. Light streamed through the stained glass and filled the room with colour. She walked to the casement and opened one of the windows. The sky had changed: Instead of stormy purple clouds, the clouds were white and pink. She even thought that she could see hints of a blue sky and of sunlight winking at her through the clouds.

She walked back to the mirror and examined herself again. The food and sleep had restored her and revived her spirits. She ran her hands over herself but found no bruises or aches.

She turned around and walked once more to the window. A soft breeze whispered promises of warmth across her cheeks as she admired the beautiful sky that surrounded the castle.

A knock on the door broke her trance.

"Come in," she called.

Demetri opened the door slowly and saw Ember leaning against the windowsill. She looked so beautiful with the blushing sky behind her.

"Morning," he said softly. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah, what changes it?"

"I wish I could say..."

"Well, I'm not complaining," she said, "it's even warming up."

"Yes, yes it is," Demetri smiled. "Can I interest you in breakfast?"

"Yes please," she said, suddenly aware of her empty stomach.

Demetri smiled and motioned behind him with his head: "Come with me then."

Ember followed Demetri out of her room and through the dark, empty castle.

"Do you sleep, Demetri?" she asked as they wound their way down a narrow staircase.

"Kind of," Demetri shrugged. "It's similar to when I try to eat, like I feel echoes of my human instincts but I can't actually fulfil them. I can taste but it does not nourish me."

Suddenly they were in the kitchen again, but they could smell the scent of fried bacon and eggs wafting in from the dining room. Just as the night before, the low table was filled with food and set for two.

"Are you sure you have nothing to do with this?" Ember asked.

"I swear on my own grave I have no idea how this happens," Demetri said in wonder. "But I am damn grateful because I'm sure my cooking skills have not improved with death."

The pair sat down and began to eat. Their conversation ranged from places they had each been, to their least favourite childhood memories. When they each put their knives and forks down, the used place settings disappeared and the table lay bare.

"How long have I been here?" Ember asked suddenly.

"In our time?" Demetri asked.

"What other time is there?"

"Well, in our time, it's been about 2 weeks," he said. "But, in worldly time, it's been a year."

"A year?" Ember asked breathlessly. "You mean to my parents I've been gone for a year?"

"Yes," the ghost replied quietly.

"Oh my God," she said, standing up slowly. "They must have given up searching for me by now."

Demetri said nothing.

"So, I'm already 19?"

"No, you haven't aged," he said. "If we stayed here forever you'd stay 18."

"A child forever," Ember muttered.

"You won't be here forever."

"Oh that's right," the halfling replied sardonically, "I'll be dead soon."

"Halfling - " Demetri began.

"Save it," Ember said, stalking out of the dining room. "Just do me a favour and send my body home before my parents forget about me."

The ghost did not go after her, he just sat staring at the flames of the fire.

++++++++

Ember ran to her room and threw herself onto the bed, curling up into the black satin sheets. 

I cannot stay here! His prisoner forever... until he gets tired of me and finally kills me.

The halfling tried not to let tears build in her eyes but she could not help it. The tears flowed fasted than Ember could stop them and soon she had sunk into a deep sleep.




Master of Fire Ch. 04



She knew she was dreaming this time. It was a strange dream but a dream nonetheless. After all, there was no way she could suddenly be on a deserted beach unless it was in a dream.

There was a young man coming out of the water, rising slowly up from the gentle surf. His blue eyes flashed in the moonlight and she saw they were bluer than the ocean before her.

He came up to her slowly and produced a rose from nowhere. She took it but a thorn pricked her finger. The man fell to his knees before her and grabbed her hand, pressing her bleeding finger to his shirt. Blood seeped faster than possible, staining all of his shirt red. But he did not notice. His eyes never left hers.

She reached out her other hand and ran her fingers through his coal-black hair, then down his jaw-line, then down his chest.

"Ember", the young man whispered, "you can save me."

"From what?" the halfling found herself asking.

"The monster inside me," the young man said, his voice suddenly strained. He ripped at his bloody shirt and tore it off. 

Ember saw deep, unclosed wounds covering his chest. They were festering, infected. 

"Do you see it?" the young man murmured anxiously. "Do you see what the monsters did? They tore me apart. They got inside. Get them out of me."

"How?" Ember asked, silver tears streaming down her face. "How can I help you? What can I do?"

"The blood price must be paid, you must face the monsters and win," he said, grabbing her face gently. "You must be stronger than I was. You must help me to be stronger this time."

"I promise," Ember said softly.

"I will try to stop you," the young man warned her. "The monster inside me is stronger than I am. You must not give in to it. You must remind me who I am."

"Who are you?" Ember asked.

But he was gone. The dream was gone. Her nap was over and she was awake.

Ember sat up sharply and then sank back into the bed when she realised she had lost the dream.

"Fuck."

The halfling closed her eyes and massaged her temples gently. 

What a messed up dream. She thought. That young man looked so familiar too.

At that moment there was a gentle knock at the door.

"Come in," Ember said wearily.

Demetri opened the door slowly and walked in almost sheepishly.

"I'm sorry about this morning Ember," he said.

The halfling shrugged and climbed out of bed, purposefully avoiding the ghost's gaze.

From the moment she heard Demetri's voice she knew exactly who the young man in the dream was. It was Demetri when he was her age.

And I promised I would help him.

"Is something wrong?" Demetri asked quietly.

"No," Ember sighed, finally meeting the ghost's gaze. "It's just that I never break a promise."

The ghost followed the halfling out of the room bemusedly. 

Now what the hell does that mean? He wondered.

++++++++

Weeks passed. Slowly the ghost and the halfling found themselves enjoying each other's company. They ate together, laughed together and explored the castle.

The ghost could tell Ember was trying to forgive him, he could sense when she reigned in her temper for his sake and he wondered what it could all mean.

"Is there a library in this castle?" Ember asked one morning over breakfast.

"I have no idea," the ghost said. "Do you want to do some more exploring?"

"I guess," she smiled.

Demetri stood up and offered Ember his hand. The halfling accepted and, knowing that he did not want to let go, entwined her fingers between his as they began to walk.

The ghost smiled at the halfling gratefully, clearing his throat and looking away as she offered him a slight smile back. 

If I didn't know better I'd think he's fucking blushing! Ember thought bemusedly to herself.

They wandered through the castle, searching behind every door. They did end up finding the library eventually, but only after they had found a room covered in fading maps they poured over together, a hall filled with paintings neither could ignore, and a room filled with clothes that both sampled.

As the light began to dim, and the bright clouds began to darken, the ghost and the halfling climbed slowly up a spiral staircase leading to the castle's tallest tower.

"You know that hat looks ridiculous," Ember said.

"How dare you!" Demetri gasped in mock anger. "I was meant to be an admiral!"

