Star

Slave? Did he say slave talisman? Was that what was making me do everything that he wanted me to? Was that what made me compelled to do everything that Artem had wanted?

"It truly was unfortunate that I had to reset the damned thing. You must have bonded with that stupid wolf boy on your birthday. That's why I was waiting for you, you know. I don't like the idea of actually taking you by force. That was my father's thing, not mine. I may be a half demon but I seem to have a little bit more humanity than him. I was waiting until you let me take you willingly."

The grin that Uncle Howard gave me then made me even sicker. He thought that this was willing. He thought that this made me want him. Did he not know that I was screaming inside my head telling him to get away from me and to stop touching me? I did not want this. I did not want him. That made it just as much rape as you could possibly get.

"My father liked to mess with the minds of the women he used. He would drug them with magic and then manipulate their memories. They never knew what he was doing to them. You will know, you will remember me. And the best yet, is that your body will accept me, even if your mind does not."

So he does know? He knows that I want him to stop, but he won't. He knows that I want to run, but I can't. He is a sick, sadistic asshole.

"I know your mind is alert, I know you can hear me, the real you. Just know, Astraia, nothing can break this talisman. Not while I am alive that is. My father helped to develop the original talismans so they are bound to him, but I made this one. This is my special gift to you. Don't you like it?"

'No I don't you sick fuck!' I screamed inside my head.

"Yes, Howard, I love it, thank you so much for gifting me with this wonderful talisman. I am happy that I can be with you." My voice and my body were compelled to follow his whims and so answered how he wanted me to.

'STOP IT, DON'T DO THIS!' I screamed at myself, desperate for a shred of control that I knew I would never get.

"Do you know who my father is, Astraia? Do you know how powerful he is? His name is Gannon, the most powerful Warlock there has ever been, and I used to follow loyally by his side as his son and servant. That is, until I saw you and the potential that we would have together. I left my father then, I left the work he was doing to actualize my own dreams. I had followed him for over a hundred years, but now I have devoted my life to you."

Uncle Howard was chuckling now, as he thought about the past. I didn't care about the laugh so much as the words he had said. He had followed his warlock father for over a hundred years. Just how old was he?

"Don't get me wrong, I had other things to fill my time with while I waited for you. I was quite content using the women of this family for my own purposes. They were so easily bent to my will. They always wanted to be with someone strong and powerful. And none of them were able to find a mate after being with me. You should count yourself lucky, my love, I chose you to be my true wife. And I must say that I am quite the lover, you will be very pleased with me."

All I wanted to do was die right now. I didn't want to be with him, or anyone who had been with so many people in my family. This was the worst nightmare I could possibly think of. Someone help me get out of here.

"There I think that will just about do it." Uncle Howard moved from in front of me and let me finally see myself in the mirror on the vanity. He had brushed my hair and added the ribbon, but I couldn't see it since it was in the back. But my hair was completely out of my face and I could tell that the hair that normally framed my face was tied back, just by looking at the way the hair bent backwards.

After he had done my hair he had applied my makeup. I saw black eyeshadow applied thickly on both of my eyes. He had added eyeliner and even mascara. All these things I had been learning to do from Chay Uncle Howard seemed to be able to do effortlessly. There was no blush on my cheeks but he had done my lips in a dark gray. And underneath it all he had spread a pale foundation all over my face. I now looked sickly pale.

The color of the dress was also making me look even more pale. I was done with nothing but white, black, and gray. Even my hair looked black next to all the white of my face and dress.

"You look wonderful, Astraia. Black and white like the night sky filled with stars. This is how you were meant to look. I cannot wait to have you all to myself. But I am a gentleman after all and I vowed to wait until after the wedding. So, let us not delay a minute longer. It is time for us to get married. Doesn't that excite you."

"Yes Howard, I am looking forward to it. I want to be with you so much. Please, let us get married so that you can take me."

'NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!' No matter how much I tried to scream the word it was useless. This was happening and I couldn't stop it.