Page 40 of Letters to Satan

Blond curls curtaining his forehead as his tail whips about, he orchestrates the whole thing like some sick conductor in that hideous fur coat. They follow him blindly,adoringly, and I feel it, then.

The last sliver of hope I must’ve held onto.

It dies a slow, painful death at his hands.

It wasn’t enough that he made me believe he cared… wasn’tenoughto splinter my heart into a million pieces that he so carelessly threw into the wind, but now this?

To destroy the last bit of joy remaining in my life?

Honeyed eyes meet mine from across the room, and that last threadbare string holding me together snaps. Tears burn behind my eyes, held back by nothing more than sheer willpower, as I stare at the man I thought I loved.

The man who took everything from me.

The world seems to blur at the edges as my gaze sweeps the room, like my anger has clouded my perception. My fists clench, nails digging into the flesh of my palms, and my insides are aflame, the inferno fueled by the betrayal that has shattered my trust. Each breath I take feels heavy and labored, suffocating and desperate andmaddening.

I invited the Devil into my home, and he showed me who he is.

It’s time to return the favor.

Power swirls around me as I call on the magic that my position grants me, churning inside me like a tempest, its energy rippling across my flesh.

A few of the demons stop their rampage, their wicked laughter cut short as they turn my direction, their gaze now steadily fixed on me.

I see their fear.

Smell it.

Relishit.

My lip tears up in a sneer as I step forward, slamming my hand towards the ground as the first wave drops to one knee before me. A torrent of magic, more potent than anything I’ve ever wielded, seethes within me, itching to unleash its wrath upon those who dared invade my sanctuary.

My vision is blurred with the golden hues of my power as I open myself to it, more bodies hitting the ground in submission as I take deliberate steps through the room. The world narrows to a kaleidoscope of pinpricks, my ears buzz with a deafening drone, and I press onward, driven by an anger so white-hot that it seems to sear my insides.

The very seams of my existence are bucking and straining against the magic.

Let it take me,I think, but even my thoughts don’t sound like my own.

“Niklaus.” A voice nudges at my consciousness, but I push it aside and force another difficult step forward, drowning in my desire to destroy them all.

“Nik!” Something wraps around my neck and yanks with a surprising strength, and my teeth are bared as I whip my face down and come nose to nose with Damien. “Nik, stop! You’re hurting yourself…pleasestop.”

“Why do you care?” I wedge a hand between us and hurt flashes through his warm eyes as I shove him away. Surprised at how easily I’m able to fling him to the ground, I hesitate. The sharp crack of his body hitting the floor, followed by his pained cry, sends a wave of ice through my veins.

“Nik, stop,” he whispers, and I realize in that moment that it’s silent in this shop, every demon yielding to my power.

Every demon.

Everyone.

Even Damien, whose head is bowed as he sprawls at my feet.

“Nik, please listen to me andlook,” he begs, and the churning energy fizzles enough that the golden sparks thumping in my vision subside, and I stare at the top of his head. Moving in tiny, jerking motions like he’s having to fight it, he lifts his eyes to mine. “Please.”

Body still frozen, my gaze darts between the creatures before me, finally noticing the elves sprinkled in among them. Some hold materials or tools, others are carting boxes of finished products. My anger shifts to confusion and more of the power I’m holding onto is released. The demons are visibly relieved as they’re able to shake off the lingering effects.

“What is this?” I demand, and Damien remains at my feet, staring up at me.

“They’re helping.”

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