The halfling reached up and knocked the huge feathered hat off his head and dashed up the stairs, laughing as the ghost grabbed the hat from the ground and then chased her.

She burst into the tower room and shrieked playfully as Demetri caught her and they both crashed onto a pile of unused linens and pillows and the corner. The halfling laughed and screamed as the ghost began to tickle her until she was so out of breath from laughing that he was forced to stop.

He lay beside her as her breath slowly returned to normal and then he rolled over her and smiled at her.

"Ember," he whispered, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

The halfling started slightly and drew away from the ghost.

"What's wrong?" The ghost asked in concern.

"My name," Ember said softly.

The ghost looked at her with slight confusion: "What about it?"

"That was the first time you said my name."

Demetri's glowing eyes widened: "Are you sure?"

The halfling nodded.

"But how can that be? Your name has been my first thought every day," he murmured.

The halfling shrugged as the ghost stretched out his hand to wind his fingers gently in her hair.

"Ember?" The ghost asked.

The halfling pressed her head gently against Demetri's outstretched hand.

"Yes?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"Do I really have a choice?"

"Yes."

The halfling bit her lower lip and stared up at the ghost breathlessly. Opposing thoughts and emotions battled with each other in her mind, but it was her heart that finally allowed her to nod.

She closed her eyes as the ghost lowered his face towards hers and kissed her. He kissed her long, and hard and slow. When he pulled away, Ember's eyes remained closed for a moment or two and he could do nothing but stare at her beauty as her eyes fluttered open.

"Ember," he said under his breath, "I think you are the most intelligent, beautiful, interesting and compassionate girl I have ever met."

"Thank you," she whispered.

"No, thank you," he said. "I don't deserve any kindness from you, no matter how much I crave it."

Eventually they left the tower and Demetri faded them both into Ember's room. They sat together in front of the fireplace drinking wine and eating cheese, grapes and bread.

The two followed a similar routine for days. The sky got brighter and brighter, and the clouds slowly began to disappear as the two got to know each other better and better.

Ember was a fascinating girl and the more Demetri learned about her, the more he felt towards her. It was the little things that she did that bespoke her kind heart the most: One day she stopped him from killing a cockroach-like creature because "it didn't do anything to us", and another time he saw her capture a ghostly moth and set it free out a window.

Her soul is so kind... and yet those fierce eyes betray none of her soft, delicate interior.

But something else was also at work within Demetri: guilt began to gnaw at his spirit like dusky shadows slowly devouring the sun. He knew he did not deserve her kindness, and yet she offered it anyway every chance she got. Demetri began to feel flashes of anger whenever she expressed even the slightest desire to be around him - how could she possibly want to be around him after what he had done? Her readiness to forgive was something he did not deserve and it made him angry at himself and at her.

Those feelings boiled over one night as he said good night to Ember. He began to fade through the door when, suddenly, Ember sat up in bed and called out after him...



Master of Fire Ch. 05



"Demetri," Ember called out.

The half-faded ghost turned around and smiled at the halfling. She looked slightly shy under his piercing gaze and she pulled the covers around herself almost timidly.

"What is it?"

"Demetri, what if another demon comes?"

"There hasn't been one since that first," he said reassuringly. "I don't think anyone else knows we're here."

"Still," she said, lowering her eyes slightly, "I think I'd feel better if you stayed."

The ghost stopped and took a step forwards, the rest of his body materialising.

"Would you honestly feel safe if I was here?"

Ember held his eyes as she considered his question: After all he had done to her, how could she really trust him?

"I think so," she said finally.

"Really?" Demetri's eyes lit up with a hint of mischief. "You would feel safe with me watching over you while you slept?"

He began to walk over to the girl, watching the way she instinctively drew back into the nest of pillows.

"You would feel safe knowing that I was watching you sleep?"

He was at the foot of the bed now.

"Watching your breasts rise and fall with every breath?"

And now he was leaning over, gently pulling her face towards his by the hair bunched behind her neck.

"I would haunt your dreams, Ember," he said, his lips almost touching hers.

"I don't think I would mind that," she whispered.

Demetri smiled slightly and kissed her, climbing into bed at the same time. He caught her up in his arms and pulled her into his chest. He held her tightly as their lips met again and again, their tongues touching and twisting together for a few seconds each time.

Suddenly Demetri pulled away from the halfling and got off the bed.

"Come here, Ember," he said.

The halfling hesitated but slowly did as he asked. When she was standing in front of him, he reached out and slipped his shirt off her slim frame. His eyes raked her body and he shivered in anticipation.

"You are so beautiful Ember," he said. "Your spirit is tinged with fire and I can see it in your eyes, in your skin, in your hair..."

Ember closed her eyes as Demetri gently pushed her onto her knees by a handful of her dark hair.

"Unbuckle my belt, Ember," the ghost growled lustily.

Ember's hands trembled slightly as she did what she was told.

"Undo the zipper."

Demetri smiled down at the halfling as she followed his instructions.

"Pull my pants down," the ghost rasped. "Can you see how much I want you, Ember?"

Ember's lips were parted and she looked up at Demetri, nodding slightly.

"I want to hear you say it," Demetri said, winding his fingers through her hair.

"Yes," Ember whispered.

"Do you remember what I told you?" Demetri asked, stroking his member with his other hand. "Not until you're on your knees begging for it."

The halfling licked her lips slightly and uttered one tantalising little word: "Please..."

Demetri held the halfling's eyes and stared deep into the fire there: Something seethed beneath the smouldering embers. Something that reminded him of a feeling he had once had, long ago. His hand went instinctively to his stomach as if he was expecting to feel butterflies there once again. His eyes widened as he realised that he could.

I am in love with her.

Her eyes burned into his and her parted lips called silently for his.

This was not the plan. I was not supposed to fall for her! I will not have my heart broken again!

His grip on her hair suddenly tightened and all at once Ember realised that Demetri's mood had shifted.

"Demetri, what are you doing?" she asked nervously. "Please, stop. You're hurting me!"

The ghost gripped her hair tighter, ignoring the pain etched across her face.

"Please don't do this!" Ember cried. "You promised you weren't going to hurt me again!"

Demetri leaned down and growled in her ear as he pulled his pants back on with his other hand: "People break their promises all the time. I learned that the hard way and I am never giving my heart to anyone again."

He turned around and headed to the door, pulling Ember behind him by her hair. His lips curled slightly in dark satisfaction as she cried out in pain with each step he took.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head," he snarled as he wrenched her along, "I won't let the demons touch you."

"Stop it!" Ember yelled. "Demetri! Please!"

But the ghost was deaf to her.

I have already died once! This little bitch is trying to work her way into my heart and she will destroy me if she does.

