A/N: Oh gosh, this was a little bit embarrassing to write. I tried my best to keep it a T rating... we'll see how it goes.

*WARNING: If you are extremely sensitive (or younger than 12), I suggest that you don't read this chapter or the chapter directly following this one. However, don't blame me if you do read this. Don't say I didn't warn you.*

Dance the night astray…

Let's dance in this harem.

Someone was knocking on the door, and I knew exactly who it was. A beautiful woman had come to see me. But if any woman were to learn of my secret, they'd run away screaming for their life. But as of this moment, that secret was safe.

I stood up from my seat and answered the door. As I has suspected, she had come. The woman was tall and elegant, with long and silky brown tresses, seductive blue eyes and a coy smile wrapped around her lips. "Hello again, Aurum."

"Welcome to my mansion, Luan Octo." I stretched out a hand to her, inviting her to step inside. She graciously accepted, the foolish little thing.

What could I do? All the women who gaze at me fall enchanted. What a great deal I made with that demon! Finally, I could get my revenge…

"He was given the power of the devil."

"Ugh…" Luan rubbed her head gingerly. "Why is my head hurting so much? Why can't I recall anything about my past?"

Indeed, it was a dilemma. Luan knew herself well enough to know that she did not suffer from amnesia.

"He lured women to his mansion."

"I'm going, and you can't stop me! He's the prince that I've been waiting for my entire life." The star-crossed girl sighed dreamily. "I know that he won't treat me like an idiot like everyone else in this village!"

"Please don't go, Magnolia!" Another boy around her age was shaking her by the shoulders, trying to get her out of her stupor. "You have no idea what he's capable of!"

"I don't care. Let go of me, Byron!"

"One by one, he chose women that he liked."

"This is Magnolia Greeonio. I expect you to treat her well, Luan." After patting the 'new addition' affectionately on the head, the duke left the two girls alone in the basement.

The duke had placed a bewildered Luan in a sticky situation. The girl hadn't known there would be other girls coming in later! Not knowing what to do, Luan offered only a wave and an empty smile.

Not wasting any time at all, Magnolia jumped at the older woman as soon as the duke left. "Luan, do you think Aurum likes me?"

"I'm sure that he will," was Luan's reply.

"He was building up a harem."

"Please be gentle with me." Magnolia's body tingled with apprehension.

"I promise I will." Aurum placed a tender kiss on Magnolia's bare shoulder, and the young girl closed her eyes while her hands gripped the sides of the duke's arms.

It never once crossed the girl's mind that her 'prince' could be selfishly using her naivety for his own advantage.

You can taste it, right? The sin that was committed here tonight.

Somehow the slicing of the blade felt right, but it hurt nonetheless.

Blood and sweat mixed together in a passionate clash, but be warned; they'll turn into a purple hue before long…

Once all of the clothes are thrown aside, there's no return to reality.

"Miss Princess!" A young man dashed straight into the princess's quarters without knocking and completely disregarded the fact that the princess was wearing nothing but her underclothes and was in the process of tying up her corset.

"Karchess!" the princess snapped. Her curls cascaded down her pale back. "Get out of my room."

The man didn't look very apologetic, but he did have the decency to avert his eyes. "I have new developments on the case." Karchess unfurled a piece of parchment and began to read.

X

During the past few months, many women have been reported missing from the country of Asmodean. The missing include:

Luan Octo, 20, Dressmaker

Magnolia Greeonio, 18, Farmer

Mary Eve, 28, Hostess

Caitlin Adi, 16, Fortune Teller

Faitsua Nestuma, 17, Agent

Anabel Sonic, 18, Aristocrat

Cheryl Soap, 25, Domestic Help

Iris Neja, 17, Field Researcher

Amber Turner, 20, Fisher

Maylene Cetera, 22, Fighter

Yvonne Blue, 15, Unemployed

X

"This is inacceptable," the princess of Hoenn muttered. She then raised her voice. "As the 3rd Princess of the Glorious Hoenn Empire, Mariette Beelzenia, I command you to investigate this case."

"Yes, Miss Princess," Karchess bowed low and deep. "I'll do whatever it takes to solve this mystery."

When I came back to my mansion, I was shocked to discover that one of the girls had painted portraits of the person that I used to be. How dare that girl? As if I needed to be reminded by her of all people!

I immediately burned the pictures in the fireplace, and watched the canvas and paint crumble to ashes. It was just the way I wanted it to be. That person didn't exist anymore, not after I had abandoned him. That ridiculous face everyone laughed at... I never wanted to see it again.

The girl who had painted the pictures stood beside me, blue eyes reflecting the roar of the fire. A sudden rush of anger boiled over me, and I grabbed her arm. I pulled her into an embrace and kissed her as hard as I could. Those blue eyes widened in surprise, but eventually submitted to my will.

