Blood splattered across the ground as my blade sliced clean through the neck of the rogue demon. Its headless body crumpled to the ground, twitching in its final moments. I didn't even flinch. I watched as the dark, foul blood pooled around the corpse, my chest heaving from the exertion.
It should've felt good hell, it should've been satisfying to feel the life drain out of the bastard after the shit day I was having but there was no satisfaction in it. Just emptiness, and a growing rage that clawed at the edges of my mind.
I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, glaring down at the carcass. The kill had been too easy, too quick to bring any real release.
My muscles ached, but not from the fight no, they ached with the pent-up frustration I couldn't seem to shake.
I had taken this mission hoping it would help me blow off some steam, thinking that maybe slaughtering a few rogue demons would drown out the thoughts that had been haunting me for days.
But it hadn't worked. It didn't help at all. It wasn't fucking enough.
With a low growl, I kicked the demon's head aside, sending it rolling into the underbrush. My breath came out in heavy, ragged huffs, and I stood there for a moment, surrounded by the bodies of the demons I'd slaughtered.
It was a massacre blood, gore, and the stench of death filled the air but none of it made me feel any better.
The only thing that kept running through my mind, over and over again, was the image of Nathaniel leaving Aeliana's room with that damn smirk on his face.
That smug, arrogant smirk that made me want to rip him apart. And worse so much fucking worse was the thought of Aeliana kissing him.
The way his voice had dripped with satisfaction when he said it, the way he had flaunted it in my face like a goddamn trophy.
Aeliana had kissed Nathaniel.
I clenched my fists so hard I felt my nails dig into my palms. The pain grounded me, just a little, but not enough.
I wanted to destroy something, to tear everything apart until there was nothing left. But killing demons wasn't going to cut it anymore. I needed something else. I needed to fucking forget.
I sighed heavily, shaking off the blood that had splattered onto my boots. "Fuck this," I muttered to myself. This whole mission was pointless. I had better things to do than waste my time on low-level scum like these. If I stayed out here any longer, I was just going to drive myself insane.
I teleported back to my castle, the familiar surroundings doing little to ease the tension coiled in my chest.
Everything felt suffocating, like the walls were closing in on me. I needed a distraction something to take my mind off the shitstorm that was my life right now.
The first thing I did was head to the shower, peeling off my blood-soaked clothes and letting the hot water wash over me. The heat scalded my skin, but I welcomed it. It was something real, something tangible that I could focus on.
I let the water cascade over my body, scrubbing away the grime and the blood, hoping it would wash away the anger as well. But even as I stood there, eyes closed and fists clenched, the thoughts wouldn't stop.
Aeliana. Nathaniel. That damn kiss.
"Fuck!" I slammed my fist against the wall, the pain shooting up my arm. I needed to get out of here. I needed to do something anything to drown out the noise in my head.
I stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying off quickly. The steam fogged up the mirror, but I barely glanced at my reflection as I ran a hand through my wet hair. I needed to get out, to do something reckless and stupid. Something that would make me forget for just one night.
I moved to my closet, flinging the doors open and rifling through the clothes. Nothing fancy just something that screamed, *Don't fuck with me*. I grabbed a pair of black jeans, the fabric worn and comfortable, and pulled them on.
They hung low on my hips, fitting just right without being too tight. Next, I picked out a dark grey tank top, the kind that clung to my body. Over that, I threw on a leather jacket simple, but badass enough to give me that extra edge I needed.
I glanced at myself in the mirror as I finished getting dressed. The outfit was perfect tough, no-nonsense, and exactly what I needed to feel like I could take on the world.
Or at least, take on whatever the night threw at me. I ran my fingers through my hair, giving it a quick tousle before turning away from the mirror.
"Yeah, this'll do," I muttered to myself, grabbing my keys from the dresser. I didn't bother with anything else no weapons, no bullshit. I was just going to lose myself in the night, and if anyone tried to mess with me, well, they'd regret it soon enough.
The night air was cool as I stepped out of the castle, the sky dark and cloudless. It was quiet out here, the only sounds the rustle of leaves in the breeze and the distant call of an owl. But I didn't pay any attention to it.
My mind was already somewhere else, focused on the club I was heading to. It wasn't far a place I knew well enough to know that I could find what I was looking for there.
The walk was short, but it gave me time to steel myself, to push everything that had been clawing at my mind down into the dark recesses where I could ignore it.
I wasn't going to think about Aeliana, or that bastard Nathaniel, or any of the shit that had been driving me crazy for the past few days. Tonight was about forgetting.
The club was alive with energy as I approached, the thrum of music vibrating through the ground and the sound of laughter and voices spilling out into the street.
The neon lights flickered overhead, casting an eerie glow over the entrance. It was exactly the kind of place I needed loud, chaotic, and full of people who wouldn't ask questions.
I pushed my way inside, the heavy bass of the music hitting me like a physical force. The air was thick with the smell of sweat, alcohol, and something sweet that I couldn't quite place. The crowd was a mix of humans and demons, all writhing together in a blur of movement and color. Perfect.
I made my way to the bar, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease. The bartender was a demon I recognized someone who knew better than to ask me why I was here.
I ordered a drink, somethin strong and bitter, and downed it in one go. The burn of the alcohol was a welcome distraction, a sharp edge that cut through the haze in my mind.
As I leaned against the bar, scanning the crowd, a girl caught my eye. She was standing near the edge of the dance floor, her body moving to the rhythm of the music.
She was striking, with short, dark hair that framed her face and a pair of piercing blue eyes that seemed to cut through the dim light. There was something about her something wild and untamed that drew me in.
I smirked, downing the last of my drink before setting the glass down on the bar. Maybe this night wasn't going to be so bad after all. Maybe, she was exactly what I needed to make me forget.
And with that thought in mind, I pushed off the bar and made my way toward her, ready to lose myself in whatever this night had in store.