*~Aurora’s POV~*
Darius turned sharply to Cayden, eyes flashing.
"I thought you said she’s at home with the kids. What’s she doing here... killing my men?"
Cayden cracked his knuckles, dark magic flickering across his skin. "Guess the mama bear decided to take out the danger harming her baby first."
The demons surged, a tidal wave of claws and fangs and snarling shadows. But the moment they attacked, the ground beneath them trembled — a low, vibrating pulse from Hazel. She moved like liquid silver, weaving through the chaos, her wolf form lashing, her witchcraft twisting the air around her. Flames erupted from her palms, consuming the first wave before they even landed a blow. Every demon she touched screamed as their life force drained, tethered back to her crescent power.
Lilith moved in tandem with her, swift, calculated, every gesture precise. The air around her shimmered as she summoned blades of energy, slicing through demons like paper. "Stay focused!" she called, a smirk curling her lips as she cut another one in half.
Cayden leapt into the fray, dark magic erupting from his body like a storm. Shadows stretched from his fists, tangling demons in chains of black lightning. Every punch sent a shockwave, tossing dozens of demons into the air. His growl was low, lethal — every move saying you will not touch her, not today.
Caspian and Leon tore through the remaining demons with brutal efficiency. Caspian moved like a predator, precise, striking at the weak points that Darius’s men left exposed. Leon roared, full wolf, fangs bared, claws slicing through the air, a blur of silver and raw power.
And me... I stayed behind the lines, heart pounding, hands trembling. Weak. Pregnant. But every so often, I flinched, and I could feel the world shiver when they tried to strike, every demon hesitating for a split second at the sight of me. That hesitation was enough. Just enough.
Hazel’s howl tore through the battlefield, a sound so pure, so fierce, it made even the strongest demons falter. One after another, they fell, screaming, claws hitting the ground uselessly. Lilith danced between them, leaving trails of destruction in her wake. Cayden raised his hands, shadows spiraling into a vortex that swallowed dozens at once.
Leon tackled a hulking demon, teeth sinking into its neck as Caspian spun around, knocking another into the ground. Dust and blood clouded the air, but the center of it all — the pregnant woman standing amidst a storm of power — was me. My chest rose and fell. Every beat of my heart seemed to echo through the battlefield.
Then Hazel struck the final blow, her wolf form lunging into the last demon, and it shattered into nothingness. Lilith, Cayden, Caspian, and Leon all stood, breathing hard, but alive. The ground was littered with defeated demons, smoke curling from their fallen bodies. The air was heavy with power, magic, and the scent of battle.
I sank to my knees, clutching my belly, tears stinging my eyes. Cayden knelt beside me, his hand resting gently on my shoulder. "You’re okay," he murmured. "You’re safe."
Hazel padded forward, wolf ears twitching, then transformed back, eyes glowing with triumph. "Mama bear did good," she said, grinning. Lilith chuckled beside her. "And she brought the chaos with her," she added.
We were breathing, we were standing — but the demons weren’t truly dead. Even before their bodies twitched, something in me knew.
These things healed. They always did. And if we didn’t finish this right, they’d be on their feet again.
I turned to Hazel where she stood beside Cayden. The look in her eyes told me she felt it too.
We didn’t win yet.
We needed to leave... or burn their bodies alive.
"We should torch them," Lilith said immediately, gaze sharp. "Burning is the only way to keep them down."
"No," Cayden countered. "We send them to the Other World — the same place we sent Dahlia."
"Dahlia escaped," Caspian muttered.
Lilith shook her head firmly. "No, she didn’t. And even if she did? We sent her right back. These demons don’t have that kind of power. Don’t compare them to her."
"But I can’t take them there," Lilith continued, exhaustion cracking her voice. "I’m too weak. I can barely cast anything right now. And Hazel—"
Hazel didn’t even need to say a word. Her trembling hands told us everything. She had spent everything she had.
"I’ll do it," I said.
Everyone froze.
"Are you—Aurora, are you out of your damn mind?" Leon snapped, stepping forward. His voice cracked on the last word. "I just got you back. You think I’m letting you slip away again?"
"I’m not slipping away," I said quietly. "I’m doing what’s best."
"You’re pregnant," he hissed. "And you want to seal thousands of demons into the Other World? That is a suicide mission."
"No. I have faith in Millicent. And I can do this."
"No damn faith!" Leon shouted. "You are not doing this. And that’s final."
"You don’t get to dictate anything," I shot back, heat rising in my chest. "I get to decide what happens to me."
"You are carrying my child!"
My breath caught.
I stared at him.
"You don’t know that. I never told you that. So tell me, Leon — when did you just automatically believe this child is yours? After everything? After all your choices?"
His jaw clenched. "Aurora... we’re past that. We moved beyond all that pain."
"Behind us?" I scoffed. "You think that’s easily forgivable? You think I’m the kind of girl who just forgets watching the love of her life choose another woman — propose to her — in front of me?"
He opened his mouth. "I said I’m sorry. And I will be sorry for the rest of my life. Even if—"
"Stop." My voice cracked like thunder. "You will never be sorry enough."
Silence fell heavy between us.
I turned away from him.
"Ezrel," I called. "I need your help casting the spell."
Ezrel struggled to stand with Cayden and Justina supporting him, but he nodded.
"We just need a connection," I said, thinking fast. "Connection to all these demons."
I pointed at the nearest corpse.
"Caspian — you’re strong enough. Touch one demon. Then touch me. Through you, I can tap into every single one of them."
He swallowed, then nodded firmly.
"Once that connection is open," I said, lifting my trembling hands, "I will seal them. All of them. Every last one... sent to the Other World."
Hazel stepped beside Lilith, both of them ready.
Cayden and Leon moved into defensive positions, even though Leon’s throat was tight with worry.
Caspian made the contact. His hand pressed to the demon corpse, and then he grabbed my hand.
The instant our skin connected, I closed my eyes—
BOOM. I tapped in.
I was yanked into a hazy, colorless void. I couldn’t see anything. Couldn’t hear anything—until the screams started.
Horrible, raw screams..Agony. Thousands of voices.
The demons.
My hand flew to my stomach as the sound tore through me. Then the first demon rushed at me—no, through me—and the pain was indescribable. It felt like my bones were being pulled out one by one, like my soul was being scraped apart.

My baby. My baby. Is she still—?
Did he go through?
New Orleans.


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