Summoning 101 (a.k.a. Oops)

In my defense, I didn't mean to summon a demon.

Like, who even accidentally conjures a monster from the depths of hell on a Thursday evening? Me, as it turns out.

Here's what went down:

I was bored. My best friend Priya had dumped me for her new beau, Netflix had callously taken away my comfort show, and my mom had texted me a passive-aggressive message about how "at twenty-two, a girl should at least know how to make rice without burning it."

So of course I scrolled through the depths of the internet. Don't judge me. TikTok witchcraft rabbit holes are dangerous. You're watching a tutorial on moon water, and before you know it, you're up to your neck in a forum titled "Summon Your True Soulmate in 7 Easy Steps."

The steps sounded easy enough:

1. Draw a circle.
2. Light three candles.
3. Chant the strange Latin incantation.
4. Summon your soulmate.

"Sure," I grunted, snatching up a half-full notebook and my mum's vanilla-scented candles. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Famous last words.

I sat cross-legged on my bedroom floor, chanting like an idiot. The room became colder. My lights started to flicker. My cat, Simba, hissed and fled under the bed.

And then-
The circle glowed. Shadows in my room stretched abnormally, curling toward the center. My ears popped, as if pressure in an airplane.

"Oh crap."

With a deafening sound like thunder smothered by silk, the shadows congealed into... a man.

Not any man. A six-foot-something, broad-shouldered, shining-eyed, jaw-droppingly gorgeous man.

His hair was black as ink, his skin pale like moonlight, and his eyes-God, his eyes-glowed crimson. He was shirtless (because of course he was), covered in strange markings that pulsed like living fire.

He smiled at me, sharp teeth glinting.

"Well, well," he purred, voice deep enough to vibrate through my bones. "You've finally called me, beloved."

I blinked. "I-I WHAT?"

"You called me," he drawled, like this was a typical Thursday. "I am yours. Body, soul, and eternal damnation."

I screamed.

My Demon Stalker

It turned out his name was Kael. Demon Prince of Lust, Third Circle of Hell, yadda yadda. Essentially, a Very Important Guy in the underworld pecking order.

And now, courtesy of my stupid TikTok summoning ritual, he was... bound to me.

"As in forever?" I asked, holding a pillow like it was sacred body armor.

"As in eternity, sweetheart." He leaned in, his eyes blazing like hot coals. "Your soul and mine, bound together."

I had the ill-fated thought of gazing into those eyes. My brain fizzled out. My heart did the cha-cha. My inner monologue was shrieking: He's hot. He's literally a walking red flag with abs, but HOT.

"This is crazy," I grumbled, pacing. "You can't just-like-stick around here!"

"Certainly I can." He sprawled across my bed as if it were his own. My bed creaked ominously under his weight. "Where else would I go? My apartment or yours? Oh wait-yours."

"You're a demon!" I yelled.

"Yes," he said with a smile. "And you're mine."

And that was the start of my friends-to-enemies-to-.well, whatever romance arc. Hard to tell.

Because Kael didn't just linger. He moved in.

He tagged along everywhere. Grocery store? He lugged my basket like a dark knight. College classes? He sat behind me, glaring at any dude who dared talk to me. Shower? ...Let's just say I had to create a million "privacy" rules.

And the worst of all?

He was obsessed.

Like-wake-up-to-him-watching-me-sleep obsessed.
Like-threatening-to-burn-down-Starbucks-because-the-barista-flirted obsessed.
Like-purring "Say you love me" at 2 AM obsessed.

I ought to have been shaking with fear. And I was. Kind of.

But also... I was beginning to feel things.

Possession, But Make It Romantic

It began small.

Kael would do absurdly overprotective things, like glaring at every human male in a ten-foot radius.

"Relax," I whispered once, when a classmate handed me a pen. "He's lending me stationery."
Kael's scarlet eyes slitted. "He looked at you like you were candy."

"He glared at me like I forgot my pen!"

But then there were the times his fixation... eased.

Like when he mentally memorized my coffee order in silence. Or when he toasted marshmallows for me on the tip of his literal hellfire finger. Or when he wrapped his massive, frightening form around me when I couldn't sleep, whispering, "No nightmares shall beset you while I remain."

