░ Chapter 23 ░ (1/2)

Author Note: Everyone do not panic I'm only a day late D:! I've been really sick all week and still kind of am but I'll talk about that later hahaha Let's go on a trip to the Demon Realm and I really hope you guys enjoy because it is a fantasy story and I want you guys to be able to picture and enjoy in your minds but let's be serious you all want more clingy Demon Mark right :D?♥ Enjoy this week's Playhouse m(_ _)m Do you want to play?

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Chrysalis softly furrowed her brows as her eyes remained closed with her hands tucked under her head. She felt the side of her bed sink gently and she had that feeling she was being watched.

As her eyes slowly opened there was a small gasp and through her hazy vision she could see her door quickly open and close. She threw off her covers and rubbed her eyes and peered around her room. It was still the middle of the night and the moonlight was streaming in through her window.

Slipping on her slippers she shuffled to the door and as she peered down the hall she smiled as she saw her Master's door close hastily. She knocked gently on the double doors and as they slowly opened she shook her head.

She walked over to the very obvious lump of her Master huddling under his deep blue blanket on the edge of the bed and he started to fidget as she knelt in front of him.

"Master?"

She yawned and when he didn't answer she brought her hand up and shook him lightly.

"Master, were you watching me sleep?"

"No!.....Maybe?.....yes......I'm so sorry, I am ashamed......"

His low sleepy voice stuttered bashfully and he yelped as Chrysalis tried to lift his blanket.

"You know if you want you can sleep with me"

She gasped and fell back on her bum as Mark popped his head out with the most adorable shy smile she's ever seen on his face. His dark hair was ruffled messily and his dark eyes were twinkling.

As he tried to articulate his words his cheeks burned redder and redder, embarrassed by his behavior and feeling shy as she leaned back against the edge of the mattress, leaning her head on her arms and smiling up at him.

"May I? I mean I don't want to be a nuisance......I don't have to, it's just.....I'd really like...."

Before he could finish his reasoning he watched with rounded eyes as Chrysalis softly shoved him over and climbed in underneath the blanket with him. As he still stared at her bewildered she patted the pillow next to her head and he timidly laid beside her, their noses mere inches from each other.

"I promise you it was not my intention to stare at you like, what is that term Talia is fond of using, like a creeper? The pulling was getting unbearable so I thought If I just peered at you for a moment then I would be satiated but you're just so beautiful and captivating that I couldn't stop looking at you...."

He groaned and buried his head into his pillow embarrassedly and he began to pur involuntarily as Chrysalis played with his hair in between her fingers.

"You can't begin to understand this need I have for you. I'm sorry if I'm being a bother but I'm finding it harder and harder to keep myself from you....."

Mark's inner Demon growled weakly at the unnecessarily mushy none sense spouting from his mouth. His hearing perked at the sound of her quickening heart beat and warmth exploded through his body as she snuggled against him.

"Then don't stay away from me. You're not a bother at all Master......I like it."

"Do you really?"

"I really do. And If I may speak out of term Master, you're being very cute"

"I am not cute. I am....."

"An all powerful Demon, big and scary and blah blah"

He peered at her face and though her eyes were closed he still playfully glared at her.

"Are you making fun of me Pretty?"

"I wouldn't dare."

"I do think you dare, shall I punish you?"

"If you're going to punish me then I'll leave"

"NO! DON'T!"

His eyes blazed worriedly and his mouth set in a firm line and without even opening her eyes Chrys smiled and laid her hand against his face making his heart race.

"I'm not going anywhere"

She reassured softly and he grabbed her hand relieved and kissed her palm. Her scent alone could bring him a world of peace. Her skin was so soft he wished he could touch it constantly. How was it possible for someone to be so perfect? Especially a human.

"Promise?"

He whispered desperately and she nodded softly. Taking her hand back she softly tapped her lips with her fingertips.

"I promise. Now kiss me and go to sleep Mark."

