Page 76 of Witch's Promise

Sean's moment of triumph was short-lived. Before he could even lower his leg, Riley was on his feet again, looking no worse for wear despite the blow that should have shattered his skull.

Sean's brief moment of triumph evaporated as Riley twisted his head back into place with a sickening crack. The casual display of inhuman resilience sent a chill down Sean's spine, his mind reeling as he struggled to process what he'd just witnessed.

"What the fuck are you?" Sean breathed, unable to keep the horror from his voice.

Riley's smile widened, revealing teeth that were now decidedly sharper than any human's had a right to be. "Well," he purred, "I thought you'd never ask."

Before Sean's eyes, Riley's form began to shift. Dark smoke enveloped him, writhing and pulsing with an otherworldly energy. As it dissipated, the creature that emerged bore little resemblance to the man Sean had once known.

Riley's skin had taken on a deep crimson hue, his body now corded with inhuman musculature. Curved horns protruded from his forehead, gleaming wickedly in the harsh attic light. But it was the tail that really caught Sean's attention – long and sinuous, ending in a heart-shaped tip that seemed to pulse with its own malevolent life.

"Jesus Christ," Sean muttered, backing away instinctively. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Riley's laugh echoed through the room, a sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. "Oh, I assure you, this is no joke," he said, his voice now carrying an otherworldly resonance. "You see, our dear Caroline here made a rather desperate attempt to bring back her dearly departed son."

As he spoke, Riley sauntered over to where Caroline lay unconscious. He trailed a long, talon-like fingernail along her cheek, the gesture almost tender if it wasn't so utterly terrifying.

"Unfortunately for her," Riley continued, "the spell went a bit... sideways. Instead of dragging junior back from thegreat beyond, she opened a door for something else entirely. Something far more interesting."

Sean's mind raced, trying to process the implications of what Riley was saying. A summoning gone wrong? A demon taking over Riley's body? It sounded like something out of a bad horror movie, and yet the evidence was standing right in front of him, grinning with far too many teeth.

"A fire demon," Riley concluded, spreading his arms wide as if presenting himself for inspection. "Quite an upgrade from the sniveling little sycophant I used to be, don't you think?"

The casual way Riley spoke about his transformation, about the violation of his very being, made Sean's stomach churn. But beneath the horror and disgust, a spark of anger began to kindle. This bastard, demon or not, had hurt his father. Had dragged innocent people into whatever sick game he was playing.

"You know what?" Sean growled, falling into a fighting stance. "I'm getting real fucking tired of your monologuing. How about we skip to the part where I kick your ass back to whatever hell you crawled out of?"

Riley's eyes widened in mock surprise before he burst into laughter. "Oh, Sean. Your bravado is adorable, truly. But do you really think you stand a chance against me? In this form?"

Sean didn't bother with a verbal response. Instead, he launched himself at Riley, leading with a vicious right hook. His fist connected solidly with Riley's jaw, the impact sending shockwaves up Sean's arm. It felt like punching a brick wall.

Riley's head snapped to the side, but the blow seemed to cause him no real discomfort. "Come now," he chided, casually backhanding Sean across the room. "Is that really the best you can do?"

Sean slammed into the far wall, the air driven from his lungs in a painful whoosh. He struggled to his feet, spitting blood onto the dusty floorboards. "I'm just getting started, asshole."

The next few minutes were a blur of frantic action. Sean threw everything he had at Riley – every dirty trick, every killing blow his father had ever taught him. But it was like fighting smoke. Riley moved with inhuman speed and grace, always just out of reach, always one step ahead.

"You know," Riley mused as he effortlessly dodged another of Sean's attacks, "I'm almost disappointed. I expected more of a challenge from Viktor's prized pupil."

The casual mention of his father's name sent a fresh surge of rage through Sean. With a roar of defiance, he feinted left before pivoting into a brutal knee strike aimed at Riley's solar plexus.

For a moment, it seemed like the blow might actually land. But at the last second, Riley's tail whipped around, wrapping around Sean's leg and yanking him off balance. Sean hit the ground hard, the impact driving what little air remained from his lungs.

"That's more like it," Riley purred, looming over Sean's prone form. "A bit of creativity, a touch of desperation. It suits you, Sean."

Sean rolled away, scrambling back to his feet. His body screamed in protest, a catalog of injuries making themselves known with each movement. But he couldn't stop. Couldn't give up. Not with his father and the Wisterias still in danger.

"Fuck you," Sean spat, blood and saliva staining his chin. "I'm not done yet."

Riley's smile was almost fond, like a teacher proud of a particularly stubborn student. "Oh, I know. That's what makes this so much fun."

The fight, if it could even be called that anymore, dragged on. Sean threw himself at Riley again and again, each attack more desperate than the last. But nothing seemed to faze the demon. Blows that should have shattered bones barely drew aflinch. Strikes that would have disemboweled a normal man left nothing but shallow scratches that healed almost instantly.

And all the while, Riley taunted him. Mocked his efforts, his weakness, his pathetic human frailty. It was like he was toying with Sean, drawing out the fight for his own sick amusement.

"Do you want to know the best part?" Riley asked as he casually batted aside another of Sean's attacks. "Your father knew. He knew what I was, what I was planning. And he did nothing to stop it."

The words hit Sean like a physical blow, momentarily stunning him. "You're lying," he growled, but there was a flicker of doubt in his voice.

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