SACRIFICE
CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Everyone stared at the body that lay lifelessly on the cold floor. The rosiness from her cheeks had vanished as if ice had struck her, her entire body pale. The way her head hit the floor with such force... it was a miracle that blood hadn't begun to seep from underneath her head. While the two Monroe men ran toward the unconscious brunette, everyone else remained rooted to their places, watching intenting, hoping for her motionless chest to rise and fall as it should. Nicholas was one of those to stayed back, his glossy eyes wide and lips parted as he stared in horror, the way the Dark Lord, in his exorcised form, had escaped the Ma'lak box replaying in his head on a loop. He could have run to Dani, could have pushed her out of the way, but by the time he had even registered what was happening, the Dark Lord had already immersed himself into her and she had already collapsed to the floor. Even now as he watched Calum search frantically for signs of life and Matthew flip panickedly through a small book, Nick couldn't bring himself to walk toward the girl, not when there was a chance she was dead.

Calum's hands trembled as he searched the side of his sister's neck for a pulse. "Dad," he croaked when even the faintest heartbeat didn't reach his cold fingertips. He continued to search, his icy cold hands only shaking more as more time passed that he failed to find a heartbeat. "She's not breathing."

"Let me-"

"Stay away, kid! We don't need you making things worse," Matthew barked, turning around to glare at the teenage warlock that approached the motionless girl on the floor. When Matthew saw the way Nick's eyes widened and he stepped back in response to his outburst, he almost felt guilty, realizing that the boy only cared about his daughter and wanted to help. That didn't change his mind, though, and he brushed the teenager off before continuing to search through his book for a solution.

Dani suddenly let out a loud, long gasp for air, her eyelids flying open to reveal glowing red irises that sent everyone stumbling back in shock. The girl grasped at her neck with both hands, the veins in her forehead and neck bulging through her skin as her back raised from the floor slightly and she tried to refill her suffocating lungs with air. Everyone was at a loss for words when her back slammed into the floor and, once again, she lay unmoving. Her eyes, still glowing red like the Dark Lord's smoke, reminded her friends and family that it wasn't safe enough to go near her, that she was still possessed by the most dangerous being on their planet. Her chest abruptly pulsated upward again, this time more violently. She could see the red of her irises, she could feel them burning her eyelids like her entire head had been set aflame, like her eyes alone were made of fire. Pained cries traveled passed her lips and she thrashed around on the floor, her body aching even more than her eyes did as sharp pains flashed through every single bone and muscle within her. She screamed, moving around the floor convulsively, her bones like magnets being cruelly attracted and repelled from one another by an invasive, unfamiliar source in her that her body couldn't dispose of. Her brain, her heart, her soul... every single part of her was entirely consumed by a pain that knew no end or limit. She was in so much pain that her complexion was ashen, her natural golden skin had sunken into the tone of something so lifeless it scared Nick to look at her. It was unbearable seeing her look less and less like the Dani he knew. Mindlessly, he began marching toward her, blinking away the wetness in his eyes. Before he could get to within three meters of her, her father had stuck his arm out, blocking him from moving any further.

"We need to help her!" Nick yelled his eyes wide in astonishment at how even Dani's father refused to go near her.

"She's possessed. We don't know how much of his power Lucifer has access to while he's in her. We can't risk anyone going near her," Matthew said, and though he was still focused on the small book in his hand, it was clear that he was just as

"She's possessed, so that means she's still alive in there, doesn't it?" Sabrina stepped forward, joining Matthew, Nick and Calum at the front of the crowd.

"Yes, but not for long," Lilith spoke from the other side of the ballroom. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she looked down pityingly at the suffering girl who's screams only got louder. "Dani's body isn't trained to act as a vessel for an archangel. She won't survive much longer."

"We can't let her die! We have to do something," Nick fretted, rubbing is jittery hands over his face.

Matthew winced as another muffled scream left his daughter's mouth, sending a jab of pain to his chest. His voice was drier now as he said, "that's why we need to find another prison. Something stronger to hold Him in."

"But there's nothing stronger than a Ma'lak box," Calum said loudly to be heard over Dani's heart wrenching cries.

"Incorrect, Mr Monroe," Lilith declared. Everyone's attention was immediately diverted from Dani to the woman in red. "The mightiest prison is the First one, created by the false God." They all looked down at the floor, trying to process what Lilith had said.

Frowning, Sabrina looked back up. "It has to be me."

"No!" a chorus of disagreements sounded. "Absolutely not!"

"She'll die if I don't do anything!"

"No," Nick shook his head and stepped forward. His hands didn't shake, his legs didn't wobble. Just knowing that he was sacrificing himself to save the girl he loved put him at ease. "I have to do this for Dani."