"You are my revenge," he muttered, "nothing more."

He faded them both into thin air and dragged her along through the castle until they arrived at another large room. This one was dark: The wooden furniture was deep mahogany and the sheets and curtains were crimson. Most disturbing to Ember, however, was the series of shackles that dotted one of the walls, and a whip that looked lethal.

They reappeared and Demetri threw the girl across the room. She stumbled and fell against the bed post and Demetri laughed as she used it to support herself as she stood: "Lady's choice," he grinned lustily as he pulled off his belt.

Before Ember even had the chance to fully stand up, Demetri was behind her. He turned her around roughly and pulled her wrists high above her head so that he could tie them to the bed post with his belt.

"Demetri! Let me go!" Ember cried, her heart beginning to ache with the weight of the ghost's betrayal.

He promised me... He promised!

"You promised me, Demetri," she whispered as he tightened the belt and fastened it.

"And your mother promised me her undying love," the ghost said bitterly. "We saw how sacred that promise was."

"Why are you doing this?" she cried.

"Because you made me forget why I brought you here in the first place," he glowered. "You made me love you, halfling, and I refuse to have my heart ripped to pieces a second time."

"L-love me?" Ember repeated incredulously.

"I should have just killed you," the ghost growled. "But I didn't and now I cannot bear to let you go, and I cannot bear to let you stay."

"Demetri, I-"

"Shut the fuck up," the ghost said and back-handed her across the face.

Ember cried out and her body sagged limply against the bed post. She stared at the ghost with heartbreak in her eyes.

"You are such an ignorant little bitch. Why didn't you fight me?" the ghost roared at her, his face inches from hers. "How could you want to be around me after what I've done to you? You might as well have fucking asked for this."

Tears began to leak from the halfling's eyes and she whispered: "I thought you'd changed."

"Yeah? Well you thought wrong!" Demetri growled. "The only promise I made to you that matters was that I would avenge myself."

"Please, Demetri, stop" Ember said with trembling lips. "We were happy together."

"I won't stop until I've done what I came here to do," he growled. "Your mother killed me and now you're trying to destroy me as well."

"I'm not!" Ember cried, flashes of anger replacing the sadness burning in her eyes. "You just keep trying to convince yourself I am!"

Demetri's grip tightened on her chin and he pressed his lips against her cheek as he growled: "Once bitten, twice shy."

He pushed her face away from his and began stalking towards the door.

"Why couldn't you just let yourself be happy with me?" Ember yelled at the retreating ghost. "What could I possibly do to you?"

"Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I don't hurt, halfling," Demetri growled as he turned around to face her. "You can still break my heart, and you will if I give you the chance. You would leave me to die like she did."

"You have given me a million reasons not to stay!" Ember cried in exasperation. "You kidnapped me, raped me, beat me! You could have redeemed yourself, but you're too full of fucking self pity to move on. You're a fucking selfish bastard, you know that?"

Powerful feeling clouded Demetri's features for a moment, but they passed quickly and he stood staring at the halfling. She could see the calm before the storm in his eyes.

"I don't need this from you," he said grimly. "All I need is your body, and it is mine for the taking. There will be no more mercy. You are mine and I will use you as I see fit."

"Well then fuck you!" Ember screamed as the ghost disappeared into thin air. "Fuck you!"

She strained at the belt holding her back and screamed curses at the ghost until her throat was sore.

If he wants me to fight back, then he is going to be sorely disappointed. She thought, allowing her body to go limp and hang against the bed post. He wants the chase, but I am not going to run anymore. He wants my body? Then he can fucking have it. But my mind is my own and he is not going to get in it anymore.

A single, silver tear dripped down her cheek as she felt a final wave of pain break against her heart. And then, it was over: The fire in her eyes died, the trembling in her lips faded, and her racing heart slowed to a steady beat.

He is not going to get in my head anymore.





Master of Fire Ch. 06



Ember sat up listlessly when she awoke. Her dead eyes glanced around her: She was back in her room, and Demetri was no where in sight.

She slowly slid out of the bed and stared blankly into the standing mirror in the corner. Her spiritless eyes were slightly sunken and when she lifted Demetri's shirt her ribs poked through the bandages wrapped around her torso. She sighed and sank down in front of the fire place, staring at the flickering flames.

He will never see those flames in my eyes again. She said to herself resolvedly. Never.

Ember reached out one hand and grabbed a stick of charcoal from the edges of the fire. She stood up, walked over to the blank wall on the other side of the room and began to draw.

She drew for what seemed like hours and her fingers were black with charcoal by the time she stepped back to take a look at what she had done: There were beaches covered in palm trees, dolphins jumping out of a tempestuous sea, a house high in the tree tops, a ship chased by a storm, a tiger squaring off with a distant, shadowy hunter, and, finally, in the centre of it all were her own fiery eyes replicated in shades of grey.

Not a glimmer of emotion could be seen in her real eyes as she stumbled back to the bed and crawled into it, black fingers and all, exhausted from channelling all her restrained feelings into her art.

Demetri faded in just as her eyes closed, his arms filled with firewood to replenish the diminishing supply. But, when he saw her flaming eyes staring at him from the wall, he almost dropped the logs. He put them down slowly and walked over to the wall to stare at the drawings.

God they are beautiful. He thought to himself in complete surprise. I had no idea she could draw like this. Not that I know anything about her at all...

He turned around sharply as the halfling stirred slightly. He smiled tenderly at her black fingers and padded over softly to wake her.

Her blank eyes blinked open and she found she could hardly feel his touch as he pulled her into his arms and faded into the kitchen. He set her on her feet and turned her around to face him, brushing wayward strands of hair from her face.

"Ember, will you wash your hands while I find you some food?" he asked. "Just think of what you want and I will find it for you. Please, you need to eat. You look starved."

The halfling nodded slightly and Demetri's heart lit up at that small acknowledgement.

As she washed her hands he began to open up the cupboards. There was nothing in the first few he opened, but when he reached the last cabinet in the row he found a small bag of blood hidden in the corner.

He reached out tentatively and looked it over. There was a label, it was pig's blood. He turned around and looked at the halfling with confusion and concern in his eyes.

"I thought you didn't drink blood, Ember," he said. "I don't understand, why do you want this?"

The halfling's blank gaze looked almost sad as she pulled up her shirt to reveal her gaunt frame. Then she unwrapped the bandages a little so that he could see that her wounds were still open.

He shuddered and looked away, so ashamed of what he had done.

"I see, you don't want it but you need it to survive," he said as he held out the bag to her. "I am sorry."

The halfling grabbed the bag from him and sunk her petite fangs into it, sucking it dry in moments.

Demetri watched in amazement as colour returned to her ashen skin, as the dark circles beneath her eyes disappeared, and as she tore of the bandages to reveal smooth, flawless skin.

