IMPRESS.

Chapter Sixty: King Of The Shadowlands

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Preston leant his elbow against the mattress, and rested his knees either side of my thighs, successfully keeping himself intimately hovered above my body.

In our intimate position, the Shadow King's face remained inches away from mine, his lips lingering dangerously close to my lips and his eyes softly melting into mine also, every sign of threat erased from his irises.

I caressed his cheek, smiling sadly at his thoughtful attempt to wear a mask of happy for my sake. "Don't do that," I spoke tenderly watching as Preston kissed my knuckles and kept my hand to his neck.

"Do what?" He purposely lowered himself in attempt to try distract my attention from seeing that something was wrong. In response, I pursed my lips to avoid getting excited at the tiny space between us.

It was bad enough that I wasn't only in the Demon King's bedroom but in his bed, I had to learn to restrain myself or else Preston would see me as an open invitation for his 'you know what'.

"Hiding your emotions," I breathed out, a frown growing on my face, "tell me what's wrong... Why are you mad? Did someone hurt y-"

"-Don't," Preston shut his eyes and put his hand over my lips, desperately hoping I wouldn't continue from how much he squeezed his eyes closed.

Obviously, I couldn't keep my mouth closed if someone I liked, loved, was hurting inside. "You don't need to pretend you're okay to keep a tough image in front of me, Preston. You can tell me what's wrong..."

My voice was the softest it had ever been and my touch was the warmest it had ever been too, especially with my fingers intertwined in his. "I know I can, but I fear you may run from me if I do."

I shook my head looking up into his eyes with furrowed eyebrows, "I'd never run from you," I reassured, "no matter what."

Was that a lie I had spoken? I don't actually know, I couldn't see clearly, I think I was momentarily blinded by love.

"You said that unsurely, but I don't blame you," Preston observantly said, "which is why I give you permission to run when I tell you what has angered me."

"Permission I don't want," I said confidently to cover up my previous uncertainty, "why would I run over something that angered you?"

Preston amusedly smirked at my curiosity, "Are you really sure you can take it? I have to warn you, you might tremble in my presence once I tell you the reason behind my rage."

"I assure you I won't even quiver or stutter in the slightest, nothing you say could possibly make me fear you," I smiled warmly, stroking his cheek reassuringly with my free hand.

Preston smirked again but this time it looked like he was unsure of my answer. He lifted himself off the bed and I sat up automatically wondering where he was heading, only until I witnessed him locking the door.

I questioningly cocked my head to the side when he turned to me. Okay, I am slightly worried but definitely not scared.

"Why'd you lock the door?" I cleared my throat and cautiously followed him with my eyes as he approached the bed again.

Out of nowhere Preston grabbed my legs and pulled me to the edge of his bed so he was dominantly stood and was towering over my sitting figure.

"So you have no way of abandoning your word," Preston lifted my chin up with a sole finger and mischievously smiled, "you did say you'd stay no matter what right?"

I slowly nodded regretting everything I'd said in the space of ten minutes. I was trapped no matter what he'd say, trapped not only by his body but the locked door.

"I did say that, yes," I confidently agreed.

"Then let me begin..." Preston crouched down in front me and gathered his thoughts before staring up at me, his hand holding mine quite tightly.

"Family, what are your thoughts on family Natalya?" Preston forwardly asked and me taken back, I blinked a few times before thinking of an answer.

Well, I only have two people I consider real family and those two people are Alaric and Todd. The rest of my family are either dead or dead to me.

I would say I consider Cathryn and my handmaidens' sisters but were they really? I guess I could say Cathryn was but my handmaidens were forced to serve me, they probably didn't see me as anything more than a lady they served to survive.

"Family is whoever you think family is, they are the people who would literally die for you because their love for you is unconditional. Family comes first since they are the ones who cherish, respect, worry and love you the most."

Preston chuckled, an unreadable smirk playing on his face. Is my answer funny to him? "What about your father, was he a good man?"