Freezing as his eyes flickered Mark smiled bashfully and did as he was told. Kissing her lips with so much softness and care that made Chrys shiver he then hummed and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. Kissing the soft skin and wrapping his arms tightly around her it didn't take long for them to fall asleep peacefully.The girls were having a conversation as they made their way to the kitchen for breakfast and they laughed as Chrysalis finally caught up.

"Had a little morning action with the Master huh Chrys~?"

She giggled as Faun ruffled her already bed messy hair and shook her head. It wasn't exactly what she was implying. Master Mark did not want to release her from his embrace what so ever.

Once she managed to wake him up he completely refused to unravel his arms and instead crushed her to his chest. She tried tickling him and as he laughed she attempted to make a run for it but he grabbed her by the hem of her shirt and pulled her back into bed with a chuckle.

He crawled over and laid his head in her lap and he whined as she pulled on his cheeks.

"Master I want to get out of bed already"

"But I don't"

"You're so lazy"

She yelped as he bit her thigh and Chrys huffed out air that ruffled her bangs. She tried to stand up but it was like having an anchor attached to her and she was no match for his strength.

"What can I do to make you let me go?"

"If it were up to me I'd never let you go but I'll give you the chance to persuade me"

He yawned cutely and closed his eyes and Chrys thought long and hard.

"I'll move into your room?"

Mark's eyes snapped open excitedly and he peered up at her face.

"Then I can sleep with you every night?"

"Exactly"

He frowned.

"But your room is your safe place, a place just for you....."

"I can't imagine a safer place than a Demon guarded room hahaha"

She joked and poked his nose.She gasped as he flipped her onto her back, pinning her wrists to the sides of her head and crashing his lips against hers fervently. As if a switch had been flipped his actions immediately softened drastically.

He released his grip and slowly intertwined his fingers with hers. Instead of biting roughly on her lower lip as he normally did he nipped it gently, licking on occasion making his own head spin. She tasted so divine.

He pressed his weight on her comfortably to envelope her instead of crushing her and dragging her legs to his sides. In his euphoric state Mark opened his blue eyes and smiled down at his would be Deity.

"You've destroyed me."

As the girls arrived at the kitchen entrance they held their hair as Mark blurred by them and they giggled as he pulled Chrysalis' chair out with a toothy grin. Realizing himself he coughed embarrassedly then proceeded to pull out everyone else's chairs and helped tuck them in.

They watched and laughed when Chrysalis smiled awkwardly as Mark unfolded her napkin and placed it in her lap. She reached for her fork to eat her eggs and Mark beat her to it and handed it to her and she nodded politely.

"Ummm Master?"

"Hmmmm?"

He hummed cutely and he turned to Talia who pssst-ed him softly and she winked playfully.

"Master you're doing it again!"

Mark frowned and shook his head and knocked his knuckle against his temple. He couldn't help it! THIS WAS RIDICULOUS. Watching his movements Chrys slowly reached for her spoon and she sighed as he involuntarily grabbed it for her and placed it into her hand.

"Master I can do it myself....."

"NONE SENSE! YOU ARE A GODDESS AND THOU SHALL NOT NEEDTH TO LIFT A FINGER AS LONG AS I AM AROUND!"

He slapped his hand over his mouth horrified with his eyes flickering and the girls laughed hysterically. Sensing Mona coming in at the climax of his ridiculous behavior he sunk to his knees and hid under the table making even the staff laugh.

He squeezed in between Chrys' legs making her yelp and he hugged his knees to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

"Miss Mona not that I'm not enjoying Master being a buffoon but when will he stop?"

"I agree with Mari it's starting to get painful and poor Chrys hahah her face!"

Mona stopped walking then slowly bent to her right to peer under the table and she smiled.

"But we don't exactly want the bond to be completed for safety reasons"

"But her safety is already being threatened with Master suffocating her right Herbert?"

Mark's eyes opened and dimly glowed as he felt guilty from the idea suffocating her. As if feeling his mood drop Chrys searched under the table with her hand and reassured everything was fine by grazing her fingers over the sides of his face.

