Dude! I think I’m in love! 😍

Hawk rolled his eyes at Jordan’s text. I take it you had a good night?

The BEST night! Elaine is incredible! I’m gonna marry that girl, watch.

Hawk had to laugh at that one. How many times had he heard Jordan say that in the last six years? Sure you are 😉

The phone rang almost immediately. Hawk frowned when the caller ID reported who it was. He answered, knowing he really had no choice.

“What?” he said in way of greeting.

“Good afternoon to you, too,” Charlotte’s irritated voice came back over the line.

“What?” he repeated. “I’m busy.”

“I’m sure you are.” Her sarcasm hurt his head. “Toji contacted me, asking me to give you some information.”

Hawk stiffened, his hand clenching around the phone. “What kind of information?” He looked around the living room, wondering where the little shit had run off to. He had wanted to keep the soul connection with Hero a secret and assumed Toji was aware of that.

“It’s about the bank account in Nevada,” she said. Hawk relaxed. Thank god, it’s about money. Yay. 

“I take it the funds are available again?”

“They are but under strict conditions.”

Hawk groaned. “Now what?”

“Stay. Fucking. Sober.”

Hawk said nothing. The condition wasn’t being set by the bank, it was being set by Charlotte who was the main account holder. She had to be since she was his main handler. If he wanted out of this contract with Sumi, and out from under the virtual prison sentence imposed on him by the Devil Kings for what he had done, he had to behave himself in almost every way possible. He had already quit sleeping around after the pool incident, his power was getting under control, and he had been sober for over a year. The inmate he had received as a reward the other day was for sticking to those conditions. 

He had really wanted to go on a bender the moment his money was back under his control. He had several other accounts, but Charlotte handled most of them. 

He sighed heavily and put his head in his hand, rubbing his forehead and pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Seriously…?”

“Seriously, Hawk. You’re doing well, this will help you keep up that momentum.”

He felt a change in the connection just then, a wave of energy that flowed from Hero’s end directly into his core and he was instantly calmed. He smiled softly to himself, thanking Hero.

“Fine,” he said. “Do I have an allowance or is it all mine to do with what I damn well please? Outside of drugs, booze, and women.”

“The allowance is still in place.”

“Fuck you.”

“Sorry, Hawk, but you know the deal. Until we know you are fully under control of yourself, everything about your life is monitored. What you do, where you go, who you see, everything.”

His stomach flipped. Who you see… “What about my friends?”

“Keep your circle small, that’s all I’m going to say about that. Hero and Elaine seem decent enough so I won’t interfere.”

“Except to tell Hero about my sordid history with sleeping around.”

Charlotte sighed. “Yes, except that.”

“Why the fuck would you tell him that, anyway, Charlotte? That wasn’t your business to spread!”

“Because I saw how you looked at him that first day and I wanted to make him aware of what you were capable of.”

Hawk said nothing.

“I like the kid, Hawk. Believe it or not, I actually do care about what happens to him. I don’t need the likes of you trying to corrupt him.”

“Coming from a demon of torture, that’s rich.”

“Perhaps,” she admitted. “But then, who said I wanted to torture him?”

It took every ounce of strength Hawk had to control his rage in that moment. He was not going to make Hero suffer that pain again. Charlotte was such a manipulative bitch when she wanted to be. In one breath, she could allow Hawk to have more freedom, and then threaten to destroy it just for the hell of it.

The hatred wasn’t one-sided. Charlotte loved playing Hawk like a fiddle, knowing there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Of course, there was more to it than just being his handler; there was a strong dash of retaliation in there as well.

“I will kill you one day,” he growled.

She laughed. “No, you won’t.”

Hawk dug his nails into his hand so deeply, he drew blood.

“Be a good boy, now,” she said, “and I’ll have your first installment wired to your account within twenty-four hours.”

“How kind of you.”

“See you tonight.” She hung up and Hawk nearly threw the phone across the room. What stopped him was Hero. 

There was a sudden stabbing pain in his chest so intense, he grabbed his shirt before collapsing on the ground, gasping for breath. It was Hero…he was suffering. He was suffering because of him. He thought he had held back the cloud but it had apparently been far stronger than he anticipated.