Heart strings were pulled at the mention of my dead father and I dropped my eyes from Preston's to the floor, only to feel his hand cup my right cheek, "I know it's a sore subject-"

I pulled his hand down and held it on my lap before sighing, "-don't worry I can answer, I just hope the person who killed them dies a horrible death."

"Give it time, I'm still looking into it for you baby," Preston rubbed the back of my hands comfortingly with a sad smile now on his face, a sad smile I didn't want to be the reason for.

"My father was the best person, he did everything he could to take care of my mother and I, he would make so many sacrifices- I-" my voice cracked at the memory of my father having to go a night with no food, all just so my mother and I could eat.

He had a lot of bills, taxes, and problems to deal with which I couldn't help with but Alaric thankfully could. I just wish he was still alive so I could give him all the riches and love in the world.

"Shush, don't cry," Preston swiped his thumbs across my under eyes, wiping away the tears that had fallen and I hadn't noticed.

I wiped my own eyes, sniffed and composed myself, "sorry I guess it still is a sore subject but yeah, why are you asking about my father all of a sudden?"

Preston heavily sighed and looked down briefly whilst mumbling... "you are going to look at me differently."

I wrapped my hand tighter around his, "no I won't, tell me please," I encouragingly urged.

When Preston abruptly stood up and turned away from me, I too stood up and followed behind him.

"Is it that bad?" I asked calmly and he hummed, "very." "But I guess it's better I tell you, instead of you finding out the wrong story from someone else," he added.

I hesitantly went to place my hand on the Demon King's shoulder to reassure him again, but only to be caught off guard completely when Preston finally revealed, "I killed my father."

Widening my eyes, I staggered back almost tripping over my own two feet. I then covered my mouth after gasping in shock. "You did what...?"

I was trying my best not to shudder or freak out but it was proving really difficult. As you'd expect.

Preston spun back around on his heel and searched my expression for any sign of regret, fear and sucked his cheeks in, grateful that I had yet to break.

"I killed my father... and I don't regret it. In fact, I would do it again," Preston slowly and spitefully said, testing how far he could push the news until he basically would have me clawing at the locked door.

"Why would you-"

"-What, are you going to grimace every time you see me now, going to talk shit about me behind closed doors just like everyone else seems to do..."

Wow, okay. I think I can see why he is mad. Preston went from zero to paranoid real fast...

It seemed it was the rumours he hated, I can't blame him who wouldn't hate hearing their name falsely used. However, if what he says is true, the fact he killed his father, he should have been ready to face the wrath.

Right now he was practically growling down my own throat, glowering at me like I had offended him. His eyes were scary slits and his teeth were sharper than my future.

I admit, I was scared but did I show it, no I didn't. I promised myself especially that I wasn't going to freak out until I heard his side of the story.

"I'm not judging you, yet," I swallowed my nerves and directly looked into his demonic eyes, "I'm sure you have a valid reason why you killed your father."

Preston fluttered his eyes like he was staring at an angel and they begun to soften again, brightening every second we stared into each others' souls.

"Why are you so perfect, in every single damn way," Preston aggressively moved his hands from my cheeks to my shoulders, to my arms, to my waist and finally to my hips where he possessively squeezed me into his embrace. "I honestly want to make love to you so bad."

I hysterically coughed out at his sudden confession and he snickered at me.

I could feel the heat rising up my neck and to my cheeks whilst he set me free from his embrace.

Looking away for a couple of seconds, I had to fan my own self with my hand because I was way too flustered.

He can't see me blushing like this or he'll see how much he makes me feel all happy and cheery on the inside.

Snapping back to reality I pursed my lips again, "there must be a reason, am I right?"

Preston nodded, the grin on his face from my choking fit not fading one tiny bit. "A reason I've never told anybody except my mother who fails to even listen."

"I'll listen, if you choose to tell me why, that is," I sheepishly shrugged and Preston stole my hand before leading me to his bedroom balcony.

Guess that means he will tell me.

He opened the balcony doors single-handed and brushed the curtains out of my way so I could walk through first. "Lady first."

