Parisian Betrayal and Burning

In 1786 Paris, Ambrosius "Ambri" Meade-Finch is betrayed by his lover Armand and cast aside by society. Humiliated and abandoned, Ambri is swept up in a riot and condemned to die in a burning distillery. As the flames consume him, the demon Ashtaroth appears, offering Ambri escape from pain and the promise of power, beauty, and immortality. Desperate and furious, Ambri accepts, surrendering his soul in exchange for a new existence. He is reborn as a demon, his humanity burned away, and welcomed into hell with the promise that he will never be vulnerable again.

Demonic Bargain Sealed

On the Other Side, Ambri is initiated into the hierarchy of hell, serving under Ashtaroth and later Asmodai. He is tasked with corrupting humans, feeding on their desires, and wielding his beauty as a weapon. Centuries pass, and Ambri becomes a master of seduction and manipulation, but beneath his arrogance, the wounds of betrayal and abandonment fester. When Asmodai commands him to drive a human to ultimate despair, Ambri is forced to choose a target—one who shines brightly through the Veil.

Struggling Artist in London

In present-day London, Cole Matheson, a talented but struggling American artist, faces mounting losses: his grandmother's death, eviction, and career stagnation. Haunted by self-doubt and depression, he drifts through menial jobs and failed relationships, his art suffering under the weight of his inner demons. A chance encounter with a beautiful stranger in Hyde Park—Ambri in disguise—plants the seed for a new obsession, as Cole's dreams become haunted by visions of a seductive, terrifying demon.

The Demon's Command

Asmodai, now Ambri's liege lord, demands proof of loyalty: Ambri must drive a human to suicide and deliver their soul to hell. Ambri, resentful and cunning, selects Cole as his target, sensing both his vulnerability and his connection to Lucy, a woman who once helped another demon escape damnation. Ambri's plan is to first build Cole up—make him famous, adored, and then orchestrate his fall, ensuring maximum suffering and glory for hell.

Nightmares and Visitations

Cole's depression deepens, and his dreams become increasingly vivid and erotic, featuring Ambri as a demon who tempts him to surrender. The line between dream and reality blurs as Ambri begins to visit Cole in the flesh, seducing him with promises of power, beauty, and escape from pain. Cole, desperate for connection and inspiration, finds himself both terrified and drawn to Ambri, who becomes his muse and the subject of his art.

The Devil's Proposal

Ambri offers Cole a bargain: in exchange for painting his portrait—one that will finally immortalize Ambri's erased human existence—he will become Cole's patron, providing him with everything he needs to succeed. Cole, inspired and desperate, accepts, not knowing the true cost. As their partnership deepens, so does their mutual attraction, but Ambri's true intentions remain hidden, and the threat of hell's punishment looms.

Bargain for a Portrait

Cole moves into Ambri's luxurious flat, and their days become a dance of artistic creation and simmering sexual tension. Ambri's presence banishes Cole's self-doubt, and his art flourishes, leading to critical acclaim and a meteoric rise in the art world. Yet, Ambri's emotional walls remain, haunted by his past abuse and the knowledge that he is meant to destroy Cole. Their intimacy grows, but so does the danger, as Ambri's feelings threaten to undermine his demonic mission.

The Bridge of Despair

After a brutal mugging and a series of setbacks, Cole is driven to the brink of suicide on Blackfriars Bridge, tormented by the insidious whispers of the demon Twins. Ambri intervenes, driving the Twins away and offering Cole a lifeline. In the aftermath, Ambri proposes the portrait commission, and Cole, desperate for hope, agrees. Their partnership is cemented, but the seeds of love and destruction are sown.

A Dangerous Arrangement

With Ambri's patronage, Cole's career soars. His demon-inspired paintings captivate the art world, and he is courted by powerful agents and galleries. Yet, the more Cole achieves, the more he is haunted by the knowledge that his success is built on a bargain with a demon. Ambri, meanwhile, is torn between his growing love for Cole and his obligation to hell. Their relationship becomes a battleground of desire, fear, and hope.

Inspiration and Temptation

As Cole and Ambri's relationship deepens, they struggle to define the boundaries between muse and lover, art and obsession. Ambri's emotional defenses begin to crumble, and he reveals the trauma of his childhood abuse and the betrayals that shaped him. Cole, in turn, offers compassion and understanding, determined to save Ambri from his own darkness. Their love becomes both a source of healing and a catalyst for the forces arrayed against them.