But still the fire did not return to her eyes.

"Do you need more?" he asked hopefully.

The halfling shook her head and turned away.

Demetri sighed and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his chest as he faded them back up to her room. They reappeared in front of her charcoal mural and he kept her hand firmly clenched in his as he stared at it.

"I didn't know you could draw, Ember," he said. "Are these things you have seen?"

The halfling sighed and tried to pull away from him slightly, but the ghost would not let go.

"Why did you draw these eyes? These eyes I may never see again?" he asked.

His voice began to darken and he pulled her towards the wall.

"Huh, Ember? What are these eyes for? Are you taunting me?" he growled. He pushed her up against the wall so her back smeared the charcoal sketches.

Ember's lifeless eyes stared at him. They were such a contrast from the flaming eyes drawn above them that it made his blood boil. 

"Fine," he said angrily, letting go of her hand.

She watched with grim satisfaction as he faded from the room.

I called your bluff, ghost. It's not my damn fault you have feelings for me.

The halfling curled up in front of the fireplace and watched the flames flickering. Suddenly, Ember got the feeling that she was being watched. She sat up slowly and looked around the room; there was no one there. She turned back to the fire and found herself staring into a pair of eyes as fiery as hers used to be. She backed away from the fire as a man emerged from the flames and climbed into the room.

He was stunningly handsome. His bare chest was smooth and taut, his hair was golden and he reached out to her with strong arms and gentle hands.

"Are you hurt?" the man whispered as the halfling looked at him fearfully.

"My dear," he whispered, "are you hurt?"

The halfling shook her head and accepted his hand reluctantly.

"Good," the man said, his lips curving into a slight smile. "Will you tell me your name, my dear?"

Ember's eyes had been captured by his and she found she could not look away. She wanted to tell him her name, her deepest desires, her dreams and fears. She could trust this man... She could tell him anything.

"Ember!" Demetri's cry shattered the trance and Ember turned to face the ghost as he burst into the room.

"Don't listen to him! He's a demon!" The ghost yelled.

Ember turned back to face the man clutching her hand and found his perfect face had morphed into a hideous visage. She recoiled but the demon would not let her go.

"She belongs to us now, ghost," the demon laughed as he began to fade into black.

"No!" Demetri cried as he grabbed at Ember, trying to pull her back into the light. But the demon wrenched her out of his reach and the darkness closed over her in the blink of an eye.

In that last brief moment, however, Ember's eyes caught Demetri's. For the first time in days fire sparked back into those eyes for the briefest moment to reveal a truth he had long tried to ignore: You could have had me but you said you didn't need me. You said I was nothing more than your revenge. Now you will never have me... and you can choke on your lies.

Then, all at once, the fire faded and she was gone.

++++++++

Ember woke up drenched in sweat and bathed in a pool of amber light. Wherever the demon had taken her was hot enough to pass as hell itself. Beyond the circle of light she was lying in, there was nothing but black.

"Ah, so you're awake now," came a booming voice from the darkness surrounding her. Booted feet came out of the shadows, and then the light illuminated a being who could only be the arch demon. His skin was the colour of burning coals and his body was covered in spiked armour. He unsheathed his sword and held it beneath the halfling's chin, forcing her to stand.

"Rise, half-blood," he commanded as she slowly stood up. "Let me have a look at you."

The arch demon circled her slowly, swinging his blade through the air.

"I can see why the spirit chose you," he said, returning to face her.

Ember kept her eyes empty so he could not see how angry and afraid she really was.

"Take off your clothes," the demon said.

The halfling did not move.

The demon cocked his head and took a step back, then swung his blade down, slicing her and the shirt she was wearing from neck to navel.

She screamed and fell down in pain, gasping at the long gash down her torso.

The demon knelt down and pulled her up by her arm, tearing the remains of her clothes off her.

"I expect you to do as you are told from now on, halfling," the demon hissed. "You will not find me as gentle or restrained as your former captor."

The halfling could barely stand but she nodded even as the blood from her wound ran down her skin.

"Now," the demon said, "you will follow me."

++++++++

It took Demetri five gruelling days to find the demon's lair. He searched without rest for five days before he found the hellish castle. He expected to find her dead already.

He tried to sneak in but found himself being roughly escorted by a band of minions before too long. They dragged him through the cavernous castle until he found himself before the arch demon himself.

"Hello, ghost," the demon said, smiling down at him from his dark thrown.

"Where is she?" Demetri growled.

"Don't worry," the demon laughed menacingly, "you'll see her soon."

"What have you done to her?"

"Minions, bring him to the viewing room," the demon said, rising to his feet.

Demetri allowed himself to be dragged through the castle by the hoard of demons until he found himself looking out of a series of carefully concealed windows into a dark dungeon.

Demetri stared in horror at the halfling. Her body was wrapped in flaming ropes so that her arms were pulled back behind her, her breasts were squeezed tightly by the bindings, and the flames circled her face as a gag. The flaming binds did not burn her skin, but they dug into her viciously every time the demon torturing her yanked her along by a flaming leash attached to a collar burning around her neck.

The demon poked at her with burning rods and burst into laughter each time she squirmed away from the torturous instruments.

Her eyes streamed tears, but the spark had not yet returned; her eyes were still lifeless. 

"I can understand why you took her, ghost," the demon hissed. "She is a stunning creature."

"Let her go," Demetri growled, his fists were clenching instinctively.

"Oh, come now, you cannot expect us to release such a specimen," the demon said, his eyes gleaming lustily as the wound he gave the halfling began to bleed again.

"Besides," he said, turning to face the ghost. "I think she looks delicious in red."

Demetri lunged at the arch demon but the host of demons pulled him back. He tried to fade through them but found he could not dematerialise. 

As he tried vainly to phase through them, the arch demon laughed at his confusion: "Look at you, your ethereal powers are already waning. You don't have much time left, ghost. And I think I know why..."

The demon pointed down at the dungeon and Demetri fixed his gaze on the halfling once again. The demon torturing her snapped his fingers and the flaming binds disappeared. He flew up to a balcony and laughed as another demon disguised as Demetri himself walked towards the girl. The disguised demon reached out to the girl, but as soon as she lifted her hand to him, he backed away just slightly so that her straining fingers could not reach. Then, in a burst of flame, the being returned to its demonic form and cackled at the demoralised halfling as she let her head fall to the floor.

"Stop this!" Demetri roared. "Let me see her!"

"Very well then," the demon smiled as he snapped his fingers to signal his demon subjects.

In a whirl of fire and flapping wings, Demetri found himself gagged and bound by fiery ropes. He tried to struggle away from his captors and fade through the binds, but he could not escape. The demons dragged the ghost down from the viewing chamber to the torture chamber and strung him up against the jagged wall so that he was forced to watch the halfling's suffering.

