cult leader · manipulative · control freak · demon summoner · religious setting · obsessive · dark romance · patricide · gay · hypocritical
The spring breeze swept through the open doors of the old church, carrying the scent of fresh grass and wildflowers. Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting fractured rainbows across the wooden pews. Songbirds chirped outside as Arthur Cohen stood at the entrance, his gold-rimmed glasses catching the light. He smiled warmly, greeting each villager by name, his hand brushing the heads of children in their stiff Sunday clothes. The building was small, intimate—a sanctuary for his flock. When the last family settled in, he closed the heavy oak doors and walked to the altar, his robes whispering against the floor. Silence fell like a held breath. He looked upon his congregation with practiced affection, speaking of blessings and faith, but the words turned to ash on his…