CHAPTER 26: DEMON WITHIN

 "Come out, guys. I know you're there," Hazel said into the night air after the kiss.

"Who knew there would be someone playing love in the apocalypse world?" Mia said, stepping out of the shadows.

"Nice to see the lovebirds are finally together," Ashton added, emerging from the same spot.

"Too bad I don't have a love, 'cause I would really love to show her off like Hazel did," Oscar said, appearing from another direction.

"Ahh," Alexa sighed, her face still flushed. She covered it with her hands and asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Oh, come on, you didn't expect us to miss it, right?" Ashton teased Alexa.

"Oh, come on, don't start acting all shy now," Mia chimed in, trying to embarrass her.

"Shut uppp!" Alexa exclaimed at Mia, her face even pinker, though a smile peeked through her fingers.

"Darwin, I know you're there, so why not come out already?" Hazel called out to the still-hidden Darwin.

Darwin finally emerged, his expression a mix of disgust and hurt. "Whatever," he muttered, casting one last glance at Alexa before leaping off the roof. But instead of a normal landing, his newfound vampire abilities allowed him to take flight, soaring away into the night.

"What's up with him?" Hazel asked the others, confused by Darwin's uncharacteristic behavior.

"Wait, don't tell me you don't know," Oscar said to Hazel, surprised.

"Know what?" Hazel replied, genuinely puzzled.

"What? He doesn't know?" Mia said to Oscar, equally surprised.

Oscar nodded in response. "It would seem so."

"Wow, a love triangle in the apocalypse world," Ashton said, bursting into laughter.

"What do you mean by love triangle?" Hazel asked Ashton, still clueless.

"He really doesn't know? Wow," Ashton repeated, amused.

"Darwin has a crush on Alexa," Oscar finally revealed to Hazel.

"Wait, what!" Hazel exclaimed, taken aback.

"Yeah, you heard him right," Mia confirmed.

"You knew, didn't you?" Ashton said to Alexa.

"I... I... I..." Alexa stammered, her face a mix of surprise and guilt. Ashton interrupted her. "No need to be worried. You did nothing wrong."

"But I... I..." Alexa tried again. Hazel gently patted her head, looking into her eyes. "As Ashton said, don't worry."

"I think I'm going to bed," Hazel said, turning towards the door leading inside the mansion.

"I'm also leaving," Ashton said, following Hazel inside.

"I need to go too," Mia said before jumping off the roof.

Only Oscar and Alexa remained. "Don't think about it. You did nothing wrong," Oscar reassured her.

"Thanks, Oscar. I really appreciate it," Alexa said before disappearing into the shadows.

Oscar also went inside.

Meanwhile, Mia had found Darwin on the roof of the hotel. "Sorry about that," she said softly.

Darwin, his jaw tight, replied, "Nothing wrong was done."

"Darwin, I... I also have feelings for you," Mia confessed, her voice sincere.

"Mia, there's no need to do that just to make me feel better. Thank you, but I will be leaving now," Darwin said, his voice strained before he flew away.

"But I meant it," Mia whispered to his retreating figure, a look of sadness washing over her face.

The next morning dawned. Everyone awoke, some with joy, some with lingering sadness, and some having not slept at all.

Darwin had spent the entire night hunting monsters, channeling his anger into each kill. Hazel, though unseen, had been watching him.

"Is he trying to relieve his anger, or does he want to level up as much as he can?" Hazel wondered, observing Darwin's soul. "Well, either way, he's going to keep me leveling up too," he mused.

Hazel also noticed Mia, awake and hunting with a palpable anger radiating from her soul. "But she was smiling just yesterday night," he thought, confused. "Hmmm, what if I search her soul for the answer?"

Focusing his senses, Hazel delved into Mia's soul. "So, this must be her mind space," he observed, floating in a vast expanse filled with drifting memories. "Okay, let's get searching."

He sifted through Mia's memories, and a wave of shock washed over him. "What? Mia is in love with Darwin?" He continued his search. "Wow, no wonder she's angry. She confessed to Darwin, but he was clouded by anger." A sense of understanding settled over Hazel.

Suddenly, Hazel felt a hostile presence. He whirled around, facing a disturbing sight.

"What have you come to find here?" a loud, malevolent voice echoed.

"You... you're that demon," Hazel realized, seeing a caged demonic entity within Mia's soul.

"Oh, I see. You're that person who always keeps me locked up," the demon snarled. "I want to destroy you so bad."

"Why do you torment Mia?" Hazel demanded.

"She craves power, and I desire a plaything. But because of you, I'm stuck behind bars."

"Well, I can't have you tormenting my subordinate, can I?" Hazel retorted.

"Hear me, mortal! I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do!" the demon threatened.

"Come anytime. I will gladly show you shame," Hazel countered.

"Hahahahaha, I think I might like you," the demon said, a chilling amusement in its voice. "Here is a gift from me."

Abruptly, Hazel was yanked from Mia's mind, finding himself in an unfamiliar place. "F*ck! Where am I? I shouldn't have pissed him off," he cursed.

"Who are you? What are you doing in the realms of gods?" A voice boomed in Hazel's head, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Who is that? Who are you?" Hazel asked, fear gripping him.

"I am a goddess. They call me Freyja, the goddess of love and war