Once Annabelle's body completely relaxed and her breathing went soft, I snuck away from the hospital back into the realms of my Kingdom, but not before I made a quick pit stop to visit Nina.

I wasn't going to let any one of them get away with what they did to her. They all want a ruthless King of Hell, then that is exactly what I should give them.

Even though I hate leaving Anna back at the hospital, her mother is still there. And I have every intention of getting back to her once I have completed what I aim to do.

I have Skyler strap up Nina in my torture room back at the cottage. All my weapons perfectly polished and ready for me to use on her over and over until she thinks she can't take it anymore. Then I'll give her just the right amount of time to get a little better before I do it all over again. For murdering the closest person Anna had to family that she cherished the most- that is the least that she deserves.

As for Asmodeus, well, he won't know what is coming to him. I myself know that the worst punishment a man can experience is losing the love of his life.

I smirk at the thought of doing this to him, as I reach my hand into the pocket of my slack trousers. My fingers curl into a fist as I clutch onto the eyeball that I so savagely took from Nina. And I must say, hearing her scream as I carved it out of the hallow of her skull fuelled all of the emotions within me. Seeing the blood drip down into her mouth making her choke. That will be a sight I will never get bored of, besides Anna.

I make my way through the lava running walls into the big throne room where I have Lilith waiting for me. The sight of her makes me want to slice her throat. Or perhaps have her go through her worst nightmare all over again. Take her rib and create an Adam of my liking and kill her first love in front of her very eyes all over again. That sounds like a saccharine, sweet revenge to me.

Once my heavy, dictating footsteps begin to echo, she turns herself around to face me. A vast smile plastered on her face. She is a beautiful woman. Ageing miraculously due to the powers I have. Not a single grey hair on her head, and barley a wrinkle visible on her skin. I have been more than generous with her. That will all end today, until she learns that she will always be beneath me. Until she learns that not telling me about things that matter will get punished.

I take my seat on my enormous throne. Letting myself slouch in it like I always do. I still remember father sitting right here. Ordering his demons around, discussing his plots to go to war with God and brining Hell to earth.

Our planet, he would call it. Our home. We were the rulers of earth just as much as God is. The humans were our people, our peasants that we can torture as much as we would like. But ever since I met Anna, my perspectives on that changed. Someone like me is not supposed to fall in love with anyone, never mind a human. And the baby? Let's just say that a part of me is glad that it's gone. I would not make a good father, nor should I have to. I am the very definition of evil. The child would only take an example from me. Moreover, it would probably kill her before she can deliver. I know she is upset about it. But this is for the better, for both of us.

"I have made the arrangements you have asked for, sir." Says Lilith bowing her head as she approaches me closer.

I lift up my hand to stop her from coming any nearer as I scan the big book of dead souls that have recently arrived to my Hell.

"Good, I expect it to go exactly as planned." I say unemotionally.

When I lift up my head to look at her, I am surprised she is still standing there. Nibbling at her lower lip timidly. She is feeling uneasy. I can sense it and not just from her body language.

"What are you still doing here?" I ask raising my voice a little to frighten her off. She jumps taking a step back and lowered her head.

"Sir, you asked me to remind you check on the infants, the mother is waiting."

"I'll do it soon and be sure the dinner is ready within the hour," I say waving her away.

I slam the big sacred book and push it off my lap onto the polished concreted floor. A lousy little demon comes crawling on all fours. It's skeletal disintegrating figure brushing against the surface. Grunting with its own spit coming out of the corners of its mouth. Its split tongue licking it away as it grabs the book from the floor and places it back in its place, returning to sit relatively still like a dog on a leash beside me.

I straighten out the gold embroidered collar of my Nottingham shirt and stand to my feet making my way out of the throne room.

I know I have arrived at the limbo of infants once I cross the crooked bridge over to a big lake filled with tears of sad mother's, bordered by flame to the high skies of Hell, creating a perfect border between the children damned to punishment and the edge of Hell of all unbaptised babies floating around in limbo.

Sometimes I open the flaming wall and peak inside, looking at the all them crying and watch them wonder around a lifeless forest with only themselves to take care of. Is this where my child ended up?

I stand at the edge of the lake and watch as Scylla raises from the water with two children holding her hand. She gives me a brief curtsey before she releases the children and they runoff into the flames to blister in the fire of my own making.

"Your majesty, what brings you here?" she asks once she stands glistening in the tears of the lake. The rag sticking to her body like glue.

