What the Heart Desires

  His cries forced her to cover her ears, but she kept her eyes on Layne. Six Benders remained in the middle of the room, locked and loaded. Yet none of them proceeded. It was as if they were waiting to ambush him at once…

  The thought had little time to sink in, and by the time it did, it was too late. All six moved forward. The one with energy like Layne’s balanced a sphere in his hand. It resembled the orbs Layne projected, but instead of dancing flames, it seemed to flow like liquid. It wasn’t until he hurled it at her Keeper that she realized it was lava.

  She braced herself, fearing what the heated liquid would do to Layne’s skin, but the sphere disappeared into the trail of fire shooting from his hands.

  Another Bender rolled his hand forward as an unseen force rippled through the room. It knocked her back into the wall, but Layne remained on his feet. He aimed one hand toward the concrete floor. A line of fire blazed outward, helping to support him. The other hand extended in front of his chest, deflecting the invisible force with his flames.

  He would have been okay had it not been for another metal bar spinning toward his face. A crack echoed off the walls. Layne’s head twisted to the side as blood spewed from his mouth. The flames inside both hands began to flicker. They didn’t go out, but their decreased intensity gave his opponents the advantage they needed.

  Another bar rushed toward Layne, each revolution sent energy pulsing around them. It connected with his knee, taking him down to the other. He thrust his hand forward toward the metal bender, but the lava bender stepped in his way. The flames engulfed him a moment later.

  Layne pushed himself from the floor, back to his feet. The ground rumbled beneath them, knocking him off balance before he could find his next victim. More glass flew his way. A few pieces darted through his hair before hitting the floor. Where the rest went, she wasn’t sure, but Layne groaned.

  The Benders drew closer. One tried to bypass him and make his way toward her. The instant he reached Layne’s side, his clothes burst into flames. He shot around the room in a frenzy, shedding his clothes.

  His crazed state did little to affect the other four Benders’ assault on Layne. They circled him, each taking turns to inflict him with their abilities. He knocked a few away with fire-filled orbs, but the multiple attacks were too much.

  Glass rained. Currents jolted him. Metal bars swung. Bones cracked…

  Heaven caught sight of his flames when they flared every so often. They weren’t as consuming as they once were. It sent her into a panic. This couldn’t be happening. Layne couldn’t be putting his life on the line for her. If something didn’t give…

  The air around them stalled. She stared at the group gathered around her Keeper as each stepped back. Their yielding didn’t ease her mind. It crushed her heart.

  Layne hovered above the ground, eyes struggling to stay open. The broad-shouldered Gravity Bender stood in front of her Keeper. His arm extended toward Layne, as if he had him by the throat, lifting him. The rapid beat of his energy proved his abilities were in overdrive. He spun Layne around until his back was facing her. Then he lifted him high above the ground.

  Suddenly, Layne’s body jerked backward. He sailed through the air, smacked the concrete floor, and slid a foot away. The Bender’s lips crooked. He glared at Layne and then at her, but she ignored his sneer and fell to her Keeper’s side.

  Air rattled in Layne’s chest with every labored breath. Scrapes covered his face where the glass had cut him. The light above lit up the tiny pieces still in his skin. A gash lined his cheek. It swelled around the highest point of the bone, extending to his eyes. The surrounding skin was purple. Blood oozed from the wound.

  He worked his lips together but hissed in pain instead.

  Movement in her peripheral served as a reminder that the remaining Benders were approaching. She focused on her Keeper harder, willing him to keep fighting. “Layne…” His eyes fluttered open as he met her gaze. “Concentrate on our bond and the fire within it.”

  He lifted a shaky hand from his side and reached for hers. When their fingers laced, their flame formed. It spread from their palms, flaring out and then up, until it covered their hands. And just as energy surged from the approaching group, she thrust their hands forward, hurling the flame toward the Benders.

  One amalgamated cry erupted as the flames consumed every Bender before them. They disintegrated to ash. Tiny specks floated toward the ground and settled, but they scattered again. The door began to rattle in its frame. Nate peered at the ash and then her and Layne.

