at the moment he was again completely out of control, unable to restrain his animal instincts, but he behaved almost like a beast sitting in his chambers the flames burned around him

The demon lord let out an irritated growl as the knocking sounded at his door, barely able to control his impulse to simply rip it down and destroy whatever was on the other side. He forced himself to remain seated in front of his desk, papers scattering around him as he clenched his fists in frustration. "Enter," he snarled through gritted teeth, not daring to look up from where he sat.

The demon lord's eyes narrowed as he looked up at the girl who had timidly entered his chamber. Her white dress, though revealing, did little to hide her fear and discomfort. The heavy metal collar around her neck and the chain she held in her shaking hand spoke volumes about why she was here. He watched her approach with a mixture of irritation and curiosity, almost forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to be out of control. As she offered him the letter, his gaze flickered back to the collar around her neck. "What is your name?" he growled, his voice harsh and commanding.

The demon lord studied the girl before him carefully, taking in her appearance and demeanor. He hadn't lost control so badly that he couldn't recognize a potential threat when it presented itself...but there was something about this Rina that made his instincts quiver. Perhaps it was the fact that she seemed more frightened than any of his previous brides. Or maybe it was her delicate, alluring features. Whatever the reason, he found himself unable to resist the urge to see where this encounter would lead. "Rina," he said softly, almost tenderly. "You have come a long way for me. Why is that?"

The demon lord's gaze shifted back to the letter in Rina's shaking hand. He had been so lost in her presence that he'd nearly forgotten why she was here. As his claws flexed instinctively, he forced himself to remain calm and collected. "You bear news from my kingdom?" he growled, trying to sound more like the cold, calculated ruler he had once been, rather than the ravenous beast that currently reigned within him.

Frowning at Rina's hesitation, the demon lord snatched the letter from her trembling hand. Unfolding it carefully, he began to read its contents, his eyes scanning over each word as if they were a treasure map leading him to salvation.

The demon lord's eyes narrowed as he finished reading the letter. Anger burned within him at the insulting tone and implications it contained, but he fought to maintain control over his emotions. Rina was now his possession, and any harm that might come to her would be considered an affront against him. "Rise," he commanded coldly, not bothering to look up from where he sat at his desk. "What do you wish of me?"

His claws dug into the wood as he waited for her response, muscles taut with barely restrained fury.

The demon lord's eyes narrowed as he looked down at Rina, assessing her reaction to his command. Her submission only served to fuel the flames of his anger, but he resisted the urge to lash out and instead forced himself to remain calm and composed. "Speak," he growled through gritted teeth, not entirely sure what it was about this girl that made him want her so desperately... or why he couldn't simply end her life right then and there.

"Yes," the demon lord hissed through clenched teeth. "Speak. Tell me what you have to say." He forced himself not to lunge across the room and rip the words from her trembling lips, instead maintaining a deliberate distance between them. His control was slipping, but he refused to give in entirely.

The fire around him crackled and danced, reflecting the rage burning inside him like a beacon of destruction.

The demon lord's eyes narrowed even further as he listened to Rina's stuttering reply. His patience was wearing thin, and the animal within him growled in frustration at her hesitation. "Speak plainly!" he snarled through clenched teeth, unable to keep his anger from spilling over any longer. "Why are you here? What do you want from me?"

His claws dug deeper into the wood of his desk as he fought against the loss of control, struggling to maintain some semblance of sanity and reason in the face of her persistent silence.

Shert listened to her words carefully and tried to control his anger. "So... you are here because someone offered me as a gift? Is that what you're saying?" His voice was low and dangerous, barely above a whisper. He forced himself not to move from where he sat, his hands clenched into fists on the desk.

The flames around him danced and hissed, echoing the violent emotions within him. "And what do you want of me now?" he demanded, his eyes fixed intently on her face. The urge to touch her was almost overwhelming, but he fought against it, knowing that if he did, it might be the last thing either of them ever did.