As Preston locked the doors behind us and let my hand go so I could reach the balcony railing myself, I overlooked the view.

A view that was way duller yet fuller than when I looked from Zacs balcony back in Asten.

Compared to the colourful flowers, trees and green grass and lively horses and diverse guards back in Asten, standing on this balcony it seemed like the entire kingdom was right there in front of me.

All painted in a grey monochromatic colour...

I could see everything from here, nearly every key aspect of the Shadowlands, the strict demon guards, the clouds of spiritual smokes, the looming shadows, the dancing souls and the tiny dots of people.

A lot of people.

I flinched when I touched the railing, suddenly getting a horrid flashback of the time I received the royal punishment, and Preston must've noticed this because he snaked his arms around my waist from behind and propped his chin on my shoulder as comfort.

"Why'd you flinch?" He arched a brow and I waved my hand dismissive of the subject while clearing my throat, "just a bad memory," I brushed off and he hummed with obvious suspicion.

"Just?" Preston started to grill me for information and I rolled my eyes, "care to share..." he eagerly said.

"Not until I hear your story first, enough about me, I am more interested in you right now," I folded my arms turning to face him, "take your time and tell me your reason."

I was surprised that Preston had yet to question how I had possibly gotten here, and with whose help...

He walked over to my side wrapping his fingers around the black railing and looked out over his Kingdom.

Before he spoke he inhaled the greyish, black smoke in the air. "At 10 years of age, you'd think you'd have nothing to worry about right?"

I nodded to show I was listening and he continued from there, "all you'd need to worry about is making sure you'd stay clean, eat, learn a lesson or two a day, get enough sleep at night and fool around."

"That is the expectation, yes..." I replied and his hand slowly slid across the black railing until it rested on top of mine. The gesture was very heart-warming and eased me to the core, as I tried to read his face whilst he faced out to his Kingdom.

"Yes I may have been fed and yes I may have been bathed but I did not get the sleep a demon needs, I also didn't get to experience the childhood one values so much... All because of him," Preston's content gaze dropped as he lowered his head and pensively shut his eyes.

I lifted my other hand onto the hand he had on top of mine and encouragingly stroked the back of it, "because of him, your father?" I questioned and Preston nodded to which I asked, "what did he do to you?"

Preston painfully sighed, turning his head so his eyes were holding mine in an intense staring competition, "not just necessarily what he did to me because my mother was affected too.... my father was as evil as they get."

"What did he do?" I repeated eagerly yet keeping my voice light and soft so it had a hint of support to it.

Preston relaxed at little at my tender touch and soothing voice, releasing some tension from his shoulders, "he used to do a lot of things... he'd yell a lot whenever I didn't meet his wishes, he'd kill many people a lot of family behind closed doors, he'd kiss other women who weren't my mother and he would beat my mother whenever she'd bring the matter up to him."

I swallowed a lump that had risen in my throat and a pain shot through my heart at how broken Preston sounded.

He felt and looked so vulnerable right now, I could see into his broken soul through those dark and demonic eyes of his. "My mother never left him though, how could she, he was the King. He controlled her, he controlled everyone, as much as my mother cried in front of him, me... he didn't care, he only cared about his image and sexual desires"

"Go on," I said to remind him again that I was here and I was listening.

Preston faintly smiled but it faded as soon as the corners of his lips lifted, "he wanted me his son to follow in his footsteps and of course, I loved that and looked up to him for a while without knowing what was going on."

I stroked his hand again and smiled reassuringly to show again that yes I was very much invested in him, "my father trained me day and night, trying to toughen me so I could match his strength. It took years and in those years, he did more damage... Damage to me, both mentally and physically."

"Tell me one of the things he did to you," I said hoping he would because for his sake, sharing a bit of his past trauma would help with the slow healing process.

"One reoccurring thing he'd do is lock me up in a tiny closet whenever I asked why mother was screaming out, especially at night. He would leave me there for hours until I could taste my own blood from how thirsty I'd become. He'd wait to see if I'd transform into a shadow or demon to get myself out but, my demon genes were yet to kick in. They only kicked in when he added the hound to the confinement situation, but that's another story."