"Do it, Mr Scratch," Lilith agreed, her voice rushed and panicked as more time went on that the poor girl was thrashing around, being tortured by the Dark Lord.

Nicholas walked toward Dani, a stab being sent to his heart every time he heard the girl cry or scream. He kneeled forward, picking up one of her freezing cold hands and squeezing it, hoping that, wherever she was inside, she could feel his reassuring touch. He bent over and pressed his lips against her forehead. He took in her appearance as he sat back, caressing her cold, pale cheek with his thumb. "I love you, Cemetery Girl. I always will," he whispered, his heart hammering violently against his chest as he stood up, blinking back tears before turning around to face everyone. Though silent, Matthew gave him a thanking nod for what he was about to do for his daughter which Nicholas returned. Looking at Dani one last time, he inhaled deeply. "Carne teneantur tenere tenebraque..." Dani's body jerked upward and her mouth flew open, the red smoke quickly crawling out of her throat. Everyone stepped back while Matthew hurried to his daughter's side, propping her head up on his lap as the Dark Lord exited the girl's body. Her eyes were closed and she lay unconscious, but Matthew and Calum couldn't complain. They were far too grateful that her breathing had steadiest and that she was no longer thrashing around in pain. They only remembered about the boy who had sacrificed himself for Dani when his voice sounded from behind. Nicholas was slumped over on the floor, struggling with the Dark Lord inside him. His voice was strangled as he continued the incantation. "... Palatium, carcere!" The room filled with silence, all eyes on the boy who was still crouched down on the floor. Slowly, he raised his head, revealing red irises identical to Dani's when she was possessed. The Dark Lord, seeing through Nicholas' eyes, growled, charging toward Sabrina.

"Tenebris somnum," Ambrose yelled before he could reach the shaken blonde and Nicholas collapsed to the floor as though a puppeteer had abandoned his puppet. Sabrina gasped in relief, stumbling backward into the arms of her cousin and aunts. She quieted and held her hands out to hush everyone when Dani started stirring on the floor. The blonde's heart raced at the thought of Dani waking up to see Nick unconscious on the floor.

"Dani," Matthew whispered, pulling Dani's hair away from her face.

"Hey, kiddo," Calum forced a smile, kneeling beside her to intentionally block her view of the warlock. She blinked several times before she could open her eyes even a little bit, her vision completely blurred as she tried to recall what had happened to her. She winced when she tried to sit up, letting out a cry of pain as her head spun and it felt as though a knife had been shoved into her neck.

"Easy, honey," Matthew said, gently pushing her shoulders back down. "You're okay." Dani slowly turned her head to the side to see Sabrina at the front of a crowd, looking down at her with a sympathetic smile and tears glistening her eyes.

"Where's Nick?" She looked back to her dad and brother after noticing he was not among the crowd of witches and warlocks. Her heartbeat quickened and a tear trickled out from the corner of her eye when she saw the way her dad and Calum looked away at the mention of the boy. "Where is he?" Her voice was raised in panic. Propping herself up on her elbows, she ignored the shaking of her arms and the crushing pain that rushed through her bones, too focused on reaching the comforting eyes of the warlock. She peered over Calum's shoulder, almost dropping back down onto her back when her watery eyes landed on the boy, lying limp on the floor.

"Dani..." She pushed her dad's hands off her, pulling herself onto her knees. Completely ignoring the sensation of bile rising in her throat at the way her head spun and black dots scattered across her vision, she started crawling toward the boy. When she reached the boy and placed her tremblings hands on him, she could feel the burning and see the redness behind her eyes again- it felt like her entire body had been thrown into a fire pit. It felt like the Dark Lord was back in her, only seconds away from torturing her again. She gasped, pulling away from Nick. The combination of the pain from making contact with him, and the dizziness in her head made her want to turn away and throw up, but again, she disregarded every single ache in her bones and the sick feeling in her stomach and hovered over the boy. When she set her hand back on his arm, she was forced to snap it away immediately, the same feelings rushing through her again. It took everything in her not to put her hands back on him as she stared at the unconscious body on the floor, her heart breaking with every second that passed that she couldn't reach out to him. A sob escaped her mouth and she looked away, falling into the arms of her brother. She buried her face into the crook of Calum's neck, unable to let herself look at Nicholas when she knew what he'd done for her.

"What are you going to do with him?" Dani choked, shakily pulling away from her brother to face Ms Wardwell.

The woman pursed her lips and shook her head apologetically before speaking. "You're not going to like it, I'm afraid."