  “Enjoy each breath you take. They’ll be your last, because when I return in the morning, I’ll have three times as many Benders with me.”

  “Then we’ll destroy three times as many as we did today.”

  Her response angered him, but not cowering to his threats pissed him off more than anything. He disappeared from the door. Each heavy step he made spoke of his anger. The further he walked, the less she sensed him.

  When it faded completely, she looked down at her Keeper. His soul tugged hers as she pulled him into her lap. He didn’t object, but his face pinched when she moved him. A groan followed, and then his labored breaths continued.

  “Layne?” She reached for his face but hesitated when she saw the gash on his cheek. “Please, open your eyes.”

  His brow creased, jaw flinched. He worked his lips together as he stared at her, struggling for words as much as air.

  “Heaven…”

  “Shhh,” she whispered, brushing his hair from his face. “Don’t try to talk. Just stay with me. Stay awake.”

  He tried to shake his head, but winced instead. The pulse of his energy slowed to a speed she didn’t recognize. Since the day she first sensed his energy, it kept a fast-paced rhythm. The only time it decreased was after the attack in Cleveland. Since then, it increased in intensity—even frequency—until now.

  As his lashes fluttered, she shook his arm. “Don’t do this to me, Layne. Don’t you dare die on me.”

  “You’ll be…fine.”

  His breathing labored as he spoke, a clear indication that he wasn’t getting the air he needed. She did her best not to stress over the sound or how each breath he inhaled made his chest rattle more. Instead, she concentrated on their bond, on the passion vibrating in it and the emotions fueling his passion.

  “How can you say I’ll be fine? Nate’s not dead, which means my life is still in danger. You can’t die, Layne. I need you.”

  “Dylan will…find you. He’ll…find you.”

  She fought back tears. The fire that drove him to protect her decreased further, and the reality of what it meant was too much to handle. Layne didn’t have a reason to hang on, short of keeping her safe, but it didn’t give him much of a life in return. She didn’t blame him for not wanting to fight for something that gave him nothing in the end.

  “Layne, do you remember anything we discussed before Raphe showed up?”

  He blinked as the beat of his heart kicked up a notch. “Yes, but…none of that…matters, now.”

  The weight of his words stole her breath. Her bottom slid from the heels of her feet to the concrete floor. It jostled his body in the process, causing his face to pinch again. She waited until he relaxed before she spoke.

  “It may not matter to you, but it matters to me.” She curled her fingers around his jaw, just below his ear. “You matter to me. I can’t lose you.”

  His fingers twitched beneath her arm. He wrapped them above her elbow and squeezed. “I did what…what I was created to do…” He drew in a series of shallow breaths. The fire in his eyes reduced to an ember that would soon fade. “I saved you.”

  Her voice was too shaky to speak, so she didn’t. She swept her hands over his body, assessing him as best as she could. There was so much damage—damage she didn’t want to admit he had, like broken bones, a punctured lung, internal bleeding…

  The list went on, each ailment weakening him by the second. The fact that he was conscious w
as a miracle. Few people, ordinary and Psi, could withstand the abuse the Benders inflicted upon him. Maybe if she concentrated hard enough, she could heal him. She did it before when he suffered the arrow wound. She even healed him earlier when he fractured his wrist.

  Holding on to the thought, she focused on the fire within him. She hesitated on the injuries causing most of his pain. The blood from his side had seeped through her dress, but she ignored it. She worked her hand under his shirt on the opposite side, to the crack in his ribs. The heat of his energy collected in the same spot, making her hand warm in the process.

  Layne began to cough. Blood splattered across his lips as his chest seized. She started to ease her hands away until she noticed his breathing improve.

  Once his coughing subsided, he looked up at her. “What are you doing to me?”

  The fact that he was able to ask the question without pausing for air gave her a spark of hope. “I’m trying to heal you. I’ve done it twice. I can do it again.”

  “Heaven—”

  “Shh. Don’t talk. Just relax and let me help you.”