The arch demon stalked slowly towards Demetri chuckling darkly: "Be careful what you ask for, ghost."

Demetri's eyes sparked with anger as he tried to break the bonds holding him back.

The arch demon laughed and turned around to loom over the fallen halfling. He rolled her onto her back with his spiked boot and smiled at her battered body.

"I see that wound hasn't closed," he said, baring his fangs in a macabre grin. "Let it serve as a reminder of the importance of obedience."

The demon knelt down and wrapped his hand around her neck. The halfling's eyes did not open but tears leaked from under her eyelashes.

"Do you understand now that you are my slave?"

The halfling nodded as best she could.

"And that you must do as I say?"

Again, the halfling nodded as much as the hand wrapped around her neck would allow.

"And that you are a worthless little whore that ought to be treated like the piece of shit you are?"

Another demoralised nod.

"Good," the demon smiled. He turned her head so that she was facing Demetri.

"Look who's here to see you," the demon teased. "The being responsible for all of this."

The demon laughed as he slammed her head into the floor. The halfling groaned and curled into a ball on the floor. The arch demon smiled as he rose to his feet and spat on her.

Demetri let out a muffled cry and strained at his bonds.

"Oh, you didn't like that, huh?"

The ghost glared icily at the demon.

"You don't like it when I spit on her? You know she deserves it, the stupid cunt."

Again Demetri let out a muffled roar and tried to fade through the fiery ropes.

"What if I had all my men spit on her? Piss on her? Would you like to watch that?"

The demon paced around the panting halfling and rubbed at his crotch.

"Just the thought of such depravity arouses me."

The arch demon reached down and pulled out his massive cock, stroking it as he walked around the girl.

"I wonder if she really deserve the experience I am about to reward her with?" He mused. "You should be honoured that you will be a spectator, ghost."

The demon reached down with his free hand and grabbed the halfling's hair. He pulled her along the floor and then pulled her to her feet before the ghost. He threw her at him and laughed as she latched her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling to her trembling knees.

"I've seen all of this creature's memories, ghost. What was it you said to her?" the demon asked. "Oh yes...'lady's choice'?"



Master of Fire Ch. 07



The demon laughed as he positioned himself behind the halfling and shoved his dick deep inside her. Ember's dead eyes stared into Demetri's for the briefest moment before she clamped them shut.

The ghost was deathly still as the demon raped the girl whose arms were around him. Ember's beautiful, broken body was pressed up against his as the demon pummelled her.

"Kiss him," the demon growled suddenly.

The halfling's blank eyes flickered open and then closed again as she began to kiss the ghost's face. Demetri's heart felt like it was breaking.

"Like that, ghost?" the demon laughed, fucking the halfling faster and deeper as he took in the misery in the ghost's eyes.

Suddenly, the demon pulled out of Ember and pulled her away from the ghost. He held her head before Demetri's groin and growled in her ear: "Unzip his pants and pull out his cock, bitch."

The halfling did as she was told, gently lifting the ghost's limp cock from his pants.

"Suck it while I fuck your ass," he commanded. "You'll get your reward in both ends, you little slut."

As Ember wrapped her raw lips around the ghost's cock, the demon shoved his dick deep into her ass, groaning in pleasure.

Demetri tried his hardest not to be aroused, but he could not keep his cock from hardening as the halfling sucked his dick.

The demon growled in ecstasy and slapped the halfling's behind, pounding her ass as hard as he could.

Demetri clamped his eyes shut as he came, his hot, white cum filling Ember's mouth.

Just as soon as her mouth was filled with Demetri's cum, the demon pulled out of her ass and spun the halfling around to face him, pushing her to her knees simultaneously. As he stroked his cock before her face, the demon commanded her to open her mouth.

"Spit the cum on the floor, slave."

Ember did as he ordered.

"Now lick it back up."

The demon smiled as she began to lick the ghost's semen off the dungeon floor.

"Turn around, halfling," he said. "Make sure the ghost can see you lapping up his cum like a dog as I fuck you."

The halfling repositioned herself and swallowed her first mouthful as the demon shoved himself inside her once again.

Demetri could not look away from the awful spectacle he was witnessing. A few weeks before, he would have made her do the same thing. He told her he would have. Now the debauchery sickened him to his stomach and filled his heart with anger and pain.

Finally, just as Ember had licked the floor clean, the demon pulled out and knelt before her face, pumping his own load on the floor in front of her.

The arch demon laughed breathlessly as she licked his cum off the floor.

"Oh this is just too cruel," he said, fixing his mocking gaze on the ghost trembling with rage.

The halfling licked the last drop of cum from the floor and then sat up on her knees. Her lifeless gaze met Demetri's and stared, unseeing, into his stormy eyes.

"You know, ghost, if she manages to last more than a week with my men, I may consider letting you have a piece of her every now and then."

Lightning flashed in Demetri's tempestuous eyes. He could not bear to see Ember at the mercy of the satanic monarch.

"Would you like to watch as they take her?" the demon asked. He snapped his fingers and the flaming binds reappeared, twisting the halfling into a contorted pose. He picked up the leash and pulled her towards Demetri. "Imagine how she'll look with a demon's dick down her throat."

Demetri snarled and again attempted to phase through the binds.

"Why do you want this girl so badly, ghost?" the demon asked, snapping his fingers again so that the gag disappeared from Demetri's mouth. He hoisted the shaking halfling to her feet by the collar. "She is not the one you came back for. I have seen enough to know that. So, why not just give her up to us? We could tear her up beyond recognition for you to dispose of as you please. We could destroy her."

The demon pulled his sword from its sheath and ran the blade down her body, and Ember clamped her eyes shut as blood began dripping from the long, thin cut so that no one would see her pain.

"No! Don't you dare fucking touch her!" Demetri roared, struggling against the ropes holding him. "Don't you lay another fucking finger on her!"

"What? Can it be?" The demon began to laugh: "Do you care about this creature? Do you love her, ghost? You want to keep her all to yourself, don't you?"

Demetri said nothing for a moment but when he caught Ember's eyes, his gaze spoke volumes. Her empty eyes stared at him, tears mixing with the blood streaming down her body.

The ghost turned his eyes towards the demon and growled: "Yes."

The demon chuckled and buried his face into Ember's neck, breathing her scent in. "Yes, what?" he asked smugly. "Tell me why you want her."

"Because I love her!" Demetri cried angrily.

Ember's eyes closed once again as she caught Demetri's stormy gaze, but tears leaked past as the demon wrenched the collar even higher so that she was almost on her tiptoes.

