CHAPTER 121: BACK TO THE COFFIN

*~ Caspian’s POV~*

Cyrius struggled to stand up.

"Ha! You are damn right. My babies are indeed miracle babies."

"They are not your babies," I barked at him. "They will never be your babies."

"Okay, whatever you say," he muttered, cracking his knuckles, "but you are not walking away from this place with those babies. I’ll make sure of it."

I braced myself, ready to attack again—when he suddenly stopped.

My eyes flicked to the side and saw Hazel. She was walking in, her steps slow, her hand sliding along the wall for support. Her body looked weak, fragile.

Cyrius’s face stiffened, the dark expression snapping back into place.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. "Cyrius—what are you doing?"

His jaw twitched before he laughed. It wasn’t a warm laugh—it was cold, sharp, broken.

"You know," he said, "I fell in love with you. Aside from you being my mate... I loved you, Hazel. I love you. But you’re just one of them. A monster. A heartless human."

He reached into his pocket and pulled something out a ring. My chest tightened.

"This was for our wedding," he said. "And you chose to stab me. Not anywhere else—but my heart. ." His voice cracked into a bitter laugh. "You stabbed me in my heart a day before our wedding. You’re just like them. At least they just dumped me in a coffin and left me. But you? You’re worse. I call killing a monster but you’re the bigger monster. Stabbing me on my chest... the day before our wedding."

Hazel’s voice shook. "I had to. You kidnapped me.."

He cut her off and threw the ring at her. It hit the floor, rolling to a stop in front of her feet.

"I hate you," he spat in disdain. "And I promise you...I will make you regret it. I will make you pay for doing that to me, Hazel. I promise you."

I stepped forward, shoving Hazel behind me.

"You will not touch her," I growled through gritted teeth.

"Yes. I won’t," Cyrius said. "I will never torture her. I will never hurt her. She is my mate. But from today onward..you are dead to me."

His face darkened, but I kept my hold on Hazel, tightening it, silently telling her she was safe.

Then, without warning, Cyrius lunged at me. I shoved him back, but he grabbed my arm. We crashed together, fists flying. The babies had strengthened me; I could hold my own now..but he was still stronger, faster, more ferocious. He slammed me hard, his blows heavier than mine, but this time, at least, I could stand up to him.

He threw me, but before my back could hit the wall, he slashed my leg and slammed me into the door. Pain ripped through me, but I tightened my grip around his neck, twisted hard, broke it—yet he stood right back up.

God damn. He’s a monster.

He came at me again, fists flying, each blow heavier than the last. Hazel’s voice cut through the chaos, frantic and breaking.

"Cyrius, stop! Cyrius, I said stop! You’re hurting him! Cyrius—you’re going to kill him!"

He didn’t turn. Didn’t answer. Didn’t even blink. He just kept hammering me until I hit the ground.

Then his gaze darted around the room. His eyes landed on the dagger.

He picked it up.

He stalked toward me, the tip aimed straight at my chest. He raised it high—

And Hazel stepped between us.

The dagger stopped—its point now pressing against her heart.

"Do it," she said. "Kill me. You said you hate me. You said you’d make me pay. So do it, Cyrius. I dare you."

She gripped his wrist, trying to force the blade into her chest.

His eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

"I said kill me! Because I will never watch you stay alive just to kill him. I will never watch you turn into a monster in front of me. You are not a monster, Cyrius. You’re better than this."

Her voice softened, pleading now. "Come home with me. This life... It’s not going to give you peace. We’ll never get our happy ending like this. But if you come home—back to New Orleans..our home... it will be peaceful. I promise."

His hand began to lower. His breathing slowed.

He was calming down. Listening to her. Listening.. His danger in his eyes has decreased.

I was Infact wowed. In such a short time, they’d already bonded like that.

And then—blood spilled from his mouth.

He collapsed to his knees...Aurora stood behind him, the twins cradled in her arms.

"What did you do?!" Hazel screamed, rushing to him.

"He’s a vampire," Aurora said coldly. "He needs to be put down like the others. Buried. Back in the coffin where he belongs."

Hazel was shaking him now, her voice breaking. "Cyrius! Cyrius, no—no! He’s not a monster, you can see that. He dropped the dagger. He was listening to me! He was listening—"

She wrapped her arms around his limp body, hugging him tight, tears streaming down her face.

"I’m sorry," I said, my voice heavy. "Aurora’s right. He needs to be put down."

