I stride through the obsidian halls without pausing, gore still slicking my hands, my face locked into a scowl so deep the lesser demons scramble to get out of my way without even needing to be told.
She’s awake when I reach the guest wing; the wards I had placed earlier prevented me from teleporting or opening a portal anywhere near here. I can feel her presence, soft, uncertain, but conscious. Her presence presses against the walls of my palace, impossible to ignore. I don’t knock when I arrive. I push the door open and step into the room, still drenched in Ethan’s blood. I make no effort to hide it, she should know exactly what summoning me costs.
The room is warm and low-lit, the velvet drapes muffling the wind outside. She’s sitting up in bed, still in that glittering devil costume. The horns have been discarded, but the mascara streaks still sit beneath her wide, wary eyes. Her gaze catches on me, and she freezes entirely, her breathing hiccupping. I don’t bother speaking; instead, I just cross the room and drop into a chair by the fireplace, blood crusting against my forearms, spattered across the torn collar of my shirt.
She opens her mouth, closes it, then tries again.
“You came to the party…”
“You summoned me,” I say flatly.
She looks down, fingers knotting into the blanket. “I remember everything.”
I lean back, crossing my arms. The chair creaks beneath me as I make myself comfortable. The scent of blood is strong in the air, clinging to me like a second skin.
She swallows, her delicate throat bobbing. “What… what did you do to him?”
I tip my head, my voice dropping into a growl. “Whose blood do you think this is?”
She flinches.
“Ethan, wasn’t it?” I continue, casually examining a bit of dried gore beneath my nail. “I didn’t bother asking, I know everything. Comes with the nature of my job. But I’ll admit, watching him scream my name was fucking satisfying.”
She recoils, horror painting her expression. I let it settle between us, let her stare at me with disgust, let her truly see what she called.
“He’s in Gehenna now,” I say, voice bored. “Lucifer will keep him company. Probably let him rot in his favourite pit for a few decades before getting creative.”
Her lips tremble. “You… killed him?”
“No,” I say with a humourless smile. “I ripped his soul from his body, shattered it into pieces, and hand-delivered the pieces to the most sadistic being in the universe. Wait… that was after I finished destroying his mortal body. So technically—yes. I killed him.”
Silence falls in the room, and I can hear her heart hammering in her chest, scenting her fear.
A knock splits through it, and I grind my teeth. “What?”
A young servant pushes the door open an inch, face pale, eyes wide. They’re barely into adolescence, their tiny horns barely sprouted. It’s pathetic that my father lets them be pushedinto service this early. Just another cog in his fucked up little machine.
“S-sire,” they stammer. “A scroll just arrived. Marked urgent.”
“Read it,” I snap.
The servant unfurls the parchment with shaking hands.
“Thanks for sending me Ethan Lawson personally. It’s not often Your Highness delivers new toys to my gates. I’ll have extra fun with this one until you come and explain why he was handed over by the Prince of Hell himself. -Lucifer”
I smile, sharp and joyless. “Fucking fantastic.” The servant lingers, unsure if they’re dismissed. I roll my eyes, waving a bloodied hand. “Out.” The door clicks shut, and I turn my gaze back to the little mortal still shaking in bed.
“You’re… the Prince of Hell?”
“Yes,” I answer, tone clipped.
She looks like I slapped her. Her fragility truly was starting to grate on me.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
I rise, pacing up and down the dark marbled flooring. I don’t look at her. I don’t want to look at her. Because when I do, I see it. I see that flickering sun behind the damage, still trying so hard to shine. I fucking hate it. I hate how fragile she is. I hate that she thought he was safe.
“I’m tired,” I snap. “Tired of mortals thinking the title means I give a shit about their suffering. Tired of being summoned like some glorified bodyguard.”
