Married To The Villain
Chapter 43: The Escape

Chapter 43: The Escape

Chapter 43: The Escape

Lirian’s tears streaked her face as the golden butterflies swarmed the masked man.

They glowed with an intense, bright light, their wings looked like they were sharp as blades.

The creatures darted around him, slicing through his cloak and cutting deep into his skin.

"What is this magic?!" He yelled through gritted teeth.

He staggered back, swatting at the butterflies, "What—what is this?" he roared, blood was staining his hands as the swarm drove him to his knees.

"They’re mine," Lirian hissed.

Even though she was trembling with power and rage, she didn’t want him to see the fact that Lirian didn’t know how to use them correctly.

But for the first time, she felt control over her magic.

The butterflies moved as if connected to her thoughts, and she directed their attacks with every ounce of her will.

The man growled, raising a hand to summon a protective barrier of dark energy, but the butterflies cut through it with ease...he looked like a feather.

His defenses crumbled, and he fell to the floor, panting and bloodied.

"Enough!" he barked, but the butterflies didn’t stop.

They tore at his mask, shredding it piece by piece until it fell away.

Lirian gasped, her breath was caught in her throat again.

Beneath the mask was a man of striking beauty—his sharp jaw and intense golden eyes were almost inhumanly perfect.

Even bruised and bleeding, he shared an aura of dark, magnetic allure that made her heart stutter.

For a moment, the world seemed to stop.

The glow of the butterflies softened, and Lirian found herself frozen, staring at the man who had tormented her.

He smiled, his lips curled into a seductive smirk despite his injuries.

"Admiring me, are you?" He taunted her.

Lirian’s shock turned to boiling lava in her veins again. "You’re disgusting," she frowned her lips.

Before she could say anything further, he lunged forward with surprising speed, grabbing her wrist and pulling her close.

His lips crashed against hers, forceful and unexpected.

Her body froze in shock, the voice inside her screamed as the kiss burned with the same maddening intensity as his gaze.

She shoved him with all her strength, breaking free and stumbling back.

"Get away from me!" she shouted, as she fell on her butt.

"Haha..." He laughed at her.

He did it...the man wanted to kiss her for so long, and he finally did it.

"You can escape now," he said, blinking with certainty.

"But you won’t resist me for long. You’ll come back, Lirian. You’ll need me. You’ll want me."

Her hands trembled as the crimson colour of her face took over, and she lashed out, her fist connected with his jaw.

The force of the punch sent him sprawling to the ground, his head hit the stone with a loud thud.

He went still, his breathing seemed shallow but steady.

Lirian stared at him, her chest moved up and down as adrenaline coursed through her veins.

"Never," she whispered, and yet her body couldn’t stop shaking.

She turned and ran, her bare feet splashed through the icy water that pooled on the dungeon floor.

Her ruined dress clung to her, heavy and damp, but she didn’t stop.

Her only thought was escape...getting as far away from him as possible.

The air turnee colder as she ran, the dark corridors of the dungeon stretched endlessly before her.

The sound of her footsteps repeated around her, accompanied by the distant drip of water.

Finally, she saw it—a faint light ahead.

Hope traveled through her, and she pushed herself harder, her legs started burning with the effort.

"Come on...please, faster..." She was muttering to herself, motivating.

As she neared the light, she heard voices...they were low and urgent, coming through the tunnels.

"She has to be close," a man said.

"Spread out! She can’t have gone far," another voice commanded.

Lirian’s heart sank.

’They’re looking for me...’.

She didn’t know who they were—whether they were more of the masked man’s allies or someone else—but she couldn’t take the risk.

She veered off, turning down another dark passage.

Her breath came in ragged gasps as she pushed herself forward, ignoring the pain in her feet and the damp chill seeping into her bones.

Suddenly, a guttural growl came through the corridor.

Lirian froze, her heart pounding in her chest like a mad horse.

The growl came again, closer this time, and she realised with a sinking dread that something was stalking her.

She turned slowly, her eyes looked at the shadows.

From the darkness came a creature unlike anything she had ever seen.

"Wha-what...?"

Its hulking form was covered in matted fur, its glowing red eyes looked at her with predatory intent.

Its massive jaws dripped with saliva, and its claws scraped against the stone floor as it advanced.

"No," she whispered, backing away. "No, no, no."

"Gaaaaaaah!" The monster let out a roar, and Lirian turned and ran.

It chased her, its heavy footsteps were shaking the ground beneath her.

She could feel its hot breath on her back, hear the snarls that promised death.

Her ruined dress caught on a jagged piece of stone, and she stumbled, falling to her hands and knees.

The monster suddenly appeared over her, its red eyes had that savage hunger.

Desperate, Lirian reached deep within herself, searching for the power she had felt earlier.

The butterflies. She needed them again.

"Come on," she whispered, her lips trembled. "Please."

The monster lunged, its claws slashed toward her.

Golden light erupted from her chest, brighter and more intense than before.

The butterflies swarmed out in a dazzling wave, their wings started cutting through the air like blades once again.

The creature howled as the butterflies attacked, they slashed through its thick hide.

Blood sprayed across the walls, and the monster thrashed wildly, trying to shake them off.

Lirian scrambled to her feet, watching as the butterflies overwhelmed the beast.

Within moments, it collapsed, twitching before going still.

She stared at the creature, Lirian’s breath came in quick, uneven bursts.

The butterflies stayed around her, their glow casted soft light on the dark walls.

"Thank you," she whispered, almost breaking apart.

The butterflies flitted away, disappearing into the shadows as the light ahead grew brighter.

Lirian wiped the tears from her face, steeling herself.

She couldn’t stop now. She had to keep moving.

Taking a deep breath, she turned and ran toward the light.

This time, she wouldn’t stop until she was free.

"Gotcha!"

A man caught her.