“I was ashamed by my vulnerability. Nergal had really broken me. I tried so hard to stay strong, but my body couldn’t handle my determination. Eventually, I gave in to what I thought was my ultimate demise. Although my body was still weak, one look at my savior refreshed my will to live, to be strong. I looked longingly into the depths of his eyes, trying to convey my love for him, but there was no way to show how my heart beat just for him. He wasn’t my soul mate, he was my soul.”

“I was ashamed by my vulnerability. Nergal had really broken me. I tried so hard to stay strong, but my body couldn’t handle my determination. Eventually, I gave in to what I thought was my ultimate demise. Although my body was still weak, one look at my savior refreshed my will to live, to be strong. I looked longingly into the depths of his eyes, trying to convey my love for him, but there was no way to show how my heart beat just for him. He wasn’t my soul mate, he was my soul.”

“Love? Yes, I do love. I never thought it was possible, hell, I never even thought about it as a Seeker. But you did something to me, Cassandra. You made me realize I still have a heart, regardless of what I’m made of. And you’ve stolen it because there is nothing I wouldn’t do to be with you. But that includes staying as I am, even if I have the chance to turn.”

“You know what, Hunter?” I said, walking toward the hallway, ready to dismiss the whole hopeless conversation. “I give up. I’m just a slutty demon who uses my body to get what I need. You’ve proven your point. You can go now. I’ll go to Hell alone. Guess all I really need to do is give a little tongue and they’ll lead me right to my father, right?”

“None of us asked for this life. I, of all people should know that our paths were chosen for us and we were just along for the ride, doing what was necessary and expected. There were far greater forces at work here. He was playing my heartstrings, which sang a sad melody I felt deep in my soul. For the first time, I could see him for who and what he was now. Even the worst incarnations of evil could change, and from this point forward, I would try to honor that. He was willing to put his life back in the line of fire to help me, and at the very least, he deserved my respect for that. Maybe even a second chance.”

“This is worth an eternity of torture,” he whispered. “I’m quite certain I love you more than anyone I’ve ever loved, in any life. I may have lost my soul when I was turned, but it’s been replaced by you, Cassandra. I’ll never let you go.”

“I focused on his eyes and really locked onto them. I could feel myself falling into a world of blue that wiped the chills from my body and filled my heart with warmth. The depths I could see in his eyes were far more than any hallucination could create. I recognized them as the eyes I gave my heart and soul to. They were the same ones that gave me Hunter’s whole being and never looked back. There was no doubt in my mind this was the man I fell in love with. I was doing it all over again in that very moment.”

“I was ashamed by my vulnerability. Nergal had really broken me. I tried so hard to stay strong, but my body couldn’t handle my determination. Eventually, I gave in to what I thought was my ultimate demise. Although my body was still weak, one look at my savior refreshed my will to live, to be strong. I looked longingly into the depths of his eyes, trying to convey my love for him, but there was no way to show how my heart beat just for him. He wasn’t my soul mate, he was my soul.”

“Are you okay?”“Well, I’d prefer to be in my own bedroom at home, dreaming of ponies and rainbows, but since I’m stuck here, I guess I’m as good as I can be.”

“He pulled back, but only enough to lock his eyes onto mine as he held my face in his hands. “It will always be you, Cassandra,” he whispered against my lips. Then he kissed me again, much softer this time, as if gently transferring every ounce of love he had for me onto my lips. I didn’t need any words, this was all I ever needed to know that he loved me.Everything around me faded. All my worries, all my fears disappeared when he touched me. We weren’t stuck in this Hell, we weren’t even in its realm. We were in our own world, no one around to save, or to slay. God, if only we could stay here. I didn’t want to face reality, not when I had him here with me now, not after thinking I’d lost him.”

“Really? That’s all you have to do to make someone go away? Like, ‘poof’, they’re just… gone? Christ, had I known that, I’d have gotten rid of a lot of people by now. You’re actually pretty lucky I didn’t have this nifty gift back when we first met.”

“Breathing heavily near his ear as he rested his head next to mine, I whispered, “I wish we could stay this way forever.”“You only need to say the word, and I would take you away from all of this. We could make love for eternity. I can be very creative, Cassandra.”