What the Heart Takes

  “So the rumors are true, Miss Lewis. You did find your Keeper.” His eyes darted to Dylan then back to her. “Though I’m having a hard time guessing which one it is. They’re both stuck to you like glue.”

  Hoping they would ignore the man’s baiting, she clung to both men, giving each a gentle squeeze. There was no better way to tear them apart than by playing on their emotions—emotions they were already having a hard time dealing with. This man knew that, wanted to use it to his advantage. She had to stop him.

  Who was she kidding? Even if they escaped this battle, it wouldn’t change the ones awaiting them. There would be plenty. Everything in her soul said as much.

  Shifting his stance, the dark-haired man continued a stare down with Layne and Dylan. “I bet I know how to find out who the Keeper is.” He raised his hand to his waist, rotating it until his palm faced them. “Maybe I’ll focus on her instead of the ground. Think she could withstand the next explosion?”

  Between the rapid jolts of Dylan’s energy and the scorching heat of Layne’s, Heaven knew one of them would snap at any sec—

  “Who the hell are you?” Layne all but growled.

  “And we have the Keeper.” An echo of satisfaction played in the man’s words. “I knew if I threatened her you would speak. Any Keeper would. It’s in your DNA to be her bitch.”

  “Thanks for the lesson in genetics. Now answer my question. Who are you?”

  The gruffness in Layne’s voice had Heaven cringing. Deep down she knew he was trying to remain calm for her sake, but the fire raging within him wanted to lash out. If only he could harness that fire. Then they wouldn’t have to worry about the group surrounding them.

  Eerie laughter gained her attention as she exchanged glances with the man before them. “You can call me Raphe, not that we’ll be chatting much. I’ll get to that in a few. Right now, I have to say this. You gotta be the world’s worst Keeper.”

  The muscles in Layne’s back tightened under Heaven’s palm. His profile revealed a set jaw. “Is that so?”

  Dark eyes twitched as Raphe stepped closer. “Yeah,” he said, stopping three-feet away. “You see the thing with being a Keeper is that you’re supposed to keep your Seeker safe. You have failed miserably. I thought I’d actually have a fight on my hands when I found you. Was looking forward to it. Too bad you couldn’t fulfill that wish.”

  Layne pushed forward, but Heaven refused to release him. Digging her fingers into his shoulder, she leaned in closer to his ear. “He’s just bating you. He wants to pull you in so they can jump you. They are all locked and loaded.”

  He tilted his head closer to hers. “So what am I supposed to do? Nothing?”

  “Not yet. We have to think, Layne.”

  “We don’t have time.”

  A gust of wind blew in from the ocean as Heaven touched her lips to the edge of his ear. “Listen to me. Don’t go off half-cocked to prove a point. We’ll be dead.”

  “You can’t do anything, Heaven. You’re preg—”

  “Shh! The less he knows, the better. And he doesn’t know much. He called me Miss Lewis.”

  Layne parted his lips, probably to argue, but snapped them shut when she shook her head. He tossed her a nod then faced Raphe again. “Someone sent you on this little mission. I’m curious who?”

  “I’m sure you are, but telling you makes no difference. It won’t change the fact that I’m here and I’m taking what I want.”

  “What do you want?” Layne asked.

  “I want your Seeker.”

  Heaven held her breath, focusing on the rhythm of her heart as Layne’s vibrations pulled at her. A patch of sand warmed her foot when she stepped back and met Dylan’s body. The air around them combusted with heat, drawing her eyes to Layne. He shot her a glance, yet the rage in his eyes softened the moment they landed on her. Then she could breathe. He was okay. He even produced the cocky little smirk he used to wear, like when she first met him.

  Once Layne refocused on their enemies, he moved one hand behind his back, reaching for her. The heat of his touch didn’t surprise her, nor did the way it increased when she swept her fingers over his. But the moment they lost contact, a small flame flickered inside his palm.

  And that shocked the hell out of her.

  “It seems you’re not the only person who wants my Seeker, but I have to warn you. Her soulmate doesn’t like sharing.”

