Page 79 of Guardian

A sad look appeared in Virginia’s face. “We had a volunteer, a guardian who was willing to be our guinea pig. He did exactly what you’re suggesting now. He walked into a portal, concentrated on his hate for the demons, and we blew him up.” She blinked as if the memory was too horrific to bear. “We found his body blown to bits within the rubble of the portal. He didn’t make it, Logan, it didn’t work.”

Logan sighed and dropped his head. “And he did everything you did at the time?” He lifted his head and saw Virginia nod.

“I’m sorry, Logan. But I can’t allow you to risk your life so recklessly.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about that, babe?” Wes asked.

Virginia looked at her husband. “The council wanted to keep this under wraps. A failure like that would have had demoralizing effects.”

Logan squeezed his eyes shut. “But Winter, she saw that I was coming. She saw that I would rescue her.”

“Her vision must be wrong,” Virginia said.

Logan turned away, fearing that his emotions would overwhelm him. How could he give up now, when Winter meant everything to him? She owned his heart. She was his heart. The love he felt for her…

He spun around. “Love,” he murmured, then stared at Virginia and Wesley, suddenly remembering something. “Drake said that love is the strongest emotion, that it can move mountains because of its infinite energy. Your volunteer… all he had was hate, and it wasn’t in a situation of life and death. It was an experiment. Do you think he could really put himself into a state where he had sufficient hate to make the portal respond? I bet that was the problem. But when you and Wes escaped the compromised compound, it was a life and death situation. Your emotions were running high. Your hate was at a fever pitch.”

“This is nuts,” Virginia said.

Logan shook his head. “Maybe, but it’ll work. I love Winter. And love is stronger than hate. Love is more powerful. It will send me to the Underworld. Because it has to. Winter needs me. She’s waiting for me.”

“You’re absolutely fucking crazy,” Virginia said. “Hell, even if it works, there’s no guarantee that you’ll ever make it out of the Underworld alive.”

“You made it out. Winter and I will, too.”

Or they’d die together.