  His attention shifted toward the ceiling. Even though his breathing had improved, his energy continued to weaken. She wasn’t sure what it meant, or if she was really helping him, but she refused to stop.

  “You’re wasting your time on me. You need to conserve it and find a way out of here.”

  “I’m not leaving you here to die. I can’t.”

  “Heaven, you have—”

  She placed her finger to his lips, careful not to touch the cut at the corner of his mouth. When his protesting stalled, she swiped away the blood that splattered, removing it. Then she leaned closer. “Don’t you realize what losing you would do to me?”

  “You’ll be fine. I promise.”

  “No, I won’t.” A tear rolled down her cheek, leaving a wet trail behind. “I won’t be okay. My heart will break, Layne. My heart will break because I love you.”

  The silence that followed didn’t last long. As his eyes left the ceiling and returned to hers, he chuckled. It was the last reaction she expected, and one she didn’t prefer. Not after what she just told him. Each second they stared at each other made her gut twist tighter.

  “It’s a lousy time to show your sense of humor.”

  “Sorry.” He grunted the word, stifling his laughter. “I can’t help it. When I hear something funny, I have to laugh.”

  “I didn’t say anything funny.”

  “Yeah, you did.” His humor faded. “You said you loved me.”

  The surrounding walls seemed to close around them as the ache in her heart deepened. Did he honestly think she’d joke about something like this?

  “I can’t believe you think—”

  The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. This was his attempt to push her away, as usual, but she wouldn’t let him do it this time. Not after what they’d endured. Not when he lay in her arms, fighting to stay alive.

  “I do love you. You’re my friend—my Keeper. I owe you my life. And if you lose yours saving mine, I’ll never get over it. I’ll never forgive myself for not telling you—”

  “Heaven…” His lips parted to say more, but the words wouldn’t come, only an exaggerated sigh.

  “Listen to me. I’m telling you the truth. Losing you would break my heart. It would be the most painful thing next to losing Dylan or Adalyn.”

  He choked at her response. “And you prove my point. You’ll get over my death because you’ll still have your soulmate and daughter. You love Dylan, not me.”

  “Layne…”

  Her throat constricted. He was right. She did love Dylan, but the thought of losing him… It was too much. She was torn. The seams of love that wove her soul together ripped apart. Ignoring her feelings wouldn’t make them go away. And if this was her last chance to tell him… He deserved the truth.

  “I do love you.”

  “No, you don’t.” His voice deepened as he cupped her cheek. “Not the way I love you.”

  The warmth of his hand lingered on her face. She knew he cared deeply for her. He’d told her more than once. Yet hearing him admit it was love made her breath catch. She tried to respond, but he spoke first.

  “That’s what I was going to tell you, before Raphe showed up. I’m in love with you, Heaven. I’ve always been in love with you.”

  “Then fight to live.” She lifted her arms, bringing his face closer to hers. “Fight to spend another day with me. Please.”

  His fire kept fading. “You’re better off without me. I complicate your life, and you complicate my heart.”

  Another tear slid down her face. She fought to keep her lips from trembling, but they did anyway. “Our history states that God chooses who we fall in love with the day he creates us. I don’t know why he created you to love me so fiercely. I don’t know why he chose Dylan as my soulmate and not you. It’s not for me to question, no matter how much I do. But there’s one thing I believe, Layne. If things had been different…” She stroked the skin under the gash on his cheek. “If God had chosen someone else …he would have chosen you.”

  The warmth of his lips radiated to hers when they brushed together. She didn’t press any harder, but she couldn’t pull away. As his breath beat against her face, she held him tighter.

  Fighting the urge to deepen the kiss, she eased back. His eyes remained locked with hers, even though they grew heavier. “I wish he had chosen differently.” He whispered. Then his eyes shut. “Because I gave you my heart anyway.”

  Everything grew quiet. The fire within him waned, but the ache in her heart strengthened. She gripped his shoulder and shook him. “Layne?” When he didn’t respond, she shook him harder. “Layne, please answer me.”