  Any other time, that comment would have prompted a grumble from Dylan, but this wasn’t one of them. His energy beat with amusement. Regardless of the tension they’d dealt with over the last few months, he and Layne still shared a common goal—keeping her safe. Hopefully, their unspoken truce would last after the fact. For now, she’d take whatever she could get.

  The mysterious man before them found no humor in Layne’s words. He crossed his arms in front of him before nodding at one of the men in his group. The other guy raked his hand through his spiky blue hair before leaving his spot near the patio. As he passed the palm tree, the leaves began to darken, causing the stems to droop. Within a matter of seconds, they went from bright green to dull brown. Then one by one, they fell to the sand.

  A knot formed in her stomach as Raphe flashed his creepy gaze to her and then Layne. “You’re quite the clever man when it comes to your tongue. Too bad you’re not as skilled with your powers. Now the world will be without one of its comedians…and one of its Seekers.” He paused to wipe a trail of sweat from his brow. “You boys can stay and fight this out. I found what I came for, and I’ll be taking her with me when I leave.”

  The flame inside Layne’s palm danced higher. “Over my dead body.”

  “My point exactly.”

  Darkness filled Raphe’s eyes as much as his voice, adding a spine-curling pulse that drew a shudder from Heaven. Layne’s energy didn’t regress. If anything, it beat stronger, sending out fire filled vibrations that engulfed her soul. As her face heated, she leaned into Dylan, pressing her back against his. His fingers laced with hers, and then he stroked the inside of her palm.

  “Let him do his thing, Heaven. He’ll be fine.”

  Would he be saying that if he could sense the level of energy surrounding them? How could Layne take on every single one of them? He was one Keeper—one Keeper that hadn’t mastered his abilities. Even a fully-fledged kinetic would need backup in a situation like this.

  Layne didn’t appear fazed by the challenge. He stepped forward, clenching his hand behind his back. The flame inside flared out and up until it consumed his entire hand. He said nothing as he took another step. Neither did their enemies. The only sound that filled the air were coughs, followed by groans.

  The swift thump of Heaven’s heart increased, drowning out the noise. She stole another glance at Raphe. Even he was struggling for a breath. A second later, his knees hit the sand.

  “What are you doing?” he groaned, extending his hand toward Layne. He tried flipping his wrist, but no swooshing filled the air this time. Instead, his hand met the sand as he fell forward on all fours.

  “It seems you’ve underestimated me. Isn’t that the first lesson of being a Keeper?” Layne asked as he continued toward him. “Never underestimate your opponent.”

  Thrusting his hand forward, a wall of fire spread from Layne’s hand. One by one, their enemies ignited in flames, even those that stood behind them. Cries pierced Heaven’s ears just before she covered them. She wanted to close her eyes to the horror unfolding before her, but she couldn’t. Something told her to watch.

  The scent of charred skin made its way to her nose. She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth, hoping she wouldn’t cover the sand with vomit.

  Dylan must have sensed it. He turned and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her back to his chest. “Don’t watch this. Close your eyes.”

  “I have to watch,” she whispered.

  It didn’t take long for their enemies to drop to the ground. Most had turned to dust and bone. Only Raphe’s body remained intact, thoug
h she couldn’t say how much. Flames blazed around him.

  Layne stood a few feet from his burning body. He dropped his hand back to his waist as the flame inside died to a small flicker. When he spun around, he met her eyes. She sensed sparks of regret in his soul, but the curve of his lips revealed his relief.

  “It’s over,” Dylan whispered from behind her. “You’re safe, Heaven. You’re both safe.” His hands trailed down to her stomach, caressing it with his fingers. A hint of laughter escaped his lips when her stomach moved under his hand. “I think she senses our relief.”

  She turned to face him, slipping her fingers through his hair as she brought him in closer. Then she pressed her lips to his. Sweet cinnamon teased her tongue when his rolled with hers. She wanted to celebrate their victory, as did Dylan, but now wasn’t the time. They needed to thank Layne for saving their lives

  Feeling eyes upon them, she finally pulled away and faced her Keeper. “You did it, Layne. You saved us.” Her eyes held his as she flashed him a smile. That same smile froze on her cheeks when she noticed the water in his eyes. They widened a second later.

