Chapter 237 - Misha's Confession

Cain walks into his bedroom, still thinking about all the changes that have been happening to his personality. Perhaps it's from being merged with the Oath Breaker for so long, or perhaps from the shift to an Ancient, but he's noticing that he's become much more assertive lately.

Even Nila made a point to mention how he's finally 'grown the balls to take charge.' In the past, he's always gone with the flow, just letting things happen around him. It was the most comfortable way to live without causing conflict.

Lately, though, he's begun feeling the need to control. To be indeed in charge of his life. To be respected as a true leader. It's a strange feeling to him, but a good one. 

He even told Misha he wants changes in their relationship and has worked out what he hopes is the right way to explain what he wants. For her to completely and openly be his and not this nameless friend with benefits thing that they've gotten so comfortable with.

She seemed slightly shocked by the change in him but didn't reject him. Instead she took the day he offered to get her mind in order and decide on her answer.

[You finally grew up enough to take what you want. Like you should have done all along.] The voice of the Merged summons that has slowly become Cain's conscience congratulates him like a proud parent. 

Tired from the day and looking forward to an evening with Misha's soft body against his, he almost regretted forcing a choice upon her but reconsidered that notion immediately. It was necessary.

She's his and no one else's, and it's past time they started being open about it.

But what he finds upon entering his bedroom in the keep is a much different scene than the sparsely decorated white and gold marble room he was expecting.

The White marble walls have been covered with luxurious black velvet curtains, the plain bed that was in the center of the room has been removed, and closer to the door in the corner of the room where Cain is standing, it has been exchanged for one much like the large four poster that was originally in his room in Montauk, the one with the suggestive eyelets in the posts and end boards.

Only this one is even more extravagant, having a roof height headboard that serves as a partial room divider when viewed from the door, engraved with designs of many different creatures. A nod to his Summoning abilities, perhaps? The solid black oak footboard is topped with three round openings, each elegantly decorated with a design of a Dragon in the silver inlay. The top portion of the footboard seems to be removable as one long piece, and there is a set of drawers taking up the entire length of the sides of the bed underneath a thick and soft-looking mattress.

A black and white tiger fur rug sits at the foot of the bed, giving a less spartan and more furnished look to the area in Cain's astonished eyes. 

A couch and two chairs in matching black leather have been placed in the back left corner of the room furthest from the door, with a low round table in between them, containing a pole that extends to the stone ceiling and looks securely mounted. Beside them, but out of sight due to the oversized headboard, should be the door that leads to the shower and the walk-in closets.

To Cain's right and past the bed, in what was formerly just empty space, stands a large oak desk facing the door with a comfortable-looking leather office chair behind it. There's not much paperwork to do in this world, and the bedroom might be massive, but it's a strange spot for an office. However, the thought of Misha bent over that desk, with her skirts flipped up, or under it, while he works on his Inscription, comes unbidden to his mind and makes Cain extremely loathe to remove it from the bedroom. 

These intrusive thoughts have been coming more and more often lately. Still, they're always such great ideas that Cain doesn't mind the distraction, even if a few of them have previously left Misha exhausted and sleeping well into the morning, disrupting the day's plans. 

With the walls draped in black velvet and the thick rugs contrasted against the white and gold marble floors, the bedroom is no longer so bright. The light from the setting sun coming through the scene of Dragons at war that makes up the stained glass of the room's only window gives a soft tone to the gold and black bedding and black leather furniture, making the room feel comforting and homey.

The bedroom feels much more lived in and personal than it did before, like the Guild Master suite in Graska. But with a more modern elegance than the Arabian harem theme in the Dwarven capital. 

Cain finally steps inside, closing and locking the door behind him, a shimmer of magic filling the air as the soundproof enchantment engages, leaving only the sound of his soft footsteps as he removes his slippers and his shirt at the door, leaving him in just his black pants. Cain is confident Misha should be in here, but he's entirely distracted by the changes in the room.

Is this decor part of her answer or unrelated to the thoughts plaguing his mind? 

Taking in his new surroundings, Cain turns and walks past the bed, finding a kneeling Misha, fully nude and framed by a thick golden carpet behind the enormous black oak headboard, previously blocked from sight by the oversized bed itself. 

Cain knows he should say something, anything, but the sight of her kneeling there, hands on her toned thighs, and that longing look she's giving him have driven all thoughts except her from his mind. 

"Please, before you say anything, hear me out. I have been feeling this way for a long time now, but I could never find the words for what I needed until you said them yourself." Misha's soft tone and her demure look, head tilted down with her soft brown hair falling to partially cover her face while she looks up at him through her lashes, causes Cain's heart to flutter.

They've been naked together many, many times before, but this feels so much more intimate, her sense of vulnerability making Cain's manhood twitch as arousal replaces shock in his mind. 

"I want to be yours. Wholly yours and nothing else. Not as your Lieutenant, or girlfriend, or wife. Just yours." Misha loses her nerve at that point, gathering her thoughts as she takes in Cain's casually worn black slacks, hoping she's not making the biggest mistake of her life and causing him to reject her. 

Cain walks silently towards her kneeling form, his eyes unreadable, and her heart begins pounding wildly in trepidation until he stops in front of her, his black pants and bare feet filling her vision. 

Cain places a finger under Misha's chin and tilts her head back to look straight up at him. Silence sits heavy in the air as she awaits his response, looking deeply into his eyes. They're a gray-blue today; she's noticed the color changes frequently since his species was changed to Ancient. 

Despite his recent confidence, Cain has never before honestly confessed his feelings for anyone, and he must admit, this isn't how he expected it to go. But with Misha kneeling there at his feet, there is no question that this moment is everything he could have ever hoped for. The woman he loves wants nothing more than him.