She was the childhood friend that made a fool out of me.

"Day by day, women from all over the country came to him."

"Aurum, should I be concerned?" a girl with blue hair sidled up to the duke. "I'm worried that you won't be able to take care of all the girls who come here soon." Her blue eyes shone with genuine concern, unknowingly being mind-controlled by her childhood friend.

"No, Cristina. It's no problem. You and Luan are doing a fine job by yourselves. Don't concern yourself with the tiny details." Aurum pulled the girl into his embrace.

But Cristina couldn't help but worry. It was in her nature as a … wait, why was she here? How had she gotten here? The aristocrat didn't remember who she was, nor why could remember the time she had spent with the duke as children.

"One after another, they became lost, though were gone unnoticed by others."

"Karchess, why on earth haven't you found the perpetrator yet? I'm counting on you to do your job!" Mariette was quite cross with the detective. "If this keeps up, I'll go to Petalburg myself and find out what the matter is." The princess began walking to the door to prove her point.

Immediately, Karchess moved himself in front of the door, as if he were preventing the princess from leaving her country. His hands were outstretched, blocking the way out. "Miss Princess, you absolutely can't do that!" The detective shook his head in a frenzy. "You have no idea what's going on in that city! You should let me handle it."

The princess relaxed. "Well, I trust you'll do your job properly. It's why I hired you." Mariette moved around Karchess' arms as if they couldn't prevent her from doing what she wanted.

As she headed out the door, she turned her head around. "Oh, one last thing. If you don't find anything, I really will go out there myself."

"Some lost their wives, and others lost their daughters."

"Why do you play the violin?" Luan asked Cristina as she wrenched her bow against the strings, effectively drowning out the pounding of the rain on the windows.

"I don't like the rain." The girl muttered softly while continuing to play, a harsh sound echoing through the basement.

Luan became curious after learning of the girl's apparent fear of storms. "But why don't you like rain? I find it likeable myself." The older woman closed her eyes and listened to both the rain falling and the cries coming from the violin's strings.

"Would you shut up?" With a groan, Magnolia began complaining. The atmosphere created by the sorrowful tune was ruined. "Your violin sounds so scratchy! What would Aurum say if he heard this awful screeching noise?"

Cristina didn't listen to the peasant girl, playing louder to drown out both Magnolia's wail and the pattering of rain. She began to wonder when the duke's standards for women began dropping so low. It was annoying enough listening to Magnolia, but when there were two or three others like her…

Cristina mentally groaned. It was enough to drive an aristocrat mad.

"And none of them knew what to do."

"So here is the mansion in which a demon lives," Mariette wrapped her shawl closer to her body and motioned for her maid to come closer. "I'm going in." After learning that her best spy, Zinnia, had fallen to the duke, she had no choice but to begin investigating herself.

"My Lady, I suggest against that. It would undoubtedly be dangerous. Shouldn't you wait until Karchess receives the letter you sent him?"

Mariette started walking up the steps, and her maid quickly followed her mistress. "We can't afford to wait. What if the letter is intercepted?" She stopped in front of the door to the dastardly mansion and told her maid, "I really think it's best if you leave, Isabelle. Who knows what terrors this place hides?"

"But, my Lady…" the maid trailed off when the princess glowered at her. "Very well. As you wish, Princess."

The stubborn princess soon realized how big of a mistake she made as soon as she opened that door.

You can feel it, right? The darkness of sin and an infinite passionis spreading.

It's impossible to see past the illusions created by that man. What is real and what is fake?

Those people are no longer human beings, I mean look at them?

Such depravities are being committed against God's name, all for the night of madness the demon wished for.

The situation was quickly slipping out of hand, and Karchess was blamed for the brunt of it. Why wasn't he searching harder? Why had the princess disappeared? Had she gone off by herself?

What these people didn't understand was that the poor man was trying as hard as he could.

Sighing heavily, he rolled up the parchment. Even he wasn't unaffected by this mess. His own fiancée had been stolen away from him against her will, and now he was tasked with the job of not only finding the Princess, but also his fiancée. How on earth could he hope to accomplish such a gigantic feat by himself?

X

This is the second list of missing women from the past few months. I beg of anyone who has information to come forward.

Cristina Glassred, 18, Aristocrat

Lyra Shields, 18, Chamberlain

Mariette Beelzenia, 17, 3rd Princess of the Hoenn Empire

Lucy Olliba, 22, Widow

Bertha Sweets, 58, Doctor

Mewtwo, n/a, Scientist

Zinnia Nerune, 19, Spy

Lisia Blum, 21, Idol

Liza Kaina, n/a, No Occupation

Shauna Francois, n/a, n/a

Platinum Marlon, 19, Queen of Kanto

X

It's just another day like any other. Another beautiful woman had come to visit me, and I didn't intend to let her go. I could hear her footsteps pattering down the hallway; she had a shaky step. Perhaps she was nervous? Well, there'd be no reason to be nervous after I was through with her.