  “Layne, what’s wro—?”

  The question caught in her throat. It wasn’t just the wild look in his eyes that had her failing for words. It was the crimson trail that leaked from his mouth. When he parted his lips, he released more than a trail this time. Blood spewed from his mouth, splashing against her yellow shirt. Its rusty scent swept through her nose, making her knees grow weak.

  Layne’s body shifted forward, like he was free falling. And he did fall, face first into the sand.

  His vibrations grew weaker by the second, not that Heaven could concentrate on anything other than the knife buried in his back. A dark form shadowed him above. She followed the smoky object until she met dark, beady eyes.

  Her heart sank.

  The heat of Dylan’s embrace decreased. She turned in time to see a few more burnt bodies dragging him back to another palm tree. He put up a struggle, knocking one to the ground, but two more came to assist. They finally pinned him against the tree.

  “Heaven, run!” He barely got the words out before a bony arm pressed into his throat, silencing him.

  She turned back to the other form, but her eyes fell to Layne instead. He couldn’t be dead. His energy still pulled at her, though not as powerful. Every beat of her heart spoke a truth that she didn’t want to face. If she didn’t get help, he’d be gone in a matter of hours, maybe less.

  Raphe’s dark figure stepped over Layne’s bleeding body. She yelped as his charred fingers wrapped around her arm, singeing the skin.

  “Did you honestly think he could save you?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. A warm stream trickled down her cheeks. She wanted to swipe at the wetness, but she couldn’t move. Menacing eyes held her in place.

  “This would have ended a lot better for both of you had you listened. Now you have two deaths on your hands.”

  Though he hadn’t confirmed it, she knew he planned to kill Dylan too, unless she stopped him. As soon as the thought entered her mind, Dylan’s energy beat faster. She sent him a soothing pulse, hoping it would calm him. Now was not the time to fall apart. They needed to figure out a way to keep each other safe, defeat their adversaries, and get Layne to the hospital before he bled to death.

  “Don’t worry, little Seeker,” Raphe hissed. “I’m not going to kill your soulmate.” Heat bit at her skin when he squeezed her arm, jerking her forward. “Unfortunately, your soulmate is about to lose his.”

  Heaven wasn’t sure if she’d heard him right until she noticed an eerie grin had reclaimed his lips. Then he shifted his arm forward.

  An icy sensation consumed her, as if she’d fallen into a frozen lake. The coolness lingered across her skin, but only for a heartbeat. Then a surge of fire replaced it, building behind her navel. It spread to every nerve. She tried sucking in a breath, but none came. Only one thing did.

  Pain.

  Her eyes fell to her stomach. Dylan’s energy quaked around her a second later, but she couldn’t look back to see if he was okay. She could only stare at the knife buried inside her belly.

  CHAPTER 3

  Air combusted through Heaven’s lungs as she sucked in a deep breath. The ache inside her chest consumed her, but not as much as the pain in her stomach. She wrapped her arms around her protrusion like a protective shield, expecting to feel the cool knife buried inside. As her fingers worked over her belly, she found nothing but scorching skin.

  Her cries filled the air, choking her in the end. She struggled for another breath when warm arms wrapped around her, stilling her heaving chest.

  “It’s okay, Heaven.”

  Dylan’s voice was like the breath she’d waited for. Jolts of his energy zipped around her with every beat of his heart. While guilt pulsed within her soul for scaring him, she sensed that his fear stemmed from something other than her screams.

  The cotton sheets slid past her hips when he drew her closer to his chest. She met his eyes in the moonlight, succumbing to the wave of relief washing over her.

  Nothing about his features showed any of the distress it had earlier, which provided her with a small measure of comfort. A comfort she wasn’t sure she could trust, not after what unfolded in front of her.

  “Are you real?” Her fingertips pressed to his cheek and glided toward his jaw. “Or are we dead?” She prayed it was the former, prayed that they had somehow escaped the gruesome scene that surrounded them.

