Knox (Monsters of Veridia #1)

Chapter 18

Chapter

Eighteen

The car ride felt endless, and while he was driving, Adrian’s mind spun in circles. Knox sat beside him, a storm cloud of silence, radiating an intensity that Adrian couldn’t ignore. He kept glancing over, trying to read the incubus’s expression, but Knox’s face remained impassive, a mask of determination and something darker.

He’d never seen Knox like this, not even when they’d faced the trolls and orcs together. This wasn’t about a threat to the world; this felt intensely personal.

"What are you going to do?" Adrian finally asked, his voice breaking the tense silence.

"Whatever is necessary."

The response did nothing to quell Adrian’s anxiety. He wasn’t used to seeing Knox so… demonic. Sure, he’d always known that he was dealing with a demon, but there was a sharpness to him now that couldn’t be ignored.

It was as if Knox had reverted to the first chapters of his story, rather than the latter ones.

Adrian didn’t know how to feel about that.

He forced himself to focus on the road, but it wasn’t easy. Why was Knox so intent on confronting Chris? Was it really because of what Chris had done to him? The idea seemed almost too much to hope for. Adrian had always kept his pain hidden, tucked away where no one could reach it. He hadn’t expected Knox to care so much, to react so fiercely.

He couldn’t afford to let himself believe that Knox might genuinely care. That way led to more hurt, and he had enough scars already.

"You don’t have to do this," he said.

Knox finally turned to look at him. "Yes, I do."

Adrian swallowed hard. "Why?"

"Because you’re worth defending," Knox said, as if it were the simplest truth in the world.

The words hit Adrian like a punch to the gut. He didn’t know how to respond, so he didn’t. He just drove, heart pounding, thoughts a chaotic whirl.

When they finally pulled up in front of Chris’s house, Adrian parked the car and turned off the engine.

"We’re here."

Knox nodded, eyes fixed on the house ahead. "Let’s go."

Adrian followed Knox up the steps, each one feeling like a step closer to an inevitable explosion. Knox’s boots thudded against the wood, echoing in the still evening air. When they reached the door, Knox didn’t hesitate. He pounded on it with a force that made the whole frame rattle.

Chris opened the door, confusion etched on his face. His eyes widened when he saw Adrian. "Adrian? What are you doing here? And who’s this?"

Adrian’s stomach twisted at the sight of Chris. His ex looked the same—arrogant smirk, calculating eyes. Seeing him brought back a flood of memories he’d rather forget.

Knox didn’t waste time. "Is anyone else here?"

Chris’s brow furrowed. "Who the hell are you?"

"Answer the question," Knox growled, a dangerous edge to his voice.

Chris’s gaze shifted back to Adrian. "Did you come to see Grant?" His eyes narrowed. "He didn’t come home after the convention, and I haven’t heard from him. Did you two talk? What did you say to him?" There was an accusatory tone in his voice.

As if it was Adrian’s fault that Grant hadn’t texted Chris.

A hot and uncomfortable emotion crawled up Adrian’s spine. Once again, Chris was trying to pin everything on him. "I don’t know where Grant is, and I don’t care."

Chris opened his mouth to retort, but the words caught in his throat when he looked at Knox. The air around Knox seemed to darken, shadows swirling around him in a way that could not be explained without magic.

"Who are you?" Chris’s voice wavered.

Knox stepped forward, his eyes glowing. "I’m the one who’s going to make you pay for your actions."

The demon pushed into the house. Adrian hesitated for a second, then followed. The door clicked shut behind him, sealing them 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.

Knox seemed to pick up on it. "You always knew I was a demon. My actions tonight should not surprise you." He glanced back at the house. "I will own the title of monster for you."

Adrian winced. Was this because of that blog post Knox had read by accident? It had to be. Adrian pulled his phone out of his pocket even as he struggled to get his thoughts in order. "You’re not a monster. I never meant to say that, I just…" He searched for the blog post. "You didn’t read the whole thing."

Finding the post, he held the phone out to Knox once more. The incubus took it and read, brows creasing.

He mouthed the words Adrian had put down so long ago. Knox has shown incredible growth since he left the Night Court. Every day he strives to make the world better, even if he often doesn’t know how to accomplish that. That’s what I like best about his character. He’s just as lost as any of us, struggling with how to be a good person in a world that makes it so easy to be bad, to do only what feels good instead of what’s right. So what if he relapses every now and then? Don’t we all? Does that make us monsters or does it make us human?

Knox looked at Adrian. "This is what you think?"

"One hundred percent."

