Meanwhile, far away from Victorian Heights, inside a pitch-black apartment, the atmosphere was far more volatile than the actual storm raging outside.

One look at the interior would make anyone think a violent purge or a robbery had taken place, given the sheer amount of wreckage left in its wake.

Shattered glass littered the floor, curtains had been violently ripped from their rods, and an ashtray remained embedded in the television screen, a relic of a fury that had erupted yesterday but remained untouched. Torn bedsheets were scattered across the room, while the heavy stench of liquor and something far more unsightly permeated the thick air.

Soon, the agonising cries of a woman echoed from the grim basement beneath the room’s secret door, persisting until they finally died down into an absolute, chilling silence.

After a long moment, the metallic door beeped and slid open, revealing a man as he stepped out into the ruined space. He looked around with his dull yellow eyes before closing them, his breathing uneven as he ran a hand through his hair, which was heavily coated in red.

"Look what you made me do, Aliana," he muttered, his voice a ragged whisper. "This is all your fault for being such a bad girl."

With another long breath, he slowly opened his eyes, pure madness swirling within them as his gaze swept across the destruction littering the room. The clear aftermath of the storm he himself had unleashed not too long ago.

His eyes then drifted down to his own naked form, sticky blood splattered across his skin like a grotesque painting, before a low chuckle suddenly escaped him.

The chuckle quickly spiralled into maddening laughter, echoing through the ruined room so wildly that he eventually had to clutch his stomach just to keep himself standing.

As the laughter gradually died down into uneven breaths. He clicked his tongue in irritation before making his way across the room toward the bathroom, as though the bloody footprints trailing behind him were nothing more than an inconvenience beneath his notice.

He stepped under the shower and turned the water ice cold, letting it cascade down his bloodstained body before a dark, maddening whisper slipped past Jacob’s lips.

"Ah, Aliana... I truly wish you hadn’t pushed me this far..."

A dangerous smile slowly stretched across his face.

"But now... I suppose I’ll have no choice but to play dirty."

With that, his hand wrapped around his arousal, his grip tightening before he began to stroke himself while the crimson water continued to pool beneath his feet.

.....

Far away, in a house that looked as though it had been abandoned for years without maintenance, a man sat leisurely, his dark eyes glowing a vivid red as he watched the broadcast of four people in particular who had caught his interest.

The first was, quite obviously, the beautiful woman with long blonde hair. She had captured his attention the moment he first heard whispers of her back in Spain.

Following her on the screen was the man with icy blue eyes, the very being who was the sole reason Mord was currently forced into hiding. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Ever since his loyalist had returned to him on the night of the full moon with the news that the woman was under the protection of this dangerous entity, Mord knew his pursuit to capture his prize would be anything but easy.

He knew the man would be furious after the last attack on the woman, which left him with no choice but to lie low while Gavriel sent his loyal dogs out to sniff him out.

Those loyal dogs included not only Reve, a feared figure within the underworld, but also the man currently seated leisurely beside Gavriel himself.

Cillian.

Although Cillian looked completely harmless, blending in perfectly as a normal upper-class human while attending a simple press conference, Mord knew exactly how unhinged and lethal the man truly was.

With both of these formidable beings flanking the blonde woman, Mord knew his little game had just become a spectacular thrill.

"Hmm, I will really need to play my cards right," Mord mused aloud, taking a slow sip of his wine as a sly, calculating smile lingered on his lips. "Otherwise, one way or another, being vanquished will be the least of my worries."

"But now... with the way they guard her so fiercely, it only proves just how precious this woman truly is."

A dangerous grin slowly stretched across his face.

"If I win this, I won’t merely claim the soul of some special human..." His glowing red eyes darkened with twisted excitement. "But the Devil’s bride herself. How absolutely thrilling. Master will be so pleased."

He threw his head back and broke into a fit of unhinged laughter, only straightening when he heard the man with the dull yellow eyes begin to give his statement on the broadcast.

Mord’s gaze sharpened instantly.

The human clearly spoke with reluctance, as though every word clawed its way out of him unwillingly.

Yet the longer Mord stared at him, the more intrigued he became, his lips slowly curling into a sinister smirk.

"His soul..." he murmured softly, almost fascinated, "is as dark as that of a demon."

His glowing eyes narrowed dangerously as he continued observing Jacob, peeling through him layer by layer. Then suddenly, realisation flashed across his face.

"Oh..."

A low chuckle escaped him.

"What a terrifying obsession this little human harbours toward the golden dove I have my eyes on." His smirk deepened. "But if he isn’t careful... that devil will tear him apart before he even gets the chance to lay a single finger on her."

Clicking his tongue lightly, Mord burst into another bout of dark laughter before leaning back lazily into his seat.

"It seems this human will prove far more useful than I initially thought. A perfect gateway to my little dove."

His crimson eyes gleamed with amusement. "I suppose it’s finally time for me to meddle. After all... sitting here and waiting for the perfect moment was beginning to bore me."

And with that single thought, something sinister slowly began taking shape within Mord’s mind.