Page 38 of The Oni's Heart

"Stop." I spat the word, the weight of it carrying more than just command. There was power in my tone, born from years of surviving their world.

To my surprise, he did, narrowing his eyes.

I narrowed mine right back.

"Tatsuya, get on your knees," I ordered, pushing all the control I had into the words, as if they were weapons themselves.

The demon before me hesitated, his monstrous form towering over me, but I didn’t flinch. I stared up at him, eyes burning with the same fury that had been drilled into me over the years.

I didn’t know how to save him. Hell, I didn’t even know if I could save myself. But right then, I realized something—I didn’t have to be weak. If I could command a demon to stop, I would.

And I wasn’t about to let him tear through everything just because he was lost in his own rage.

I stepped forward, my voice laced with ice. “Listen to me, Tatsuya. You owe me for getting you out of your mess. If you don’t do what I say right now, I swear I will make you regret it.”

My eyes locked onto his, and I could feel my pulse quicken, but I didn’t back down. “Get on your knees.Now.”

I didn't know if my anger was enough to break through the demon he’d become, but I’d be damned if I didn’t try.

The ground trembled beneath me as the Oni suddenly dropped to his knees, the force of it shaking the very foundation of the warehouse. My eyes widened in surprise, my breath catching in my throat. The sheer power of his transformation—the raw force—made my pulse race in a way I hadn’t anticipated. And yet, somewhere deep within me, I couldn’t deny the strange thrill that surged through my veins, as if I were standing on the edge of something dangerous, something dark and titillating.

I hesitated, uncertain whether to retreat or step closer. But something, perhaps the adrenaline or the strange connection between us, pushed me forward. Slowly, I took a step toward him, my eyes lingering on the terrifying, demonic face before me.

With tentative fingers, I reached out, my hand hovering just above his face before finally making contact.

The moment I touched him, he snarled, a deep, guttural sound that sent a chill down my spine. But I didn’t flinch. Instead, I smirked, the edge of defiance never leaving my lips.

“Well, aren’t you a little obedient demon?” I teased, my voice laced with sarcasm. “Didn’t know you’d be this easy to break.”

He growled again, but I ignored it, stepping closer. My hand, surprisingly steady, cradled his face, fingers grazing the sharp lines of his jaw. The contrast between his rage and the strange tenderness I felt at the moment was unnerving, but I couldn’t help it. There was something about him—about this situation—that twisted me in a way I couldn’t quite explain.

His eyes, glowing with that eerie yellow fire, locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I almost saw something beneath the demon. Something human.

But then I quickly shoved that thought aside. This was the Oni, the monster who had torn through men without hesitation.

Still, my hand rested against his skin, the warmth of it almost comforting, despite the danger he represented.

“What the hell are you?” I murmured, more to myself than to him. But I didn’t pull away. Not yet.

The Oni’s eyes burned into mine, glowing with an intensity that could have shattered the air between us. His lips curled into a twisted snarl, revealing the sharp, deadly fangs, and his voice rumbled from deep within him, like thunder in the distance.

“You think you can control me?” he growled, the words heavy with malice. “You think you can order me around? You’re nothing but a mortal, and I will destroy you if you push me.”

The threat sent a rush of adrenaline through me, but it didn’t scare me. If anything, it ignited something more. I wasn’t backing down. Didn’t he know I had run into plenty of demons in my life since birth?

I had pushed him this far, and I wasn’t about to let him think for a second that he could intimidate me into submission.

I took a slow step closer, my fingers still grazing the cold, demonic flesh of his face, never flinching. My voice was steady, dripping with sarcasm.

“Oh, I think I can control you just fine.” I leaned in just a little, watching as his eyes flickered with rage. “After all, you’ve been on your knees for me, haven’t you? Seems like I’m the one with the power here.”

He snarled, a violent sound that vibrated the air, and for a second, I thought he might snap. But he stayed frozen, his body taut with fury, yet not acting on it.

I smirked, feeling my heart beat in time with the tension building between us. “You threaten me with what, exactly? You're nothing but a big, angry demon who's been reduced to begging. And yet, you're still standing there about to blow a fuse and doingnothingabout it. So, what’s the deal, huh?”

The room felt suffocating, the air thick with both anger and something I couldn't quite name. But I wasn’t backing down. I wasn’t scared of him for some reason.

"Come on, if you're going to be all ‘dangerous’ and ‘powerful,’ show me what you can really do." I narrowed my eyes, feeling the heat of the moment. "But from where I'm standing, all you're doing is growling and threatening. That's not power, Tatsuya. That's a tantrum."

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