TORN: (The Fire Born Novels, Book Two)

by Laney McMann

  “He’s left you twice. He’ll leave again. Just shift.” I backed up, as the voice in my head taunted me again.

  “Layla …” He sighed. “Don’t do this.”

  Looking at him, my heart pounding, I wanted to fling myself into his arms, but I couldn’t make myself. Shift and leave. You can’t trust him anymore.

  Max bowed his head, and in a blinding blur, he ran at me and pinned my body against the brick wall at my back, holding my wrists at my sides. “You know I can hear you.” His warm breath brushed my face. “If you shift, I’ll only follow you. If you fly too high, Justice will follow you. Tell me what’s going on inside your head.”

  “I don’t—I don’t know what’s going on.” The scent of gardenias inundated my senses, and I melted against him, reveling in the warmth of his arms, the sweetness of his voice, knowing I should be arguing—listening to something in the back of my mind telling me I should leave—but all I wanted to do was be near him, to drown in him. Forget everything, all the realities, weird voices and dreams, harsh truths, and just lose myself in him.

  His steady breathing hitched and caught, and a smoldering intensity set in his gaze. Drops of water clung to his lashes and shined like tiny stars in the night. Lifting my right wrist, he brushed the Ogham with wet lips. “I didn’t mean it when I said I wished your grandmother wouldn’t have reawakened these.” He kissed my left wrist. “I love them.” Entwining his fingers with mine, he said, “We could stay up here forever, if you want.” His mouth lingered over mine, teasing me to come closer.

  “Hide away from the world?” My teeth grazed his bottom lip.

  “It’s an option.”

  “So, you’ve been checking on me every hour?” I smirked.

  He grinned and said, “Maybe not on the hour,” before he leaned in and parted my lips with his.

  Spinning together, we traversed off the rooftop.

  28

  From where we landed on the road, Max’s house looked nearly demolished. The windows were all blown out, the front door ajar, and yellow caution tape wrapped the entire property. A giant sign across the front door read ‘Condemned. Do Not Enter’.

  “Why are we here?”

  A look of disbelief marked sharp shadows over Max’s face. “I wanted to change my shirt.” He motioned to his stretched out wet collar and took a step forward, holding my hand. “I thought—with all the craziness that’s been going on—that we never had a chance to go on a date.” His eyes stayed glued toward the front door.

  “A date? You’re being stalked by the Leanaan Sidhe to return to the Underworld, and you think it’s a good time for us to go on a date?”

  He squeezed my hand. “Yeah. A date,” he repeated. “Go to a restaurant. Eat. That thing normal couples do.”

  “Well, yeah, but didn’t you hear what else I said?”

  “I heard you.” He took a step away from me. “Look at what they did to my house.” His voice was laced in anger.

  “Yeah, I know. I’ve been back here a few times. Granted, I haven’t seen it from the front.”

  He raised his eyebrows, looking at me like he was confused.

  “Once after fire and rescue, which is why it looks like a powder bomb exploded inside. And the second time with Justice.”

  “Why were you here with Justice?” The edge in his voice shocked me.

  “I wasn’t with him. We were searching for you. I told you that before. We looked for days. Through the Faerie Realm, through the Shadow Wood. And I kind of blacked out, so Justice brought me here. He thought it was better than going to my Grandmother because she’d have freaked out.”

  His shoulders relaxed a little. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t … I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  He kissed my temple. “Yes, I did, but I shouldn’t have.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have, not unless you want to talk about Ana some more.”

  He grinned in a sheepish way. “So, you’re still mad, then?”

  “I haven’t decided.”

  He ducked underneath the yellow caution tape, pulling me behind him.

  “I don’t understand how the bedroom looks normal.” He pointed up the staircase. “And the rest of the house looks like this?”

  “So, you figured out your room is still intact?” I said.

  “Where do you think I’ve been staying?”

  “I was wondering …”

  “Come on.” He tugged me toward the stairs. “I can’t stand to look at it like this. My grandmother is going to lose it when she sees.” He froze halfway up the staircase, gripping my hand. “What the hell is that?”

