Chapter One Hundred Seven

The person who had fallen close to my feet was not Desmond, as I feared. It was Benedict Astor. The old man was curling in pain, though he had no visible wounds. Astonished, I moved myself and my sister away from him. He was so occupied with groaning and crying in pain that he didn’t look our way once.

Had we won the years-long battle against the Astors? Or was Benedict shamming?

I received a positive answer when Desmond emerged from the door. My demon was wearing a fierce look of revenge. I smiled wholeheartedly to find him unharmed, but my happiness died when I thought about Benedict’s foul servants. Were they defeated, too, or would they soon make an aggressive entrance, leading to more unwanted violence and pain?

“Now, Cass. It’s time you tell me what you want me to do to this scumbag. His life is in your hands. I’ll snap his neck, feed him to a carnivorous animal, or I’ll just take him back to my home and let a million demons do whatever they wish to do to trash like him,” said Desmond, approaching me.

“What? Is it all over now?” I gaped. “What happened to Benedict’s demons?”

“Yes, almost.” Desmond nodded at me with a sweet smile of victory. "Don’t worry about those good-for-nothing dogs. My friends have them in a choke hold in that room. They won’t be getting out of their deadly grips anytime soon." Desmond made a strange hand gesture at Benedict, and he shrieked in pain. “See, a ringmaster is powerless without his trained animals. The Astors are human, after all. Tell me what you have decided for him. I will do as you say. This is your revenge, and I don’t wish to repeat my mistakes,” said Desmond.

I couldn’t believe my ears. He had achieved the unimaginable. The hunter had become the hunted. The moment my family had been waiting for so long had finally arrived. What punishment was fit for the man who had murdered my father in cold blood? Did he deserve death or a life sentence of misery and torture?

My sister Mia was more of a victim of Benedict’s cruelty than me. Throughout the previous year, I did not have the chance to see her face and body free from any scars. She and Mom deserved to decide his fate.

“What do you think, Mia? You get the final verdict,” I said to her. Mia’s lips were visibly quivering. Her palm was getting increasingly sweatier, so I let go of her hand and rubbed her shoulder. “Everything will be alright. You don’t need to be afraid of anyone anymore. Just say what you have in mind, Mia,” I encouraged her.

“I think_” Mia finally mustered the courage to speak but stopped when Benedict coughed loudly. He was struggling to move, and there were a few drops of blood on the floor where he coughed.

“You’re sleeping with a demon, and I am the immoral wicked man?” Benedict sneered and coughed again. His voice was hoarse, and his speech was barely clear enough to understand. “Does your pure and virtuous God allow you to whore yourself out to his foulest creatures?”

“Keep your dirty tongue to yourself. I will cut it out if you dare to speak ill of Cassidy or her family again,” Desmond threatened him in a voice like thunder.

Benedict lay flat on his chest. Whatever Desmond had done to him had completely drained him. “I am only stating the truth, so do as you please.” His tongue muscles seemed to be working just fine. He had some nerve to anger a demon who had pushed him into that condition. “What’s the difference between Cassidy and me? I use witchcraft to control my demons, and she uses her body to control you.”

I wasn’t offended by Benedict’s words, but it was the opposite for Desmond. Veins became prominent on his forehead, his jaw was clenched, and his hands were closed into fists. I expected my demon’s violent anger to explode in the worst possible way, resulting in Benedict’s blood getting splattered everywhere.

“Shut it. I will_” Desmond charged at Benedict but stopped midway when his eyes fell on me. He closed his eyes, and his expression softened immediately. “The difference is that I love and respect Cassidy. I would move mountains and sacrifice myself for her. Tell me Satan’s filth. What would your pets do for you? They serve you because of fear or other benefits. Imagine what will happen if they turn against you one day. You and your family will be eaten alive.”

Benedict only chuckled at his comeback.

Desmond’s effort to remain calm seriously impressed me. He was using only his mouth, just like I had wished him to do during the fight with Mason.

“We don’t have time for his nonsense. Mia and Cass, say what you want to do with him now,” Desmond urged.

“Could we take him as a prisoner so Mom can decide his fate?” Mia whispered into my ear.

“Speak louder. Let him hear what you have decided. You may spit at his mouth. He is the one behind all your pain. What are you two waiting for?” said Desmond.

“Mia wants Mom to decide. Can you keep him as your prisoner and arrange for Mom to see him later?” I spoke in a loud voice for everyone to hear.

“Yes,” Desmond replied. “I didn’t lie when I said I would do anything for you, Cass. Anger and violence are not important to me. I want to become what you wish for and deserve.”

“Great job!” Benedict gave me a thumbs-up, still lying on the floor. “You have inspired me to ask my wife to fuck a demon. I will fuck a demoness, too. To hell with witchcraft and Satan. Demons listen and do better when you suck their genitals. You are my new role model, Cassidy.”

Desmond grew angrier by the second. Benedict was testing his patience. Although I would prefer Mom to do the honors, I didn’t care if my demon snapped his neck right there and then. His effort to contain his anger was truly commendable.

I heard a noise at the door. Jane Astor entered the room and fell to Desmond’s feet. “Please, save my child. My husband is keeping him somewhere. I am not involved in any of this. Benedict is the one who killed Cassidy’s father. He is a monster,” she begged.

“Jane, you disloyal bitch!” Benedict yelled in his weak voice. “How dare you lie to protect yourself? I am your husband. We have always been in this together.”

“He is lying,” Jane cried, pressing her nose on Desmond’s shoe. “I am innocent. Ask him where our child is. He uses a demon to present himself as our son to the world. He has been using our child to blackmail me for decades.”

Who among them was telling the truth? It was hard to tell, but my heart leaned more toward Aunt Jane. The pain in her voice seemed so genuine.

“I want you to make the decision, Cass. Should I believe and spare her?” said Desmond, transferring the conundrum to me.

“I believe her,” I answered promptly. My gut feeling said Jane was telling the truth, so I didn’t want to overthink it and make the wrong decision.

“Unbelievable,” Benedict commented, laughing. “Remember, Jane, you’re not a saint. I’ll haunt you in the hereafter. Hell is where we all are going, and Satan is on my side.”

Benedict was a twisted maniac to be laughing while talking about his death. I couldn’t wait for Desmond to take him away from my sight. Mom would be delighted to have complete control of the man who had stolen her peace and happiness.

“Satan is on no one’s side, fool. You’ll know who is who's whore when you meet him,” said Desmond as he slowly approached him.

“Oh, really?” Benedict howled like an animal, looking at the door. “Perhaps hell can wait then,” he said and vanished right before our eyes.