Page 76 of Knox
The demon pushed into the house. Adrian hesitated for a second, then followed. The door clicked shut behind him, sealingthem in with the rising tension. His eyes darted to Knox, who advanced on Chris like a predator, shadows trailing behind him, alive and writhing.
Chris took a step back, his face a mix of confusion and growing fear. "What are you doing?" he demanded, voice rising in pitch.
Knox didn’t answer immediately. Instead, the shadows surged forward, wrapping around Chris’s wrists and ankles, pulling him into a rigid standstill.
Chris tried to twist free, panic in his eyes. "What is this? What’s happening?"
Knox gripped Chris’s arm, forcing him to stop thrashing. "This is your punishment," Knox said, voice cold and unyielding. "For hurting Adrian."
The words hung heavy in the air. Chris’s eyes widened in terror, his breath coming in short, frantic gasps. "I’m sorry," he cried, desperation breaking through his usual bravado. "I’m so sorry!"
Knox’s expression didn’t change. He raised his other hand, covering Chris’s mouth, muffling his pleas. "It’s time for you to shut up now."
Chris’s eyes rolled back in his head, the shadows tightening their hold, as if drinking in his fear. Adrian felt a mix of satisfaction and unease. This was the reckoning Chris deserved, but the intensity of Knox’s power was terrifying to witness up close.
For a moment, the room was silent except for Chris’s muffled whimpers. Adrian took a shaky breath, trying to steady himself.
Knox glanced at him, a silent question in his eyes. Are you okay?
Adrian nodded, although he wasn’t sure that he was okay.
"What are you doing to him?"
"I’m manipulating his desires," Knox said, his voice calm but filled with an edge that made Adrian shiver. "I’m reshaping his appetites."
Chris’s eyes bulged in terror, his cries growing more desperate. Adrian couldn’t look away, a part of him horrified, another part deeply satisfied. Knox’s power was terrifying, yet there was a grim justice in what he was doing.
"In the future," Knox continued, "he will crave pain."
A thin shadow snaked its way down Chris’s body. Adrian’s eyes followed it, morbid curiosity mixed with dread. The shadow slipped into Chris’s pants, disappearing from sight.
"This one," Knox said, "will stay with him. Invisible to the naked eye, but always there."
Chris shuddered as the shadow settled.
Knox’s gaze was unwavering. "As long as it remains, he will never grow hard again."
Adrian’s mind reeled, trying to process the magnitude of Knox’s words. That was beyond anything he had imagined.
Chris’s body went limp, the fight draining out of him as the shadows retreated. Knox stepped back, the shadows dissolving into the air, leaving Chris slumped and gasping for breath.
Adrian’s heart ached with a strange mix of emotions. He should have felt relief, but there was a hollowness, a reminder of all the pain Chris had caused. Knox’s hand found his, squeezing gently.
"It’s done," Knox said, his voice gentle now, a stark contrast to the power he had just wielded. "He won’t hurt you again."
Adrian nodded, trying to find his voice and failing.
They left the house together.
The cold night air hit Adrian’s face, grounding him back to reality. He drew it into his lungs, glancing back at the house.
Chris used to mean so much to him. Memories of their happier times flashed through his mind—laughing over shared meals, late-night talks, the warmth of Chris’s arms around him.
The way it had all fallen apart.
And now the man he had once loved was a pathetic mess on the floor. It felt surreal, like a scene from one of the novels he so often critiqued on his blog. But this was real, painfully real.
Was this the punishment Chris deserved? The question gnawed at him, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