The hound?!! As in that barking killer dog... Oh my God!! A dog, a boy, a small closet... That surely didn't end happily.

"Oh my- I'm really sorry Preston, did he beat you as much as he did your mother?" I quietly asked, scared to word my questions incorrectly and too bluntly.

He shook his head, "what I saw him do to my mother- he hurt her so much to the point I couldn't bear. I'm sure her constant screaming was a result of rape which is why when I heard about what that ginger bastard did to you, I had to hurt him back bad."

I rose up on my tip toes and wrapped my arms around Preston, pulling him into my embrace this time, "he mostly shouted things that would get on my nerves and trigger demonic outbursts since he knew I would have to take his place one day. He was subtly trying to turn me into another version of himself, which I think he did since I'm labelled the most evilest King across the five biggest Kingdoms."

I pulled away from Preston sliding my hand down to the nape of his neck, "I don't believe in the label."

"Well, you should," Preston ruffled his hair and combed it through with his fingers, "I'm a cruel person Natalya, very cruel and you'll gradually see over time what I mean by this."

"I don't care," I smiled, "as long as you're happy with the decisions you choose to make."

Preston wickedly smirked before planting a kiss on my lips, "my mother was blinded by love for a long time, she still is because she looks at me like I was the monster between my father and I. I hope you aren't-"

"-I'm not blinded, if I disagree with you, I will tell you. All I'm saying is I don't expect you to change entirely just for me," I argued and he chuckled, "what if I want to change a little for you?"

"Well then I'd feel a need to change a little for you too, until we meet in the middle somewhere," I smilingly shrugged, "from what you say, your dad was an absolute terror so if you don't mind me asking... how did you kill him and did you tell your mother he beat you?"

Preston teasingly took his sweet time to think before finally opening his mouth, "I used this," he clicked his fingers and black smoke arose from nowhere, before slowly morphing into the shape of a razor sharp and deadly dagger.

I was in so much awe that I let Preston go and circled the floating dagger, "you killed him with shadow magic?"

He nodded quite proudly as I kept my jaw hung open in shock, "and your mother?"

"When she saw my father's dead body covered in blood head to toe, it's like she completely forgot the pain he put us through and she hasn't looked at me like a son ever since the news spread that I'd killed him, she lives here but she greets me like a King and speaks formally..." I frowned and slumped my shoulders, sympathy masking my usual happy expression.

"After the news had travelled across the Kingdoms about the dead demon King, the negativity and backlash I received from trying to protect myself and my mother did not merge well with the demon transformation that was happening to me at the time, I was driven mad by the responsibility that was thrown on top of me, the false rumors and the hatred which led to what I am now... A spiteful man who was taught to hate by their own dad."

I could feel a fire brewing inside of me at thought of his father, that awful man treated his family like pieces of shit. "They made you like this, you are the victim in this story. For me, you are one of the kindest people I've ever encountered, you treat me with so much respect. You aren't the man everyone says you are although you may not believe it yourself."

"I thought because demons are born with dark souls or entirely without, I assumed you were all the same nasty, dishonest monsters everyone seems to portray you as but you defeated that stereotype, you are probably the most honest person I've ever met for a chronic liar," I admitted.

Peston smiled smugly, "I'm still a liar, I just don't exactly feel comfortable lying to you, "aww so sweet," I pinched his cheek and mockingly made baby noises.

He pinched my cheeks so tight that my baby impression was inaudible, he grinned at the face he had me pulling and pointed out laughing, "look you have fish lips, so adorable," I furrowed my eyebrows and smacked at his hands until he let go of my cheeks. "Rude," I mumbled.

He playfully shook my body after grabbing a hold of my shoulders, "thank you for being the first to understand me and thanks for coming at the right hour before I could do any more damage than I already have done in court."

"Don't thank me, thank Kai, Blake, Ava and Kat. They practically abducted me from the castle," I watched Preston tilt his head in confusion when I mentioned Ava and Kat.

He