Cursed Demon Kissed 2 Page 0,40

until later that she said, little sister. She remembered me, but I was so transfixed on Collin walking towards me that I didn't notice. "No, it can't be true. That's him. It's the good part that was stolen. He wouldn't hurt me. I know it." Reassurance flooded my body every time I looked at the figure on the water. I hadn't seen him since the night he saved me. And now he was right in front of me, only steps away. If I just stepped closer, I could wrap my arms around him again.

"It's not him. That's the Guardian. It's pulled every single person who tried to pass into this Pool. I can't stop you from trying to pass it. I'm bound to the Pool. I can't go past this point. But, you can if you remember that this isn't who you think it is. If you remember not to touch it and pay passage." She folded her arms and leaned back against the cave wall.

I turned back to the water's edge. My breath caught in my throat as Collin's form stood right in front of me with his ankles submerged in the lapping waters. I wanted to throw my arms around him and feel his warm body against mine, but I hesitated. Looking into his eyes, I waited for him to speak, but he said nothing. His face slowly showcased my favorite expressions - the one that made it impossible to deny him anything.

Apryl's voice broke the silence, "Ivy, I'm in there too." Shocked, I turned to look at her. Sadness weighed on her soft features, deeply carving lines into her face that hadn't been there before. "I've stood on the water's edge seeing the one thing that I desire most, but cannot have - myself. I watch her come to the edge, but I'm unable to do anything about it. She's like an image trapped in a reflection. There is no way to undo what was done to me. Or him. Only the ruler of the Underworld has that power." Apryl's words sunk into me. She'd tried to get her soul back. She'd stood here and been unable to reclaim her life, even though it was right in front of her. I closed my eyes hard, and looked away. Demons were cruel. They never let you forget your place, and every action was doused with pain.

Just then Eric snapped. His foot lifted forward and then the other.

"No!" I screamed, but it was too late. He had stepped into the crystal blue liquid. The waters surrounded the single foot that touched the water, as Eric cried out in pain.

His scream awoke Shannon from her dazed trance, no doubt seeing someone she loved manifested in front of her. Someone she wanted, but couldn't have. She shook her head and ran toward Eric, careful not to touch the water. "What do we do?" she asked as she went to pull him back.

"No! Don't touch him! It might be able to pull you in too!" Panic was flooding me. Eric's back arched as he let out a raw scream, frozen by the waters that trapped him. His face contorted with pain as his body shook.

I recognized that scream. It was the sound Martis made when they were being demon kissed. The Guardian was sucking his soul into the Pool. There was no time. If I waited another second we would lose him. I wasn't certain if we could touch him or not, but there was no other choice. I threw myself between the Guardian and Eric. Lydia's pale likeness melted down into the water and Collin was the only figure remaining. His blue eyes pierced me, making me think I couldn't possibly do this, but there was no other choice.

Reaching behind me, I touched my fingertips to Eric's chest. A pulsing pale purple light came from my fingers and sent a shock through him. I pushed him back onto the shore, where he collapsed. It was completely silent. My heart thundered in my chest as I strode further into the lake and up to Collin's form. With each step I took forward, he took one back. But I kept walking towards him. The thing was, with each passing step, it looked more and more like him. I kept telling myself, This isn't him. It's not him. But, his eyes made me doubt myself. These waters made me uncertain. They held power that I didn't understand and made me question everything I knew.