"I wished to check upon the children," I make up an excuse but really, I simply want to know if my child is anywhere around.

"Sir?" she voices kneeling down to her knees in front of me and grabbing my hand in hers. Kissing the knuckles just above the golden ring I wore from my father after his death.

"What is it Scylla?" I voice somewhat angrily.

"Pardon my intrusion but I know why you are here, the human you so spoke of many times before," she lifts up her head to look at me momentarily before lowering it back down as my eyes blaze into her. "You child is not here, I believe Nina had enough time to trap it in limbo."

I wave my hand away from her grasp, backslapping the demon mother in the face. The ring brought a small cut to her face, but just as quickly healed itself.

"Just because I gave you your abilities, does not give you a right to invade my privacy, you do not want to cross me today!" I shout dominating her into submission. Her body goes lack and whimpers in fear as her eyes never dare to meet mines. My eyes as black as the soul I carry around.

I can't bring myself to stay in this place much longer. The more I thought about the child that Anna had lost the angrier it makes me. I know she will want to talk about it but what can I possibly tell her? That I am glad it is dead because I'd rather lose it than her? She would struggle to forgive me for those words. And I don't want to hurt her any more than I already have.

I have hope that imaginably it would perhaps find its way to Hell, except I is too late, and very wrong. It's gone and now that is for the better. I can focus on running Hell and taking care of Anna instead. A child would just be a distraction that I don't need right now.

In that way, perhaps Lilith is right. I don't want a child. It's wrong of me to have one never mind want one. But that still doesn't give her the right to not tell me about it and assume that I want her to have an abortion. Either way, Lilith and everyone else will get what is coming to them, and I will use this anger on them instead of Anna.

Once I am finished with some other things, I have to make sure were running smoothly, I make my way to the grand room, filled with a spaciously long table filled to the brim with food. The only lights are from the lava running walls and the candle lights.

But just before we walk in, outside its double doors I stop and turn to Skyler. I teach for Nina's eyeball in my pocket and hand it to him.

"Be sure this finds its way in Asmodeus's food," I order, and without another words I walk inside.

Everyone stands up with the sight of me as I walk around to the main seat at the top of the table.

All the Devils, including Lilith is here. Call it a small gathering if you will.

They all wait for me to take a seat before they can do the same. Immediately, more tongue-less slaves are by our side filling up our glass with red wine fixed with the fresh blood of the most recent people who have died and passed their souls over to me. Their flesh will be the most perfect meal for us to eat tonight.

Abaddon and Asmodeus are sitting closest to me, exchanging a few words before Abaddon turns to face me.

"Why have you called for this dinner so suddenly?" he asked.

I raise my crystal glass.

"To make a toast, to devotion," I say showing no emotions in my voice or face as I glare at Asmodeus who is toying around with a gold ring on his pinkie finger before raising his glass as well.

We make our toast and I sit down quietly listening to the conversations and shouting's that burst out around the table as our meals are served.

Sternly observing the unfaithful sitting to my right side, I eat the food, until Asmodeus begins to choke. I place my utensils down as I watch him. His hand barbs to his neck as he continues to dry cough. The rest of the Devils began to laugh but a concerned facial expression with an opened mouth and wide eyes appears of Lilith's face.

It isn't until he coughs up the eye onto the plate in front of him that the rest of the Devils and demons fall silent. The room gets filled with a penetrating atmosphere as I take another sip of my blood-filled wine.

"What is this?" asked Asmodeus as he picked up the eye between his fingers staring at it in shock. We may eat the meat of other humans and drink their blood, but we tend to omit their eyes.

"An eye what else can it be," blurts out Abaddon a little too cheerfully.

"Tell me Asmodeus, did you really think I wouldn't find out about your plans?" I ask unsympathetically.

He looks to be clogged up in disbelief as he begins to realise that I have found out about what he want to do.

"I-I," he begins but closes his mouth when he comprehends, he has been caught red handed.

I wonder where all his smug bravery went to now?

"You what, huh? Cat caught your tongue?"

I pick up a steak knife with the sharp point pointing at the table. It's a regular metal knife. But they don't know that it's not makes of steal. I have much bigger plans for him than pure death.

I hear no reply as Asmodeus sits up straight in his seat. His fingers dropping the eye to his plate again and down to his sides, gripping onto the seat.

"The eye belongs to Nina," I say peaking his attention. His eyes are so wide they look like they are about to pop out.

"What did you do to her?" he demands trying to sit up but a single look to the bulky demons behind him have him sitting down again. their long sharp claws digging into his skin.

