Page 20 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

Jed snorts. “Like you found yours earlier?”

I choke around air. “Are we mixing my sex life and food life?” I say as I scrape the cheese layer to the side and take my first bite of fatty goodness.

“What can I say, the moans sound the same,” Jed says, making Zee chuckle as they fist bump, before Zee frowns and stares at me.

“Why would he be listening to your sex moans?” Zee asks, scowling.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I was dreaming.”

Aaden looks up from his pizza, which has cheese strings sliding off the side, and blinks at me.

Zee snorts. “You were having a sex dream?”

“Good god, can we eat the food? I thought Aaden had some news?”

Aaden’s blush remains high on his cheekbones as I snap my fingers in front of his face. “Aaden, research, focus.” He blinks and scratches the back of his head, his intelligent steel-grey eyes coming into focus.

“Duncan filled me in on the role of the Jar from the Vatican. From my research I believe if Archan was to open the other Jar it would make him whole.”

Duncan hands me an ice cold beer, I nod in thanks. “It has to be Archan that opens it?”

Aaden frowns. “I think so. The simplest thing would be to kill him whilst he’s whole in Archan’s body.”

I suck in a breath as Jed pauses with his beer bottle at his lips. “That’s not an option.”

Duncan squeezes my shoulder. “I’ve contacted my friend who might help us find a way of putting the evil back into the Jar.”

“Like a reverse spell?” I ask.

Duncan nods as Jed unfreezes and sips his beer. “She’s a recluse, it will take at least forty-eight hours for her to answer, maybe longer.”

“In the meantime, we need to understand how Evil Archan plans to destroy mankind. It might help us lure him when the time is right.”

Zee leans across the table and grabs a piece of garlic bread. “What about your demon contact, Ant? You said he wants the same as us. Do you trust him?”

I shake my head. “That would be foolish since he works for Lucifer. However, I think he wants to get rid of the last evil, and he was looking into how to achieve that.”

Duncan nods. “Okay, so we keep him in the loop enough to warrant his co-operation.”

I glance at Jed. “What’s the cadre doing?”

“The same as you, figuring out Evil Archan’s plan and stopping it. We are also here to support you in putting him back in the Jar.”

The mouthful of meaty goodness makes my shoulders sag. “So we are in a holding pattern. I hate waiting. Something crazy always happens.”

“Around you, crazy is the norm,” Zee mutters. I shoot him an icy look.

Duncan scratches the back of his head, catches Zee’s gaze and glances away. I look between the two of them. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Zee shoves back from the table, stands and folds his arms. “I have something to show you.”

I smirk. “No thanks, Zee. I’ve seen enough to know I’m not interested.”

He rolls his eyes. “As much as I’m sure seeing me naked would blow your mind, that’s not what I’m talking about.” He darts his arm out and opens his hand, a small blue flame dancing in his palm. I blink at the little thing as if it’s an illusion. After a full minute, I accept it’s real. My mouth falls open.

“When did this happen? How did this happen?” I ask.

Zee shakes his hand. The flame disappears. His spring green eyes lock with mine. “Duncan and I were sparring. I was evading his magic when a blue flame shot out from my hand.” He points at the burn mark on the rug.

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