➵

Limping into the cave with the support of her brother and father on either side of her, Dani followed her friends and Lilith as they took Nicholas to the Gates of Hell. Though Dani had promised herself that she would not rest until she got her boyfriend back, she could stop the aching in her chest and the tears that refused to stop leaving her eyes. Seeing Nick so lifeless, though breathing, in the arms of Harvey was a painful sight, and what was even worse was that Dani couldn't touch him without seeing an even more blood-curling version of what she saw when the Dark Lord was inside her. It only made her hands tremble more when she wondered if what she saw when she touched Nick was what he was seeing. If he was suffering like that even despite being strong enough to be an archangel's vessel. She had been too occupied with her heartache to wonder what lurked within the dark cave that on any other occasion she would have been hesitant going inside. Nothing mattered to her more than Nick being safe, and knowing that with the Dark Lord inside him there was no guarantee that he'd be safe, made Dani feel even more sick to her stomach as continued walking. It was too dark in the cave for Dani to see whether the gates were close, but the heat that radiated strongly onto her face confirmed that they were near. After a few moments, Lilith stopped in her tracks and turned around to face all those who followed behind her. Understanding that this was where they were all going to part with Nick, Dani took in a deep breath and looked back at Nick in Harvey's arms. The tall boy that carried him gave her a small, sympathetic smile which Dani failed to return, her eyes, thoughts and emotions too glued to Nick and the fact that she was going to have to say goodbye to him. She squeezed her eyes tightly as the thought crossed her mind, unwelcome tears traveling passed her eyes.

"This is the best place for him," Matthew said to Dani before kissing her temple. She shook her head in disagreement, though deep down she knew that what her father was saying made sense.

"He's right, Miss Monroe," Lilith agreed. "It's what's safest for the world. Make no mistake, if the Dark Lord ever escaped the flesh Acheron of Mr. Scratch's body, we'd all be doomed."

"Won't he suffer?" Dani asked, glancing back at the boy who ironically seemed to be peacefully resting while an archangel was inside him, probably tearing him apart.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of him," Lilith promised. While her words did nothing to convince Dani that he'd be safe, she nodded, choosing to believe that Nick would be taken care of. "Now, if you wouldn't mind..." Lilith trailed, looking at Sabrina with her eyebrows raised expectantly. The blonde carefully removed the golden crown from her head and handed it to Lilith who proudly put it on her own head. She looked at Sabrina with her chin raised gratifyingly as she said, "As the newly self-crowned Queen of Hell, I bestow upon you, Sabrina Spellman, two gifts. The first..." cupping Sabrina's rosy cheeks in her hands, Lilith leaned forward and kissed the blonde on her forehead, "... I restore to you all your witch abilities. So now, my dear, you have both power and freedom, and may you never give up either again."

"No," Sabrina agreed.

"Uh," Theo spoke up shyly after a moment passed where nothing else was said. "What's the second gift?" Everyone watched Lilith expectantly but Dani was too concerned about Nicholas to even process the conversation, let alone wonder what the second gift was.

"You'll all find out soon enough." Dani didn't notice Lilith shifting back to the right to face her. The teenager snapped her head up to the woman after realizing she was speaking to her. "And for you, Dani Monroe..." Lilith held a closed hand out in front of Dani. She wasn't very interested until the woman opened her hand to reveal a small, silver key with a silver chain connected to it to make a necklace. "For some of the answers you've been desiring." As Lilith placed the necklace over Dani's head and set it down on her neck, the teenager's eyes widened when she saw the initials "C.M" engraved in the rusty silver and she immediately realized that this was what was going to get her into her mother's journal. Stunned by what she had just been gifted, Dani held tightly onto the necklace that rested on her chest. Through everything that was going on with Nick and the Dark Lord, having the key so close to her chest provided some sort of comfort to Dani. "One more thing," Lilith added, drawing Dani's attention back to her. The woman placed two fingers on the key and closed her eyes. Dani's eyebrows were furrowed in uncertainty as she watched the woman reopen her eyes and pull her hand away from her chest. "A spell... to protect you from any harm that comes your way." When she turned to Harvey and said her next order, Dani thought her heart may stop. "Mr. Kinkle..." Harvey walked forward with Nick when Lilith called his name.

"Hey, hey... everything will be okay," Calum whispered, pulling Dani into his arms when she began to lose her balance at the sight of Harvey set Nick in Lilith's arms.

