Chasing Back His Beloved Beast Husbands

"How can I just go over and ask them to leave. That wouldn’t be polite."

"But they were impolite first by moving in without permission," Nytherael pointed out. "Why be radiant than spring when you can be as chaotic as storm," he addressed their venomous drama queen.

"So fierce. It’s almost adorable," Sseraphis’s lips curled up.

Nytherael slounged on the swing and rested his head on Aeltharion’s lap. The soft evening sun rested warmly on his skin. It warmed the parts of him frozen by grief and sadness.

"Don’t change the subject," Nytherael’s fave sparkled. "How about we make this interesting?" he smiled more brightly and deviously than Sseraphis. "How about a bet?"

"A bet?" Aeltharion repeated. He was torn about how to react to the suggestion.

On one hand, he was pleased that Nytherael’s was returning to his old self, even if just for a moment of play but on the other hand, a bet against a cunning fox and a rulebreaking venomous snake, he was bound to lose.

"What’s the wager?" Sseraphis was beyond happy to join the game.

Nytherael opened his mouth, Aeltharion’s fed him two berries. He bit into the berries, and the juice touched every inch of his mouth with sweet flavour.

The sweetness of the berries only fueled his drive for some excitement in the house. "How about a game or truth and dare?"

"I thought it was a bet?"

"Scared?"

Sseraphis’ jaw dropped, his eyes opened wide, and his eyebrows lifted. Scared? That word didn’t exist in his vocabulary. It never did.

In fact, he believed the word was invented for beasts with him in mind. They fear him, not the other way around.

"I created a space in existence where the entrance are my shadows. And you think I’m scared?"

"Space?" Nytherael grew puzzled. That was news to him. "What space?"

’Just the place where ever beast believed to have died by my hands is currently living,’ he thought, but he didn’t put his thoughts to words. Those beasts were yet to pay for laughing at his misery, and hence, he couldn’t let it slip and have the rescued and returned home.

"As you wish, let’s play a game of truths and dangerous dares," he agreed on the spot.

"Wait, hold up," Aeltharion spoke up. "I hope this won’t be life threatening..."

"Scared?" Nytherael and Sseraphis sang.

Aeltharion shook his head. He wasn’t scared of the two of them, no. He was scared for the innocent beasts taking shelter in their humble abode who were about to be dragged into a game that neither of them were prepared for.

"Good. Let’s get started and perhaps during the game, you can dare our uninvited guests to leave out hoke," Nytherael said as he got up, Sseraphis reached over a hand and assisted him in getting down from the swing. "Thank you, love."

"Always, foxy."

Aeltharion watched the messengers of doom move and blinked awkwardly. He inhaled heavily. Something in the air told him that he wasn’t going to like the alliance between the two at all.

Soon, everyone was seated down for the game by the seaside. The cool breeze from the sea brought a nice atmosphere around. All the beasts present were feeling calm and in the mood for a friendly game.

"The rules are simple. Truth, dare and death dare, so you can pick truth or dare and if can’t do either, the challenger is allowed to give you a death dare, whatever falls under this, must be done. No questions and excuses," Nytherael stated the rule.

Ssirel, Aenyra, and Yiwa went stiff. Their bodied grew pale almost immediately, and their eyes darted around, looking for an opportunity to make a run for it.

"This should be fun," Tivnir said, holding Yiwa’s hand.

Being included in the game made him feel more compassion for the trio couple. They didn’t alienate Yiwa for being a servant or him for being the servants’ guests, which said a lot about their hospitality and kindness.

He had come to believe that all the stories about the three outside were nothing but rumours. Since living with them, he hadn’t seen anything that could give him a reason to be afraid or understand why their names caused such a terror to the outside world.

Yiwa, however, didn’t share the same positive emotion. He knew Nytherael and Sseraphis well. He had lived with them and served them. He had seen their games, especially the death dare, and there was a reason they named it that.