No. No, no, no. This is wrong. This is fucking wrong!" Hazel’s voice cracked as she shook her head over and over, clutching Cyrius like the world was trying to rip him away. "He is not a vampire! Okay—yes, yes, he is a vampire, but he took care of me! He took care of my babies! My babies are bonded with him!" She screamed until her throat shook.

Aurora’s face didn’t flinch. Her voice was ice. "These same babies gave us the alert to come help you. These same babies threatened me and Caspian to put him down.

"What are you even talking about?" Hazel’s voice was shaking, breaking, desperate.

Aurora didn’t answer her. She stepped forward, calm, focused, not even looking Hazel in the eyes. She gently set the twins down in a padded cradle we’d carried. Then she reached into the black satchel strapped to her side and pulled out a long, heavy roll of white cloth.

She walked to Cyrius still limp, still bleeding..and without hesitation started wrapping the fabric around him, one tight turn after another, binding him from his chest down to his legs.

Hazel tried to grab her hands, but I pulled her back. "No! No, what are you doing?! Let him go!" Hazel’s voice was sharp, breaking into pieces, but Aurora didn’t even slow her hands.

"He’ll be buried," Aurora said, her tone flat, like this wasn’t the first time she’d done this. "Buried alongside the other vampires he’s created. That’s where he belongs."

Hazel’s breathing went wild. "You can’t! He’s...not bad. He dropped the dagger! He was listening to me!"

Aurora’s eyes cut to hers, sharp and cold. "Hazel, get a grip on yourself. You shouldn’t have met him. You shouldn’t have even known him. He was supposed to stay in that coffin where he was. That’s where he belongs. And you.." she straightened, standing over her, "..you’re going to forget him."

Hazel’s eyes went wide, fear replacing her anger. "What?"

"I said," Aurora’s voice dropped lower, "you’re going to forget him. I can see it. You’ve already bonded with him. You’re not going to let him go unless I make you."

Hazel shook her head violently. "No. No, you can’t—"

"I have to," Aurora said simply, and started walking toward her.

Hazel backed up, but I was already behind her. My arms wrapped around her, holding her still as she kicked and struggled. Her nails clawed my arm, but I didn’t let go.

Aurora stepped right up to her. "I’m sorry, Hazel," she said softly.. Then she lifted her hands and placed her palms firmly on Hazel’s head.

Hazel’s voice cracked. "Please... please don’t take him from me. Don’t take my memories of Cyrius.. Please."

Aurora’s eyes slipped shut. Her lips moved fast, the words ancient and sharp, curling through the air in a low chant.

Versa!

Hazel jerked against me, she took one last look at Cyrius and her knees buckled. Her breath caught, her eyes fluttered, and a thin line of blood slid from her nose.

"Aurora—stop," I muttered, but she didn’t stop until Hazel’s whole body went limp in my arms.

When it was done, Aurora opened her eyes and stepped back, breathing hard. "This... this was hard," she admitted, her gaze falling to Hazel’s unconscious face. "But it’s for the best."

I didn’t answer. I adjusted Hazel in my grip, hooking one arm under her knees, the other around her back, lifting her off the ground like she weighed nothing.

Aurora turned to the twins. They were staring silently, their little eyes glinting in the dim light. "How are we going to carry all of them?" she asked. Her gaze flicked from the babies to Hazel, then to Cyrius’s wrapped body lying still on the floor.

"We’ll make it work," I said. My voice felt heavier than the words themselves.

Aurora bent, scooping the twins against her chest. She shifted them, then slung Hazel across her back so her arms were free to steady the babies. I knelt beside Cyrius’s bound body. The white cloth gleamed like bone in the light.

I reached for the large black wooden box leaning against the wall—the same kind we used for transporting bodies—and slid it open. The smell of old cedar and salt hit me. With a grunt, I lifted Cyrius, laying him gently inside before sealing the lid shut.

Aurora watched me. "Hazel must not see him again. If she does, I doubt the memory wipe will hold. Not for long."

I didn’t answer. The truth was, I wasn’t sure if I wanted it to hold.

Aurora adjusted her grip on Hazel and the twins. "Will you be able to lift us all with your magic?"

I nodded. "When the babies restored my powers, I got stronger. I can feel it. My body’s stronger, too. I can carry us all."

Aurora’s eyes flicked toward the sealed box. "Then we move. Now."

I placed one hand on the box, the other on Aurora’s shoulder. The magic swelled in hot.

Versa.