Of Witches and Warlocks: The Complete Series

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Hex's smile radiated across his face. "Good. I'm glad—and not just because I get to use you as a guinea pig. I really think it will help you, if it works."

I nodded.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to do it?" he asked curiously.

My eyes instantly misted up. "I love Vance more than anything in this world, even myself. I'm sure that's difficult for you to understand. How could a girl like me be so crazy over a demon warlock who has no sense of right or wrong? But this demon part of him has always been there in some regard. It was a lingering threat, a possibility. He fought against it though, and did his best to push it away from him. I can't help but think if he could access his real mind again, he'd react the same way he did before. Right now he's being driven by all these other emotions."

I paused, struggling for a way to continue, one that would help him see what I was talking about. "If our places were switched and I was the one suffering, he'd stop at nothing to save me. Even if it meant he would die trying. I can't do any less for him." I ran a hand through my hair. "I love him more than I can explain, and if I don't try this he'll be lost to me forever."

Hex stepped into the room, coming closer, his face a serious mask. "And what will you do if it comes down to the fact you need to kill him instead?" he asked me point blank and shivers ran through me at even hearing such words spoken aloud.

Wrapping both of my arms around my mid-section, I tried to hold myself together. "I hope I won't ever have to cross that bridge," I answered, slightly sick.

"You need to face this. What happens if he's an evil that can't be stopped?" He pushed me harder. "Could you do it?"

I started crying, lifting my hands and rubbing them over my face, hesitating in answering him.

"Portia?" he questioned again, not backing down at my obvious distress.

"You're asking me if I can kill Vance!" I sobbed. "I just told you he's the person I love most in this world!"

Hex came right up beside me, placing his hands on each of my shoulders, squeezing firmly. "Because you love him, could you free him from this, if death was his only way out?"

I thought about this for a moment before I answered. "Perhaps, if it was the only way to help, I'd let him go and hope to high heaven he'd take me with him." I shuddered.

Hex didn't release me, but kept staring. Something wasn't right here. There was a reason he was asking me all of this.

"What aren't you telling me?" I searched his face.

Hex dropped his arms, and my heart clenched, tightening almost painfully in anticipation of whatever bomb he was about to drop on me.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"Vance joined with the Hoodoo coven," he said, watching me closely.

"Okay," I replied, drawing out the word a bit. I sat down on the soft mat because suddenly my legs were too wobbly. "Did they hold an actual ceremony to bind his magic to them?"

"Yes," Hex replied, with a slight nod.

This wasn't good. It would mean his ties with our coven were completely severed.

"Is there more?"

Hex nodded, sitting down across from me with a nimbleness that belied his age.