Lady Tremaine was a cruel, manipulative, cold-blooded woman, the sort of person Dominic was certain would sacrifice even her own daughters if it furthered her ambitions.
He remembered how she had married Cinderella's father after his wife passed away, ostensibly to provide a mother figure for the young girl. But when he died, leaving a fortune for Cinderella, Lady Tremaine revealed her true nature: she seized control of the household, reducing Cinderella to a scullery maid, enslaving her with endless chores and cruel words, while she and her daughters indulged themselves with the girl's inheritance.
They will be punished in time. But this moment… Dominic's jaw tightened. He kept his back to the trio, lowering his aura just enough to avoid drawing attention, though he could hear their venomous insults spilling toward Cinderella. Every fiber of him ached to unleash his draconic wrath and incinerate them on the spot.
"Cinderella! Three minutes away and you make me starve, you worthless servant!" a sharp voice snapped. Dominic rolled his eyes.
"We had to chase you down! We saw you passing by the store with this man!" followed a spoiled, high-pitched voice.
Seems they haven't noticed me. Perfect… perhaps I can get Ella away from these demonesses. He sensed four distinct presences: two had spoken, clearly her stepsisters; a third, a familiar feline energy, Lucifer — as vile and wicked as any demon. The fourth watched in silence, Lady Tremaine herself, her gaze dark and piercing. With a flick of subtle draconic magic, he masked his power, appearing nothing more than a simple man to her.
But Lady Tremaine was no fool. A woman like her, obsessed with wealth and reputation, would not let even a minor slur pass unnoticed.
"Well, Cinderella," she said smoothly, her voice cold as ice. "It seems you've grown up. After all this time, you run after some cheap, lowly man behind our backs. Surely he is a match for you."
Dominic did not flinch. He did not care for this wicked woman.
Top fifty greatest villains of all fiction, AFI list. She belongs there, he mused, the memory igniting a spark of fury.
But Cinderella's mind reacted differently. Years of manipulation had instilled a deep-seated fear of this woman; she had never dared defy her. And yet now, Lady Tremaine had insulted Dominic.
She… dared… to insult him? Him? Our beloved master! The voice in Cinderella's head surged to life, pushing her to protect him in a way she had never dared before. Her hands clenched the fabric of her dress, her knuckles white.
"Don't… call him that," she said quietly but firmly, cutting off Lady Tremaine mid-sentence. Trembling, she fought to rein in the part of herself that wanted to leap at the woman and tear her down, unwilling to care for her own safety.
Hmm? Dominic's mind froze, intrigued and startled. She was defending him. He could sense the dark, protective aura emanating from her — a fire, fierce and loyal.
The Tremaines recoiled. For Lady Tremaine, it was humiliation beyond measure to be interrupted by her servant. Her fury erupted.
"So, now that you have a man, you think you can speak to me? Even under my care, you've become a little… slut!" Her words cut, but Cinderella's body shook with a new resolve: she could not allow anyone to insult him, not even her stepfamily.
Dominic's aura flared, freezing the three women and the cat in place. They shivered as if doused in ice-cold water. Cinderella trembled too — half from anger at their audacity, half from the subtle euphoria his aura poured into her.
Oh Ella… what have you become? Why do I feel this for him? Why do I want to drown in his essence? Who is he, and why does he make me feel complete, secure, alive… nearly mad with desire? Her mind spun in confusion, her nineteen years of experience failing to contain the intensity of these new emotions.
Dominic turned fully, allowing his disguise to falter. His true presence — glorious, commanding, unyielding — was revealed.
The Tremaines' eyes widened in terror. Even Lucifer shrank into Lady Tremaine's arms, sensing a being far beyond its capacity.
"My Lord! Forgive my ignorance," Lady Tremaine stammered, her voice a mixture of fear and cunning calculation. "I did not acknowledge your presence. Please accept my apologies, and forgive any inconvenience caused by my daughter." She bowed deeply, dragging her two frozen daughters with her. Her green eyes gleamed, calculating and vile, but her words feigned humility.
He took a moment to observe them: Lady Tremaine's sharp, aged features framed by grey hair in a high, heart-shaped pompadour streaked with silver; Drizella, with dark hair and green flats, and Anastasia, her red-haired sister, both slender and fair-skinned. He remembered their cruelty, how they had tormented Ella, and a cold fire settled in his chest.
"The only inconvenience I find," Dominic said, his voice cutting and icy, "is being disturbed during my visit by my lovely guide." He positioned himself protectively in front of Cinderella, letting no argument pass.
The Tremaines, cowed, bowed and retreated without a word. In silence, the town seemed to exhale.
Dominic turned to Cinderella, whose sapphire eyes shimmered with unshed tears. A small, tender smile graced his lips as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It must be hard," he murmured softly. "Worry not. I am here now."
Cinderella leapt into his arms, trembling, clinging to him as though the weight of her world had just been lifted. In his embrace, she felt a safety and warmth she had never known — and for the first time in her life, she allowed herself to truly belong.