Fuck! Hero, I’m sorry!

He tried to concentrate on the energy, to pull it back, to get it off of Hero, but it was too strong and the pain radiating throughout his whole body was too intense. What made it worse was that not only could he feel Hero screaming, he could hear it. 

“Toji!” Hawk cried out. “Toji, help me!” He fell to the floor, curled in a fetal position, his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach. He tried again to focus on the darkness, imagining it as a blanket, something solid he could grab on to and pull away. It was no use; whenever he would reach out, it slipped right out from under him. 

HAWK! PLEASE! STOP THIS! Hero wasn’t just screaming, he was sobbing…retching…vomiting…

He knew without having to ask that Elaine wasn’t there. Hero was all alone.

Hawk continued to scream for Toji, tears running down his face as he managed to roll onto his knees, his head on the floor. He had to disconnect from Hero, it was the only way to help him. Nothing else was working.

“Your core! Use your power!” Toji yelled, shifting into the form of a teenage boy as he leapt off the landing directly in front of him.

“I—can’t!” Hawk gasped. “I can’t—reach it! I have to change…it’s the only way to—”

Toji grabbed his hair and yanked his head up, slamming his palm into Hawk’s center, a blazing white light emanating from his hand and directly into Hawk’s body, radiating deep into his core. Hawk gasped as he felt his core jump, a large wave of power shooting out from within and down the connection to Hero and the darkness that was attacking him. Hawk could feel it disperse and eat the black haze, consuming and destroying it, freeing Hero from its grip.

The power receded quickly back into Hawk’s core, the invisible seal Hero’s energy had created snapping shut. Hawk collapsed, weak and shaking. Toji leaned over him, his own anger radiating out from his body. “If you ever consider changing as a way to save that boy, I will eat you alive.”

Hawk, gasping and panting for breath, sweat covering his face, turned his gaze up at the dark skinned teenager, his amber eyes blazing with fury. “I’m…sorry…”

“Don’t apologize to me,” Toji said, standing over Hawk’s crumpled form. “Go apologize to Hero.”

“How? I don’t know how to get in there on my own.”

“FOCUS, FUCKER!” Toji stabbed a finger into the center of Hawk’s chest. “You need to focus. Concentrate on Hero and nothing else. It doesn’t matter if you’re calm or in a state of excitement. So long as you can focus on him, you can get to him. Believe it or not, that’s all you’ve ever done to get into the Veil, you just weren’t paying attention!” He jabbed that same finger into Hawk’s forehead on the last two words. “Now, get going. We’ll talk when you get back.”

He turned and marched from the room, heading to the den.

Hawk didn’t bother getting up from the floor. Laying on his side, consumed by misery and regret, and with tears running unchecked down his nose and soaking the carpet, he closed his eyes, and did exactly as he was told.

Hero…I’m so sorry…I’m coming, okay? Hero…wait for me.

It took almost no time at all to find himself back in the Veil, running toward Hero at full speed. He knew he was there, he felt him, felt his anguish. Pain Hawk had unintentionally inflicted upon him. Never had he hated himself more than he did right then. His heart nearly stopped when he saw Hero’s body, curled on the ground, as limp as his own was back in his house.

“Hero!” he called out, running faster. Hero didn’t move, his arms curled around himself, his blonde hair drenched with sweat. Hawk fell to his knees, sliding to Hero’s side and grabbing him up in his arms, and holding him tightly to him, cradling him as he pushed the golden hair from his beautiful face, pale from the pain he had just gone through. “Hero? Hero, I’m so sorry…please, look at me…please…”

Hawk put his face to Hero’s, his tears falling onto Hero’s face, on his nose, on his lips and chin. He ran his thumb along Hero’s bottom lip, begging him to open his eyes.

Finally, Hero’s long lashes fluttered open, his red eyes cutting into Hawk’s heart. He caressed Hero’s cheek, ran his fingers through his damp hair, wiped his own tears off Hero’s face, all the while apologizing over and over.

Hero’s lips parted, and three words came out, halting and raw: “How…dare…you…”