Chapter 189 - Transformation

With rasping breaths, Luna knew she was now impervious to the flames of Hell.

Every second she burned, she gained higher pain tolerance.

It came to the point that she didn't notice or feel her injuries at all.

For some reason, her back suddenly went through a transformation Luna could have never imagined as her entire being was set on fire.

Eyes widening in horror, Luna screamed.

She had demonic wings shooting out of her back when she looked over her shoulder!

Luna gained Archdemon Wings because of the Demon King's Hell-Fire!

Everything felt weak, and she couldn't even move her new wings properly.

Luna took a deep breath and spread out her wings as she tried to lift herself.

Tears falling at the corners of her eyes, she gritted her teeth as she stretched the unfamiliar muscles she had never used before.

She needed to figure out how to fly and do it quickly so that she could escape.

The transparent glass case had shattered by the force of her wings.

Expanding her newly formed wings outward, Luna's tears had soaked her lips from the agony as layers of perspiration broke her skin.

Even if it had hurt like hell, she flapped her demon wings even if it felt like thousands of needles had pricked the muscles on her back.

She lifted herself out of the eternal fire and moved herself to safety.

Nevermind, Luna didn't think it was a good idea to stand in front of the King and Queen--just ten strides away from the throne they had seated--but she had owned that decision.

Luna kept her face unreadable as she forced her demon wings to snap shut.

It was a constant effort to maintain control over her faculties as she willed her shoulder muscles to loosen. 

It felt like Lilith's claws digging on her spine.

"I don't sense any High Priestess magic in her bestowed by Hecate in her." The Queen of Hell watched her with detached appreciation as if seeing creatures being burned by her husband's Hell Fire was a natural occurrence. "Aside from personality, she would do just fine. We could give her the magic needed to open the portals. Luxen and Ravin had claimed that she had done it herself without anyone teaching her how to. She will learn fast if we bestowed her limited Archdemon magic."

Great!

Now they were speaking about her like she wasn't in the same room with them.

"I will offer to train the lady, Queen Jezebel." The other older man seated next to the Demon King offered as he continued stroking the large head of his Cerberus. "All wild animals can be tamed, depending on the skill her master had." 

Did he call her a wild animal that needs taming?

Luna glared at the man, the other older man, and she arched an eyebrow at Cerberus--its green saliva dripping from its fangs on the man's red trousers--and he didn't even care.

His form had looked eerily similar to the Demon King except that he had long white hair compared to the other bald man.

Luna swore she could assume that both of these older men were somehow twins, but again nobody can prove that if all of them wouldn't show their faces. 

"Why did I turn into an Archdemon? You are the one who turned me because of the flames!" Luna turned towards the Demon King as she released the turbulent fury of her anger.

"I didn't ask for this, Your Highness." She demanded.

The Demon King gave her a nonchalant shrug, but she knew Luna had evoked an unexpected curiosity flaring deep within his icy soul. 

Satisfaction had hidden his intrigue, and the King's deep baritone was slightly gentler than what she heard earlier. 

"I am not the one who turned you." He said 'oh-so-softly' that his tone would fit the image of a well-intentioned vicar and not some evil King. "It was the Archdemons who owned you now through the mating bond."

"My self-proclaimed husbands!" Luna hissed as she ran a frustrated hand over her silver hair.

Clenching her fists, she sighed and made a mental note to cool her composure.

"Ravin must return me to normal, Your Highness, "Luna replied steadily as she glared at Ravin, who had reclined in his throne at the side, watching her with intense golden eyes. "I didn't want to be an Archdemon."

"You are still a vampire, but you are a part of a race now, so you must swear fealty to Hell." The Demon King stated as the firestorm which had encircled her in the transparent glass coffin blazed stronger that it almost reached the ceiling, the flames shimmering against the golden medallion on his neck.

She could feel the heat of the fire, and it made her flinch. 

She was an Archdemon now!

Luna remembered that she could survive burning in Hell for eternity.

"I would not join this performing circus." Luna would never bend to their will.  "I don't belong here. I don't even know who you are with all those masks."

"I can see that you really want me to reveal my face." The Demon King said, his deep voice hinting amusement.

Luna had instinctively sensed danger in the air.

"This isn't theatre, Your Highness." Luna declared as she took a step backward but still she had displayed courage by holding her head up high. "Show yourself, Lucifer, whoever you are."

"I am, indeed, the Demon King Lucifer, but it would be the 'Your Highness' for you." The Demon King nodded his head in agreement.

"Every creature in every Realm is wearing masks, girl, including you. You are trying new masks which would best suit you in a situation--" He paused as if in thought, and then he added, "--but if you wanted me to remove my mask for your peace of mind, I will."

The Demon King stood up straight from his throne, bowed low in a greeting, and walked towards her. 

"What had been suppressed will now be revealed."

He raised his large and wrinkled hand to the mask he had worn with a calculating motion.

When King Lucifer removed them slowly, Luna's heartbeat thrashed in her ears as she froze in her place with terror.

The Demon King had no face.