Chapter 7 Meeting The Demon King

"Jessica?!" Amanda exclaimed as she recognized her friend's face. At least this person looks like Jessica, the shape of her face, the color of her eyes, even her voice. But this person is more beautiful, utterly so. Her beauty is just like the lamias'. She was Jessica made eerily beautiful. Even her pimple marks were gone.

"You know my name? Do I know you?" the girl who looked like Jessica answered.

"It's me, Amanda!" Amanda replied. She felt lonely that her friend did not recognize her, but a year was not a long time. Something must have happened to her friend.

"Oh! Amanda! The village chief's daughter!" Jessica exclaimed in recognition, "You have grown so much. How did you do that? We just saw each other yesterday, playing by the riverbank and now you are like a lady!" Jessica sounded happy, but her eyes were blank and glassy. Amanda knew that something was up, she knew how intelligent Jessica was. She is acting more like Grace and Irene now.

"What did they ever do to you? Wait, where is Ivan? Is Ivan here?" Amanda said. Looking around.

"Ivan? What are you talking about? Ivan would not be here, silly. He is busy running after Grace!" Jessica answered. Jessica's lover, Ivan, did go after Jessica once but that was years ago. And he left together with Jessica last year, or did he?

Amanda could not believe what was happening. Jessica is acting like they were still children. She does not seem to realize that they are at this age now. And what happened to Ivan? Amanda started to piece the events together and the things that come to her mind are unbelievably awful. She needs to know the answer, she needs to find out the truth. The only way to do it is to see the Lord of this place and ask him.

"Human, you have stayed too long in the bath. Come over and have your body washed thoroughly," the lamia ordered. The order seems to be reversed but Amanda thought that this might be a ritual.

"Can I have her wash me?" Amanda asked the lamias, referring to Jessica.

"That is why she is here." The lamia curtly answered.

"It will be my pleasure. We need to catch up on a lot of things!" Jessica added, saying it was more like a duty than her true intentions.

"Alright. Let's go." Amanda said as she followed Jessica towards an area with flowing water. There was a basin and some oils and perfume. Amanda surmised that this could be part of the ritual as well. She sat on the bathroom stool and allowed Jessica to wash her with water and then with the lathered perfumed soap. She never thought that she'd have the great Jessica do this for her. And she's doing it with pleasure at that.

"How did you get here?" Amanda asked.

"I don't know. I was carried? I can't remember. I was sleeping, right? And then I felt like I was flying. And then I woke up while I was brought to the Lord's chamber!" Jessica replied, all giddy.

'The real Jessica would never talk like this. This sounds stupid.' Amanda thought. Still denying that this Jessica is the real deal. What she sees is nothing but an empty husk. A stranger made to look like a physically perfect version of her friends. 'This is way too eerie of you to ask me,' Amanda thought looking at the clear and unblemished skin. 'Will they do this to me as well?' Amanda shivered at the thought.

"So, you don't remember going out with Ivan? The promise that we made before last year's harvest festival? They said you eloped with Ivan, you know." Amanda said, trying to look for any sign of recognition and reminiscence in her friend's eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Jessica asked, looking genuinely confused. "Why would I elope with Ivan? He only likes Grace, you know."

Amanda did not respond. This conversation would only run in circles if she pursued further. It would be best to move forward.

"So, the Lord. What kind of person is he?" Amanda said, sounding as indifferent as possible.

"Wow! It seems like you are interested in the Lord as well!" Jessica said in a manner that Irene would say, "What should I say? He is very handsome! I'm sure even you would be swooning over him. He is smart too!"

Amanda was shocked, she did not expect Jessica to remember what she prefers in men. "Well, I will meet with him soon enough. I will be the judge of that."

"Oh! I am sure that you will love him. I had fun with him you know!" Jessica replied with a dreamy expression on her face, "In fact, all the girls around here love the Lord! He does not discriminate among the races."

"Yeah. I should know," Amanda responded coldly, 'he is a monster after all' she continued in her mind. She is afraid of what might happen to her if she says it aloud. She needs to make sure that she uncovers the truth before something bad happens to her.

"I think you are all set. I'll tell the lamias about you," Jessica said, and then she whispered, "Be careful about those snake ladies, they eat almost anything."

"Right. Thanks, Jessica," Amanda wrapped herself in the white cloth that Jessica gave her. She looked at her friend longingly. Jessica only stood there, grinning at her. The old Jessica would have told her off by now, she never liked awkward moments like this. But this one does not seem to mind. She does not even know what is going on, she has completely been subdued. Amanda fears that this might happen to her as well. 'Not,' she thought to herself as she was dressed and prepared in the next room.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"My Lord, the sacrifice is ready," the Lord's assistant said after knocking on the chamber door.

"Very well. Let her in," the Lord ordered. 'Yet another woman who will go crazy the moment she sees me and will willingly knee at my feet.' The Demon King thought. He does not understand how this offering of sacrifices began. Ever since he was born, sacrifices have started to arrive every year at the same time.

What he has observed is that the human village close to the Dark Forest holds a festival every time they send a sacrifice. He did not even ask for it. This is why he finds humans annoying. They are irrational, noisy, uncouth, cheaters, and greedy. Every single man represents the 7 sins that give evil its power and that in itself is a feat. Even his demon generals only represent one of each sin. He only has wrath within him.

He kept staring outside through the large door that leads to the grand porch. The sacrifice is ready but they would have to walk up from the second floor. It will take some time. This is the only time that he could ever find peace. He would either be in conference with his generals or be followed by the women who were previously sacrificed to him. He wants to go out and destroy all the humans before they can give even more annoying sacrifices.

He did not dislike the sacrifices though. At least he could have his way with different kinds of women. The beast women and the night creatures do not have obvious individual distinguishing features. Those who belong to the same race almost look exactly like each other. The only difference is their behavior and the strength of their libido. Humans are different. The mystery in them comes with the fact that not only are they varied physically, but they also have profound personalities. Although they all end up degenerating, they all come here as different people and the Lord finds it amusing every time. Just like the previous years, he is looking forward to tonight's sacrifice.

Of course, he was not able to do anything to the first 15 sacrifices. He was still a child when they came. Some of them are still in the palace though, the others took their lives because of desperation. Even the way they react to his sexual techniques is different. Some sacrifices give in right away, the others need a lot of time to break in. Some have great technique, although he is sure that they are all virgins. There might be some secret book about techniques that the humans hold or else these virgins would not have developed the proper technique in bed.

"The sacrifice has arrived," the assistant announced from the other side of the door.

"Let her in," the Demon King said, still looking outside. He refuses to seem like he is anticipating this night. He needs to make sure that he shows who the most powerful in this palace is. Soon the double doors creaked open. In came the assistant followed by the Lamia guides. The woman that came in the previous year was following a woman wearing a white dress. Her head and face were covered in a thick veil.

"May we present to you, this year's sacrifice." The black-haired lamia announced and bowed. The other lamias and Jessica bowed as well. Amanda refused to do so. The assistant cleared his throat but Amanda did not flinch one bit. The Demon King turned around.