AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Within seconds, she had finished her grisly meal and vanished with a silent flash of blinding light. The screaming voices died with her sudden disappearance.
I could hear myself again, gasping for breath, the hangover of emotion overload so familiar to my encounter with Acheron. George was at my side, helping me to my feet.
“Just breathe, Genevieve. The feeling will pass shortly.”
I could care less about how I felt, peering past him to Jude. As I raced across the clearing, he stood and spun to face me. Then I froze.
“Jude. Your eyes.”
Amber gold, devoid of swimming pools of black, glinted with unnatural luster. A thin dark ring outlined the shining irises, but that was all. These were the eyes of the man in my vision, yet the hatred was gone.
“What, what happened? Who was she?”
“Her name is Stygos, also known as Styx.”
“A Collector,” I said, knowing she was one of Acheron’s sisters. Styx, the river of hate.
“Yes,” he nodded.
“But, what was—”
“It’s the Black. She feeds not only on souls but on the residue that accumulates in demon hunters.”
“Residue of what?” A chill tingled up my spine.
“Each demon I cast out leaves something behind. A piece of him clings to me, to my soul. It builds up over time until I must purge the bulk of it. I’m afraid it built up rather quickly this time.”
Golden eyes shimmered bright, even in this dark grove. I stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes.” He cupped my face with one hand, caressing my cheek with his thumb. My heart broke a little, realizing the constant battle warring within him. The Black, the residue of evil, always growing and building, smothering his soul bit by bit. Those whispers of malevolence made me shudder. How could he possibly listen to those voices all the time?
“But why? Why does this happen?”
He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “It’s part of my penance, Genevieve. I am Sisyphus,” he said with a wistful smile, “and this is my hell.”
What a terribly morbid joke. And yet, not a joke. I hadn’t felt the tear escape until his thumb brushed it away distractedly.
“Jude,” I whispered, wanting to say something, anything to comfort him.
No words would come. How could he endure such pain all the time? For hundreds of years! The thought was unfathomable. I felt sick again.
“No tears for me,” he said, so close I could feel warm breath against my face, amber eyes bright and mesmerizing. “I don’t mind bearing a small burden of hell, since it’s giving me another chance at heaven.”
He leaned down, pressing his lips to my cheek where the tear had fallen. I placed my hand on his jaw, tiptoeing to brush a soft kiss on his lips. Not one of desire, but one filled with all the compassion spilling from my heart.
Our lips came apart reluctantly, as if neither of us wanted to let go. The look shining in those unnatural eyes beckoned me closer. He touched his forehead to mine.
I felt a rope tying me to this man, knotting us together and drawing tight. Being tethered to Jude made me feel stronger, as if I could weather any storm.
“Come, you two,” said George, startling me. I’d nearly forgotten he was there. “We’re too vulnerable here. I told Kat to meet us at your place.”
I noticed he’d used her nickname. Jude pulled away slightly, clasping George’s shoulder.
“Thank you, friend.”
The charming George reappeared, tension gone from moments before.