  Silence continued to fill the room. The void it created spoke of things she didn’t want to consider, things she refused to consider. He wasn’t gone. The fire in his soul still burned, but the flame dwindled faster.

  “God, no… Please, God, no.” She choked on the words. Acid rose in her throat. This wasn’t possible. Layne couldn’t be dying. He just couldn’t… “Please, God. Please save him. I’ll do anything.”

  The thin strand of hope holding her heart together snapped. Her facial muscles trembled. Lips quivered. Chest heaved. Then wails filled the room. One by one, they ripped from her chest. She gripped Layne’s body, cradling him close.

  The mind-numbing pain left her empty. At the same time, it was like a weight had been tied to her heart and thrown into a bottomless pit. She was sinking right along with it.

  Her cries caught in her throat. No other sound came out, regardless of her gaping mouth. No breath filled her lungs. Pain consumed her, debilitating pain that crippled her body. Then the fire in Layne’s energy flickered out.

  CHAPTER 14

  The casing around Dylan’s phone creaked the more he squeezed it. He stared at the screen, willing a call to bring it to life. The tenth chime of the Grandfather clock rang before falling silent. It did little to ease the horrific thoughts rolling through his mind.

  Three hours with no word from Heaven or Layne kept his gut twisting. Adalyn wasn’t helping. Every minute she blocked his connection with Heaven increased his stress. She only did so when Heaven was upset.

  The thought made his heart thump harder, the crescendo deafening him to all other sounds. He gazed toward the doorway, and then the chair. His mom occupied the seat, but he wasn’t looking at her as much as the bundle in her arms. Adalyn’s eyes remained closed. Her breathing was normal, but her energy level continued rising. Whatever she sensed about her mother, she worked hard to keep him from feeling it.

  Anna came into view when her cell chimed. She sat on the couch across from his mom, cradling her phone in her hands. Her thumbs tapped the screen, then she scanned whatever text came through. A few seconds later, she placed the phone in her lap and found Nicholas.

  “Hope said the doctor came to check on Faith. She’s dilated to five. He thinks she’ll de
liver sometime tonight or early morning. There’s been no word from Heaven.”

  Nicholas didn’t respond. He nodded and turned from the fireplace to the bay window. The weary expression on his face spoke of his concern for his children. One daughter was about to deliver his second grandchild. The other was missing.

  No. She isn’t missing. She’s fine… She’s okay.

  He refused to think otherwise. She and Layne were together. His friend would keep her safe. He would protect her until help arrived. It wouldn’t be long before Isaac, Spencer, and Mason returned from combing the estate and surrounding woods. Then they would break off into groups and search the nearby towns.

  Heaven would be home tonight. He’d make sure of it. Anything less was unacceptable.

  A whimper drew his attention back to his daughter. Her lips puckered. Another soft cry drifted through the room. Then her face pinched.

  “Is she okay, Dylan?”

  He met his mother’s questioning gaze before concentrating on his daughter. Her heartbeat had increased since the last time he’d checked. Anxiety ruled her emotions.

  “I don’t know, Mom. I think she’s sensing something about Heaven.”

  His mother swayed her arms with gentle rocking motions. She patted Adalyn’s bottom, doing her best to soothe her. “Could she be hungry? It’s been a while since she nursed.”

  “She hasn’t nursed through the night since we came back. After Heaven feeds her in the evening, she doesn’t nurse again until six in the morning. Whatever she’s sensing about her mother has her worried.”

  As soon as he stood, the cell phone in his back pocket vibrated. A chime accompanied the vibration. He dug his fingers between the denim walls surrounding his phone and brought it to his chest. The text bubble disappeared before he could read the message, but one swipe of his finger brought the home screen to life. He tapped the text app, praying it was something from Heaven.

  Instead of seeing a phone number, the word Blocked appeared on the screen. He hated that word, hated the way it made his throat constrict each time he reread it. Guess Adalyn wasn’t the only one trying to keep information from him.