"But why she's dead!" I say bursting out into a quiet laugh. No one dares to join me. they sure are right not to do so. This is my moment to teach him a lesson.

"Did you really think you would make a better King than me? It's quite the comic thought. But you see," I begin standing up and ushering the muscular teeth gawking demons away as I place my hand on Asmodeus shoulder. He quivers a little under my touch, but one of his hands goes back up and rests on the table.

"I want everyone at this table to know what happens to those that disobey my orders, to those that do not listen to what I have to say."

I pick up his hand and look at the ring on his finger.

"Those who do disobey their King, get punished," I say slamming his hand back down onto the table and slicing the knife across his pinkie finger.

The sharp metal glides soothingly across his skin causing the white tablecloth to be blood stained with his sins. He lets out a screech as everyone else gasps in fear. They know what it means as soon as the golden ring is cut off a Devil. You become mortal when you visit earth.

"Oh, but that's not it," I continue.

I grab a hold of Asmodeus perfectly groomed hair, almost ripping it out as I yank his head back against the chair. As I stare at his eyes, I see the real Devil that is hiding all those years. I can't be happier to have him tortured for all eternity.

I lift up the knife to his throat and slice it in the exact same way that Nina did with Anna's father. Blood gushes out in a splatter as I let go of his head and let it fall and bash onto the table.

Within a second Skyler is by my side to take the knife away from me and hands me a cloth to wipe the blood off my hand. Once I am done, I walk back around to take my seat. Abaddon has a look of amusement on his face whilst the other Devils and demons closest to me in the hierarchy have fear written all over them. Little do they know that I am nowhere near done with his punishment.

"If anyone else dares to follow his footsteps I won't hesitate to banish you from Hell, you want a ruthless King, so you shall have him."

As I sit on the big plush sofa chair, I stare at the flaming fireplace, sizzling up the room. My ankle crossed over my leg as I sit back, holding a glass of whiskey in my other hand. Tapping the golden ring on my finger against the crystal. Then my eyes wonder to the sleeping body of Asmodeus on the floor near the fireplace.

I know my father would not have approved of this. He always makes such a ridiculous emphasis that we do not get rid of those closest to us no matter what they have done. But I will not allow myself to live in the shadows of my father's past any longer. He is a fool for letting his greed get the better of him. Picking a fight with God's angels. What the fuck is he even thinking? We are powerful, but a single one of us is never strong enough to fight with God.

I tried hard to live up to his expectations. Having no mercy but still keeping myself loyal to this place. In the end it doesn't matter. Not when you are in love. I would be more than willing to give this place up and live with the rest of the humans; live with Anna. I would do anything for her. But I failed at protecting her because I took this place as my priority.

In a way I still have to, because I know that if I do step down and fail to ensure that the right person takes over, I wouldn't be safe, and neither would Annabelle. I don't want any more harm coming to her.

Right on that thought, Asmodeus' body moves. I hear his breathing deepen as he grunts trying to get himself back up. I gulp down the rest of my whiskey, crushing it in my hand in a single strength movement. The glass prickles my palm, but soon the slight tinge of pain is gone and healed like nothing has ever happened.

I glare down at Asmodeus in complete disgust as he kneels in front of me.

"I know you wouldn't kill me, you'd be too much of a coward to not follow your father's traditions," he says in a croaky brittle voice.

I can't help but chuckle smiling to myself.

"Do you really think I'd go easy on you after what you did?" I ask as he searches his hand for the ring that I hold in my other hand. His pinkie still missing, fed to the bulky demon.

"Looking for this?" I question in mock curiosity as I hold up the ring.

His face looks up at me, begging for a slight moment before turning cold.

"Don't toy around Lucifer, noli esse stultus," he says clearing his throat.

I stand to my feet, shoving the ring into my trousers as I look down at him. Quickly and impatiently, without giving him a single warning I grab a hold of his hair again and shove the side of his face into the fire. Holding him there for long enough for his skin to burn and melt. My hand is scorching too, except mines would heal.

His screams fill the room as he tries to fight me off but as the King, I am stronger than him. I can hold him down in place with just my single hand.

When I think he has had enough I pull him out. The entire right side of his handsome face is distorted. Skin melting off his face as slowly as magma, revealing the burnt muscle undeath and a hint of white bone. His eyes is bleeding, too. perhaps I should rip it out and add it to my new growing collection.

He is an ugly bastard now, and the human selfish mind will think he is a monster.