  A hint of humor played in his big brown eyes. It helped dissolve the anxiousness building in his energy. “If we’re dead, I have no complaints because we’re together. That’s all that matters.” His lips brushed her forehead then he kissed a trail down the side of her face. The heat of his breath beat against her neck when he met the space beneath her ear. “We’re not dead. Neither is the baby. It was just a dream.”

  “Thank God.” She relaxed against him as his hand cradled the skin below her navel. “It was horrible, Dylan. So horri—” The words caught in her throat. Something about his answer struck a nerve enough that she pulled away from his embrace. “How—how did you know I had a bad dream about the baby?”

  “How do you think?”

  Her eyes trailed over the bedroom as realization sank in. “Of course…” she mumbled. “We were together.”

  She should have known he’d be in the dream with her. He made an appearance almost every night. Had since they were children. While they might not consciously remember every detail, their souls did, which explained the wicked pulse coming from his.

  “What do you remember?”

  No sooner than she asked the question, the color drained from his cheeks. “I don’t want to talk about it. Like you said, it was horrible.”

  She couldn’t argue. Discussing it—hell—thinking about it made her chest tighten.

  “Relax.”

  His voice was like sunshine breaking through a mist. She held onto the feeling, allowing it to soothe her. The beat of her heart had almost steadied when another memory flashed through her mind, a memory of bloodstained lips and wide eyes.

  “Oh, God! Layne.”

  Breaking away from Dylan’s embrace, she ripped the sheets from her legs and scooted off the bed. It didn’t take long to grab her robe off the chair or slide her arms through the sleeves. She hurried toward the door, reaching for the knob when Dylan stepped in front of her.

  “Calm down, Heaven. Layne is fine. It was a nightmare. All of it.”

  “I don’t care what it was. I have to check on him.” The ache inside her stomach increased before she could continue. She pressed her hands over her navel, struggling to take another breath.

  Dylan’s hand covered hers a moment later. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know. It’s my stomach. It hurts like it did when Raphe—”

  She blew out the breath she held.

  “Hey.” The soft sound of his voice swirled around her, forcing her to take ano
ther breath. “He wasn’t real.”

  As he leaned against the door, he pulled her closer. The coarseness of his fingers left a warm, tingling path across her abdomen. He stopped at the side, stretching them out until his hand covered the last place the baby kicked.

  “Your belly is hard. Are you having a contraction?”

  “Maybe.”

  She hadn’t considered the possibility, and it would explain the ache spreading through her body. Calming down would be the only way to ease the contraction, unless she wanted to deliver twelve weeks before her due date.

  Of course, with the amount of stress she’d been dealing with, preterm labor wouldn’t be a shocking surprise. Unwanted, yes, but not shocking. Worrying about Layne didn’t help. The logical part of her knew that, but it didn’t change the urge within her soul.

  “Please, Dylan. Let me check on him.” She met her husband’s weary gaze as she placed her hand atop his. “I won’t be able to go back to sleep if I don’t.”

  “He’s a grown man, Heaven.”

  “I know that, but I feel responsible for him. He wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me.”

  A quiver of jealousy wavered in their connection, filling her with guilt. The reality of their situation didn’t differ much from the dream. He still resented Layne for kissing her, probably would for a long time. She couldn’t hold it against him. Had Chelsea kissed him…

  “I’m sorry,” he sighed, leaning his head against hers. “I don’t want to feel like this. I sure as hell don’t like you feeling this with me, but I—”

  “Don’t,” she whispered, pressing her finger to his lips. “Don’t ever apologize for loving me or for any other emotion that stems from that. I would feel the same as you, if the roles were reversed.”

  “No you wouldn’t, because you’re pure of heart. You love unconditionally. I’m just a jealous jerk.”

  “You’re not a jealous jerk. You’re just a man trying to protect what he loves.” He tried to look away, but she pressed her hands to his face, holding it in place. “Nothing will ever change the way I feel about you. We can work through this.”