“I’ll try anything.” She said hastily, completely honest. Now that she had seen it, knew for a fact that their really was a hidden power inside her, she would put up with any amount of headaches to reach it, to be able to control it. She had to. Their lives were at stake and she had to try everything she possibly could to protect them.
“What are you thinking, Jayce?” Nika asked softly, his gaze curious on the other man. Jayce shook his head slightly, then stopped, answering.
“Well, I’ve noticed something. A pattern of sorts. Whenever you actually can perform magic, or a spell, it’s when your sleeping, or completely at ease. The moment your guard is up, it’s like you’re cut off from reaching it.”
Hazel thought about his words for a moment, her head tilted to one side sending her long auburn waves sliding over her shoulders. “What do you mean, like I can only access my magic when I’m not conscious of it?”
“I’m not sure, it’s just a theory, but when your sleeping, you mind is open, allowing you to unconsciously reach for the power inside you. All the other times you’ve tried, you’re fighting, struggling against it rather than letting it happen.”
“So, what are you suggesting?” Hazel asked, still not following.
“I want you to,” Jayce paused, sending one look toward Nika, who sat for a moment before finally nodding, then he turned back to face her, “I want you to try and reach for your magic while you’re kissing Nika.”
“But, I…” Her words trailed off, wanting to immediately agree to the plan but she knew it was just because she would finally get a chance to touch her lips to his. Nika shifted where he sat as the images flooded her brain. “Are you sure this will work?”
Jayce just cat her a sidelong look, which was answer enough.
“Well, I don’t have a better idea, but what, uh, what if…” She stopped, her breathless words fading as she tried and failed to voice the fear that had occurred to her.
“What if you lose control?” Jayce asked, and she just nodded. “Well, that’s kind of the point, little witch. Let your guard down, let your mind open.”
With a deep breath, she nodded again, this time determined as she moved closer until she was standing right in front of Nika, who slowly rose to his feet to tower over her. Her heart beat hard and fast in her chest, excitement and lust and a bit of panic all flooding through her so that she couldn’t tell one from the other.
“Are you ready?” He asked softly, his breath brushing over her cheek and sending an eruption of goose bumps shivering through her.
“I’m not sure,” Hazel answered with a slight chuckle, but humor was the last thing she felt. Her skin tingled with anticipation as he stepped somehow even closer, her breath backing up in her lungs as he leaned down, pausing just an inch away from her mouth as Jayce spoke.
“Remember, let your guard down, and when I say the words, try and let the power flood you. I will guide you through it, just remember to let it happen. Don’t fight, don’t struggle, or you will just run into the block again. Okay?”
“Yeah. Uh huh, okay.” The words barely whispered out of her mouth before Nika was there, swallowing them up. His soft lips touched hers and her body exploded, heat and burning desire stormed through her, obliterating thoughts of anything else. All she could feel, all she could focus on, was the way his mouth slanted to gain better access, the sweet slide of his tongue over hers, a rhythm that drew that ever present ache tighter and tighter until she felt like she would combust just from the kiss alone.
“Hazel, think of fire. Think of heat and fire.” Jayce’s voice whispered past her ear, distracting her for a moment but the insistent pressure of Nika’s mouth on hers drew her back. She could feel them surrounding her, and heat was no problem at all for her to imagine.
“Picture it in your mind,” his words continued to wash over her as he gently took her left hand, holding it until her palm was open and facing the afternoon sky overhead. “Imagine it here,” Jayce drew a small circle in the center of her palm and it was like a strike of lightning shooting through her body. But she did as he asked, or at least tried to. Whenever she focused on it too sharply, the image seemed to disappear but as Nika’s kiss grew deeper, it was easier for her to not just hold the picture in her mind, but to actually feel it. To feel the fire, rather than see it.