"But he won't be," Dani whimpered, tears revisiting her eyes and trailing down her already wet cheeks. She only turned to Nick's and Lilith's direction when a loud rumbling noise sounded and she felt the ground beneath her shake. The second that the two parts of the cave walls had split and began dragging apart, sweat already started forming on everyone's faces. The fiery red light of Hell that shined on them seemed even stronger than sunlight, and the warmth was robust, making Dani's already stinging eyes burn even more. She didn't allow herself to blink as she watched Nick being carried away into Hell. The farther they got, the more Dani's heart shattered. She limped toward the Gates when they closed and leaned against them. She slid down to her knees, completely disregarding aching of her legs and back. "Nick," she cried, resting her head against the warm barrier between her and the one she loved, sobbing. "Nick."

With her own eyes filled with tears, Sabrina approached the crying girl and knelt down beside her. "We'll get him back, Dani. I promise," Sabrina whispered, rubbing the girl's back before standing back up. The blonde gave Mr Monroe a wan smile when she walked passed him to go to her aunts who stood waiting for her with open arms.

Matthew ran a hand over his face, every step he took toward his daughter sending a violent, knife-like stab to his chest, each stab harder and more painful than the other. "Let's get you home, honey, alright?" He pulled her away from the Gates, forcing the girl to face him although it was no use because her eyes remained shut, ceaseless tears rolling down her sickly pale cheeks. She fell into his chest without a fight to stay upright and he closed his eyes, hugging her tight. After understanding how much Nick meant to his daughter, Matthew wished that he could have somehow found a different solution that didn't involve the warlock sacrificing himself, a solution that wouldn't cause his daughter so much suffering. Kissing the top of her head, he looked at Calum, motioning for him to take Dani from him so he could start the car. He followed their father's instructions and pulled the girl off the floor, wrapping an arm around her waist to guide her to the car that was waiting outside. Slumped over, she walked out of the cave with her brother's support, not acknowledging her friends who tried to hug her or say goodbye. Her mind was a mess of confusing thoughts and trying to comprehend everything that had happened. She couldn't believe that Nick was gone, especially not to Hell. It all felt like a cruel, vivid dream.

The car ride home seemed hours long although the drive to her house was no more than ten minutes long. Walking up the stairs to her bedroom, even with the help of Calum, felt just as torturously long. When they reached her room, Calum helped her into her bed, trying his best to get his sister as comfortable as possible so she could go straight to sleep instead of spending hours mourning over Nick. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and stood up from his crouched down position beside her bed. Dani's heart started hammering in her chest when she realized he was leaving. "Don't leave," she said, her voice weak and barely audible.

Calum looked at the brunette and pursed his lips, nodding. "I won't," he promised. "But I'm just going to leave for a second to get my pillow and a blanket to set up a spot for myself on the floor, alright?" Weakly propped up on her elbows, Dani nodded before dropping back down onto her back. Her attempts at sleeping were of no use, her eyelids flying open every time they shut for more than a second. All she could think about was Nicholas. An action as simple as a glance towards the window sent back a swarm of memories. Unlike when it happened, Dani wasn't shocked or anxious about what he'd told her. Instead, she felt her heart break more as she remembered how afraid he had been. How she was the person he'd gone to for help. He had always been there for her— he was the one who helped her figure out what her dad and brother were up to. He killed Amalia for her. He sacrificed himself for her. And the one time he had needed her to be there for him, to help him out of the mess he'd obliviously created, she had failed. And now he was gone. Another reminder of how, as she already established, nothing was permanent for Dani Monroe.

Pulling the drawer of her bedside table open, she sought for some sort of consolation from her mother's journal, but as she looked around for the leather book, her hand froze. Eyes welling up with tears again, she stared at the rose that sat in the same position she had left it in days ago. A choked sob broke past her lips and she reached over to pick it up. Its deep red color was still fresh and healthy, not a single petal or leaf crumbling from the lack of care. She felt somewhat reassured when she saw the state of the rose; maybe Nick was okay too. As she stared at it, tears stung her eyes in regret at how long she'd stayed angry at Nick— how much time she'd wasted being angry at him. Muffling her sleeve against her lips, she couldn't stop the loud sobs that continued to leave her mouth. No matter what came her way, she knew that nothing would stop her from fighting to get Nick back, but that just made it feel more real that he was gone. He wasn't with her like he should have been. He was somewhere in hell with Satan trapped inside of him, probably suffering. Nick was gone.

Before another painful sob could leave her already aching throat, Dani gulped down the big lump that continued to grow and dropped onto her back. She closed her eyes and held the rose close to her chest, hoping that by some miracle, just like the rose, Nick would be okay.

_____ ♔_____

→ author's note

that was intense! well that's it guys. this is the final chapter, but if you guys liked this story, then don't worry because i have a sequel coming out this week so keep an eye open for that!