Knox looked at the phone again for a long moment. He seemed stumped. He shook his head. Then he raised his eyes to meet Adrian’s gaze head-on. "I don’t have a single regret about what I did to your ex. He never deserved you, and I’ll use any magic I have to protect you. Any day of the week, any time of day. Hell, even if I had no magic left, I would still protect you to my dying breath."

Adrian struggled to respond. Conversations like that only happened in romance novels, but this was real life, no matter where Knox had come from.

And Knox was real, wasn’t he?

"Why would you protect me?" Adrian managed to ask.

Knox’s eyes never wavered. "Take me home, and I’ll show you."

Adrian swallowed hard, nodding. He led Knox back to the car, the weight of the moment settling around him. Something would happen tonight. Something that would give him all the answers he needed.

The drive back was silent, but it wasn’t the tense silence from before. It was a silence filled with unspoken promises and, honestly, it was a miracle Adrian didn’t drive them into a ditch.

He parked the car outside his grandmother’s apartment, hoping that Evelyn was asleep already.

He fumbled with his keys before he managed to unlock the door. The apartment was dark, quiet. Good, Adrian thought, until he registered movement on the couch.

"You’re back," Leon said.

Adrian suppressed a groan. He’d forgotten about Leon. He’d forgotten about many things while he was out on his adventure with Knox.

Leon turned on a lamp, the sudden light blinding Adrian for a moment. He blinked, adjusting to the brightness.

Leon’s eyes darted between him and Knox. "What have you two been up to?"

Adrian didn’t want to delve into the evening’s events. He shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Leon’s gaze. "Nothing important."

Knox, however, had no such qualms. "We were dealing with a villain," he said.

Leon raised an eyebrow. "What villain?"

"It’s no concern of yours," Knox replied easily.

For a moment, it looked like Leon was going to press him further, but then he sighed, pulling out his phone instead. He tapped the screen a few times before looking back up at Adrian.

"I sent you a link," Leon said. "You need to check it out."

Adrian knew this couldn’t be good. A sense of dread settled in his stomach as he fished his phone out of his pocket. He unlocked it, scrolling through the notifications until he found the message from Leon.

Clicking on the link, he skimmed through the article, the dread he felt solidifying. Several people had been reported missing since the convention, not just Daniel.

"This is bad."

Knox moved closer, reading over his shoulder. His expression darkened. "It looks like Caelen gained more followers."

Adrian blew out a breath in exasperation. "And we haven’t heard anything from Zev and Lyrian yet. Do you think they’re okay?"

It had been an eventful day. There was so much to think about, Adrian couldn’t hold it all in his head.

"My friends are capable," Knox said. "You don’t need to worry about them."

Only a moment later, as if to call Knox’s words lies, knocking at the door made Adrian jump. He hurried to open it, revealing Lyrian and Zev, both looking exhausted.

And they didn’t have Daniel with them.

"What happened?" Adrian asked, ushering them inside.

Lyrian collapsed onto the couch next to Leon, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "It’s unbelievable," he said. "We couldn’t even get close to Caelen. There were too many followers around him."

Zev leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking utterly displeased with himself.

"I sang," Lyrian continued, frustration evident in his voice. "I put everything I had into that song, but nobody was swayed. Absolutely nobody. They’re so deeply under Caelen’s control, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before."

Adrian had experienced the effects of Lyrian’s song firsthand before. It was difficult to believe that someone might be immune to it, and so many people at that.

Zev shook his head. "I don’t understand how it’s possible. Lyrian’s song was so powerful, even I was almost swayed, and I wasn’t even the target."

The room fell silent as they all processed this news.

Adrian chewed his lower lip. How were they going to get Daniel away from Caelen like this?

Leon cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence. "But you found his lair, right?"

Zev nodded grimly. "We did find his lair," he confirmed. "Caelen’s taken over a mansion just outside town."

A mix of relief and apprehension washed over Adrian. They had a location, but what would they face when they got there?

Zev continued, his voice tense. "We can lead you there in the morning, but be prepared for a tough fight. The magic surrounding that place… it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe this much power exists in this world."

Knox stepped forward. "Thank you for the intel," he said. "You both did well. Caelen will fall tomorrow."

Adrian’s attention snapped to Knox. How could he be so confident?

Zev voiced Adrian’s thoughts. "How can you be so sure? What’s your plan?"

Knox’s eyes flickered to Adrian for a moment before he addressed Zev. "That’s a matter between Adrian and me." He reached out, taking Adrian’s hand. "If you’ll excuse us."