Chapter 470 Contract And Rules
Asher felt stumped momentarily as he wasn't expecting her to suddenly undress herself before him, especially the Lady of House Thorne.
She didn't even blink nor did she even show an ounce of shame of doing this before him.
He asked her because he thought she would know that he wanted something precious from her House and wasn't expecting her to offer herself. But now that she suddenly revealed her half-naked body to him, he couldn't help but take a good look.
Her beauty was nothing short of enthralling, her icy aura matching her elegant appearance. Her face was a image of pristine features, with high cheekbones that lend her an air of regal aloofness. Her pale red eyes, a shade reminiscent of the deepest rubies, stared at him, their unblinking gaze devoid of any emotional warmth. Her skin, a flawless porcelain surface, appeared to be kissed by the moonlight itself, and her silver hair was a cascade of frosty silk that cascaded down her slender neck and across her exposed shoulders.
Her figure was slender yet curved in all the right places, a figure reminiscent of a marble goddess come to life. Her posture, even when partially undressed, exuded a confident poise that betrayed neither shyness nor vanity. Her medium-sized bosom was but an accentuation of her slim hips and narrow waist. The dark blue panties she wore only served to accentuate her smooth, pale skin, leaving little to the imagination of what was hidden beneath.
Despite her aloof demeanor, there was an undeniable sensuality now that she exposed herself like this before him.
Her very indifference and coldness only served to heighten her allure, transforming her into an unattainable woman that piqued his interest sexually, challenging him to thaw this frosty beauty.
But Asher came back to his senses as he wondered if this was a trap. No, that couldn't be possible unless she was willing to destroy herself as well. She must be really serious if she thought he was about to ask her to offer her body.
Still, was she really willing to do this with the man who cut off her son's future? Did Thorin give her the pass or did she decide on her own?
He can't believe how she and Rebecca were sisters when they seemed so different.
Esther kept looking into his eyes, trying to discern his thoughts, and felt confused upon seeing the hint of uncertainty and surprise in his eyes.
She thought a young and powerful man like him, who had quite the reputation of being interested in women, especially powerful and high-ranked ones, must have held desires to have a taste of her as well.
It was the same for every man with great power and status.
Did she make a wrong assumption?
"If this isn't what you want…" Esther waved her hand as tendrils of blood seeped out of her skin and began to pull up the dress pooled around her feet to dress herself.
"No, wait," Asher said as Esther's head snapped up, her eyebrow arched in suspicion as she met his unwavering stare.
He didn't seem to be the arrogant brute she'd imagined him to be; there was a cunning, calculating look in his gaze that she found quite distasteful. Asher had no idea things would unfold like this, but now that he had seen her sensual figure and the fact that she offered herself to him, he felt he would lose face if he let her go like this.
Thinking about it, this was the perfect opportunity to punish her as well since she was the one who ordered Sabina to turn him into a slave for their House. And the best way to break a woman like her was by using her body.
But at the same time, he also wanted something precious from her House. He knew he couldn't have both without being smart about it.
And so he leaned in, his smile wolfish as he trapped her gaze with his own. "I will accept your... offer," he said, his eyes ever so slightly flicking down to her partially naked form, "but only on the condition that your House agrees to compensate me with something I want. After all, your children aren't the only ones who offended me. Now, before you panic, I don't desire your House's most precious Deviars or anything similar. However, I do expect something of precious value in return…one of your House's secrets."
Esther's icy demeanor cracked for a split second, the faintest of furrows appearing between her perfect brows, before it was replaced with a mask of indifference, "Our secrets aren't meant to be exposed to outsiders. You can ask for anything else but that," she said, her voice as cold as the north wind, mirroring the icy resolve in her pale red eyes.
Asher inwardly smiled as he could see that he struck a nerve. It seemed like she cared about her House more than anything and wouldn't like anyone messing with it. It did make sense for a person of her status.
Undeterred by her frosty demeanor, he met her gaze with a cold resolve of his own, "You don't get to make the rules, not after you gave the order to Sabina to turn me into a slave for your House. You are lucky I haven't told my wife. Don't force my hand," he retorted, his voice a blend of warning and challenge. With a casual shrug, he added, "But you can decide. Will you, as the Lady of your House, sacrifice the future of your House just to safeguard one secret?"
