Reflected by the luminous stone suspended in front of her face, the light in the priestess's eyes trembled.

"I-I do not understand-"

She tried to take a step back further but her back faced cold stone. Her fingers sprawled across the wall.

"Please, if this is just a jest-"

The dark god's brow arched in incredulity, "Jest?"

He tilted his face downwards, his shiny black hair falling across his marble brow. His lips curved into a cold smile as he shook his head in disbelief. Hinata bit her bottom lip, unknowingly drawing the unknown god's gaze to the curve of her mouth. His onyx eyes reflected sharply at hers before she could notice his gaze that just lingered.

"You think that everything that happened was out of jest?"

Despair- even a callous deity like him could read that emotion in her eyes.

"If-if there is anything-anything you want," her voice started to reflect her growing desperation, "the king, I mean, my king could offer you. I am sure he will agree to anything," her heart started to beat so fast as she implored, "so please-"

She sucked in a quick breath as ice-cold fingers grabbed her chin and tilted her gaze upward to face a pair of beautiful eyes- cold, dark, and imbued with a paradoxical fire that flickered quietly in the depths.

This was the first time she was touched. This was the first time he touched her.

I have seen this face. She wondered. Where did I see this unforgettable visage?

She looked at him. His eyes studied her long lashes, lips, then drifted down her slight, breakable neck, bare shoulders, all offset by her lush jet black hair.

Then he stared straight back into her frightened eyes. As if he was calculating the girl's price.

She read his scrutinizing gaze and wanted to shake her head - no, no, no- but the god's grip fastened her eyes to his.

"Princess," a deep voice of low timbre echoed in the tunnel, "I do not like to repeat myself. So hear these words that I say. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that your king could offer that could interest me."

Her lips paled at his words. But he continued anyways, "His throne, his glory, even his life-such trifle does not make a fair bargain for a god's interest. And not just any god, but mine."

Hinata realized. This deity was no ordinary god. Her intuition as a goddess's servant for two years told her. He was not aggrandizing himself with empty words. He was not just some low cast spirit or demi god- a bastard of the entities above. He was powerful. He was purely divine. She should not cross him.

Yet she said, "If...my lord's interest could not be easily evoked," Her eyes boldly stared back, "why did my lord go through such trouble to summon a mere mortal like me?"

For the first time, his eyes widened, reflecting an emotion that for the first time made him look almost human- surprise.

Then his lips curved into a sneer, reflecting white teeth, "ha..."

His fingers released her chin. Hinata let out a sigh of relief. But she froze when she felt a warm palm clasp the side of her face, caressing her cheek.

"I have never been questioned." He let out a purr, almost as if he was amused, almost stimulated by this novelty, "And you think I would answer to you?" His voice was low and ran like liquid velvet.

His eyes peered into hers as if he was coaxing her to answer. Yet that gentle manner did nothing to conceal the coiling beastial energy that was just larking beneath that deceptive gentleness.

Her heart started to beat so fast. She has never felt so much power-this explosive divine energy- it was as if she was facing a black sun, a total solar eclipse embodied in a deceptively gorgeous human corporal.

Stunned by that sudden explosion of dark energy, Hinata felt her blood run cold and her eyes glistened with unshed tears out of terror. She felt blinded and so meek.

"I-I-"

He watched her, as she felt unable to form words, her tongue paralyzed and knees shaking. Seeing her terror, he looked at her surprised and then his face turned sullen. And in an instant, that energy was gone. As if the black light turned off- and Hinata felt as if a giant hand that had her in its grasp just released her from that titanic grip.

He sighed.

"Don't be afraid of me," he ordered

However, she could not stop her trembling.

He clicked his tongue and reached towards her. She flinched as his hand approached her face. Then, she felt his thumb gently rub against her cheek, as if done out of an unexpected and careful affection.

Then she felt a strong hand clasp the other side of her cheek. She looked up at him, as he watched her with the loveliest dark eyes she has seen.

"I got a bit too excited." He looked down at her softly, "I did not expect you to question my decision to take you." She blushed at his choice of words, but he continued, "It interested me. If there is one thing that makes gods susceptible, it's novelty."

"What am I to you?"

"You're," his dark eyes reflected mischievously, "my interest."

"I-"

Then he turned serious, "But I forbid you one thing-"

"What could it be?"

"Never mention your king to me." His eyes glowered. "Ever again."


A/N:I am back! Done with finals! Just removed a kidney stone today! I am so happy to be back! Will be writing the "The Priestess" or "Wet Lilac" soon!