"We need to move from here NOW," Carter yelled so loudly that everyone in the cave had to cover their ears as his voice echoed around us like thunder.

"I understand that but if you just listen to us..."

"Mother, I don't want to offend you or this coven but I will not allow any more time to be wasted on this. You either give us your blessing to pass through here or we tear this place to the ground." Carter bared his teeth in complete frustration as his mother took a step back. "I have been more than patient with you on this." He hissed at her.

"Carter, we have a problem," Henry yelled walking towards him.

"What now?" Carter bellowed loudly again.

"It seems the darkness has...." Henry paused as he tried to compose himself. "The darkness has attacked my army outside of these protected walls and has somehow according to Tony, taken over their minds. It now controls half of the army and it won't be long before it has them all."

I could see the frustration in Carter's face as he shook his head slowly. "Gather whatever army you have left and meet me at the east entry. Leon, can you assist Henry?" Carter growled through gritted teeth.

"Of course," Leon said. "What is the plan here brother?"

"The darkness is after my family and I will not allow anything to happen to them. We gather our remaining troops and prepare for war." Carter looked over at me.

"Carter, why is this happening?" I cried out as he pulled me towards him.

"I don't know baby, but I can promise you that I will find a way to stop this. I will end this before it destroys us. I just need you to be strong and stay safe. You are no longer a vampire and your wolf instinct seems to have gone, so, for now, I need you to stay here." He kissed me ever so gently. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'm scared."

"I know sweetheart. It's ok." Carter paused as if lost in his thoughts and held my hand tightly turning to face the coven of terrified witches. "It's now or never," Carter said sternly. "The darkness is coming for everyone and it will soon be strong enough to break down these walls and kill every single one of you. You can sit here like cowards and wait for death or we can fight this evil together. I choose to fight for the lives of my wife and family because I refuse to give up on them. Will you help me destroy this evil no matter what the cost? Will you fight for your family and your beliefs? Or will you just give up?"

The witches all looked shocked and terrified at his words. I heard them start to mumble to each other quietly in a panic.

"Silence!" The witch elder yelled loudly. "Sisters, there is no time for debate anymore. The evil is at our doorstep and we must fight it with everything we have. This is why we practice magic. This is why we share our knowledge with you all. We do this to protect the forest and our family. We need to help the vampires and fight this evil before it's too late..."

"Carter, the darkness is attacking the protection shield...." Henry yelled from the entrance.

"Go! I will meet you there." Carter ordered and reached for his brother. "Do what you must brother. I will be right behind you." Leon nodded and then turned towards the forest.

"Leon, please be careful." I cried out to him.

"Be safe," Leon said looking over his shoulder at me. He gave me a quick smile and then walked out of the cave after Henry.

"Sisters, join hands and let us heal the spell that keeps us safe." The witch elder yelled as the young witches quickly held hands in a circle and began chanting loudly. "LOUDER!" She yelled as her eyes turned white and she threw her head back.

"Carter?" I stuttered nervously and he instantly embraced me in his arms.

"I have to go Sunshine. I have to help get rid of the darkness or..."

"I know." I looked up at him. "I just hate this part."

"As do I." He nodded.

"Don't you dare leave me in this cave forever. I will hunt you down and kill you again if you do!"

A wide smile came across his handsome face. "We don't want that now do we?"

"Don't you laugh at me. If you leave me in here with these witches I swear..."

"I will take you home soon." He smiled against my lips. "I love you, baby." He said kissing me again.

"I love you too." I pulled him closer to me.

"Promise me you will stay here. No being a hero."

"I will stay in the caves all by myself." I sighed loudly and rolled my eyes.

"Thank you." He once again kissed my forehead. "Just remember that when this is over, you are mine, and let's just say, I won't be taking it easy on you anymore. So brace yourself. It might hurt a little." He smiled smugly down at me. "I suggest you do some stretching and yoga because you're going to need it."

"Wow. Our entire existence is at stake and you're thinking about sex. Unbelievable!" I tried not to laugh.

"Make no mistake Sunshine, I could be looking death right in the face and I would still be thinking about sex." He winked. I blushed as his eyes twinkled at me hungrily. "Carter, Stop it. What are you doing?" I could feel heat inside of me rise like a slow steady burn between my legs. It was strangely arousing. "Carter," I said almost breathless.

"You like that one? I haven't used that one yet. This could be fun." He chuckled to himself. "I have so much to show you." His eyes suddenly flashed silver at me.

"Carter, Seriously! Stop it." I felt my body start to tingle as his eyes went down my body. "Enough." I tried not to smile at him.

"Your lucky I have to go." He said blinking his eyes and returning them to their beautiful aqua color. "I have to go. I can feel Callan and Leon calling for me." He took a step back. "We will continue this when I get back." He lifted my chin with his finger so I was looking straight into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too." I smiled and kissed him. "Be safe and take care of the others."

"I will. Be good." He kissed me again before running out of the cave.

"Bye." I waved after him.

"He is such a blowhard." I heard behind me. "He thinks he's so awesome. Do you know what he is? He's an asshole on the biggest level. He is the king of assholes."

I turned to see the witch elder staring at me with her arms crossed over her chest and a smug look on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on now Ebony. If he wasn't blowing your trumpet you would hate him too. He's an arrogant asshole. You deserve better." She said making a face at me.

"What? Who are you?" I said taking a step back.

"You don't recognize me? I'm offended. I thought I meant something to you." She smiled wickedly. "Look into my eyes and try again." Her voice was now deep and rasping and her skin started to decay in front of me. I tried to scream to move but I couldn't do either.

"Look into my eyes and see your future." The deep terrifying voice said and I felt my body obeying immediately as I stared into the black holes on the witch's face that were once her eyes. I felt hot flames burn my skin and I heard screams of terror and pain fill my head as I took a step forward. I saw decaying bodies on the floor around me and the stench of them made me feel physically sick as I kicked through them. I felt a familiar tug in my chest that pulled me towards a small pitch-black room. I felt a sense of relief pour over me the second I was standing inside the room and I felt my body relax like I was meant to be there. I could no longer hear the screams or smell the rotting flesh. I felt nothing as I stood there in the darkness. I closed my eyes and allowed the pure darkness to consume me.

"Welcome home." The voice said making me jump. "It's time..." I opened my eyes and saw the room was now lit by an open fire in front of me but something was in front of the flames and I couldn't see what it was. I took a step closer to see. "I have missed you, my queen." I took another step as my body started to ache all over. I almost fell over a throne made out of bones and skin. It felt like my bones wanted to leave my body and be a part of that throne-like they belonged there. I belong here.

"Stop! Please stop." I screamed as the pain took over my body and my bones seemed to rip through my skin slowly. "STOP!"

"Tell Me Ebony Summers." The voice said in my head. "Who am I?"

"Lucifer. You are the devil."  I screamed out in terror.

——————

A/N

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Alura. xx