  Following Max’s stare, my gaze found Agrona, who hung upside from the ceiling, her lopsided grin growing wide. She was in the same spot I’d seen her in the first time we’d met.

  “Two Fire Born. A treat—a treat.” She scurried across the ceiling and landed on all fours near the staircase banister.

  Max yanked me back.

  “It’s okay, Max. This is … Agrona. Your … gatekeeper.”

  “My … what?” His hand tightened around mine, and he pulled me directly behind him.

  “Found your counterpart, did you?” Agrona glanced at me. “My help worked.” Her grin widened as her eyes roamed toward Max. “Broke free of your bonds? Out on your own again? Away from the shadows?” She snickered.

  “I don’t have any bonds.” Max’s posture stiffened.

  “Oh, but you do.” Agrona scurried toward the couch. “Maybe he does not know. Strong, this one, if he does not. Why wouldn’t he be strong? Silly thing to say. Of course he is strong. You know who he is.”

  “Why are you in my house?” Max took a cautious step down the stairs.

  Agrona looked up, seeming to halt the argument with herself. “A gatekeeper, you needed, as your Twin Soul said. I keep the boundaries safe. No one will enter.” She smiled her proud, blackened-toothed grin. “The Prince of Shadows’ home, I will protect.” She bowed again.

  Max glanced at me, eyebrows raised.

  “Your Grandmother sent her,” I said.

  “My Grandmother sent her?” He thrust his hand out toward where the half arachnid-half human woman sat dressed in threadbare rags on his burned-up couch. “You’re serious?” He half laughed. “Well … okay.” Throwing his hand up in the air, he spun toward the staircase landing, tugging me behind him mid-step. “Thank you, Agrona, for … watching my house,” he said in that formal, considerate way he used with adults. “I’ve seen a lot …” He closed the bedroom door behind us. “… but that was weird. What did she mean, she helped you?” Heading toward his dresser, he pulled out a dry T-shirt.

  I shrugged and averted my eyes from his bare chest, scratching a discolored spot on my arm. “I don’t know. Justice thinks she’s nuts. Oh, god—”

  “What?”

  “She’s a Bean Si.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me?” Max’s tone went up by two octaves.

  “He isn’t one of us. It’s all an act. Don’t you know?” The same voice rose in my thoughts.

  “So, what you’re trying to say is we’re both dead.” He chuckled to himself and pulled on the clean shirt. “Dead-er. Obviously, that’s just some old wives tale. Do you need a dry shirt? You can wear one of mine.” He gave a cute smile, and I thought I shook my head no, as he continued saying something, but I wasn’t sure and I couldn’t understand the rest of his words. His warm hand wrapped over mine, and he marched us to the bedroom balcony, opening the French doors. Picking me up with one arm, he swung us both over the railing and onto the beach in the sand. “I mean, Justice saw her, too,” I thought I heard him say. “And he’s still walking around.”

  “It isn’t real love. He didn’t tell you that, did he? So many lies.”

  Max froze. “What did you just say?”

  “I …” I thought I shrugged, but I wasn’t sure, and I couldn’t see him anymore. Couldn’t see anything.

  “Layla?” He squeezed m
y hand, and I fell against him.

  29

  Max

  The warmth of Layla’s body pressed into mine, the steady beat of her heart humming against my chest, her breath coming out slow and even on my neck. Her arms were snug around my waist, but her weight sagged against me, as if her knees had given out.

  “Lay?”

  Holding her tight, I moved us back up onto the balcony and carried her into the bedroom, lying her down on the bed, surprised by how tired she must have been to just fall asleep like that. Benny had said she wasn’t feeling well, though, and Justice told me something like that, too. With everything that had been happening, neither of us had been.

  I pressed my knees into the bend of her own and swept the hair from her face, resting my hand over her hip, watching her. She felt slight, as if she’d lost weight, and her body was cool under my palm. Pulling the comforter up, I wondered if the ocean breeze was giving her chills.

