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Her eyes were still closed, because she was desperately afraid that as soon as she opened them, the feeling would flee. She would crack open her eyelids to find this was all some wonderful dream that would just disappear on her.
“We are not a dream, sweetheart. We are right here, and we’re not going anywhere.” Jayce’s lips touched hers in a kiss so sweet, so tender, that it had tears pricking at the corners of each eye, and she finally forced them open to reveal his golden hued ones staring straight into her own.
This close, she could see every fleck of gilded bronze and gold speckling his iris, like a painting with gold leaf. She was overwhelmed by his beauty. Not just his physical beauty, even though that was also impressive, but the beauty that he had inside. The strength of his spirit, his kindness, and humor.
“You are so beautiful.” She whispered, not even realizing she had spoken the words out loud until he had begun to laugh.
“What? What’s so funny?” Hazel demanded in mock effrontery. They both just continued to laugh, not answering her. Jayce leaned in, kissing her sweetly on the lips once more before sighing loudly.
“I guess it’s time.” He said so softly, but the lighthearted mood darkened noticeably as a little bit of the fire went out of his eyes. Hazel could feel her heart sink deep in her chest. All of the doubts she somehow forgotten about came flooding back, leaving her paralyzed, unable to think past the certain knowledge that she would fail them all.
“Hey, you can’t think like that.” Nika said, trying to comfort her but id did nothing to bolster her already waning confidence. But what choice did she have? The witches had proven woefully unprepared for the amount of power Eidolon possessed and the centuries he had on them alone was a major disadvantage for them. How to you defeat a hundreds old dark spirit intent on bringing only chaos and destruction?
Nika held her even closer against him, impossibly so. He must have picked up on her thoughts. Although how they expected her to stay positive on the day they would go out hunting not only the greatest evil she’d ever faced, but also one who wanted to completely destroy her and all that she cared about.
They got ready in near silence. Nika cooking a quick breakfast for them of eggs and toast as she and Jayce sat at the kitchen table. Hazel couldn’t stop the small grin that appeared as she watched Nika putz around the stove. He had an innate fascination with all of the technology he had seen evolve but could never touch, never experience. It made her marvel anew at the world around her, seeing everything fresh through their eyes.
She would never forget the way his eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning when she showed him how to use the toaster. Something that she took for granted had seemed like a technological marvel to him.
After she had choked down a few bites, they were ready to go, but she didn’t think she’d every really be prepared for what they were about to face. Jayce had said they had no choice but to go after him, and they were all aware of the strength he was gaining with ever soul he consumed.
There had been a rash of mysterious deaths in the black hills, mostly attributed to wild animal attacks, but they knew better. They set off out of the house, and thankfully there was no Guardian Mother or furious council members to bock their path. She’d almost wished there had been. Some excuse, any excuse to turn around and hide under the blankets for another day. Preferably with the two sinfully gorgeous men on either side of her.
They all piled into her beat up old car, deciding it was better to drive deeper into the forests where he would be most likely to be hiding, because he was also weaker when the sun was at its zenith. Eidolon was a creature of the dark.
But before she started the rickety contraption she turned back to look at Nika sitting beside her, and Jayce taking up the entire back set, assembling a series of powders and tinctures into a vile.
“Are we sure about this?” She asked, desperately hoping one of them would tell her they were just joking, they could just stay inside and watch a movie and not have to face an incredibly dangerous dark spirit intent on killing them all.
“Hazel, we’ve talked about it, even if those council members of yours disagree. He will strike again, if not tonight, then by tomorrow night. During the afternoon is the only chance we’ll have at catching him off guard. We just don’t have a choice. I wish…” Jayce trailed off, a sadder than sad look in his golden eyes. “I wish you didn’t have to come with, but in our dragon forms we are especially weakened against any magic he might throw at us, and he definitely will.”
