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my love, what’s going on?” he asked, smoothing down my hair.
    “Nothing. Just a bad dream,” I whispered.
    “Another one? How bad?” he asked. “Are you going to be okay?”
    His worry was impossible to hide. He was searching me for some sort of confirmation that I was fine.
    “Yeah, I think it’s having to deal with everything all at once. The guilt keeps creeping in for what I did or didn’t do.”
    “Ana, you’ve done everything you can. We both know if you turned yourself over to Azazel, he’d still want a piece of the mortals. This battle is happening regardless of what side you’re on. His issue is that he knows how vital you are to our success. He doesn’t want you leading the white demons. Don’t be fooled. This battle is happening no matter where you land. The problem is that Azazel happens to want you to land on his side.”
    Taking a deep breath in, I let Athen’s words sink in slowly. I hoped they would take the place of the worry, but as of now, they weren’t.
    “I don’t understand how I can let myself focus on the negatives over and over again. So much positive is happening every moment of every day, and I get something stuck in my head and beat it to death.” I found myself fixating a little, which was not a trait I enjoyed exhibiting.
    “We all face those internal struggles, sweetie. If someone receives a compliment and an insult on the same day, nine times out of ten, it’s the insult that stays with the person longer.”
    Nodding my head, I knew he was right.
    “It’s the people who know this, and use it to their advantage, that we have to worry about. It’s a powerful thing to be able to shift another’s entire well-being with a few words or an action.” His finger was tracing my arm. “It’s a sad thing when people think it’s okay to put others down, but it’s because they are lacking in their own life. We have to remember that. We’re gonna get through this.”
    Hearing those words created a slight sense of relief. I wanted to live my life with Athen for all eternity. I didn’t want to be tricked into the dark side of the underworld. I didn’t want Cyril to be fooled either. I would do my best to ensure that my bad dreams didn’t become a reality.
    “Maybe, this will make you feel a little better,” Athen whispered, as he turned me onto my back.
    “Right here, in your arms, is where I’ll always want to be,” he spoke softly into my ear. His eyes flashed, and the closeness of his breath hovered over my skin, creating a desire that wouldn’t stop.
    My fingers ran through his hair, as he gently kissed my neck. His intoxicating effect brought me to another place of happiness. It allowed me to leave all of my worries for another time.
    “You are the sweetest man, I’ve ever encountered,” I proclaimed, bringing him closer to me.
    “And you are the most sensational woman.” His lips brought a tenderness to my being. His eyes caught mine, and he wouldn’t let go as our souls intertwined. He brought me to that place of serenity that only we two could understand.
    ***
    I was bundled up in one of my favorite velour robes, sitting out on our bedroom deck, sipping a cup of tea that Athen had prepared for me. The morning view of the sparkling sound was the motivation I needed. Reaching out to Arie was a must. It would tell us if our plan worked or not.
    The door behind me opened, and Athen sat next to me on the other chair.
    “How’s he doing?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
    “Well, I’ve lined up a few families that he and I can visit today.” His lips pursed, shaking his head. “I hope my sister was right about this entire thing. It’s hard to believe that she thought Cyril was so close to being swayed to the other side. Her thinking that keeping him in a constant pursuit of getting her back would be enough of a distraction seems like a long shot.”
    Shrugging my shoulders, I didn’t really have an answer. It seemed kind of far-fetched, but she