Karpeta shifted slightly in the bed.Immediately regretted it.Her face tightened and she let out a small pained sound.“…Don’t move,” Ethan said quickly.“I’m not moving,” she whispered back stubbornly.“You literally just moved.”“…That was breathing.”Ethan stared at her for a second.Then shook his head like he had given up on life itself.“…You’re impossible.”Karpeta’s fingers slowly loosened from his sleeve, like she was finally accepting she wasn’t going anywhere.The anger in her face was gone now.What remained was exhaustion.And something softer underneath it.“…You came back,” she said quietly.Ethan didn’t answer immediately.He leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on his knees.“…Yeah,” he finally said.Karpeta looked at him.“…Did you get it?”He opened his hand slightly.The crushed remains of the herb were still there.She stared at it for a moment.Then nodded slowly.“…Good.”A pause.The room felt calmer now. Like the storm had finally passed outside the wi

The night air hit Ethan hard the moment he stepped outside.Cold.Sharp.His body was already reaching its limit, but he kept moving anyway.Norka’s message stayed in his head the entire time.Come immediately.Something was wrong.It had to be.Norka never sounded urgent unless it mattered.Ethan moved faster.⸻Back inside the house, silence returned.Elsa stood in the middle of the living room for a few seconds, arms crossed tightly.Then sighed.“…I hate all of this.”Upstairs, the floor creaked softly.Elsa glanced upward immediately.“…And I especially hate demons.”She grabbed the remote again and dropped back onto the couch.The TV kept playing quietly, but she barely watched it.Her mind kept replaying everything from tonight.Ethan covered in blood.The Watson family.Karpeta crying.Norka.Always these demons.Elsa rubbed her forehead tiredly.“…What a disaster.”Another creak upstairs.This time louder.Elsa frowned.Karpeta shouldn’t even be awake.After a few more second

Because she understood what he really meant.Not duty.Not obligation.Ethan carried people.Always.Even when it was destroying him.“…And who takes care of you?” she asked quietly.Ethan looked down for a second.Then gave a tired shrug.“No one has to.”“That’s not an answer.”“It’s the only one I’ve got.”Silence settled between them again.Heavy this time.Norka studied him carefully, her fingers resting lightly against her stomach.“…You look exhausted,” she murmured.“I am.”“Then stop moving for one night.”“I can’t.”“Because of her?”The question came softer than expected.But Ethan still froze slightly.Norka noticed immediately.And suddenly—Everything clicked together a little too neatly.The urgency.The blood.The exhaustion.The refusal to stay.Her eyes sharpened carefully.“…Something happened to Karpeta.”Ethan looked away.That alone answered her.Norka’s chest tightened slightly.“…How bad?”He stayed silent for a second too long.“…Bad enough.”Norka leaned back

Ethan’s grip tightened hard on the steering wheel.“…Damn.”The car behind him sped up again.Fast.Too fast.Elsa’s voice came through the phone sharply.“…Ethan?”He looked at the mirror again.Red eyes.Four of them.Maybe more.“…I’ve got company,” he said quietly.“What?”“Demons.”Silence.Then—“…You’re joking.”“I wish I was.”One of the black cars suddenly swerved closer and slammed into the side of Ethan’s car.BANG.The whole vehicle shook violently.Elsa cursed loudly through the phone.“ETHAN!”“I’m fine.”“You always say that right before something horrible happens!”Another hit.Harder this time.Ethan fought to keep control of the wheel.The demons inside the other car laughed loudly.One lowered the window slightly.A pale face appeared.Smiling.“…Stop the car, Ethan!”Ethan ignored him and drove faster.Elsa heard everything now.The crashes.The engine.The laughter.“…How many?” she asked quickly.“Too many.”“That is not a number!”“Four cars maybe.”“…You’re inj

Ethan nearly dropped to one knee.The demons laughed.“He’s slowing down!”“He’s almost done!”A claw came toward his face—Ethan caught the wrist suddenly.Then smashed his forehead into the demon’s nose.CRUNCH.The demon stumbled back screaming.Ethan grabbed his gun quickly.BANG.One shot.A demon dropped.BANG.Another shot.A second demon fell backward.But there were still too many.One jumped onto Ethan from behind.They crashed hard into the dirt.The demon clawed at his throat violently.“You killed Peter!” he screamed.Ethan punched him once.Twice.Hard.Then shoved the knife upward into the demon’s jaw.The screaming stopped immediately.Ethan pushed the body off himself roughly.Breathing hard now.Very hard.Blood dripped from his mouth.One eye blurred slightly.The remaining demons circled him slowly now.More careful.One smiled darkly.“…You really will die for them.”Ethan wiped blood from his chin.“…Looks that way.”The demon tilted his head.“…Why?”Ethan looke