Page 45 of Their Demon

“You always insist on going against me, don’t you?” I met his glare with my own, refusing to indulge his baiting question. He sighed. “Keir, I will never get through to you, will I? No matter how much time and effort I spend trying to turn you into the next king of Hell, you can’t seem to grasp it. Do you realize what you’ve done? Not only did you not tell me about the portal, but you ventured into it, met the human who opened it, brought her here to Hell, andhad her close the damn portal. You fucking betrayed me!” His face was now red, sweat forming on his brow.

I stood my ground. I wouldn’t open my mouth and offer excuses or defend myself. No explanation was ever good enoughfor him, especially when he lost so much due to my actions. I didn’t regret it, though, not one bit. The moment I laid eyes on Lillian, nothing else mattered.

I’d defy my father a million times over if it meant keeping her safe. Hell, I’d take him on myself and slay him if I had to.

“I hope one day, you learn to appreciate the lessons I have been attempting to teach you, boy,” he degraded me. “Remove your shirt and kneel before my desk.” His command was cold, detached.

I did as he instructed, unbuttoning my black shirt before laying it on his desk, but I refused to kneel. Instead, I placed my hands on the end of his desk and looked down at my feet. I was no longer that scared child who would kneel and wait for his punishment.

My heart beat so fast and hard in my chest, I feared it would burst.

“Interesting,” my father said from his seat. “I commend you for your bravery, but you will kneel, Keir, even if I have to beat you to your fucking knees.”

I didn’t dare look at him, not wanting to see the smirk I was sure was beaming across his face. I didn’t even lift my chin as he stood from his seat and sauntered—so fucking slowly—until he was standing behind me.

My father was the dark stain of my past, the evil shadow that had always loomed behind me, the monster under my bed. He was the only thing I ever feared growing up, but now? I felt no fear.

All I felt was red, hot rage.

I gripped the edge of his desk until my knuckles were white, knowing I couldn’t act on my emotions. That was too big a risk, considering the fate of my destined love’s life was literally in his hands. Lillian’s life was not something I would put on the line. Not now, not ever.

The sound of a whip being twirled in his hand found my ear. The chunks of bones in the tails clanked together with sickening thuds. I could just about picture him standing back there with a deep, dark, cruel smile from cheek to cheek, his muscles tight with excitement. His eyes were no doubt shining with sadistic intensity as he contemplated the first swing’s target.

Whoosh.Crack!

I grasped the edge of the desk with everything I had, gritting my teeth together. The first whip had been painful, but I took pride in the fact that I remained standing.

I wondered how long I could keep this up, knowing my tolerance had been depleted after so many years of avoiding his evil punishments.

Whoosh.Crack!

I swallowed the grunt that forced its way up. As I took deep, consistent breaths, I pictured the only reason this was worth bearing: Lillian.My Lillian. Her smile flashed through my mind, the way she lit up a room when she walked in, as if she had no idea the effect her presence had on everyone. Her soft, pale skin that—

Whoosh.Crack!

Got all sweaty when we trained. The way her chest rose and fell when she got all worked up, whether physically or… sexually.Fuck. Her perfectly round tits. The way her face scrunched up when she was com—

Whoosh.Crack!

My knees threatened to buckle under me, but I held myself up with the desk, refusing to kneel. My vision of her was fading into black as the pain from the lashes compounded. I tried my hardest to hold onto her, keep her as my comfort while my skin was ripped to shreds.

Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack!

He picked up the pace, no longer giving me breaks between blows.

Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack!

My teeth were grinding painfully as I swallowed every groan that wanted to be released. I would not give him that satisfaction. I would take his punishment silently—and standing.

Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack!

I wanted to yell out the vilest curses at him, but I didn’t dare open my mouth and make it worse for me or more enjoyable for him. My breathing was loud, in and out of my nose.

Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack! Whoosh.Crack!

Black clouded my vision, and my ears rang. I was losing it. It was too much. I could feel the blood dripping from my back to my hips, pooling at the waistband of my pants and falling in thick drops onto the floor beneath me.

I kept chanting her name in my head, hoping it would be enough to save me.

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