"What are you willing to do to get her back, ghost?" the demon purred. He lowered his head to lick at a trail of blood running across Ember's cheek. He smiled as the ghost struggled violently to escape his captors.

"I would die for her a thousand times over!" he roared. "I would kill for her! I would travel through hell and back for her!"

"But, could you let her go?"

"What?"

The demon let go of Ember's collar and she slumped to the floor. He snapped his fingers and the flaming ropes crumbled into ash, leaving the halfling trembling in pain on the floor.

"I asked you if you could let her go."

Demetri looked frantically at the semi-conscious girl and then back up to the demon.

"Yes," he finally said with conviction.

The demon smiled slightly: "If only it were up to you, but it's not that easy."

Demetri pushed against his captors to try to get to Ember's side.

This is all my fault. I have to get her out of here.

The arch demon sheathed his sword and swung a kick at the halfling. She could not help but utter a muffled scream and curl into herself.

"Stop it!" Demetri snarled. "Don't you dare do that again!"

"Why not? She's had the same treatment from you," the demon reminded him. "How come you enjoyed raping her and beating her but you don't want me to have the same satisfaction? "

Ember groaned as the demon kicked her again, and blood began to trickle from her mouth.

"No! For God's sake stop!"

"There's no God down here, ghost," the demon smiled. "You have to be your own saviour."

Something inside Ember woke up with that sentence. She opened her eyes and saw the scene before her snap into focus: All at once she saw the intense emotions pouring from Demetri's stormy eyes and felt the fire inside her reviving.

She had been asleep long enough. Now it was time to wake up.

Demetri saw the halfling's eyes open and suddenly fill with a raging fire. She flashed a slight smiled at him, her fangs dripping red with her own blood.

With speed that he had never witnessed before, the halfling was on her feet and had pulled the arch demon's sword from his belt before anyone in the room could react.

The arch demon howled and grabbed at the girl, but she ducked beneath his arms and slashed his legs from behind. The demon dropped to his knees and growled in agony. Ember walked slowly to stand in front of the wounded demon. She was an unholy sight: naked, covered in blood, bruises and sweat, and lit up from within by a furious fire.

"I have been asleep far too long," she said.

In one swift fluid motion, the halfling lifted the sword with both hands and swung at the demon's neck with a fierce growl. His head fell from his shoulders with a sickening thud and the body vanished before her. The demons guarding the chamber howled and flew at the halfling. They were barely inches from her when they each burst into green flames and disappeared.

Ember turned around slowly to stare at the ghost. The sword dragged along behind her as she limped towards him, sparks flying as the metal grated against the black stone.

"Demetri," Ember whispered slowly. "Why didn't you fade through these ropes? Why didn't you save me?"

"I couldn't," he said breathlessly, "the demon said my powers were fading."

"I don't believe you," she growled, lifting the sword to his throat.

"Please!" He gasped. "It's the truth! I tried to but I can't."

"Why?"

"I-I don't know," he said.

Ember slashed through the ropes with the sword and Demetri fell to his knees before her.

"You took so long to find me," she snarled. "Were you debating leaving me? Did you find something else to fuck?"

"No! Ember I spent all that time trying to find you," the ghost said pleadingly. "I would have gone on searching forever till I found you."

"Oh yes, because I'm yours and yours alone. Or do you actually expect me to believe that you love me?"

"But I do love you!" Demetri cried. "I love you more than anything!"

"You are a fucking liar!" the halfling stormed.

"Ember, please believe me!"

"How can I?" she asked. "You are the man who stole me, beat me, raped me, almost killed me. How can I believe a word you say?"

"I'm sorry Ember," Demetri whispered, his blue eyes entreating hers. "I tried to save you, I just don't have enough power anymore."

The halfling cocked her head and thought for a moment before asking: "If I took this sword and ran it through you, would you die?"

"I'm not sure anymore," he said. "But I wouldn't blame you if you did."

"No one would," she said with some relish as she saw a flash of fear in his eyes.

"I am so sorry, Ember," he said. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"But it did," she said angrily, lifting the sword to his throat once again.

There was deathly silence for a moment.

"Ghost?" Ember whispered darkly. "Do you bleed?"

She pressed the tip of the sword against his throat until she felt his skin give way slightly. Demetri gasped when he realised that he could feel the pain. As Ember withdrew the sword slightly in shock, Demetri dabbed at his throat and stared at the blood on his finger tips.

"I guess that answers your question," he breathed.

Ember did not move or lower the sword, even as Demetri raised his eyes to hold her gaze.

"Ember," he said. "I wouldn't blame you if you killed me. I don't think I deserved to die the first time, but I have earned that death a thousand times over because of how I treated you. Please, please just know that I love you and I always will."

"Like you loved my mother?"

"No. I thought that was love because I had not lived long enough to know otherwise. I know now that I have never loved anyone but you," he said, his voice wavering. "And I treated you so badly."

"You raped me. You kidnapped me. You tortured me."

"And the guilt will never let me rest," he said. "Please kill me Ember, I do not know if I could live with knowing how much I have hurt you."

Ember raised the sword over her head and smiled as Demetri closed his eyes and prepared for the final blow.

But it never came.

Ember threw the sword down and fell to her knees in front of Demetri.

He opened his eyes and tears fell from them as he realised what she had done.

"Well you are going to fucking have to," she growled, hints of a smile forming at the corners of her mouth. "Now, I think I am going to faint."

The ghost barely caught her in time. He held her in his arms for a moment or two, staring incredulously at her blood-stained face. Then, with focus his spirit had not known since resurrection, he picked her up and ran through the demon castle and out into the open air.

Demetri barely had the power to fade them back into the castle, so, once they were inside, he raced up the stairs with her in his arms until he reached her room. As usual, the castle was prepared for their needs and Demetri found medicine, bandages, water and herbal tea waiting for them.

The ghost gently laid the battered halfling on the bed and tended to her wounds. Her eyes fluttered open as he gently lifted her body so that he could wrap gauze around her torso to close the gaping wound the demon had given her.

"Demetri?" She murmured, wrapping an arm around his neck as he gently wound the bandages around her.

"Yes, Ember?" He replied softly.

"Are you going to leave me?"

The ghost pulled away as he pinned the gauze in place and stared into her eyes: "Never."

"Are you going to hurt me?"

"Never again."

"Why should I believe you?" she asked, lowering herself back onto the pillows.

"Because your love saved me," he breathed, "and now I am going to let my love save you."

Ember reached up one arm to brush the silver hair from Demetri's eyes. She smiled at him and the fiery eyes he had missed so much gleamed up at him: "I don't need saving."

Demetri leaned in and kissed her as passionately as he could without hurting her. He could hardly bear to pull away from her, but when he did he could not look away from her face.

He stroked her hair as she fell asleep and then wound his legs through hers and cradled her in his arms.