Esther, unflinching, regarded him with a calm that belied the storm brewing beneath, "Which secret of ours do you seek? I will give you the answer once you answer me," she inquired.
"It's nothing too important. I only want the one which you people use for your elite reapers to roam around in the Severed Realm without any suspicions," Asher revealed as his dark yellow eyes shone briefly.
Esther's expression, though as impassive as ever, betrayed a flicker of surprise, "How do you know such a secret even exists?" she pressed, seeking to gauge the extent of his knowledge and to discern the identity of the person who told him.
Asher's smirk widened, "I don't think that is any of your concern, Esther. What you should be concerned with is your answer to what I want," he countered, shifting the focus back to the negotiation at hand.
Ignoring how he casually addressed her by her first name, Esther took a moment to contemplate, a brief closing of her eyes signaling the weight of her decision.
But the next second, she opened her eyes as she acquiesced, "I will agree, but..." Producing a dark blue scroll, she added, "...we will sign a contract with our blood to make sure both of us will keep our word."
Asher's eyes, sharp and calculating, lit up with the spark of an idea, "Sure. But since you mentioned a contract, how about we come up with rules that can turn out to be advantageous for both of us?" he proposed, sensing an opportunity to get everything he wanted without losing anything.
Esther regarded him with a guarded curiosity, "What rules do you have in mind?" she asked, her voice a cool whisper.
He flashed her a charming yet rapacious smile, "Here are the terms," he began, his voice low and filled with quiet menace, "You will sleep with me whenever I want. However, if I fail to make you orgasm three times within ten minutes, I will return your son's future and ask for nothing in return. But..." He paused and added, "If you fail and I do make you cum three times, not only will your son's future remain with me, but you'll also give me the secret I desire from your House."
Esther furrowed her brows upon hearing his crude rules, though she remained unfazed and wasn't surprised.
Asher sighed and added, "But since you are going so far for your son, I am willing to offer you a chance to get your son's future back even if you fail. But only if you make me fail to make you orgasm 3 times."
Asher felt that this way, he could make Esther keep coming to him and let him have the chance to break her gradually.
Even if he had a deal with Sabina, it wouldn't be enough since she was still only the young lady of their House. But Esther...once he can maintain a hold over her, it would be so easy to manage his kingdom without looking behind his back.
If he could make Naida climax, he was confident he could make this frosty beauty cum for him as well.
Esther slowly nodded and said in a detached voice, "I agree to these rules, and you shall have a week to fulfill the terms."
Asher raised his brows briefly. He'd initially expected more resistance from this aloof woman, but it seemed desperation was a great motivator.
With a precision that spoke of her mastery over her own powers, Esther unfurled the scroll, her finger moving with an elegance and speed that seemed to blur the lines between magic and artistry. The words she inscribed onto the parchment were more than mere text; but a powerful pact.
Asher knew she was using a Blood Oath contract, one of the most powerful forms of contract that was said to be unbreakable even by experts. There was no way out of the contract without fulfilling the terms.
As expected, someone like her came prepared with the best tools, not that he was worried.
Upon completing the inscription, she pressed her finger against the scroll's surface, her blood sealing the agreement, "I have listed all the rules you have stated. It's your turn to sign it. The one who breaks this contract would serve the other as their slave," she declared, her icy gaze meeting Asher's.
Asher, taking a moment to scrutinize the contract, carefully read everything just to make sure.
Since he was dealing with an enemy, he wondered if she might sneak in some clauses favorable to her. But to his surprise or not, she listed everything exactly as he said.
With a decisive motion, he bit down on his finger and pressed it against the scroll, "I agree as well," he affirmed.
The instant his blood mingled with the ink of the contract, Asher experienced an unexpected sensation—a chilling energy that coursed through him, binding him to the agreement in a way that was both ethereal and irrevocable. It was a sensation that made him realize that the contract was bound to his blood.
But he inwardly smirked, knowing that she had no idea that all it would take was for him to transform into his Hellbringer form once, and this contract would no longer have any strings attached to his body!
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