Chapter 15: Tender Moments with a Demon

As Mari climbed off me, her body glistening with a subtle sheen of sweat, I lay exhausted on the bed, my chest heaving with ragged breaths. She strode across the room, her demon tail swishing behind her, and settled in front of her vanity. With a flick of her wrist, the mirror lit up, casting a warm glow over her features as she began to fix her appearance. She powdered her cheeks, rouged her lips, and smoothed her hair, her movements deft and precise. As she worked, her gaze drifted back to me, and for a moment, her expression softened. Something inside her, some lingering affection she couldn't explain, stirred in her chest. It was a remnant of the old world, a world she had left behind, and it caught her off guard. Mari's eyes lingered on me, taking in the sight of my battered body, my face slack with exhaustion. She seemed to see beyond the slave, beyond the plaything, and glimpse the person I once was. Her gaze held a flicker of...not quite tenderness, but perhaps a gentle curiosity. The moment passed, and Mari's mask slipped back into place. She stood up, her movements fluid and deliberate, and walked back to the bed. I lay still, anticipating her next move. From her dresser, she retrieved a small key and approached me. The clack of the lock was loud in the silence as she secured the slave collar around my neck. I felt the metal dig into my skin, a cold, unforgiving presence that seemed to weigh me down. Mari's talons extended, and she reached out to caress my cheek, her touch gentle, almost soothing. "Be good," she purred, her voice husky and seductive. "Promise to behave, and I promise you a good life. You'll have food, shelter, and...comforts." Her eyes seemed to bore into mine, searching for something, but I couldn't quite tell what. Her talons stroked my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. For a moment, I dared to hope that there was more to Mari than just a demon, more to her than just desire and cruelty. But the moment passed, and her expression hardened. "Don't test me," she warned, her voice dropping to a growl. "I have limits, slave. Don't make me show you what happens when you push me too far." I lay still, my heart pounding in my chest, as Mari turned and walked away, leaving me to ponder the complexities of my situation. Was I a slave, a plaything, or something more? And what did the future hold for me, now that I was bound to this demon, body and soul?