Chapter 1

".... Noah! Get your ass up!" as my eyes flutter open I'm met with my father glaring sharply at me. He grabs my wrist and forces me to my feet. I quickly stand up and purse my lips together, knowing that I was going to have to suffer another day of torment. I brace myself by shutting my eyes quickly before I'm slapped by my father. "Why the hell didn't you wake up the first time I called you?! Are you asking for me to beat some sense into you?!" I keep my gaze low and stare at his shoes, not willing to see his terrible face or my mother's unbothered expression standing behind my father, watching as he beats me as she normally does. Neither of these two loved me. They only used me to make money for them. To them, I'm just useless and am only a way to work the animals and farm.

As my father rants on we hear the frantic bell of the town chiming. Both my parents pause and I flinch, knowing the only time that the bell is rung is when something terrible is to happen. My father grabs my wrist tightly, not caring that I wince from the old bruises wrapped around my wrists from the chains. He drags me outside as mother follows. Her black hair flowing softly not matching her always cold expression. My father tosses me to the ground when we get outside. He glares down at me a moment before he turns his attention towards the town center that was only a few feet away from our house. In the middle there was a crowd and the priests of the town talking frantically to the group.

"Please, if there is any maiden that we can use...he is to be here soon!" I watch as people whisper and look panicked. "Get up, useless boy." I stand up and do as my father says, already weak enough from the last beating. He pulls me by my arm again, and I know better than to do anything but follow, though I can't help feeling that what he's thinking isn't good. Mother stays behind and walks with distance, never to far. He takes me through the crowd to the frantic priests.

"My son will volunteer." my eyes widen, and I look at him quickly, not believing what he had just said. I frantically search his expression for reassurance he wasn't actually going to give me up. His dark eyes stay firm, focused on the priests. I look to them about to testify, but before I can, one speaks. "Well he isn't exactly a maiden like the sacrifice is supposed to be." For once, the judging looks gives me a sense of hope. Hope I wouldn't be sacrificed. "Did the demon state that it had to be a maiden? Didn't he only say they had to be fair in looks?" My heart pounds as I hear my father push. "I suppose...if there's no other maiden available this year...." As they talk amongst themselves I can't help but feel sick to the stomach. What had I done to deserve any of this? Just because I hadn't been born a girl?

After a hurried conversation, they came to a conclusion. "We have decided that the only way we could use him as a sacrifice...is if we turn him into a maiden. Since he seems satisfied with our offerings Normally, we can't risk messing it up. Can he act as a maiden?" I try to back away but my father's grip on my arm tightens and I know my fate is sealed. "Of course he can. He'd be honored to be of use to the village for once." I feel my father's sharp gaze and dark grin as I stare at the altar, knowing that today was the day my life would end.

Before I knew it I had been given a convincing long, black wig and had makeup and a sacrificial dress forced on me. All my life I've been tormented and tortured because I wasn't a girl. Now I had a patted bra on and underwear I wasn't proud of wearing. I felt empty inside. It's not like I had much to resist for anyway. Maybe my father, that bastard man who is unfortunately my father, was right. As I look in the mirror, I don't see me. I see a young girl staring back at me. For once, the bruises were covered by strong body paint that matched my skin tone, pale as a dead person. For once, I could look at myself and not feel disgusted or pitiful. I see my gray eyes and dark eyelashes shine brightly for once instead of the dark gray I had always known.

After all the hurrying around me, I had been dressed and dolled up to pretend to be a girl in order to please a demon who was otherwise to destroy the village. Part of me thought that this was the perfect opportunity to get revenge on the village for all my suffrage. Those innocent kids don't deserve to be punished for the terrible beings that call themselves humans though. As I'm pulled away to the altar I stare into the crowd were little kids watch uncomfortably. They were the only reason I'm letting myself be sacrificed and pretending to be someone I'm not. If not me, then a young girl would be picked, and I know that the girl who would be picked would be far too young. I couldn't let a kid suffer when she had a life to live. They all have someone who cares. A life they cherish.

I didn't have to sit there and pity myself for long before a dark smoke appeared across from me on the alter. Soon, black hair and red eyes appear from the mist followed by the demons black horns and black wings. He wore a black button up and black pants. His expression dark as he looked around. "I see you mortals are still quite bland with greetings." I watch the uncomfortable and nervous expressions of the priests as they try to scramble for words. I just admire his black wings, the feathers large and shine the beautiful purple like a raven.

He seems to have gotten bored with the priests scrambling and glances over to me. "Ah, I see you prepared quite the beauty. She looks much better than the last ones." I stiffen as he walks over to me and lifts my chin, grinning. "I can already tell she's quite the spirited one." I keep my expression unfazed, trying to mask the fear, sadness, and anger stirring within me as I fight all instinct to run. His fingers were cold but for some reason not uncomfortable. His red eyes were making me feel prickly though as I try to keep my calm. "She'll do I suppose. Well, I have business to attend. So fortunately I'll be off." My breath catches as he picks me up in a princess carry. I feel my calm demeanor start to crumble as dark smoke embraces me. I shrug my eyes tightly, not knowing what awaits.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***