Duke of the Beast and the Vicarious Bride - Chapter 33

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※ This work contains depictions of coercive relationships, explicit language, and other graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

Somehow, she found herself without restraint. Fiona rubbed against the joining place with greater force, where the sound of water was now distinct. She saw nothing, but the heat rising from their touching skin and the pillar of flesh buried beneath her, stirring her insides thoroughly, was vivid.

The beast’s hot breath reached her. Fiona’s short breaths mingled with his. Sweat and heat and rough breathing, their most intimate flesh entangled.

Even with eyes open, only black darkness met her gaze. A hallucination, as if merging with darkness itself, slowly consumed her.

“Darkness…”

Suddenly, a name to give him flashed through her mind like a streak of light. The name of darkness from the stories Anaïs used to tell…

“Caligo.”

Yes, he was the darkness that had rushed upon her after a succession of misfortunes, the darkness she must ultimately embrace.

“From now on, this is your name.”

She could not tell if he understood her words, but it did not matter. What mattered was that she now had a suitable name to call him. When one raises a beast, giving it a name is the first step, is it not?

Of course, he was not truly a beast, but for her, who had never named an animal before, this was quite a special experience.

Thus, to Fiona, he became someone she would not mercilessly butcher, someone who would remain with her from now on.

“Caligo.”

Would the day come when he understood this name? When that day came, would he like the name she had given him?

“Caligo… ugh!”

“Kugh…”

Hoping he would grow accustomed to the name even if he did not understand its meaning, she repeated it several times. Then, at some point, he let out a pained groan and thrust his hips upward.

Overflowing pleasure burst into climax the moment the insertion deepened. On top of the violently shuddering man’s body, she pressed against his chest and arched her back.

At the same time, Fiona was suddenly seized with fear. Her body felt strange. She could not understand what was happening.

The vaginal muscles, twitching beyond control, contracted as if squeezing the phallus buried inside her. Her mind and vision bleached white simultaneously. For the first time in her life, the sudden climax from penetration was so intense it bordered on pain.

“Huuuh, haah, haaah…”

It was a long while before any reason returned to her muddled mind. Fiona realized she had, at some point, collapsed face-down on the chest of the beast—no, of Caligo.

The joining place was still tightly locked together, but unlike before, it was slick and wet, as if someone had poured a bucket of flour paste. He, too, seemed to have finished another release.

Her head whispered that she should rise, but her limbs would not obey. In the pitch-black darkness, Fiona lay still for a time, listening to the heartbeat transmitted through their touching chests.

The warmth emanating from his body and his low breathing gave her a strange sense of calm. Tonight—no, perhaps throughout her entire journey to the north—the tension that had stiffened Fiona’s shoulders slowly melted away.

If she found herself thinking that this forced wedding night had not been so bad, perhaps she had finally gone mad.

“And yet, truly… it was better than expected…”

Such thoughts drifted through her fading consciousness.

The heated wedding night of a bride and groom who had never even seen each other’s faces came to an end, both tumultuous and quiet.

* * *

After some time, Fiona finally managed to rise. In truth, Caligo’s embrace had been so comfortable she had nearly fallen asleep, but the thought that Jayden might come bursting in at any moment would not let her remain still.

As she carefully lifted her hips, the heavy mass of flesh slid out with a wet sound, drawing forth endlessly. Now, with her mind somewhat clearer, she found it incomprehensible how she had managed to take such a thing inside her.

Moreover, Caligo’s centre remained unsated, still rigid.

‘Is he not yet satisfied…?’

Even if that were so, there was nothing to be done. She had no strength left for anything more. Her exhausted body felt as if it might collapse at any moment. Crawling on hands and knees, she detached herself completely from Caligo, then moved a few steps on trembling legs to gather her ruined nightclothes.

“Listen, Caligo. I must go now.”

She spoke toward where he lay, but only a low, rumbling breath returned. Was he perhaps asleep? That might be for the best.

“Rest for now. We will meet again.”

Whether it was Jayden or the imperial officials, they would force conjugal visits until she conceived, so they would likely meet quite often. It was with such thoughts that she spoke.

‘A proper wife would not take her leave like this.’

Still, he was now the man who had become her husband, and leaving him in this place felt somewhat strange.

‘Why was Caligo treated like a beast and kept here? Having met him, he did not seem uncontrollably violent or impossible to manage.’

If they had granted him the empty title of Grand Duke, should they not at least pretend to treat him accordingly? Fiona thought with displeasure.

Was it because they had joined their bodies? Because she had given him a name? Or perhaps, as with Rose, because he had suddenly been bound to her under the name of family? Already, she found herself concerned about him. And with that concern, her resentment toward Jayden, who treated Caligo unjustly, grew even sharper.

‘What woman would like seeing her husband treated like a beast?’

She was aware that she might be overreacting, but it was true. Her husband’s position was now her own.

‘In any case, I must negotiate. Ask whether he might live in the castle like an ordinary person.’

If he needed someone to care for him, Fiona intended to volunteer for that role. She doubted she would have much else to do here. If Caligo remained as gentle as he had been tonight, she was willing to look after him.

Jayden had said his appearance was too hideous to behold, which was why the wedding night must take place in such complete darkness. But the face Fiona had felt with her fingertips bore no particular abnormality.

She felt foolish for having imagined, thanks to Jayden’s exaggerations about him being nearly a monster, a creature with three eyes or a mouth slit to the ears.

‘Appearance is simple enough—two eyes, one nose, one mouth will do. Ah, he said he dislikes light. Then let him stay in a room with curtains drawn. Even so, a person should at least be free of chains…’

Fiona, having followed her thoughts thus far, realized she had delayed too long and rose hastily from where she sat. Though she could see nothing, she could at least discern the direction from which the wind flowed.

“I will surely return, so wait for me until then.”

Having murmured this farewell—quite strange and awkward to leave for a husband with whom she had spent her wedding night—Fiona once again traced the wall with her fingers and began to slowly make her way out of the labyrinthine passage.