Beyond His Evil

FORTY-FOUR.

Evelyn🤍

We reached the hut more quickly than I had anticipated.

Since Devon couldn't continue teleporting, we had to walk a mile or more. Although the hut was distant from the forest, it still felt too exposed, too risky for anyone to live so close to danger.

Before we could knock, the half-breed opened the door. Her gaze flicked between us, lingering on Devon — probably because of what he was — then wordlessly stepped aside and gestured for us to enter.

Inside, the hut surprised me. It was much larger than it looked from the outside. The air smelled like a garden, probably from the bowls of herbs scattered throughout. For a moment, I forgot we were in enemy territory.

I turned to Devon just in time to see him place a kiss on Kira’s forehead. She was lying unconscious on a bed-like structure. A sharp ache bloomed in my chest. It made no sense, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away. It was ridiculous… wasn’t it?

“Where’s the half-breed?” I asked, approaching him.

Devon turned to me. His expression of guilt? flashed before he quickly masked it. “She went to get herbs. Said the seer already told her everything, so we can head back.”

I just nodded. I didn’t press it. What would he feel guilty about anyway?

We stepped outside. The sun had completely set. It was cold, though I didn’t feel the full intensity of it but I wondered if Devon did. Fire elementals don’t freeze, but demons...

We walked in silence for a while, until he finally said, “Something about her feels off.”

“The half-breed?”

He nodded. “I can’t explain it. Something isn’t right.”

I thought back to her face, nothing about her seemed odd to me. “She seemed normal. Like Celine.”

“She’s apparently also dumb.”

I raised a brow. “How did you two communicate then?”

“Sign language.”

“Still,” I hummed. “I think you’re overthinking it.”

“Yeah…” he muttered, but didn’t sound convinced.

A moment passed. Then...

“We won’t make it to safe land tonight. I can’t teleport that far again. I’m drained.”

“I figured.”

I looked over at him and caught him looking at me. His crimson eyes, as always, completely disarmed me.

“Why are you staring at me like that, Devon?”

“How am I staring at you?”

“I don’t know.”

He chuckled. “Sorry.”

I punched his shoulder lightly. “It’s fine.”

He smiled. “You’re amazing, Evelyn.”

I quickly looked away, cheeks burning. He stopped walking.

“We’ll teleport to the forest edge, then find shelter. At first light, we move.”

I nodded. “Makes sense.”

I hadn’t even realized I was staring at the ground until he tilted my chin up with his fingers.

“I’ll protect you. No matter what. Just trust me.”

My chest tightened. “I do. I trust you, Devon.”

He wrapped an arm around my waist. “Hold on to me.”

I did. And just like that, we teleported straight into hell.

Devon collapsed instantly, groaning as he hit the ground. A violent, guttural growl tore from his chest — loud enough to wake the dead.
Loud enough to attract vampires.

“Devon!” I knelt beside him after finding him through his whimpers, pulling his weight onto me.

Then I heard another deeper growl. Certainly not his.

“Look what we have here,” a voice sneered. “A hunter and a demon.”

“Devon, what’s wrong? Talk to me!”

“I… I can’t,” he gasped. “I feel… weak.”

Shit.

More growls echoed around us. I ignited a wall of fire in every direction. The vampires emerged— eyes glowing, hungry, and numerous.

“A fire elemental,” the first one said. His scarred body and white eyes made it clear he was blind. But he could still see us. How?

“Devon, what do I do?” I whispered. “This is bad.”

“Just give me a minute,” he groaned.

“We don’t have a minute!”

“Bring me the elemental,” the blind vampire ordered. "I've never been with one."

Disgust engulfed me.

A few lunged through the flames around us. I shoved Devon aside and lit them up, then flung their burning bodies far into the forest. I could feel the fire pulsing in my veins as I raised the flames higher, surrounding us in a fiery dome.

“You can’t hide forever, fire hunter,” the blind vampire taunted. “You can’t hide from me.”

Devon was barely breathing now. I knelt beside him again. “Devon, please… What do you need? Tell me something!”

His lips moved, but no sound came. Tears stung my eyes.

“I need… blood,” he finally said, voice gravelly. “It’s the only way to get my strength back.”

My blood ran cold.

Laughter erupted around us.

“Did you hear that, boys?” the blond vampire jeered. “The demon’s hungry.”

The barrier thinned. My powers were weakening with my emotions. I tried to pull myself together. I screamed, forcing the flames back up higher, hotter sealing us in.

Devon stood, swaying. He stumbled to the edge of the barrier.

“Devon,” I called, moving toward him.

“Don’t,” he growled. “Stay back, Evelyn.”

“Let me help you!”

“No. Not you.”

“Who else then?! I’m right here. You need blood, take mine. Just do it.”

In a flash, he was in front of me. His hand gripped my neck. His fangs, long and sharp glistened under the firelight.

"I don’t want to hurt you, Evelyn. Not you too."
His voice cracked, part demon, part Devon.

For a second, something flickered in his eyes... fear? Regret?
Then it vanished.

Not me too?

“Just do it,” I said. “Quickly.”

Something shifted in his eyes, then he bit.

Pain, unlike anything I’d ever known, ripped through me. My scream tore through the night. The barrier collapsed. I heard the vampires closing in, laughing.

“Devon, stop,” I gasped, pushing at him. “They’re coming!”

He didn’t stop.

He wouldn’t stop.

He held me tighter, closer. I couldn't breathe.

That’s when I realized, he had no intention of letting go.

And in that moment I wasn't sure which monster to be more afraid of—the ones outside the fire, or the one I loved.

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