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THE HIGH PRIESTESS

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The Archdemon of Lust mentioned that Lilith had done reverse exorcism spells on the Vampire King, so it meant that Ravin couldn't leave the Vampire King's body even If she attempted an exorcism spell.

How should she solve this?

Maybe, she will figure it out when she summoned the Vampire King inside the new Pentagram she has created.

Luna noticed that she usually worked with a magic well under pressure.

She could attest that, based on her experiences, as long as she isn't hungry, she can do anything.

The Archdemon of Lust had suggested that she perform an exorcism spell first and see the results.

If it didn't work, then maybe she could tweak the spells or combine them with the others until she got it right.

Luxen had suggested that she experiment because that was how witches learn by dealing with horrendous consequences.

The Archdemon of Lust was a good teacher.

Luna gathered the extracted animal blood into an earthen bowl as she tried to recreate the runes she had seen in the grimoire.

This time, she had drawn the Devil's Trap which will render the Archdemon of Gluttony powerless and from which he wouldn't be able to escape unless the trap is broken.

This will prevent the demon from fighting back against the exorcism, she hoped.

Luna closed her eyes and paused before resuming her illustrations.

She can't bear to make the same mistake twice, making sure she did everything correctly.

The High Priestess grimaced as she cut her wrist with a knife, again and again, soaked the ground with her blood on the center of her new pentagram, the Devil's Trap.

"Et beatos vos, Ravin. Citatus in circulo. "

++++++++++++++++++

ARCHDEMON OF LUST

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Somewhere in this Realm, there was a demon high lord—an Archdemon--the most dangerous of all Hell's friends—who considered the High Priestess his exclusive property.

His possession to torture.

His to enjoy whatever he saw fit.

Ravin was one of them.

Luxen was the second Archdemon.

The Goddess of the Underworld had poisoned the High Priestess' eyes and marked her with the sight, ensuring she could see into the spiritual world.

His world.

In doing so, Hecate had brought her to the attention of other demons, as well.

The High Priestess had to have been a willing participant in her marking, for a creature could not be forced.

Seduced, yes. Tricked.

She must be eager to dabble in the dark arts that the Goddess didn't even have to force him.

A demon never grew tired of his plaything.

He stuck around until the end—or until the High Priestess wised up and forced him to leave by destroying the Blood Bond if she could figure out how to.

Luxen would not let her.

Demon paired with a mortal/vampire or other particular creature in the Night World was forbidden especially if they are bonded by blood.

The act carrying it would be a death sentence, total annihilation, or mass genocide if the Archangels caught them.

Mass genocide for all the vampire-demon offspring.

Not that the Archangels would kill this High Priestess if they wanted to deal with the wrath of a goddess.

That still was not on today's menu until Hecate found out and destroy them herself.

There would be no collateral damage.

Not yet.

Luxen would protect the High Priestess.

The Archdemon of Lust wanted her, not because of her but because creatures of the underworld loved nothing more than one-upping their brethren, their fellow Archdemons.

Bragging rights were as valuable as gold, for it inflated the ego.

It can make someone feel powerful, especially this dark thrill of ruining someone who was a powerful sorceress when she was supposed to be under the protection of a Goddess.

For someone who knew that she had to bond her life to an Archdemon, especially two of them, the High Priestess did not sound happy with the results, but at least the information had sunk in properly in her mind, and she had taken everything into stride.

As if she had resigned and accepted her fate.

Maybe Luxen was too good at seducing her.

He had successfully tricked her into being his mate along with Ravin.

The Archdemon of Lust spied into the orbs he had sent to the Archdemon of Gluttony to discover what they had done.

The Vampire King was unconscious once again.

Luxen watched a vampire of short stature wearing a full-body armor plate made of the highest quality carrying a blue pitcher with a slender spout.

He immediately assumed that it was a vampire from the Higher Ranks and the most trusted by the King since he was allowed near him in his most vulnerable state.

The military general poured an unknown dark red liquid into the King's lips.

"Volo enim vos intus manifestandam hoc nunc pentagram." The High Priestess chanted as stars winked in her line of vision. "Mea, sicut ego tenetur vos terminus hic."

The Vampire King shivered uncontrollably as he opened his mouth and roared in anguish.

Black blood pooled and bubbled around him, frothing and sizzling as it seared the bedsheets.

Steam rose, curling through the air as newly-formed intricate tattoos covered his skin.

The Vampire King's words ended on a choked breath as he turned his head and saw what he was lying on.

Demon wings.

He was half-convinced that he had imagined them.

A pair of rich, evocative black dragon wings that swept outward.

He rose, shifting to look over his shoulder as a rush of white noise crashed into his brain.

The Vampire King's eyes widened as he stared at his talon-tipped fingers.

His body seemed to be pulled in many directions as if someone had commanded it.

The Vampire King disappeared into a mist.

++++++++++++++

THE HIGH PRIESTESS

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Something slammed into Luna from behind as she stood at the center of the Devil's Trap, knocking her to the ground.

When Luna crashed, she crashed hard, cracking her freshly healed cheek on the ground.

She experienced a sharp lance of pain as the taste of iron filled her mouth, coating her tongue.

More of those too-bright stars winked through her vision, corrosive things that grew…grew…blinding her.