  A few of my bedroom windows were shattered, so the cool sea air blew into the room. Other than that, the space remained almost untouched.

  I’d glanced at the downstairs once or twice in the dark when I’d first come, the night I’d left Layla, but I couldn’t see much, and I didn’t really want to. Instead, I’d kept to the upstairs.

  Layla rolled over, stirring in her sleep, and threw her arms around my neck, pulling me close. I kissed her eyelids, and her forehead wrinkled into a scowl. She murmured something I didn’t understand, and shifted onto her back, mangling the comforter between her legs, fists clenching under white knuckles.

  Pushing up onto my elbow, I rested my hand over her forehead. She was cool, but her hair was matted to her temples. Little loose curls clung to her neck, as if she was burning up. I shook her slightly, and her breath caught, eyes opening, as her gaze roved around the bedroom.

  “Hey.” Sweeping my fingers over her cheek, I found it impossible not to touch her, and noticed dark smudges under her eyes. “You just fell asleep. You feel okay?”

  She glanced around again, breathing hard, and without warning, she launched herself into my arms, knocking me backward against the pillows. Her whole body entangled around mine like a thrown cast net. She was on top of me, her legs straddling my waist, heat pouring off her body. Her mouth parted my lips, hard and hungry.

  I kissed her back, slightly stunned. Her hands slipped underneath my shirt, fingers moved over my chest, down my stomach, toward the waist of my jeans, and to my belt. I stopped breathing altogether. “Lay … what are you doing?”

  With a wicked grin, she said, “Don’t you want me to?”

  “I do. You know I do, but—” Breathing hard, I looked up at her. An odd flash passed over her eyes before her hands trailed back across my stomach, up to my chest, and she pulled my shirt over my head. Leaning down, her long hair curtained my face, and she pressed her hips against mine, her mouth tugging on my bottom lip. Moaning with defeat, my palms moved up her bare thighs and over her hips. A shudder shook her body, and chill bumps rose on her skin.

  “No lightning?” She grinned and grazed my jaw with her teeth. “You can touch me now,” she whispered, her mouth hovering over mine, taunting me. “And I can touch you, too.”

  I tried to understand what she meant, but with her kissing me the way she was, there was no hope. Stroking the soft skin of her back, I ran my fingers underneath the fabric of her bra strap, but stopped short, pulling my hand away.

  She sat up in my lap and held my hand in hers. Moving it underneath her shirt and across the bare skin of her stomach, her eyes glimmered like firelight. “Go ahead.”

  My heart hammered, fingers brushing her soft skin, as she lifted her shirt over her head. My breath seized up in my throat. Glancing over every part of her body, I said, “We won’t be able to stop. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You’re not paying attention.” She leaned down and kissed me again, the warm, bare skin of her chest rubbing against mine.

  A moan escaped my throat, and I wrapped my hands around her hips, shifted my weight, and rolled on top of her. “I’m paying attention.”

  The corner of her mouth lifted in a sinful grin. “You can touch me now, and nothing bad happens. Nothing shakes.”

  Heart pounding through my chest, I finally realized what she meant. “That might not be such a good thing.”

  She pulled me down to her and kissed me again, long and deep.

  Will you stop tempting me, please? It’s hard enough without you doing that.”

  She licked my neck.

  “God, Layla. This is the definition of tempting.” My hands wandered her body, as I swept kisses down her throat. Her back arched, breath released in a gasp, and her eyes widened in alarm, rolling upward. “Layla?” The Oghams on her shoulders slithered and moved.

  Danger.

  I pushed up and glanced down at my wrists. Although hot, my Oghams looked no worse than they had, but Layla’s continued to twist.

  Sweat beaded across her forehead, her hands slipped from around my neck and fell to her sides. Rolling back over, I carried her with me so she sat in my lap again.

  “Layla?” I touched her cheek, holding her head upright in my palm.