The two had crazy brains when it came to thinking of horrible ways to mess with beasts. Their dares were next level and usually left beast on tears or desperate to put distance between them and the two monstrous thinkers.

"Fun? Well, that is yet to be seen. I think I should arrange for more snacks," he got up to leave after laying out the excuse.

"I’ll help," Aelyra volunteered, getting food better than being wrapped into a ruleless game with her crazy best friend and his equally diabolical husband.

"I’ll join you," Ssirel offered, his voice raised concerns across the table.

Ssirel? In the kitchen? That felt unreal and a sight no beast around the table ever thought they’d see in their time.

"Can you even cook?" Sseraphis asked.

Nytherael narrowed his eyes at him. "Do you even know your way around a kitchen?"

Aeltharion didn’t comment, but his fear for his kitchen, evident in his eyes, said everything that his mouth failed to voice.

"Which is why I am volunteering to help. I need to learn my way around a kitchen... to pamper my wife," he found a suitable excuse.

Fior grabbed hold of his hand and forced him to be seated. "She’s lived as a slave her whole life. Why would she need you to learn to cook for her?" He asked, offended by the lengths Ssirel was pushing his tantrum.

"Let go!"

Fior leaned next to his ear and whispered. "Step into the kitchen for her, and she’ll be dead before the game begins," he leaned back up and offered the friendly hero’s smile he’s perfected over time.

Ssirel glanced into Fior bright eyes. His unclouded eyes caught the darkness hidden deep inside them, daring him to challenge him.

"There’s no need for more snacks, so both of you be seated," Sseraphis cut off their excuses and forced them to be seated.

Yiwa and Aenyra shared a mortified look and sat down against their hearts. They didn’t want to play, but refusing outright wasn’t an option.

Sseraphis would find a way to make them play and they target them each time until they regret being so blunt with their refusal, they’d seen the scene so many times and didn’t dare offer themselves as prey.

"Lagara, switch seats with me," Ssirel said, wanting to put distance between himself and Fior.

Lagara, who was seated between Sseraphis and Aenyra, looked up. She glanced to her side, Sseraphis’ profile was so close thar it rendered her breathless.

A name that sent shivers even to the organisation was right there next to her, preparing to play children’s game. Then, she remembered her mission, her Masters command resonated in her ear.

"Find Sseraphis Noxveil, get close to him, and find out everything you can about his shadow techniques and the shadow space!"

She had no clue why the organization wanted those technique, probably to expand their operations and move it underground where the law can’t hold them accountable.

"His shadow technique leads to a space. The artiste has discovered that all beasts consumed by his poisons and his shadows don’t die. They get taken there. Find out where there is, how to enter that space, and how he controls it!"

Once she remembered her mission, she glanced back up at her new master. Her mind screamed refuse, but years of programming in obedience warned her against going against Ssirel.

Luckily, she didn’t get to make that choice as Fior stepped in. "I guess you really don’t love your wife and want her to die soon," he said, lacing his hands over Ssirel’s hand under the table. "Make her sit next to me and you’ll be playing the first round of the game on her grave," he kept threatening him, his face however looked so sweet that no beast across the table could tell that he was baring threats at Ssirel.

Ssirel looked at Lagara from the corner of his eyes and debated. As he wasn’t much of a hero or cared for any beast but himself, he was sitting there and wondering why he should be moved by Fior’s threats.

"Why should I..."

"Just sit tight and play the game!" Fior insisted.

"I smell love in the air," Nytherael smiled, watching their interaction. "Now I raise a bet. Between Ssirel and Ssoren, who will be the next Noxveil brother to give us good news."

Ssirel shook off Fior’s hand and moved a bit away. "I am already married. I don’t need a dragon as a spouse."

"But I have developed a fondness for evil snakes. And I can be very... persistent," Fior gave Ssirel a wink.

"Sounds like you’re volunteering to go first. I accept," Nytherael said. "Let’s spice things up."

"Huh?" Fior looked confused.

"Fior, truth or dare?"