Chapter 38: The Devil’s Smile

Raze saw the knife.

He grinned.

Instead of stepping back, he lunged forward, meeting me head-on. That was his mistake.

I feinted left, then cut right, my blade slashing toward his ribs. He twisted, barely dodging, but I still nicked him—just enough for blood to bloom against his black shirt.

His smile widened. "That all you got?"

I didn't answer.

I moved.

I drove my knee up, aiming for his gut. He blocked with his forearm, but I twisted my wrist, slicing down. The blade bit into his skin.

He hissed.

For the first time, the devil was bleeding.

The Beast Unleashed

Raze stopped playing.

He came at me like a wrecking ball, his fist crashing against my ribs. Pain exploded through my side, and I barely managed to twist away before his other hand could crush my jaw.

I struck back—knife slashing, fists flying. He was bigger, stronger, but I was faster.

We circled each other like two wolves, the scent of blood thick in the air.

Somewhere outside the cage, Ghost was handling the last of Raze's men. Kai's voice crackled in my ear.

"You need to end this. Now."

She wasn't wrong. Reinforcements were coming, and if I let this drag on, we'd be outnumbered.

Raze knew it too.

He rolled his shoulders, still grinning.

"Last chance, Damien. Walk away."

I spat blood on the floor.

"No."

"Good."

Then he pulled out a knife of his own.

The Kill or Be Killed Moment

We clashed.

Steel met steel, sparks flying. His strikes were heavy, brute force behind every move. I ducked, dodged, countered, but he was relentless.

Then—an opening.

I dropped low, sweeping his legs.

He staggered. Just for a second.

But a second was all I needed.

I surged forward, knife flashing. It buried deep—right under his ribs.

Raze's breath hitched. His eyes widened, that cocky grin finally faltering.

"You—"

I twisted the blade.

"This is for everyone you've hurt," I whispered.

He dropped to his knees.

Blood pooled around him.

His grin returned, weaker this time. "You really are something, Damien."

Then his body slumped forward.

And the devil stopped smiling.

No Time to Celebrate

I exhaled, wiping the blood from my face. My side throbbed, my hands were shaking, but there was no time to stop.

Ghost stepped beside me, glancing down at Raze's lifeless form. "Didn't think you'd actually kill him."

I met his gaze. "He would've done the same to me."

A beat of silence.

Then Kai's voice snapped us back to reality. "Move. Now. I count ten more on their way."

We slipped through the chaos, disappearing into the night.

Behind us, the cage fight was over.

But the war?

That was just beginning.