She's mine... he thought to himself. And I am hers.

I am hers.



Master of Fire Ch. 08



Ember woke up in her bed, wrapped up in the silky black sheets. She looked around bleary-eyed and found Demetri perched at the foot of the bed, leaning against the bedpost with his stormy eyes closed in sleep. She had never seen the ghost sleep before.

The halfling smiled slightly, knowing in her heart that the ghost had meant what he had said to her.

You trusted him before. A stern voice in her head reminded. Look where that got you.

The time she spent as the demon's captive felt like a nightmare. She had sunk so deep inside herself that most of the depravity broke softly against her heart like waves. She simply had not cared: Demetri's betrayal cut her to her very soul and nothing the demons could do would hurt her more. So she had curled up inside herself and refused to fight.

That was a mistake. She thought to herself. I should never have stopped fighting and given into the darkness. That's what Demetri did. He gave into the darkness and let the anger and the hate consume him. He couldn't forgive my mother. But I can forgive him. I can walk through the valley of the shadow of death and come out bloody but unbowed.

The halfling knew she was mixing up her scripture and her poetry, but she could not have cared less. Overcome by a wave of fatigue, she sunk back down into the sheets and slowly drifted into the arms of sleep and an all-too familiar dream.

Ember found herself standing on the beach again. The waves lapped gently against the silver sand.

Where was the young man? She expected him to rise up out of the water like he did before. She stood for a short eternity, waiting.

Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and he caught her up in a kiss before she could even say his real name.

He pulled out of the kiss but touched her lips, asking her without words to stay silent. The dream-Demetri's eyes blazed bluer than she had ever thought possible.

"Ember, you did it," he breathed, running gentle fingers down her face. "You saved me."

The dreamy apparition pulled off his blood-stained shirt to reveal smooth, flawless skin. Despite herself, the halfling beamed up at the young man, revelling in the love that shone from his eyes.

"I am free now," he said, grabbing her hands and pressing them against his chest. "Can you hear my heart?"

Ember realised all at once that she could, she could hear it beating.

"It beats for you."

"How is that possible?" she asked him breathlessly. "You're dead!"

"You gave me your heart," he said.

"Then how am I alive?" she asked, suddenly aware that her own chest was silent.

"You have my heart," the ghost said, "and it beats for you."

Suddenly Ember felt a surge of life course through her body as her still heart began to beat.

She gasped in air as if tasting it for the first time and shot up in bed, startling the ghost out of his spectral slumber.

"Ember? Ember are you alright?" He was at her side in an instant.

She looked at him, her fiery eyes lit up with a glow he had never seen. Her soul was radiant and her renewed inner strength glowed through her eyes like a thousand candles.

"I'm fine," she smiled. "For the first time in a long time, actually."

"Good," he said. "Because you need breakfast."

With that Demetri scooped the girl up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed as the ghost planted kiss after kiss on her forehead.

He carried her down the long, spiralling staircases that led to the kitchen. He set her on her feet and then picked her up again and put her on the counter.

Demetri's stormy eyes pierced hers and he reached out to trail a hand through her dark tendrils.

"Fuck, I love you," he whispered.

Ember smiled and bit her lower lip. It was hard for her to understand what she was feeling. The love in his eyes made her blush, made her want to smile. This same man who had done such terrible things to her now had the power to make her heart glow... and she did not believe that he would abuse it.

"I- um," the halfling did not know what to say. Demetri mercifully silenced her with a kiss.

For the rest of the day Demetri agonised over her, intent on making sure every last wound the demons had inflicted on her was healed. That night as they entered her bedroom, Demetri insisted on giving her wounds a final once-over.

"You just want an excuse to touch me, don't you?" she teased as he ran a powerful hand down her back, feeling for tender spots.

"And to undress you," he smiled darkly. "Open up that shirt Ember, I need to see how that wound is healing."

The halfling hesitated, but the ghost didn't. His fingers were at the top of her shirt in that moment, slowly unbuttoning it.

Ember shivered as he pushed the sleeves off her shoulders and pulled her towards him, grinding his pelvis against her naked body.

"I want you now, Ember," he whispered lustily in her ear. "I want you and I am going to have you."

"I don't know if I'm ready," she said firmly, trying to push him away.

"You will be."

With those words, Demetri's faded into her body and took control.

He could feel her spirit struggling against his... But it was a fight she was not used to and he overpowered her easily.

"You're mine, Ember." Demetri's voice filled Ember's mind as he took command of her body. All he left in her power was her voice and face.

"Demetri! Please!" Ember cried.

"I never pull out until I am fully satisfied."

Demetri walked Ember's body to the mirror and began to run her hands over her own breasts.

Ember gasped at the sensation - it was such a strange feeling. It almost felt as if her spirit was pressed tightly against Demetri's, so tightly that she could feel all of his emotions as they pulsed through him. She could feel Demetri's hunger for her. His lust was intoxicating... but so was his love. Ember could feel the ghost's love for her coursing through his spirit just beneath those powerful desires that seethed on the surface. It was such a deep, deep feeling.

"You can feel it, can't you? How much I want you..."

Ember's thoughts snapped back into focus as the ghost used her own fingers to pinch and twist her nipples. The halfling cried out as the ghost continued his delicious torment, revelling in both the feeling of her own cold fingers on her erect nipples and the feeling of ghost's spirit jolting beside hers with a sudden burst of electricity each time she moaned.

Demetri ran Ember's hands down her abdomen, around to grab her ass.

"God what a beautiful little ass," the ghost growled lustily. "I want to be inside your ass, Ember. I want to fill your ass with my cum. Say yes."

But before Ember could say a word, Demetri had changed his mind and directed her wandering hands to her dripping pussy.

The halfling cried out as he thrust one of her own fingers inside her cunt. Then another. He drove them insider her gently at first, but soon she was finger-fucking herself harder and harder.

"Fuck, Ember," the ghost's voice echoed through her mind, "your pussy is still so tight. I want to fuck you raw."

The halfling moaned, biting her lips in a futile attempt to stay quiet.

"Let it out, baby," he whispered, lust seething from his spirit. "I want to hear you screaming my name."

Demetri finally pulled the halfling's fingers out and shoved them inside her mouth.

"Lick them, Ember," his dark voice commanded. "How do you taste?"

When the ghost withdrew her fingers the halfling whispered: "Why don't you come find out?"

Demetri stopped moving Ember's hands and his spirit crackled with lustful excitement alongside hers.

Ember went weak in the knees when Demetri's spirit suddenly left her body, and she would have collapsed to the ground had Demetri not wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her up and to his chest.

