Forever

Jar Of Pennies

     She felt like a child, head bowed waiting for the scolding from her father. Her heart beat in terrified circles as the words stuck in her throat, Jayden staring at her in a fearful curiosity. In that moment the tug was stronger than ever, pulling the truth out from the locked box inside her. The secrets and information from the seer begging. But deep in the back of her mind she couldn't shake the thought of being alone in this new world. Jayden finding out what she was and being disgusted by her. 

     A snort sounded across the room, the boy with red hair pacing holes in the floor impatiently. "For God's sake, just tell him Jacobs."

     Her heart sunk further as her face heated. He really did know what she was. And she couldn't mistake the hurt in the blue eyes before her, an ounce of distrust settling in. It burned the shame into her core, tears threatening to surface. 

     "Before I tell you," she spoke in a quiet voice, staring anywhere but Jayden, "I need you to promise me something."

     Suddenly he reached out, ignoring the brief panic on Hazel's face as her took her hand. "You can trust me."

     A single tear slipped out, the words pouring from her dry lips. "I'm a hybrid Jayden."

     The room filled with a deafening silence, the horrifying truth settling into their hearts. Her own heartbeat pounding like a drum. As much as the tug urged her on,  everything inside her swirling in a breathtaking storm, she could not bare to see the expression he wore. Or the smirk the demon across the room flaunted. Couldn't bare to lose the one thing left keeping her somewhat sane. 

     "What," Jayden swallowed, tightening his grip on her trembling hand,  "what do you mean?"

     "Oh, I think deep down, in that beating little undead heart of yours, you've figured it out Moore," Austin chuckled, eyes flashing black. 

     Jayden growled dangerously, orbs fighting to stay blue. "Silence demon."

     Austin snickered as more silent tears fell down her cheeks. The way he spit the word out like it was something vile. The hatred that was thrown at the demon every time Jayden spoke. She did not want him to look at her like that. As confused and distrustful as she was with the situation, the thought caused her more pain than she thought possible. 

     "Hazel," his voice softened, bringing her out of her terrified daze, "please, tell me."

     She shook her head, choking on the emotions. Cursing the seer for giving her this knowledge. Though she knew the old creature was not to blame. "I can't."

     Austin sighed in the far corner of the room as Jayden moved closer to her, eyes never leaving her face. "Please."

     "You'll hate me," she whispered, her voice not sounding like her own. 

     Pain laced his words as he choked them out, gently moving hair away from her face. The tug inside her strangling every other thought that attempted to push through. "Hazel, listen to me. I will never hate you. I am going to do everything in my power to protect you."

     The power inside began to fight against her own will, the words dancing on the tip of her tongue. The image in the rain was seered behind her eyes, his blue orbs pleading with her. She could feel the change inside her the longer she fought, everything in her pulling her to the creature before her. 

     Unwilling she relented, slumping in defeat as the words tumbled out. "Jayden... I'm half demon."

     Her hand slipped out of his as his whole body went slack, swallowing hard. Silence enveloped the room for endless minutes, no one daring to break it. The frail hold Hazel had over herself was sliding away. Everything inside began to burn,  voiceless whispers warring the doubts she fought to push down. She was a monster. A demon.  The thing that had tortured her for years. The things that killed her mother. She couldn't trust whatever power she held. Couldn't even trust herself to control it.