The Rise and the Fall

Cole's art achieves international acclaim, and he embarks on a whirlwind European tour with Ambri at his side. But the Vices—demons from Ambri's past—close in, determined to ensure Cole's destruction. They manipulate his thoughts, fuel his addictions, and orchestrate his downfall. Ambri, desperate to protect Cole, tries to distance himself, but the truth of his original mission is revealed, shattering Cole's trust and plunging both into despair.

The Vices Close In

The Vices, led by Eisheth, Armand, Jeanne, and Rohan, tighten their grip on Cole, driving him toward self-destruction. Ambri, exposed as a traitor to hell, is dragged back to the Other Side and subjected to unimaginable torment. Cole, abandoned and broken, spirals into addiction and despair, haunted by the belief that Ambri never truly loved him. Only the intervention of friends and the memory of love offer a glimmer of hope.

Breaking and Burning

In hell, Ambri endures endless torture, his wings torn from his back again and again. Yet, the memory of Cole's love sustains him, giving him the strength to break free and return to the mortal world. Meanwhile, Cole, guided by the voice of a guardian angel, resists the Vices' temptations and clings to hope. Their reunion is fraught with pain and danger, but their love proves stronger than the forces arrayed against them.

The Other Side's Torment

Ambri confesses the truth of his original mission to Cole, revealing his plan to destroy him and the love that changed everything. Cole, devastated but unwavering, forgives Ambri and refuses to let him sacrifice himself. Together, they face the final assault of the Vices and Eisheth, who offer Cole a place in hell in exchange for Ambri's freedom. Cole refuses, choosing love and life over damnation.

Love's Last Stand

As the Vices close in, Ambri is consumed by fire, his flat destroyed, and his soul seemingly lost. Cole, cast back in time to the moment before his success, races to save Ambri from the burning building. With the help of a guardian angel—revealed to be both Marie Antoinette and Cole's grandmother—he finds Ambri and brings him back to life. Their love, tested by hell itself, proves unbreakable.

A Second Chance

Ambri and Cole awaken to a world where their past success has been erased, but their love endures. They rebuild their lives from scratch, finding joy in simple pleasures and each other's company. Both seek therapy to heal from their traumas, and together they create a new future, free from the shadows of the past. Their guardian angel's gift—a diamond from the Queen's Necklace—ensures their material security, but it is love that sustains them.

Healing and Homecoming

Years later, Ambri and Cole have built a life together, teaching, creating art, and supporting each other through every challenge. A visit to Hever Castle reveals that Ambri's portrait now hangs among his family's, his erasure finally undone. In a moment of joy and gratitude, they propose to each other, exchanging rings engraved with the words "Always and forever." Surrounded by love, hope, and the promise of new beginnings, they find their true home in each other.

Characters

Ambrosius "Ambri" Meade-Finch

Ambri is a former English nobleman whose life is marked by childhood abuse, betrayal, and erasure from his family's history. Transformed into a demon after a fiery death in 18th-century Paris, he becomes a master of seduction and manipulation, wielding his beauty as both shield and weapon. Beneath his arrogance lies a deep well of pain, longing, and vulnerability. Ambri's journey is one of self-forgiveness and redemption, as love for Cole awakens his lost humanity and gives him the courage to defy hell itself. His relationship with Cole is both healing and fraught, as he struggles to believe he is worthy of love and to break free from the cycle of abandonment.

Cole Matheson

Cole is a talented but struggling American painter living in London, burdened by grief, loneliness, and crippling self-doubt. His art is both his salvation and his torment, as he battles the insidious whispers of depression and the fear of never being enough. Cole's compassion, honesty, and resilience draw others to him, but he is slow to trust and quick to blame himself for his failures. His relationship with Ambri becomes the crucible in which he confronts his deepest fears, learns to accept love, and ultimately becomes the architect of both their redemptions. Cole's journey is one of transformation—from despair to hope, from isolation to connection.

Asmodai

Asmodai is an archduke of hell, embodying wrath and the consumption of souls. He is Ambri's liege lord after Ashtaroth's destruction, and he rules through fear, pain, and manipulation. Asmodai's demands set the central conflict in motion, forcing Ambri to choose between obedience and love. He is a symbol of the inescapable cycles of abuse and the destructive power of shame and self-loathing.