She did not have a moment to speak before Demetri's burning lips met hers. She parted her lips slightly to allow his feverish tongue to invade her mouth and twist about her own tongue. Demetri slowly ground his pelvis against her, with one of his hands groping her ass and pulling her hips into him. The other hand was whispering around her jaw-line and neck, pushing her hair away from her face.

Demetri shifted his grip and picked Ember up. He carried her to the bed while his kisses wandered past her mouth and down to her neck.

He threw her onto the bed and pulled her ankles towards him so that his wandering mouth could travel even lower to push past the lips of her pussy and lick at her wet sex.

The halfling moaned as the ghost's tongue licked and nibbled at her clit before moving his twisting tongue lower and pushing it inside her.

"Demetri? Demetri I want you to do something for me," Ember begged between moans, her fingers wrapped in his silver hair.

"What?" the ghost asked, licking his lips as he reluctantly lifted his head.

The halfling pushed the ghost away and fell to her knees in front of him: "Please, please fuck me Demetri."

The ghost simply stared at the girl, taken aback by the heat pouring from her eyes.

"On your knees and begging for it," he whispered to himself.

"Please, Demetri?" she whimpered, slipping a finger inside herself as she knelt before him.

The ghost did not need to be asked twice. He pulled her up from her knees and lifted her onto the bed. Demetri's pants were gone in less than half a second and then he was on top of her, his thick cock pushing gently against the lips of her pussy. The ghost wrapped an arm under the halfling's back and pulled her into a kiss as he drove his dick deep inside her.

She could not scream while the ghost kissed her, not even as she felt his huge member pressing against her insides.

Demetri began to fuck the halfling slowly, building up speed as her wet pussy lubricated his cock.

"Oh Demetri," Ember moaned, breaking away from the kiss.

"Fuck, Ember you feel so good," Demetri groaned, grinding his dick deeper and deeper inside her.

"I- Demetri I'm cumming," the halfling cried as the ghost pummelled her.

The ghost kissed her, keeping her ruthlessly silent as her orgasm rocked her body with spasms of pleasure.

When her pussy was no longer clenching around his dick, Demetri felt himself on the verge of cumming.

"Ember, oh fuck," he rasped in her ear, "I'm cumming, I'm cumming."

The halfling closed her eyes as she felt Demetri fill her with his cum. The ghost panted as he emptied himself inside Ember's tight sex, letting his cock grow limp inside her as he lay breathlessly on top of her.

The ghost slipped out of the halfling when her breathing had finally returned to normal. He lifted her into his arms and carried her back down to the bathing pool, washing all the stains of sex from her beautiful body as her eyelids began to grow heavy with sleep.

When they were both clean, Demetri walked her back up to her room and lay naked beside her, tangled up in her long legs and the dark satin sheets.

"Ember?" he whispered in her ear.

"Mm-hmm?" came the sleepy reply.

"Do you love me?"

The halfling smiled to herself and pulled the ghost's arms tighter around herself.

"Yes, Demetri," she murmured, "I do."

"And I you, Ember," he replied breathlessly. "Forever."

Consumed by unbridled happiness, the halfling surrendered to sleep as the ghost's kisses landed lightly on her shoulder and neck.

++++++++

Ember woke up shivering. She sat up groggily, looking around the room for Demetri: The fire was out, an icy wind poured in through the open windows, and the ghost was no where to be seen.

"Demetri?" she called out, clasping the sheet around herself and stepping gingerly onto the freezing floor.

There was no answer.

Ember felt her heart sinking as she began to realise that something must be wrong... Terribly, terribly wrong.

She wound her way down through the caste slowly, calling out for the ghost with increasing desperation.

The halfling had almost made it to the kitchen when the castle was racked by a terrifying tremor. Ember screamed and clutched her hands over her head as stones from the ceiling cracked and fragments crumbled to the floor.

"Demetri?" she cried again as the quake subsided. "Demetri where are you? What's happening?"

All of a sudden, Ember felt a hand on her shoulder. She whirled around and saw Demetri fading fast into nothingness.

"Demetri!" she screamed.

"Ember! I don't understand what's happening," he cried. "I love you!"

And then he was gone. Ember screamed and clamped a hand over her mouth. She rushed down the stairs but found that the entrance was blocked by fallen stone. Suddenly the ceiling above her caved in and Ember's world went black.

++++++++

Ember woke up shivering. She reached out an arm for Demetri... But all her fingers found was cold stone. She opened her eyes and fell backwards when she saw that she was curled next to a tomb.

The bed was gone. The castle was gone. Demetri was gone. She was alone in a mausoleum.

Her stomach sank and her head began to spin.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Oh God, no!"

She could barely stand, but she struggled to her feet all the same. Tears threatened to flood her eyes as she clutched at the stone wall for support. It was Demetri's tomb.

Ember's chest rose and fell fast as she read the inscription. She felt her heart aching, breaking into pieces each time she read the name etched into the cold stone.

"You promised you wouldn't leave!" she cried. "You promised!"

The halfling leaned against the wall and let her knees buckle beneath her. She sank slowly to the ground and buried her head in her hands.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt me again, Demetri," she moaned into her hands. "You promised!"

Ember let her tears fall freely: She cried for all that had happened to her. Most of all, however, she cried because she knew that she had lost the ghost forever.

"You promised me forever," she sobbed to the empty stone room.

The halfling could not see anything beyond the tears in her eyes, or hear anything over the sound of her own grief. But, suddenly, there were fingers tracing down her arm.

Ember started and wiped away her tears furiously.

"W-who are you?" She asked as the figure slowly came into focus.

The young man kneeling in front of her had hair the colour of moonless midnight, but his eyes were the bright blue of a tropical sound set ablaze by the setting sun. He was the man who had appeared to her in a dream once upon a time. He was Demetri.

He reached out his hand to brush away her tears and smiled: "Ember, it's me."

Ember's lips trembled as she shook her head and backed away from the young man: "No, no, no... you're a dream! You're a fucking dream! Get away from me!"

The young man smiled and opened his leather jacket. She stared at his chest. There were no festering wounds, just old scars that had healed long ago.

"Put your hand on my heart, Ember," he whispered gently.

The halfling reached out her hand ever so slowly until her fingers touched his bare chest. His heart thundered inside and she could feel the life coursing through his body.

"It beats for you, Ember," the young man said breathlessly. "You saved me."

Ember's teary eyes were uncertain as she stared into the young man's. But the longer she held his gaze the more certain she became that the young man on his knees in front of her was Demetri and that he was not a dream. Finally, her eyes lit up and she flung her arms around him with a chocked sob.

Demetri fell on his back laughing as the halfling squeezed him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and held her as close as he could, kissing her neck and cheeks as she pulled out of the embrace.

"I will never leave you, Ember, never" he smiled. "Your love brought me back from the grave... and I won't be going back there unless you're by my side."

THE END