His extended silence worries Misha; only the look of pure joy on his face keeps her calm, letting her know that his thoughts are not far from her own. 

Cain produces a golden box from his inventory, taking a step back and holding it out at her chest level, leaning forward slightly to loom over her with a kind smile. 

"Misha, will you be mine and only mine, now and forever? Once this goes on, it will never come off you again. Reminding you every second of the day that you belong to me." The golden box opens when she takes it in her trembling hands, and a System notification fills her vision. 

[Succubus Devotion Ring] Legendary Item. Unique-Equipped, only one may be worn. Must be freely worn but may only ever be removed by the [Owner] of the item. [Wearer] becomes subject to [Owner]'s Command type abilities at no mana cost, with no resistances applied and immune to all other mind control type effects. [Owner] may freely change appearance settings for this item. 

What is this? Misha is stunned at the description. It's clearly a cursed item, but the way it's described brings an exciting warmth to her core. Just seeing Cain described as Owner triggers something inside her that she didn't expect to be so very intense. She will be his. Not his Companion or anything else, just his.

Exactly what she asked for, but not how she expected.

The Devotion Ring was a drop in the Demon Dungeon, one Cain tucked away in his inventory, hoping that one day he'd have the courage and the chance to use it. The item effect description is odd, but a Devotion Ring is a Devotion Ring, right? 

[Equip Item] Y/N

"Yes, a thousand times yes," Misha says, happy tears filling her eyes as she equips the ring.

A series of light weights burden her wrists and ankles as a gentle pressure encircles her neck. It's not a ring at all, but a collar. There is a mirror to her right just out of sight, and Misha is about to run over to see how it looks and what has appeared on her limbs, but Cain stops her with a word. The look he's giving her is both startled and aroused with a hint of amusement. 

"No. Look at me, focus on my face. Good Girl." The command is subtle, but she can't do anything to disobey. His face fills her vision as she feels his hand stroke her head gently, calming her nerves and assuring her that she made the right choice. 

"You're so beautiful," Cain whispers, leaning close to her ear, his warm breath sending a pleasant shudder down her spine.

The Devotion Ring was not what he thought it was, though he should have suspected that, given the word Succubus in the description. Cain is thoroughly pleased with this outcome now that the initial shock has passed, and intends to make very good use of the possibilities this item offers, for both of their benefit. 

Misha's thoughts were a jumble of emotion. Was she ready for this, to become his in such a final and complete fashion? Yes, she was. Misha trusts Cain would never intentionally hurt her, at least not beyond her limits. 

Cain moves a gentle hand down to grasp something on her collar, lifting slightly in a signal to stand. Misha gracefully lifts herself to her feet, closing her eyes to calm her self-doubt and growing nervousness. 

"Eyes open, love. Keep them looking straight forward." Misha knows he is intimately familiar with what she looks like, but this time, it means something more. Something that makes her needy for his touch. A caress, a kiss, anything. 

When she opens her eyes, Cain is gone from her vision, moved away, and Misha struggles against her instincts to look for him. 

The anticipation is too much, Misha is ready to beg him for relief when a pair of thick arms reach around from behind her, and calloused fingers explore her skin as a strong embrace presses his warm chest to her back. 

"You've given so much to me; how could I be done with you? Patience, my love. Good girls get what they need." Those words, Good Girl. His Good Girl. Misha struggles not to squirm as his fingers explore her body while she stands naked and firmly pressed against him. 

"Not only can I make it visible or invisible, but I can also change the shape. You will never need to take it off, and it can match any outfit." Cain says as she reaches up to touch the collar on her neck. 

"Follow me," Cain says, giving a soft tug on the front of her collar and leading her to the mirror. 

At the moment, it's a plain black ring of metal, with a loop hanging from the front, but at Cain's command, it changes to a thick leather collar, then an elegant golden necklace and back before vanishing entirely. She can still feel it on her neck and under her fingers when she touches it, but in the mirror, it has disappeared as if it never existed. 

She finally managed to express to him what she truly needed. The mere thought makes her mind fuzzy with happiness, and she nuzzles her face into his muscular chest. 

"You are mine now, every part of you. I will hold you, love you, dress you up and show you off. Would you like that?"

A wave of anticipation sends shivers through her body. Could he know of her fantasies of showing her body for others to admire? Since when has he known? Since the start of their time together and the hot springs? Only now will it be him showing her off. The thought is beautiful in the mind of Misha.

"Oh, you would love that very much. Don't worry; I know just how to keep you happy."

Looking in the mirror, lost in her own little world, she can see he's got something in his hand—a hair tie.

"We don't want your hair to get tangled, now do we?" He says with a smile, making a braid from her soft curls. 

Cain takes her almost constantly for the next eight hours in every way they can think of, needing only a few minutes to recover in between rounds. That level of stamina leaves Misha a panting wreck by the end, barely conscious. Between exhausted breaths, she manages to curl up against him, thumping her fist against his chest in mock dismay.

"Changing your form is entirely unfair."

Yes, it is, but oh, was it worth it. 

Cain smiles down at his handiwork, the flushed face, the glistening skin, and her heart-shaped bottom nestled against him. It's a fantastic feeling; all the nervousness has faded from his body, leaving only complete comfort in her presence as they drift off into an exhausted trance, coming down fun their high. 

"Feeling better, love?" He asks some time later when she begins to stir again, her motion breaking him from his euphoric stupor.

"Mhm." The simple noise is all she can manage, and Cain laughs before turning her to face him and lifting her to give her a long deep kiss. 

"Good Girl. Now, let's get you cleaned up and off to sleep.. You've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow."