What the Heart Desires

  His head jerked back. “You know I’m crazy about you.”

  If he wanted her to be honest, he would have to do the same, which meant this conversation would soon end. The thought gave her the courage to push off the tree. The sudden movement made him step back, but not far. He still wanted an answer from her, and he’d get one, just as soon as she got hers.

  “That phrase tells me nothing. What emotion drives you to this insanity? What do you really feel for me? Infatuation? Lust? Love?”

  “I’m not capable of love.” The words shot from his mouth as he jabbed his finger in his chest.

  She didn’t believe him or the lie. It was a defense mechanism he used to protect his heart. Other people might buy into his lies, but she wasn’t some other person. She was his Seeker, and she wanted the truth.

  “Well, if you’re not capable of love, I’ll assume that it’s lust.”

  “No! You mean more to me than that.” He ignored the space she’d placed between them and backed her into the tree. “I’ve slept with my share of women, Heaven, but none of them meant anything to me. They were a bunch of whores who wanted to be fucked, and I gave them what they wanted. But you…” He trailed his eyes down her body, unable to finish his explanation.

  “What about me?”

  The quiver in his lips spread to his voice when he looked up. “I’ve never ached for a woman. Never had to. And then you came along. Now I have a need inside me that I can’t satisfy. Fucking always satisfied me before, but I don’t want to fuck you, Heaven. I want to touch your body”—his hand slid to her hip—“and caress your skin”—he cupped her face with his other hand, thumbing over her cheek—“and kiss your lips.” The heat of his mouth rushed across hers, teasing her until she parted her lips. Then he pulled away. “I want to affect your heart, your body, and your soul the way you affect mine. That’s not lust.”

  “I know. It’s love.”

  He held her gaze. His mouth worked, though no words spilled out. Curiosity burned within him, curiosity over what she said, what she felt, what he felt.

  “Love.” He scoffed at the word and dropped his hands to his sides. “Why would you think it was love?”

  “Because it’s not like anything you’ve ever felt. How do you know it’s not love if you’ve never loved anyone?” The air around them grew hotter as she waited for him to answer, but he shrugged instead. “Okay, let me ask you this. What were you going to tell me right before Chelsea and Brooke showed up?”

  “What do you mean?”

  She gripped the tree, her patience wearing thinner by the second. “Before we came downstairs, you admitted that your dad told you something about how you were supposed to feel. Then the doorbell rang. Tell me what you were going to say.”

  The way his energy quaked said the answer she wanted was at the tip of his tongue. Yet he hadn’t found the courage he needed to say it. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “Bullshit. You know I sense your emotions. Stop lying.”

  As he turned away again, she gripped his shirt, tugging it until it ripped. He glanced down at the tear, and then at her. The heat of his hand wrapped around her wrist as he yanked it from his shirt. But instead of casting it aside, he used it to draw her against him.

  “He said there’s a Keeper’s curse. If a Keeper isn’t a fortunate mate of his Seeker, he’s destined to fall in love with her anyway. But he’s wrong. I’m too selfish to love anyone. Why can’t you realize that? Why can’t anyone?”

  “Because it’s a lie.” She jerked her hand as hard as she could, breaking his hold on her. Then she jabbed a finger into his chest. “Don’t deny the truth.”

  “Fine! I won’t deny it anymore. I can’t.”

  “Then tell me, Layne. Tell me what you can’t deny?”

  “You, Heaven. I can’t deny you, can’t deny the way you twist me inside and out.” He drew in a deep breath, leaving her with an opportunity for a comeback, but nothing came to mind. She stood there, speechless, waiting for him to continue. And he tried. “I think… I think I’m falling in—”

  The pain in his face faded. All the fire consuming their bodies did the same, and as it did, his eyes fluttered shut. Then he fell to the ground. In his place stood a row of men. Their faces were more than familiar. They were a nightmare come true.

  “And we meet again, Miss Lewis—I mean—Mrs. McBride.” The man stared at Layne’s crumpled body and then glanced up. “Or are you wishing you were Mrs. Perry instead?”

  The smirk on Raphe’s lips chilled her to the bone. One of his goons approached his side and waved his hand in a half circle. She barely had time to notice his bald head before her lids fluttered shut. Then her heartbeat slowed.

  A moment later, darkness encompassed her.

  CHAPTER 12

  The sound of crickets chirping in the distance pulled Heaven from the black abyss entrapping her. The heaviness in her face made opening her eyes difficult. She put forth the effort anyway, not surprised in the least when her lids wouldn’t cooperate.

  She drew in a deep breath, desperate to keep herself calm. The cool air caused a tickle in her chest that led into a round of coughing. Each breath scratched her lungs, as if she’d stuck her nose into a pile of sand and inhaled as hard as she could.

  Her parched throat didn’t help matters. She ran her tongue across her lips, but it was like licking a cotton ball, only not as fuzzy. They had a salty taste about them that helped produce enough saliva to relieve the dryness in her mouth.

  Challenging her lungs for more air, she drew in another breath, careful not to take much. The earthy scent it contained reminded her of the woods. Come to think of it, she had been in the woods this evening. Something about her surroundings said she wasn’t anymore. The hard surface beneath her side made the thought more convincing.

  Desperate to figure out where she was, she worked against the grogginess in her mind and fluttered her eyes again. She fought to keep them open as she studied the scenery around her. Where she expected to find trees of all shapes and sizes, she found brick walls and a long, fluorescent light on the ceiling. The bulb flickered every so often, the hum of electricity just audible enough for her to notice.

  A low thrum of energy came from behind her. The heat within it warmed her cool skin, reminding her that she wasn’t alone. Only one person radiated with that type of heat. The thought had her rolling over to her back, pressing it to the floor. A window came into view. Its black iron bars taunted her, mocking her lack of freedom, but she refused to give in to the fear it inspired. Instead, she faced the unconscious body lying beside her.

  Seeing Layne’s face made the tightness in her chest ease. As long as they were together, they had a fighting chance. Layne’s abilities would be twice as powerful. They would need those abilities soon because the one thing she did know was who was responsible for bringing them here.

  Raphe.

  Fear shot through every muscle in her body. She flinched at the memories flooding her mind, memories of Layne passing out. His body fell into a crumpled pile at her feet while Raphe and his men stood in wait. Triumph vibrated from her enemy.

  One of his men was responsible for the darkness they’d succumbed to. What she couldn’t remember is how they’d gone from the woods to here, wherever here was.

  Layne began to stir beside her. He struggled to wake the same way she had. Perhaps whatever power the man used on them had a side effect much like a drug. She’d experienced this sensation before, when Mick drugged her.

  His face pinched a few seconds before the muscles in his face relaxed. He lay so still, she wondered if he’d lost consciousness again. Panic ensued. She reached forward, ready to shake him, but his eyes flew open before she could. They landed below her waist, slowly working their way to her face. Once they locked with hers, she sensed his energy ripple.

  The emotions spinning within him left her breathless. Anger pulsed right along with fear. Both were good indicators that he remembered what had happened. At lea
st she was sure he remembered what they were discussing before he blacked out. They were the same emotions raging through him during their earlier conversation. She tried to remember the last thing he said, but her thoughts were jumbled. A lot of things were.

  As she gazed down at the floor, a dull ache formed between her breasts. Though the pain was minimal, she couldn’t shake the thought that he’d caused it. Whatever he’d said, it changed something between them. She was desperate to be close to him, to seek solace in his embrace.

  His upper body shot up to a sitting position. Defensive vibes built around her. Each one radiated through the air as he glared around the room, like he expected someone to be there. When he found they were alone, the crease between his brows smoothed. His fear settled, and curiosity took control.

  Balancing his weight on his hands, he twisted his hips until he was on his knees. He leaned closer, the concern he felt for her showed in his eyes. His fingers curled inside her hair as he brushed her temple with his thumb.

  “Are you okay?”

  She nodded once before leaning her head into his palm. “I think so.”

  The tension in his shoulders faded. Relief flooded him, along with a range of other emotions he didn’t want to focus on right now. “What the hell happened? Where are we?”

  “I don’t know where we are. I woke up a few minutes before you did, but I know that Raphe’s behind this.” Anger blazed inside him as he listened to her words. “After you passed out, I saw him and his men standing a few feet away. One of them has an ability to induce unconsciousness, which is what he did to us.”

  He cursed under his breath and returned to an upright position. Then he extended his hand toward her. “Let me help you sit. I felt a little dizzy when I did, but I feel better now.” Their hands clasped, causing their energy to surge through their connection. It melded together, rejuvenating her body while he continued talking. “As soon as you’re up to it, we need to search for a way out of this place.”

  His instinct to protect her came so naturally that she doubted he noticed. She did. Passion maintained a constant beat in his heart. It ruled his aggression and his abilities. Yet the softer side of him, the side that ruled his defenses, was compassion.

  Flexing his arm, he pulled against her weight, using the other to steady her body. Warmth trickled from her head to her toes as she fought against the spin of the room. She closed her eyes to the drunken feeling. They remained shut until her mind settled and the nausea passed.

  “You okay?”

  She glanced at him and nodded as he eased his hands away. Her body wavered at first, but she placed her hands on the floor to maintain her balance. After a moment of observing her, he pushed himself to his feet, offering her his hand.

  Once she was on her feet, he moved toward the window and gripped the bars. He leaned against his weight, checking to see if they would budge, but they didn’t. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. The window wasn’t that big. Even if she managed to shimmy through, Layne wouldn’t fit, and no way in hell would she leave him.

  The door proved to be useless too. No matter how hard she turned the handle, it wouldn’t open. The tiny, rectangular window at the top didn’t reveal anything but a partial hallway and another brick wall.

  Great.

  She pressed her back against the door. A feeling of helplessness flooded her as she watched Layne peer outside. “Do you see anything?”

  “Not much. Wherever they brought us, it’s far enough away from civilization. All I see are trees and a dirt road that leads away from this place.”

  It was the last answer she wanted to hear. For all she knew, Raphe had taken them out of state, which would make finding their way home a challenge. As long as they could get back to civilization, they wouldn’t have a problem. They could make a call and…

  Make a call. Yes.

  “Layne, do you have your phone?”

  A wave of hope sprouted in her heart. Or it had, until Layne shook his head and backed away from the window. He had a calmness about him that she envied, especially with the way her insides shook.

  Turning his back to the window, Layne returned to the center of the room, taking his time to study its contents. To be so big in size, there wasn’t much to see but a filing cabinet, a chair, and an old dilapidated painting.

  The more she stared at the bare room, the more she realized how dire their situation had become. It made her heart hammer. Each thump grew so forceful that everything around her seemed to vibrate in the same rhythm. She fought to stay on her feet and reach the chair not far from where Layne stood. By the time she plopped inside, he knelt beside her.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Physically, yes, but mentally…”

  Her eyes stung from the tears welling in them. She lowered them to her lap, incapable of finishing her sentence. The thought of what they would face when Raphe returned was too much to bear, as was the thought of never seeing Dylan or Adalyn again.

  “Heaven?” The gentleness in Layne’s voice pulled at her, but she couldn’t meet his gaze. “Look at me.” His hands warmed her cheeks as he turned her face toward his. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

  “You can’t say that. You didn’t see how many men were with Raphe. There were nine of them, Layne. You can’t fight nine men.”

  A spark of disappointment flitted through him as he lowered his hands to the edge of the chair. “Of all the people in my life, you’re the only one who hasn’t doubted me. Please don’t start now.”

  “I’m not doubting you.” Her voice shook. She reached forward and caressed his cheek. “I’m being realistic.”

  “I took on two of his men with an arrow in my chest. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you out of here, Heaven. I promise.”

  She pursed her lips with a rebuttal, but the words fell short when a surge of energy crashed into her. Each hate-fueled quake stemmed from the door, where she turned her attention.

  “Someone’s here.” She whispered the words to Layne, not surprised in the least when he shot back to his feet. His fingers curled around her arm, tugging it until she stood beside him.

  Muffled footsteps sounded on the other side of the door and then disappeared. Anticipation built in her belly. Each second they stood in silence increased the horrifying images filling her mind. She focused on the vibrations in the hall, only sensing one person, but he was powerful.

  As the hinges creaked, Layne drew her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. For the first time since they’d arrived, she felt safe. Even as the door swung open, she knew he’d protect her at all cost.

  A cloaked figure entered the room. He pushed the door closed before proceeding across the floor. Once he reached the center, he removed his hood, casting his dark, beady eyes onto her. The eerie grin stretching his lips made her skin crawl, as did the familiarity of his face.

  Raphe…

  “I knew it.” He boasted the words and brought his hands together in a thunderous clap. “I knew you wanted to be Mrs. Perry. You can’t keep your hands off each other. Believe me, my men and I witnessed your lack of restraint when we transported into the woods. But don’t worry. We won’t tell.” He studied her body as well as Layne’s arms. “What a tangled web you weave, little Seeker. What would your soulmate think if he saw the two of you?”

  Layne twisted his body so that she had to peer over his shoulder to see Raphe. His energy encompassed her in a defensive rhythm. “What do you want with us?”

  “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough. But before we get to that, let me say how impressed I am with your abilities.” He and Layne exchanged glares as he stepped closer. His approach did little to intimidate her Keeper. His rigid stance said as much. “You’ve come a long way, Fire Bender. By the time I found my men in Cleveland, there were little remains to clean up. I guess I’ll get the battle I wanted after all.”

  Heaven couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Raphe had taunted Layne with similar word
s in the dream they had in Jamaica. Only it hadn’t been a real dream, not the type most people experience. According to Delia, their souls had met on the astral plane.

  If Raphe had details about the dream, had his soul been there as well, or was this part of the future Adalyn had showed them?

  The thought of him accessing her on a different plane disturbed her more than anything. If he had, then the other men had, too. For all she knew, any Psi could do the same, including Nate.

  An influx of energy swarmed around them as another man materialized beside Raphe. He glared in her direction before disappearing as quickly as he’d appeared. Five seconds later, he reappeared near the window.

  Raphe’s laughter drew her attention back in his direction. He loved tormenting them. The gleam in his eyes said as much. “You have this guy to thank for our stealthy entrance.” He tipped his head toward the other man, but kept staring at Layne. “He wanted to aid us in our mission since he has his own vendetta to settle. I’m sure you remember his brother, Stephan, don’t you, Fire Bender? After all, you’re the one who knocked him unconscious in Aruba.”

  Layne clenched his hand into a fist but didn’t respond to Raphe’s question. Guilt quaked beneath the defensive vibes he emitted. Guilt he felt over her abduction in Aruba. It didn’t matter that he knew nothing about his abilities when she was taken. He still blamed himself.

  As the memories flooded her mind, the door reopened. A line of men in dark cloaks walked inside. They formed a line against the wall behind Raphe, lowering their hoods until each face was visible. She recognized a few from the woods, but one in particular set her pulse racing—the bald-headed man. She wasn’t sure if the style was by choice or if he was trying to hide bad genetics, but it added to his eerie demeanor.

  Memories rushed back, memories that included him standing a few feet from where she stood, waving his hand in a semi-circle. She didn’t remember much after that, except the sound of her heart slowing.

  Somehow he’d rendered them unconscious. She wished she knew how, or what type of Bender it made him, because seeing him standing among the other men had her stomach flipping.