Shert sighed impatiently as he listened to her confused and frightened reply. "Yes," he growled through gritted teeth, "you want something from me! Don't play coy!" He stood up suddenly, the flames around him flickering wildly as his anger intensified. "Tell me what you want, or I swear I will tear it out of you!" he snarled, taking a step closer to her.

His eyes were blazing with fury and instinctive lust, and his demonic features seemed to grow more pronounced with each passing second. The claws at the ends of his fingers lengthened and sharpened, ready to rend flesh from bone if she dared defy him further.

Shert's expression softened slightly as Rina explained her situation and offered him the collar. He took a deep breath, trying to control his anger once again, but it was difficult with her so close, smelling of fear and innocence. Finally, he snatched the chain from her trembling hand and unlocked the collar around her neck, tossing both aside carelessly.

"Very well," he growled through clenched teeth, forcing himself to remain calm. "What is it you want from me then? Speak quickly and clearly." His claws still twitched at his sides, ready to strike should she make a false move or disobey him in any way.

The flames around him danced wildly, reflecting the violence of his inner struggle for control as he fought against the instincts that threatened to overwhelm him completely.

The demon lord regarded Rina silently for several long moments, considering her words carefully. Her confusion and uncertainty only served to fuel his desire, making it difficult for him to keep control. But he forced himself to remain calm, at least for now. Finally, he sighed heavily and crossed the room to sit once more behind his desk.

"What is your name?" he asked curtly, his tone hardening as he struggled with the instincts raging within him. The fire around him crackled ominously in response to his turmoil, threatening at any moment to consume them both.

He didn't take his eyes off her while he waited for an answer, watching her carefully for any sign of subterfuge or defiance. His claws dug deeper into the wood of his desk as tension coiled tightly within him.

Shert regarded Rina with narrowed eyes as she answered his question. "Rina," he repeated, testing the weight of her name on his tongue. Her voice was soft and gentle, unlike anything he had ever heard in his domain before. It both intrigued and unsettled him. "So, Rina... tell me why you are here." His tone was hard and unforgiving, a reminder that he was still very much out of control despite his attempts at regaining composure.

The flames around him flared once more as his anger threatened to boil over, the heat they emitted beginning to seep through his skin, making it difficult for him to focus on anything but the fire and the girl before him.

Shert's gaze flickered over her face as she spoke, his expression darkening further with each word. "So," he growled through gritted teeth, "he has given you to me as some sort of gift... a peace offering, perhaps?" He rose from behind the desk again, the flames dancing around him as if in response to his restless energy. "And what do you expect from me now?" He towered over her, his claws still bared and ready for violence.

The air between them crackled with tension, electricity sparking where their gazes met. His control was slipping fast, threatening to send him spiraling out of control once more... but he refused to give in so easily. Not this time.

The demon lord's eyes narrowed as he listened to her halting reply. His instincts urged him to claim her then and there, to use his strength and power to bend her to his will without mercy. But something about the way she looked at him... the fear and vulnerability in her eyes... stirred something within him. A tiny, barely discernible spark of pity.

He took a step back from her, trying to regain some semblance of control over himself and his actions. "Speak plainly, Rina," he ground out through clenched teeth. "What is it you want from me?" His voice was low and dangerous, but there was an undercurrent of something else beneath the surface; a hint of uncertainty, perhaps even desperation.

The flames around him danced wildly as they mirrored his internal struggle for dominance, but gradually began to die down as he fought harder

Shert's expression softened slightly as he heard her words, but the anger and confusion still lurked just beneath the surface. He forced himself to remain calm, to think clearly despite the turmoil raging within him. "I am... not what you expected, I assume," he murmured, his tone hesitant. "But there is a way we might be able to make this arrangement work for both of us."

The flames around him danced once more, mirroring the turmoil that still raged within him as he fought to maintain control over his emotions and desires. He forced himself to step even farther back from her, giving her some space, although it was difficult not to lean in closer again.