  “Mm-hmm?” The tone of her voice was like a little girl’s, reminding me of when she was around seven years old. Her head lolled to the side before it snapped back up, and her eyes opened, stare locked onto mine.

  Fear washed her face white, and her body stiffened. Like a wooden board. She bounded away from me as quickly as she’d come, pulling her knees to her chest in a huddle across the bed.

  “What are you doing here?” Her eyes narrowed under heavy, darkened lids, hiding the green.

  “I …” My words wouldn’t come out. “What … We’re at my house. You jumped into my arms a few minutes ago …”

  Her eyes glazed over. “I had … a bad dream.”

  “What do you mean, you had a bad dream? You were just kissing me.”

  She shrugged, an evil smirk hinting at the edge of her mouth. “I’ve been having dreams again. Nightmares. Aren’t you violating some Fomore rule? Putting me in danger?” Her eyes grew deep dark green. “What are you doing here?”

  “I— What the hell are you talking about? We came here together. This is my house. Why are you being so mean?”

  “You left me a note. A note.” She growled it, staring at me like a wild animal that might attack if I moved the wrong way.

  I groaned. “I deserved that.”

  She started to stand, but I moved and held her in place.

  “Tell me what you were you dreaming about.”

  “You.” She held my gaze.

  “You said it was nightmare … you’re having nightmares about me?”

  She nodded, as if she was far away and I couldn’t quite reach her.

  “Can you tell me what’s happening in them?”

  She took a breath, seeming too exhausted to even sit up straight. “How do I know … it’s really you? Right now.” Her voice slurred. “I could be dreaming … and I might not even know it.”

  “What … you’re awake—talking to me.”

  She shrugged. “May—be.”

  “Layla, you’re kind of freaking me out.”

  Her eyes rolled up again, only the whites showing, before she blinked, her usual bright green shining back at me. She blinked again. Her breath sped, as she stared, and a flood of tears fell down her cheeks. “Are you …” Her voice hitched. “Am I …. Why are we here?”

  “Huh? What the hell is going on with you?”

  Her forehead knitted into a scowl. She glanced at me, toward my bare chest, my shirt on the floor next to hers, and down toward her bra. “What’s going on?” She put an arm over her chest.

  “That’s what I’d like to know!” I sprang to my feet.

  “Did we …?” Her eyes widened, and she glanced toward the mess of blankets and pillows.

  “You don’t remember?”

  “We didn’t … did we?”

  “
No! But, damn, Layla. What the hell?”

  “What? I thought we were getting something to eat.”

  “You passed out! Then you jumped into my arms and basically attacked me. You … grr … tell me what’s going on!”

  “Nothing’s going on! Why are you yelling at me? I haven’t been feeling good. Benny thinks I’m coming down with something!” She pounced to her feet off the bed, fists clenched.

  “You think I can’t hear all those crazy, whacked out thoughts you’ve been having? I can hear you. Clearly. And I don’t like it.”

  She stared at me with a bewildered expression, and for the first time since I’d known her, she looked … lost.

  I exhaled, unable to stop myself from staring at her. At how beautiful she was, standing there in nothing but her light blue bra with little white flowers around the edges, and her shorts, sitting low on her bare hips. It was the first time I’d ever seen her without her shirt on, and all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her and protect her.

  Taking a deep breath, I surrendered. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to argue.” I picked her shirt up off the floor and handed it to her. “Maybe this is some reaction to your Oghams. I’ll ask my grandmother. I don’t know how it works when they’ve been dormant. I’m sure it takes time for your system to adjust.” Hopefully. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

  30

  Layla

  Crickets and frogs cried out a roaring nighttime chorus, as Max and I left his house. The full moon overhead shed streaks of white light across the road, lending the feeling of twilight hours. With my hand gripped tight in Max’s, we cleared the end of his street and continued down the sidewalk on US-1, skirting clumps of dry sea grasses growing up through the cracks in the concrete. The stiff ocean breeze blew sand so hard it stung the backs of my legs.