Disclaimer: Still don't own Teen Titans.

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I'm going to start my new project soon. (I want to have it up around Valentine's day, since it's going to be romantic… yeah.) So, I'm sorry for the er… "cliff hangers." I guess I find them fun… I hope you enjoy them.

Today's Poll: What would you choose?

Demon Hunters

Chapter 25: Raven's Choice

Raven was not prepared for the sight that greeted her. She had expected to find Pax pinned to the wall, his body helpless while his sisters began some agonizing process to restore him to his former self. She expected to break in upon a quiet scene and calmly demand at least an attempt to reclaim her emotions.

What she found was a demonic horde crouched over Solaris, evidently enjoying causing the girl pain.

Raven ignored her horror at what they were doing—or maybe she wasn't capable of feeling horror. Either way, she coldly focused her energy and took advantage of the fact that their entire attention was on the girl on the floor.

Three dark bubbles encased the majority of the demons, crushing down on them instantly in the three areas where they were densest. Half a dozen escaped, turning wildly around to see what had happened.

Raven saw a tall, muscular demon separate from the others, searching the corners, not thinking to look up in her hiding place.

His mistake, Raven thought, sending a web of power over him. He stuck to a wall, thrashing and screaming, but completely immobile.

Raven focused on one of the larger ones, a wolf-like demon near Solaris. She threw a loop of energy around his neck and muzzled him like a dog, tying him to the ground.

He growled and sniffed at the magic, then turned directly towards her. Before she could completely silence him, he let out a long howl.

The remaining demons all turned to her.

Raven was too dignified to begin swearing, but she truly wished that wasn't the case.

She threw a protective barrier around herself as three demons simultaneously launched at her. She pulled up a spike of dark power, impaling two of the demons. She sent smaller shards hurling at a third, striking it through the throat.

Raven frowned. She hadn't wanted to kill any of these demons. What had happened?

She dropped her shield and faded into the shadows, reappearing in one of the corners of the room. The demons looked around for her as she grabbed a nearby table with her powers and threw it into one of the demons.

Something snaked out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her down. Raven looked and saw a catlike demon with its tail wrapped around her. It bared its teeth and sprang at her face.

A human hand slapped it away.

Raven smiled at Solaris as the girl weakly propped herself up.

Sister.

"Thanks," Raven said, helping her and shaking her head slightly to clear her thoughts.

"Shouldn't I be thanking you?" Solaris asked, gasping in pain as she examined her wounded arm.

"Where is Trigon?"

Solaris nodded towards the holding cell. "I'll keep them busy. You take care of him. What about… Pax?" Solaris spoke in between fending off demons with kicks and punches as Raven supplemented with magic.

"Your brother is dead," Raven told her flatly.

Solaris began to cry, but it seemed to only make her fighting more effective. "Go take care of him, then," she said.

Raven nodded. She faded into the shadows and reappeared in the holding cell. A demon was waiting there for her, but Raven quickly invaded his mind and stopped him in his tracks. She searched his thoughts, looking for the Soul Sword, and she quickly learned that Pax had it.

Raven cast a contemptuous glare at the demon and released his mind. She knew what she had to do. She reached out with her magic, but was rebuffed. She looked and saw Pax's body standing in the corner. He turned around slowly.

My body.

His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Ah, dearest daughter," he snarled, in the still-distorted voice of her father. "You've come to pay me a little visit, have you?"

Raven wanted to flinch away from his voice; even without fear she knew enough to know that this was dangerous. "I've come to settle things, Trigon. Starting with you."

She reached out quickly with her magic and grabbed the Soul Sword. He dove for it, assuming that she would carry it to her hand, but instead she shoved it directly down into his foot.

"You're mine," she said grimly.

She rested her palm on Pax's chest and closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" he snapped.

"Reclaiming what's mine." Dark energy pulsed through her fingers and into Pax's chest.

"What? Get away!"

"You're my demon. I'm the only one who can control you." She gritted her teeth and placed another hand on his chest.

He roared and resisted her, throwing what strength the Soul Sword hadn't stilled into his throes.

"You cannot truly wish that life," he growled.

That life. Raven knew what he meant. The late nights of meditation. The constant self-imposed isolation to keep her emotions in check. Being the dark one, the creepy one. Always, always being alone, even at the breakfast table, even in battle, even watching a movie with all her friends; always a wall between her and them.

But she didn't hesitate, not for a moment, because there was Beast Boy. Yes, some part of her, some distant part, screamed for her to stop, but that part was as distant from her as her emotions. Inside her mind, there was the cold certainty of what she must do for him, because he needed her to do this, because even without him, she needed to do this.

"We all have our demons," Raven said. "And you happen to be mine."

With the majority of his powers still catatonic from the Soul Sword, Trigon didn't appear to be able to put up much of a fight. Raven felt a surge of confidence- was that an emotion- as she felt him lose his grip.

And then in a surge of darkness, he pulled her soul self in.