Eisheth

Eisheth is a powerful demon, second-in-command to Asmodai, and Ambri's former lover. She is both seductive and ruthless, orchestrating the Vices' assault on Cole and testing Ambri's loyalty at every turn. Eisheth represents the seductive allure of self-destruction and the dangers of denying one's own pain.

The Vices (Armand, Jeanne, Rohan)

These three, drawn from Ambri's human past, are the personifications of vice—addiction, self-doubt, and illusion. They infiltrate Cole's life as "friends" and industry contacts, fueling his descent into despair and addiction. Their presence is a reminder that the past, if unhealed, can return to sabotage the present, and that the most dangerous demons are often those we invite in.

Lucy Dennings

Lucy is Cole's best friend, a source of unwavering support and compassion. Her own experience with supernatural love (and her relationship with Casziel) gives her insight into the dangers facing Cole and Ambri. Lucy's presence is a lifeline, reminding Cole to seek help, hold onto hope, and believe in the possibility of redemption.

Casziel

Once a powerful demon, Casziel is freed by love and now lives as a human with Lucy. His journey offers a blueprint for Ambri's own redemption, and his friendship and advice are crucial in guiding both Ambri and Cole through their darkest moments. Casziel embodies the possibility of transformation and the enduring power of love.

The Twins (Deber and Keeb)

These twin demons specialize in insidious negative self-talk, driving humans to the brink of despair. Their influence over Cole is a metaphor for depression and the internalization of shame. They are ultimately banished by Ambri's intervention and Cole's resilience.

Marie Antoinette / Margaret-Anne (The Guardian Angel)

Revealed as both Marie Antoinette and Cole's grandmother, this guardian angel watches over both men, offering guidance, comfort, and a final gift that ensures their material security. She is the embodiment of forgiveness, grace, and the enduring presence of love across lifetimes.

Jane Oxley

Jane is the powerful art agent who recognizes Cole's talent and orchestrates his rise to fame. She is both mentor and gatekeeper, representing the opportunities and pitfalls of the art world. Her belief in Cole is instrumental in his transformation, but she also serves as a reminder that external success cannot heal internal wounds.

Plot Devices

Bargain with the Devil

The central plot device is the Faustian bargain—Ambri's surrender of his soul in exchange for escape from pain, and later, Cole's temptation to do the same for love. This device explores the cost of survival, the allure of shortcuts, and the possibility of reclaiming one's soul through love and sacrifice.

Dual Narrative Structure

The story alternates between Ambri's past and Cole's present, gradually revealing the traumas that shaped them and the supernatural forces at play. This structure allows for deep psychological exploration and the gradual convergence of their fates.

The Muse and the Portrait

The act of painting—Ambri's long-denied portrait and Cole's demon-inspired works—serves as both a literal and metaphorical device. Art becomes the means by which both men confront their pain, seek immortality, and ultimately find healing. The portrait is a symbol of recognition, belonging, and the restoration of erased history.

Demonic Manipulation and Foreshadowing

The demons' insidious influence is manifested through nightmares, negative self-talk, and the machinations of the Vices. Foreshadowing is woven throughout, as dreams and supernatural visitations hint at the true stakes and the possibility of both damnation and redemption.

Time Loop and Second Chances

The climax involves a supernatural reset, erasing the characters' worldly success but granting them a second chance at life and love. This device underscores the theme that true happiness is found not in external achievement, but in connection, healing, and self-acceptance.

Guardian Angel and Ancestral Guidance

The presence of a guardian angel—revealed to be both a historical figure and a beloved ancestor—serves as a guiding force, offering hope, forgiveness, and the assurance that love endures beyond death and suffering.

Analysis

Emma Scott's The Muse is a profound meditation on trauma, self-doubt, and the redemptive power of love and art. By literalizing depression and negative self-talk as demonic forces, the novel externalizes the internal battles faced by artists and survivors of abuse, making visible the invisible wounds that shape identity. The story's supernatural elements—demons, bargains, and guardian angels—are not mere fantasy, but metaphors for the cycles of shame, addiction, and the struggle for self-worth. At its heart, the novel argues that healing is possible, but only through vulnerability, connection, and the willingness to confront the darkest parts of oneself. The love between Ambri and Cole is not a magical cure, but a hard-won partnership built on honesty, forgiveness, and mutual care. Their journey from despair to hope, from erasure to recognition, is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of being truly seen. In a world that often equates success with worth, The Muse insists that the greatest victory is not fame or immortality, but the courage to love and be loved, scars and all.

Last updated: October 17, 2025