The Prince of Pride

Kai stood with the grimoire in his hand, flipping through its pages with indifference. As Anya watched him silently, her nerves prickled under his presence. He finally found the passage he was looking for and began to read out loud.

"The Nyx's power over supernatural beings is rooted in pure will. It requires the Nyx to think of the action they wish to impose, then utter the word 'Dominare'—to dominate. With this command, they will bend any supernatural creature to their will. Resistance is futile, for the Nyx's power is absolute."

Kai closed the book with a smirk formed on his lips. "That's it. Think, say, control. Simple enough. Let's put it into action."

Anya shifted uncomfortably. "I hope it hurts."

Kai's smirk widened. "You can't hurt me, Anya." He took a step closer, locking eyes with her. "Now, concentrate. Look at me. Feel the power within you, embrace it, and direct it at me."

Reluctantly, Anya nodded, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes. Slowly, her body began to glow. She thought of what she wanted Kai to do, then muttered the Latin word, "Dominare."

The glow faded almost immediately, and… nothing. Kai stood there, unaffected and his expression, unamused.

Anya's heart sank in disappointment. "I think that's enough for today," she muttered with embarrassment. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, Kai."

She turned to leave, but before she could take another step, Kai grabbed her arm, yanking her back toward him. His face was inches from hers and their air was each other's breaths. 

"Leaving already?" Kai's voice was cold, there was a  mocking edge to his tone. "You're pathetic. A useless Nyx who can't even control a single supernatural."

Anya's chest heaved and her breath came in shakily as his words inflicted pain on her. She could see the cruelty in his eyes, the way he relished in her failure. "You're supposed to save our race, yet here you are, a fucking joke. Not even Zephyr's endless patience can fix someone as broken as you."

"Kai…" Anya's voice trembled, with her heart aching from his harshness.

He smirked, leaning in closer until their noses almost touched. "Maybe that's why your parents left you at Abernathy's. They didn't want you, they didn't want a worthless daughter who couldn't even live up to her legacy."

A single tear slipped down Anya's cheek. Kai's words cut deep, deeper than anything she had ever felt before. She clenched her fists, and her entire body shook with fury and pain. 

Suddenly, she began to glow again, but this time, the power inside her was different. It was darker, fiercer, driven by the emotion Kai had stirred in her. 

With rage boiling inside her, she muttered, "Dominare," 

Kai's smirk disappeared as his hand suddenly moved to his chest. His eyes widened as he fought against the invisible force taking over him. His fingers dug into his skin, pressing deeper as he struggled not to obey the command.

"Kai, you're not in control anymore, are you?"

Kai groaned, his muscles were straining as he fought against her command, but his body betrayed him. His hand went deeper, pressing into his chest, close to where his heart was. His eyes locked onto hers and for the first time, Anya saw fear in him. 

He struggled to speak, but the pain was too much. His eyes grew teary, silently begging her to stop. But Anya stood tall, watching him with cold satisfaction. 

"Beg," she ordered.

Kai gritted his teeth, refusing to give in. "No…"

"You won't drop your ego even to save your life?" Anya tilted her head, smirking as she watched him. "You're pathetic. Looks like you'll be joining your father in hell soon."

A single tear fell from Kai's eye as his hand inched closer to his heart and his breath began coming out in ragged gasps. His voice finally broke. "Please… stop."

The moment the word left his lips, Anya released her hold on him. Kai fell to the floor, gasping for air as blood dripped from the wounds he had inflicted on himself. He clutched his chest, struggling to steady his breathing, with his entire body trembling from the near-death experience.

Anya looked down at him as she wiped the tear from her cheek. Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Kai choking on his blood.

Meanwhile, Damien and Zephyr sat in the living room conversing when Anya stormed in. Her steps were hurried, she was visibly annoyed, and her hair bounced as she walked. She clenched her fists tightly at her sides. Damien noticed her first, but remained silent, with his gaze following her as she marched toward the stairs. 

Zephyr, on the other hand, wasn't about to let it go. "Anya," he called after her, but she didn't even slow down. 

"Anya!" he repeated, standing up and taking a step toward her. "What's wrong?"

She didn't respond, her pace only quickened as she headed for her room, slamming the door behind her.

Zephyr frowned, then it hit him. "Kai..." he muttered under his breath. Without wasting another second, he rushed toward the courtyard and Damien followed suit.

When they arrived, they found Kai slumped against the wall, choking on his own blood. His hands were drenched in red.

Zephyr's eyes widened in shock. "What the hell happened?!" he exclaimed. 

Damien chuckled lightly. "Seems like the great Kai met his match."

Kai's breath came in ragged gasps. He managed a pained grin, with blood still dripping from his lips. "That... bitch... wanted me to kill myself."

Damien stared at his brother, struggling to process what he was hearing. "Anya did this?"

Kai nodded, wincing as he shifted slightly. "She's... stronger than I thought."

Zephyr shook his head in disbelief. "I told you not to push her too far. Now look at you. You almost ripped your own fucking heart out."

Kai was embarrassed. His pride was shattered by what had just happened. He wasn't used to being bested, and the fact that Anya of all people had done it bothered him deeply. His hands, still trembling and covered in his own blood, clenched into fists. He clenched his jaw, thinking of what to do to Anya.

I'm not letting this slide. I don't give a damn if she's supposed to help save our race. After this, I'll make her life a living hell.

Kai's mind was set. His pride, his ego—it demanded retribution.