Page 2 of Their Demon

“Stand down before you make it worse than it already is. You’ll be punished accordingly for disobeying me, I assure you.” He walked to the intact couch and sat on the middle cushion. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together in front of him.

“Leave them out of this. It was all me.” Keir stepped in front, his voice firm, but a slight note of desperation had snuck its way in. “They didn’t do anything. I told her to close the portal. I protected her. I’m the one who brought her here. I—”

“Enough!” his father shouted. The flat shook, and the lights flickered.

His crimson eyes glowed briefly before he took a single breath to compose himself into the calm, collected devil once more.

No one moved or spoke as he stared at the floor, twisting his hands in thought. When he froze, I knew it was the right time to panic.

He flashed his teeth before he spoke, and I visibly shivered at the sight. “You,” he pointed at Keir, “will be dealt with later.” He turned to me, and all three brothers stiffened. “I have an idea.” His eyebrows hitched up, and a smug grin splayed across his face. “You want to keep yourpet, but I want to kill her. How about we make things a bit more fun?”

“Not a chance.” Keir shook his head.

I could feel his worry sweeping over me like it was my own.Fuck. It made me even more stressed than I already was.

“Yes,” their father countered, unphased. “She can stay…” He paused and blinked a few times, letting the false sense of security settle in. “Ifshe becomes a demon.”

“No,” his sons shouted in unison.

Their father laid back on the couch casually, throwing his arm over the top and patting his other hand on the empty spot beside him as he looked right at me.

I started to move but stopped when Keir’s voice sounded in my head once again.

Don’t.

What choice do I have? I answered.

I heard him sigh. He knew I was right. His father had all the power right now.

My steps were slow as I made my way to the couch and sat next to the King of Hell. My body remained stiff, my chest rising and falling rapidly. I refused to look at him, choosing to look between the three pairs of eyes glued to me, ensuring I stayed safe.

He leaned close enough for me to feel his hot breath on my ear, making me squirm. “Isn’t this great? A father getting to know his sons’ girlfriend?” At first, I didn’t say anything, but my silence was not what he was looking for. “Answer me!” Spit hit the side of my face as he yelled, and I jumped.

I nodded rapidly, wanting him to get to the point so I could get as far away from him as possible.

“Do you want to stay here?” His head was cocked curiously. “Do you want to live in Hell with my sons?”

I gave one more look at my princes, who were breathing heavily, looking ready to pounce, before turning my head enough to make eye contact with their father.

He smiled, as though my brave move amused him.

“I do,” I answered in a shaky voice.

He waited a moment before clapping his hands together loudly, like a clap of thunder, making me jump again. “Good. Then let’s play a game. I love games. As I said before, you can stayifyou become a demon. Do you know what it takes for a human to become a demon?”

“No.” I refused to give him the satisfaction of scaring me into silence. He clearly liked it too much, and enjoyment was the last thing I wanted to bring him.

He held up three fingers. “Three little trials. That’s it. Complete those three trials, and you’ll be a demon.” He made it sound like this was a normal occurrence, but I knew better than to think that. “You can live happily in Hell and enjoy the company of my offspring. Refuse or fail the trials, and I get to kill you.”

“That’s practically a death sentence,” Keir interjected. “Death would actually be more merciful.”

His father didn’t face him as he smiled again, burning holes right into my petrified soul. “You defied me, Keir. I should be gutting her right here in front of you, making you watch the blood drain from her body as she takes her last, pitiful breath. Be grateful I am showing mercy and allowing you a way to keep your pet.” His face twitched.

“The only one to ever succeed was Mom,” Nicholas stated. “And she had help.”

“Then I’d take the two weeks I am gracious enough to give you to prepare her. I mean, it won’t help at all, but it might make things a tiny bit more…interesting.” His finger lifted to stroke my cheek, and I pulled away, giving him a disgusted look.

He was expecting me to fail. Hewantedme to fail, wanted to kill me. I couldn’t believe this. Satan was fucking crazy.

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