Hades Titans {BOOK 2}

XXVII. Quicksand

Evelyn's P.O.V.

It was the most mundane week I had had in a long time. We unpacked our stuff and moved into our new apartment. We spent the week folding clothes and shopping for furniture. It was simple and quiet. I had forgotten how good it felt to just live.

While shopping we came across some baby things and decided we'd get our baby shopping started once we found out its gender. As soon as we returned home, I booked my appointment for a scan and gender reveal. There was something to do and something to look forward to. It felt like things were just normal. Normal. A word I hadn't used in a long time.

Chase hadn't made an appearance all week and I had convinced Hayden to venture around and see him, but his stuff was gone from my old room and the key was lying on the cupboard. Hayden reassured me that he would get someone to keep an eye out for him.

While I was worried that Teo had taken Chase, Hayden was worried that chase had gone back to Teo to team up with him. I was worried that maybe all the anger he felt towards me, and Hayden would turn him to Teo. This was Teo's chance to manipulate Chase and get him on his side. It made me nervous. I had defended Chase to Hayden many times, it would be bittersweet if Chase switched sides and Hayden was right all along.

"Hi, how did it go? Did they say? Have they seen Chase?"

"Hi," he rubbed my belly while planting a kiss on my cheek. "They need me to go back to work. There have been some attacks in the villages. I have to go deal with them." I watched him speak while noticing somebody else walking in from behind him. "They said they heard something about a titan traveling, but they can't be sure that it's Chase and if he gets caught, he will likely be sent to Tarus in relation to the attacks so we will find him eventually." I nodded my head in agreeance, peering in behind him to look at Dax. I recognised him from Penelope's wedding, but I had never spoken to him.

"Eve, you've met Dax before. He'll be hanging around for a little while, while I'm at work." Hayden gave way for Dax to come closer and shake my hand.

"Nice to see you again." Dax was polite. He reminded me of Hayden when I met him for the first time. Proper, polite, and strictly work. He wore a blazer and a white shirt as if he were here for an interview, which is when it hit me.

"Like a bodyguard?"

"Or a babysitter." Hayden laughed, making me cross my arms over my chest. His smile dropped, "yes, a bodyguard. I can't leave you on your own with Teo sending everything he has after you." His arm wrapped around my waist, which made me uncomfortable with Dax standing right behind us.

"I promise you won't even notice me." Dax peering in with a smile.

"Thank you, Dax. Can Hayden and I have a minute please?" I smiled, feeling my cheeks flush out of embarrassment.

"Of course." He bowed his head, before making his way out the door.

"I promise you won't notice him." Hayden insisted, taking me into his arms and pulling me closer. I looked up at his face that was filled with worry. It was the only constant expression on his face. When I met him, it was stress, then happiness, followed by love and pain and now we were back to fear. I knew he was only doing it because he was worried about leaving me alone, so I nodded along agreeing. His soft palm landed on my neck as he pulled me in closer to kiss me.

Our kiss was short-lived, the ringing of my phone pulling us apart. Hayden smiled, turning around to invite Dax back in as I returned to our bedroom.

I picked up the phone, Dr. Bloom's phone number lighting up my phone screen.

"Hello?" I answered, shutting the door of the bedroom as I watched Hayden guide Dax into our living room. The doctor had informed me that my appointment was moved to the hospital, due to the refurb the clinic was having and because my situation was a little different than most pregnancies. A little different. Just a little. I agreed, still retaining the same time and date of my appointment, before hanging up.

I could hear Hayden and Dax talking indistinctively. Hayden had to inform Dax of everything that had happened so far and that we were pregnant. After a second of consideration, I decided to go tell him that our appointment was moved, but I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my belly.

"Ouch." I held my hand to one side of my belly, annoyed at the pain that was slowly lessening. What the hell was that? I took another step, with the same sharp pain returning to my stomach. I flinched at the intensity of the pain, grabbing a hold of the wardrobe to steady myself. Inhaling and exhaling deep breaths, I waited for the pain to lessen, before attempting to get to the door again. Come on baby, we can do this. There's no need for this pain. We're okay. We're fine. I smiled to myself, talking myself into stepping to the door. I slowly took a step forward, feeling nothing at all and confident that the pain had gone, before taking another step. I had just managed to reach the handle of the door when the pain had brought me to my knees. I had still managed to bend the handle and the door opened up slightly. The sound of the door was enough for Hayden to come to check on me. I could hear his heavy footsteps approaching as I held onto my belly, breathing through the pain.

"Eve?" I heard him say, as he slowly opened the ajar door. "Eve?!" He knelt down beside me, wrapping his arm around me. "What's wrong? What happened?" He slowly lifted me into his arms, carrying me to our bed.

"I'm fine." I exhaled a deep breath as the pain had lessened again.

"You wouldn't have been on the floor if you were fine." His tone was strict and harsh. I looked up at him, which made his expression soften instantly.

"I'm fi – " I lunged forward as a pain shot through my body, hitching a breath in my throat.

"I'm calling Dr. Bloom." Hayden insisted, moving towards our bedside table to pick up the phone. I grabbed his arm before he could reach the phone, feeling the pain shift into something else. It slowly turned into a humming before it felt like a tickle inside my belly. I placed my hand on my belly, feeling a little lump subside and sink back into my skin.

"Wait, feel." I placed Hayden's hand on my belly as the baby began to kick again. I could feel him melt beside me as he leaned in closer, following his hand around my belly as the baby kicked around. My breathing increased, trying to hold back my tears. Hayden seemed mesmerized by the tiny little kicks inside my belly. We sat in silence for over five minutes, just feeling it rolling around in there.

"It's calming down. You can go back." I smiled.

"Go? Where?" He looked at me confused.

"Dax? He's waiting for you." I chuckled, gesturing to the ajar door.

"Oh, right." His face was stunned. His skin was flushed, and he looked traumatised.

"Are you okay?" I placed my warm palm against his cheek and his hand landed on top of mine.

"It's growing so quickly." He removed my hand from his face, holding it in between both of his hands.

"I know." I smiled. He looked worried. As I suppose he ought to have been. The quicker the baby grew, the quicker I was going to die, and I could see the fear in his eyes.

I hadn't dwelt on death. I suppose knowing you would be leaving something behind, something everyone could remember you by, made death less scary. The only thing I could think of when I thought of death was the ultimate darkness. A sinking feeling inside you that never ends nor begins. There is nowhere to go, and nothing to see. There is nothing to fear, nowhere to be. It's like falling into the abyss and being unable to catch your breath. So, you just keep sinking and sinking and the feeling is never-ending. It doesn't hurt. But it's not comfortable either. I wasn't afraid, because I had already felt that feeling, and I knew it didn't feel as bad as leaving your baby behind without even getting to see it.

My heart ached at the thought. I was beyond thrilled that my baby would get to live, and I knew Hayden would be a great father and I was more than willing to give my life up to save my baby, but... I will never touch it. I will never hold it. Will never kiss it. I will never see it. I hoped my death wouldn't be a burden on it, I didn't want it to feel any different than every other child. I wanted it to live its best life and be the best that it can be.

"It will be alright," I reassured Hayden with a smile. He smiled back, his smile unconvinced and terrified.

"Go," I said. He kissed the top of my head, before making his way out of the bedroom and back into the living room.