And god damn it-my traitor heart began to melt.

One evening, I asked him, "Why are you like this? Why me?"

He cocked his head to one side, gazing at me as if I were the sole star in his universe.

"Because," he whispered, "demons don't fall in love. But the instant you said my name, I knew. You are mine. My obsession. My eternity. Even if you despise me, even if you try to exorcise me-I will never release you."

It ought to have scared me half to death. Instead, my cheeks burned like brimstone.

Exorcism Falls Flat and Family Soap Opera

Of course, I attempted to rid myself of him.

I researched all manner of exorcism rituals online. Salt circles, holy water, YouTube priests. Nothing gave any results.

I once half dragged him to church. As soon as we set foot inside, the crucifix on the wall literally fell off.

The priest went pale and whispered, "Good luck, child," before making a quick exit.

"See?" Kael smiled. "Even God ships us."

The worst part? My parents heard.

They dropped by unexpectedly, and naturally Kael opened the door bare-chested, all abs and shining eyes.

"Who's this?" my mother bellowed.

"This is, uh-Kael. My... tutor."

Kael bent low, kissing my hand like a 19th-century gothic nobleman. "Fiancé, actually."

"WHAT-" I gasped.

"-WHAT?" my mother shrieked, thrilled. "Finally! Beta, you found someone tall and handsome! Does he cook?"

"Souls," Kael replied suavely.

She giggled, assuming he was joking. My dad grunted, "Good as last year's Rohan."

And just like that, my family accepted Kael. I was doomed.

The Breaking Point

I existed in a surreal rom-com-horror mashup for weeks. Kael intimidated skeevy guys, cooked me breakfast (marginally burnt, but servable), and sometimes threatened to destroy the world for me.

But his fixation became sinister.

One evening, I found him standing in the circle where I'd called him, chanting.

"What are you doing?" I challenged.

He turned, eyes burning brighter than ever. "Binding us forever."

I was petrified. "What does that mean?"

"It means even death won't come between us. Your soul will belong to me. Forever."

"That's MADNESS!" I screamed. "You can't just take my soul!

He gazed at me with a kind of torment. "I don't want to steal it. I want you to give it."

And for the first time... I glimpsed the desperation under his madness. He wasn't merely insane. He was desperate. Lonely. Afraid to lose me.

And in defiance of all reason-my heart went out to him.

The Choice

It all boiled down when another demon showed up.

A competitor-lean, silver-haired, smirking. "Kael," he slurred. "You've softened up. Give over the mortal girl."

Kael positioned himself between me and the sneering demon, wings (when did he develop wings?!) spread wide. "Over my dead body."

They battled-fire, claws, shadows tearing up my bedroom. I screamed, holding futilely to my salt shaker.

Kael was burning fire, gasping, only just managing to stay on his feet.

The rival demon taunted. "She'll never really love you. Why die for a mortal?"

And then Kael leaned in and whispered, "Because she's worth more than eternity."

My heart shattered wide open.

I knew, in that moment. It was obsessive, it was dangerous, it was chaotic-Kael loved me harder than anyone ever had. And damn it, I loved him too.

I took his hand, not feeling the scorch of hellfire. "Take my soul, idiot. It's already yours."

The other demon screamed as Kael's energy erupted, surrounding us in scarlet light. When the smoke dissipated, the other demon vanished.

Kael was kneeling on the ground, shaking. His radiating eyes frantically searched mine, incredulous.

"You... chose me?" he breathed.

I wrapped my fingers around his face, holding back the bracing points of his fangs. "Yeah, dumbass. Who else is going to make s'mores with hellfire for me?"

He chuckled, shattered and lovely, before yanking me into the scariest, most passionate, soul-devouring kiss of my life.

Epilogue: Happily Ever Hell

So yeah. That's how I inadvertently summoned a demon boyfriend.

Do I regret it? Sometimes. Especially when he growls at delivery boys or matter-of-factly says he ate my ex.

But most of the time?

I wake up to a demon prince wrapped around me, making sweet promises in a tongue that's older than the stars.

And on a sincere note? I believe I won Wattpad. I won my forever love.

❇✴✳❇✴✳

😘😍 thanks for reading😍😘