Chapter 1
The night was dark as sin, rain crashing down like a broken dam, sheets of water so thick they swallowed the world. Cold winds howled, flinging wet chills against the shutters.
A figure, cloaked in black, shuffled through the storm. Blood–bright, angry red–leaked from him, mixing with the rain and spiraling into the gutters.
His boots slapped the ground, splat, splat, but the tempest’s roar ate the sound.
Inside, though, it was a warm bubble cozy, like a sunny afternoon. The TV spewed a cheesy rom–com, all mushy lines and dumb giggles.
Caitlyn Morrow lounged on the couch, sucked in despite her self, grinning at the nonsense.
Beep–beep!
The alarm snapped her out of it.
Caitlyn huffed, swung her legs off the couch, and stretched, back popping like firecrackers. She caught her reflection, giving her slight chest a quick eye- roll. “Eh, could be worse, she thought, brushing it off
She snagged a mug of warm milk, steam teasing her nose. Just as she went for a sip-
Knock, knock-
Her eyebrow shot up. She threw a sharp glance at the door.
“Who’s pounding my door in this mess? A prickle of nerves danced down her spine.
Knock, knock-
Another round, louder, paired with a thunder boom that shook the house like a cheap prop
“This better not be bad news‘ She eyed the rain hammering outside, sighed, and trudged to the door.
She paused for a second before yanking it open.
Whoosh-
Icy, wet air roared in, spitting droplets like a pissed–off cat.
A guy stood there, all black, hat low, face hidden. He dropped his hand from the door, moving like it hurt.
Rain slammed the roof, the ground, his slumped frame, no mercy.
Caitlyn’s eyes flicked over him, and her breath hitched. He was torn up bad–cuts and bruises everywhere, blood leaking out, mixing with the rain in dark. streams. A red puddle pooled at his feet, growing, creeping closer.
‘How the hell is this guy still standing” Her brain spun, pulse racing with a mix of shock and grim curiosity.
Her gaze snapped to his face; half–shrouded under the hat, looming over her by a solid foot. Her eyes narrowed, sharp as a blade’s edge.
“You…” she muttered, voice barely audible.
A wild surge
power roared through her, her golden hair bleaching white from the roots like moonlight washing over damp stone, turning white as frost,
Her heart thumped, raw energy buzzing–until his voice cut it off like a snapped wire. “Sorry…I got nowhere else to go…
His words were low, gravelly, soaked in a despair so heavy it nearly knocked the wind out of her.
1/4
Chapter 1
Caitlyn’s breath hitched, her half white hair flashing back to gold,
She squinted, glaring at the man who’d once dropped her flat.
Leon Radford. The Light of Humanity.”
The big damn hero.
¥67%量
He stood there, head bowed, brown hair dripping wet, plastered to his face from the rain. His green eyes were dull, like the life had been sucked out of him.
He looked like a kicked poppy left in a downpour–pathetic, broken, and so pitiful it clawed ather chest
“No–no–no?” Caltlyn’s claws dug into her palms. Are you serious? Feeling sorry for the guy who whipped your ass!”
sucked in a sharp breath through pointed teeth.
“Alright,” she sneered, tail lashing behind her, “out with it before I lose patience. Demon Lord gig’s over–though I’d love to remind you why they feared
Her lips curled, revealing just a hint of fang. “Course, in your state, might accidentally snap you in half.”
Leon didn’t even raise his head. “You’re….my only friend left…” His voice sounded like gravel. “Just you.”
“Me? Friend?!” The word tore from her throat like broken glass.
“Listen here, you self–righteous prick,” she spat, ears flattening, “we spent decades trying to kill each other! You smashed my throne! My army! My pride!” Each word came sharper than her claws. “And now what? We’re supposed to be drinking buddies?”