"Hehehe that's a Demon's affection ladies. It's his way of courting Chrysalis and he won't stop acting this way until she completes the bond by falling completely in love with him"

Faun turned to Chrys and pointed her spoon at her.

"Chrys hurry up and complete the bond with Master for both of your sakes!"

Mari shook her head and sipped her tea.

"You can't rush these things Faun. Feelings need to be developed."

"But Master was already smitten for a while!"

"Have you forgotten how oblivious Chrys can be? She was like immune to him!"

Everyone turned to face Chrys who looked back with rounded innocent eyes and they gasped as she was pulled under the table, completely disappearing from sight. Mark pulled her to his chest and held her tight so she wouldn't see his blushing face.

"Are you against falling in love with me Pretty?"

"Not at all Master"

"Then I will do whatever it takes to make you love me, please give me the chance and have an open mind"

"Why do you say that?"

"Hahahaha because Pretty, you have always been painfully oblivious"

They looked up as Mona knocked on the table top.

"If you two are quite finished the car is waiting to take us to the village."The girls chattered excitedly amongst themselves. What would the Demon Realm be like? A place not accessible by any human means possible the girls were quite fearful at first but Mark reassured them that to the Demons they were exactly as they were originally intended to be, just Dolls.

"And by the completely impossible chance that a human who weren't a Doll wandered into the Demon Realm what would happen?"

"Probably get eaten."

"Hahaha Master you're so funny"

"I wasn't joking Faun. Eaten or immediate death."

Faun's smile slowly disappeared and she huddled closer to Rea who then patted her head. Karin and Herbert were hidden inside their giant novel about a wizard boy and she proceeded to ask if the settings of the book would be like that of the Demon Realm and Mark shrugged his shoulders.

"I haven't read it but I do believe so but the human imagination is so limited."

Mark eyed Mari who was swinging her legs back and forth and as she caught his gaze he smiled.

"Yes Master?"

"It's nothing Princess. I'm just excited you're all coming with me, now I can easily purchase new clothing for all of you"

"Oh Master you don't have to we have plenty."

"It brings me great joy to dress my Dolls, you of all people should know this hahaha"

"That I do Master, I am your Princess."

"Master are the others going to join us too?"

"Why Talia am I not enough company for you that you need my friends to join as well?"

"Keep your pants on Master I was just asking hahaha"

"I too was just teasing. Who knows we may run into them."

Chrysalis heard nothing of the conversations as she swung her feet back and forth. Master said he'd do anything to make her fall in love with him but a Demon/Human love is so frowned upon, wouldn't it tarnish his reputation?

Why her? He had the other girls, Miss Sunmi, the staff, he could have anyone.....

"I don't want anyone, I want you Chrysalis"

Her head snapped up as she peered at Mark who smiled at her. She hadn't even noticed her seal activate and she frowned.

"But I'm.....just me....."

"Just you? You've completely beguiled a Demon to the point of falling head over heels for you, made friends with other Demons and magical beings, you've survived a monstrous maze and defended yourself against a Rogue Doll, you live this completely insane life that you never once questioned but here you are questioning yourself, of all things?!"

He leaned his head in and kissed her lips and her shoulders dropped and relaxed.

"I could go on and on about how great you are but it'll have to wait till another time. Come we have arrived."

With their seals activated under the collars of their coats the girls paired off and Mark and Mona stood in the front as Lillith and the driver, her husband, John trailed behind.

"Do not fear anything, we are here with you, don't be too obvious and most of all do have fun and if there's anything that catches your eye feel free to point it out and we can purchase it. Lillith anything to add?"

"Don't stare at anyone hahaha"

The village itself was surrounded by a stone wall that disappeared into the clouds and thick dark green forrests. Crows and other birds cawed in the distance and there was a light breeze that ruffled the leaves.

With a nod the group entered through the stone arch and they gasped in wonder. It was like an old European town, similar to that small provinicial town Belle sung of in her movie. It was quite dreary looking actually. The skies were grey and there was a light layer of fog that danced around the streets that were completely cobble stone.