Cautiously, she poked her head in. Large brown eyes dominated a pale face, and wavy blonde hair flowed down her back. She definitely was not as pretty as some of the other girls, but that didn't mean she wasn't noticeable.

I stood up from my throne and stretched out a hand to her, beckoning her to come closer. She nervously shuffled closer to me and took my hand, her eyes still cast at the ground. I drew her close to my body, and though it felt a bit odd, I ignored my feeling of unease.

She had finally turned her head up, and beamed at me in a most dazzling smile. As I returned the smile, I noticed a slight twitch in her eyebrows.

Suddenly, a sharp pain erupted from my chest, and I gave a strangled gasp. After I pushed her away from me, my hand moved to my chest automatically.

I had been searching for the Princess and the love of my life all over the country, but to no avail. One day while travelling, I received a tip from a young gentleman my age who was also searching for his lost love. Naturally, I was curious about the mansion and together, we devised a plan to bring down the demon that dwelled within.

It had been just as the man described: a tall and handsome mansion worn down from age. Ivy climbed their way up the stone walls, and the oak door was decorated with wrought iron designs. However, there was something off about the mansion, though it was hard to put a finger on what it was.

Unfortunately for me, I was selected to be the bait and the trap, as I was the shorter of the two of us, and my voice had not yet drastically changed.

Shamefully, I donned a wig and a gown and made my way up the mansion's stairs. The other man had given me a thumbs-up, and was wishing me the best of luck. I'd need it to pass off as a girl.

Getting inside the mansion was so much easier than I thought. I only had to push on the doors, and I was in. I followed a straight path down the hallway before reaching a set of descending stairs. Going down them, I entered the basement of the building. There, a man with wild black hair was sitting on a throne. Girls dressed in purple dresses milled around behind him.

The man stared at me with lust-filled eyes. I had almost thrown up my lunch; this man was absolutely mad. No wonder the red-eyed man had called him a devil.
He stood up, and offered me a hand without a word. Left with no choice, I took it and allowed him to pull me in close. Seeing him close up made me a bit jealous. If he had been a normal human being, he would have been what girls called handsome.

With a sweet smile, I looked into the demon's face. He smiled back at me, and that was the instant in which I whipped out my knife. I had no regrets in ridding the world of such a monster.

That woman had stabbed me with a small knife cleverly concealed up her sleeves. Terror began to fill my stomach as I felt blood seeping through my vest. Soon my blood began to turn purple, and I saw my life flash before my eyes. Everything I'd done was all for nothing in the very end. The demon would now fulfill his end of the contract.

My knees began to tremble, and I collapsed there, unable to move any more. As my vision began to dim, I saw the woman pull her blonde hair off, shaking her head to fix her short brown hair. When she nastily grinned at me, I noticed that she was actually a young man. How could I have been so stupid?

Everything that I had created was ruined, and all the girls began to flee my mansion. Luan was out the door before I knew it, and Magnolia scurried out right after her. The brown-haired man had an arm protectively around Platinum, and with a glare from the girl and a final sneer of disgust from the man, they both exited the mansion. Mariette was close behind them with Zinnia at her side. All of them… all of them were leaving!

The final girl to leave the mansion was none other than Cristina, my beloved childhood friend. I weakly raised a hand in her direction, but she only glanced at me for a second, with eyes filled pity and… realization?

But hold on a minute, wait! Please don't go!

I haven't even said "I love you."

A/N: I hope that chapter was bearable... it also happened to be my longest one yet!

A few things to note:
- I thought Platinum would be perfect as the Queen of Marlon (Kanto), but not because I ship her with whoever Karchess is.
- Did you like what I did with the Missing Persons list? Did you catch it?

So, onto a new arc! Can you guess who's who?

1) Sateraisis Venomania - ? (Name...)

2) Lukana Octo - ? (Brown Hair, Blue Eyes)

3) Mikulia Greeonio - ? (Unrefined...)

4) Gumina Glassred - ? (Blue Hair, Blue Eyes)

5) Maylis Beelzenia - ? (Curls, Pale Skin)

6) Karchess Crim - ? (Brown Hair, Brown Eyes)

7) The Young Gentleman - ? (Thumbs up)

8) The Lost Love of the Young Gentleman- ?

And of course, please review if you like it, have an idea you want me incorporate, or if you have constructive criticism!

Signing off,
Sweetie147