"This is the least you fucking deserve," I spit at him, throwing his head back until his body crashes against the marble floors.

Ha! Where's his strength now? Who's the fucking coward now?

"You and Nina put Anna through Hell, now I'm gonna do the same with you. I am banishing you from Hell! You will nevercome back here! You will rot of old age back on earth where your looks and smug behaviour will get you nowhere in their selfish world. You will be all alone knowing that I killed Nina, and the only memory you have is her fucking eye!"

I take a deep breath to calm myself down, oh but it's no use. And frankly I don't care anymore. I'm letting my claws out as my eyes turn black. My skin hardens and crusts into an animal. Showing my ample and vital form, full of vengeance.

"Fire for fire, Asmodeus. No one will ever love you anymore. And if you ever take a step into my Kingdom, you will be damned to eternal punishment!" I growl like a hungry vicious wolf.

"You can't do that, please! I have nothing if I'm not here, I'll never make it out there without Nina!" he begged like a little child throwing a silly little tantrum for some candy.

He's on his knees, hands pleading.

"I am your King and I can do anything I wish." I state coldly. Zero emotion voicing in my new form as I call out for my demon followers to come in and drag him out.

He's screaming, petitioning to be forgiven as the heels of his shoes screech against the floor as he gets dragged away.

Once the doors close, my fury does not dissipate. I breathe like a bull. I swing my hand over the mirror on the wall, causing my monstrous form to become distorted.

I have let things get too far. That's what I get for falling in love with a human. For falling in love with anyone at all. I is senseless to believe I can make this work. But from now on, I will not let anyone step over me anymore. Annabelle is as much of my priority as the realms of Hell is.

I storm out of the room making my way through the hallways of dead souls, trapped and mirrored behind the walls as I walk up the stairs to my office. Any demon crossing my path ran away or bowed in fright. That's how I like my subjects. In fear of me.

That's how I enjoy ruling; instilling fear and anxiety inside my followers, so much so that they would do anything I ask of them.

Once I enter my office, I know I must calm myself down before I can make my way back to earth. Showing up in my natural form is not an option. But that is a little difficult to do when Lilith is here, yakking on about something I am not paying attention to.

I sit down on my big desk chair and slam my darkened hand on the table so hard I crack it in half.

"Just shut up Lilith, you don't think I know what you told Annabelle? Telling her to have an abortion?" I roar at her.

She drops down to her knees, tears falling down her face. I give her no sympathy. Even though she is something I need here. She must receive her punishment.

I stand back up and walk around the broken table to position myself in front of her.

"You have no right to voice my opinion to her!"

She weeps as she leans herself forward and grabs a hold of my feet. She kisses them tenderly.

"Please, I'm sorry!" she begs hoarsely.

"I am stripping you away of your tittle, no longer will you be the mother of demons, you will be nothing!"

"Please, I am nothing without that title to my name," she begs kissing my feet again. "You saved me from Adam falling under God trap, you saved me, took me under your wing and gave me all you have, please let me prove to you how sorry I am!" she croaked out loud. Weeping so hard I can barely understand her words.

"You should be glad I am not banishing you from Hell or to eternal punishment!" I say to her much more calmly.

I move away from her so she can no longer have a hold of my legs.

"Please I am nothing without you!"

Her voice is brittle, and I know she is right. She is nothing without me. I gave her everything she has now. I gave her life and a purpose. But I will not be walked all over again.

"Get out of my office," I command her.

She shakes in disbelief. I am parting with her in some way. But not for long. She will learn her lesson and then I will give her way back.

She doesn't move from her knees.

"Now!" I scream out in resentment, my black eyes burning into her soul as I feel the entire room with rage.

No longer is she disobeying my commands. She lifts herself back up and leaves the room.

I am the King.

That is officially set in stone.

I get back to the hospital just at the brink of sunrise. Annabelle is still sound asleep when I get there. I tell her mother to go home and that I will take care of Anna when she wakes up. It is the least I can do for having her stay with Anna all night long.

Once I am left alone again, I walk into Anna's room. The brightness of the sun is beaming and gently reflecting against her skin. She looks like picturesque figure. A Goddess from another time despite everything that has happened. She looks at peace when she is sleeping and not having any nightmares.

I walk over to her, brushing away the strands of hair that come down and covered her pretty face. She is magnificent in my eyes and it hurts my vile cold heart to know how much I have hurt her. But I can't stay away.

Even though she is my weakness.

My vulnerability.