Her thoughts spiraled, memories crashing in. Okay, fine–she hadn’t exactly volunteered to be the Demon Lord. And yeah, they’d teamed up a couple times against bigger baddies. Maybe they’d even grabbed a drink or two in this neutral city, traded some laughs. But still
He knew she never wanted that title. Knew she was trapped by bloodline and duty
That final battle flashed behind her eyes–the way he’d moved with cold precision, not a shred of mercy.
He didn’t say jack just pounded her into the ground like she was nothing.
Her face burned, humiliation flaring. ‘No real damage, sure, but my butt was sore for three damn days!‘
The embarrassment stung worse than the hit
Forgave him? Not a chance.
He was the Golden Boy, the Hero who could do no wrong. She was the Demon Lord, queen of the demons.
This wasn’t some fairy tale where sworn enemies hold hands and sing campfire songs.
Leon didn’t flinch. The sky did it for him–lightning forking like an angry god’s fingers, thunder shaking the piss out of the cobblestones.
BOOM
His eyes went darker than a dungeon at midnight.“Had to be done.”
Then he turned tall and marched into the storm
Caitlyn watched, arms crossed, as rain washed the blood from his boots.
Each step left a temporary stain before the downpour erased it completely.
By the time the storm swallowed him whole, the tavern’s busted TV was blaring some perky weather girl’s forecast about “unny skies ahead.”
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12:52 Fri, 13 Jun
Chapter 1
13 Jun G.
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[Ekavine Storm Alert: The torrential downpour that begah yesterday–fueled by the Rih of the Outlanders is expected to last another week, worsening into a full blown thunderstorm by midnight.
To all residents of the City of Chaos: sleep tight, if you can.
Caitlyn’s left eye twitched. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides as she sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. Damned if she knew why her chest felt like someone had lit a bonfire under her ribs.
“Don’t you dare take another step,” called out,
The squelch of wet boots stopped. The rain kept falling, each drop hitting the pavement like a tiny hammer.
“said get your ass back here,” she added.
Caitlyn was going to regret this. She knew it in her demon–blood bones.
But the bastard had the audacity to show up at her door looking like death warmed over–all bleeding wounds and puppy–dog eyes, like the whole world had turned its back on him.
And yeah, okay, she was a Demon. But Demons weren’t monsters. They had hearts–sort of
Silence
Leon stood motionless, his back to her. Once, he’d been a living legend, unshakable.
Now, he looked half dead in the rain, like a gust of wind could knock him flat.
“What, you suddenly deaf?” Caitlyn snarled, gripping the doorframe. “I’m freezing my ass off here. Get inside before I shut this door for good”
Still nothing
Caitlyn let out a sharp, humorless laugh and slammed the door.
‘Screw this she thought.
Three minutes later, she was back–umbrella in hand, storming into the downpour. She grabbed his arm, yanked him sideways under the shelter, and dragged him toward the house without another word,
Yep Officially lost it.
Now, she glared at the dripping mess collapsed on her couch. Her gaze flicked over the fresh gashes and bruises littering his body, her scowl deepening.
Let me guess,” she said flatly. “You took on the Abyssal Rift to light with the Outlanders alone?”
Silence.
Leon just sat there, hollow–eyed, like his soul had already left his body
Then–the TV crackled, cutting from ads to a flashing news bulletin.
Breaking News: 5 Rank Hero Lean Betrays the Human Alliance Global Manhunt Underway!]
“Ohhh, shit,” the anchorwoman crooned, leaning forward with a grin. “No picture? That’s criminal. Rumor has it he’s gorgeous”
She tapped her chin, “Now that he’s on the run… guess he’s gotta crawl to our city, huh?”
Asly smirk. “Strong, rugged, and desperate?
“Mmm. If I found him first… well, let’s just say the Alliance’s ‘traitor‘ might enjoy his exle ”
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12:53 Fri, 13 Jun 13 Jun
Chapter 1
The broadcast cut back to commercials.
Caitlyn blinked. Slowly, painfully slowly, she turned her head toward Leon.
You what?”
