by Crymsyn Hart
“Do you remember any of it?” A few of the candle flames flickered. Hours had passed, because they were barely nothing more than nubs and some of them had already burned out. The wax on the marble had dried in thick, multi-colored pools.
“Yeah. I do. It’s kinda fuzzy, like looking through a magnifying glass or something. I saw them. Right now I need some aspirin.” Wyeth got up slowly and headed out of the ballroom.
Savanna blew out the remaining candles. As she did, she thought about what Kestrel had said. It would take a great event for him to come back together, and it had to be his choice. The way he was going now, she doubted he would smoosh himself back together willingly. Kestrel hadn’t told her before that she had to be there in order for the gateway to open and Drake to pass through it. Maybe she had always assumed Savanna was going to accompany Drake.
“Savanna.” Wyeth came back into the ballroom out of breath.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You need to come and see this.” He motioned for her to follow him. They raced through the house and out into the yard. Savanna saw flames reaching over the top of the trees as if the fire tried to singe the sky.
“Holy shit! That’s my neighborhood,” Savanna muttered.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded and pointed toward the flames. “There’s the ridge above my house where the trails are that lead into the mountains and the national park. Shit.”
“Come on. Let’s go check it out.”
They drove over, but could only get so far because the police had blocked off the entrance to the apartment complex. The whole thing was up in flames. A crowd had gathered and watched the spectacle. She scanned the crowd and didn’t see Chastity. Fire trucks were lined up around the perimeter, with firemen sweating and working to get the blaze under control. There didn’t seem to be an end in sight because five engines from other towns were there helping as well.
“I guess I don’t have to do laundry now,” Savanna said, feeling the hopelessness that settled in her heart, knowing all of her possessions were in the apartment along with the few things she had left from her mother.
Wyeth squeezed her shoulder for reassurance. “Don’t worry about it. You can stay with me for as long as you can deal with constant hammering. Or, there’s my apartment, whichever you prefer. I can buy you whatever you want. I know it won’t replace the things that you’ve lost.”
Her heart warmed knowing someone was there to take care of her. She hadn’t had that in a long time. The security of it made their relationship feel cemented. She wrapped her arms around his neck, molding her body to his. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you here.”
“Anything for you, love.”
Seeing the light in his eyes warmed her soul even more. “I don’t need much.”
“We’ll go back to the mansion, and you can pick out whatever room or rooms you want. The house is large enough that it needs people to live in it. Unless you want to go back to my apartment. I’m not using it at the moment.”
“The house is where you are. Besides, I’ll only be at the house until I can find another—”
Wyeth covered her mouth with his. She melted into the kiss, but something felt like it was missing. She broke away too quick. “What’s the matter?”
She trailed her fingers down his face. “I feel like something’s missing.”
“Drake.”
“Yeah. Or Meruke. He’s the one that’s always been in control, and after tonight I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again. Is it wrong to say that I want him with us?”
He smoothed her hair. “No. It’s not. I miss him, too. Even the link I have with him is silent. Whoever thought a month ago I would want him to be with us. I couldn’t stand him. He wants nothing more than to go home, and from what Kestrel said you need to go with him. I don’t want you to go.”
“I don’t want to go, either.”
“When this storm hits, I say we go down into the caves to be safe and let him be as he was. I don’t want to lose you.”
Savanna didn’t want to leave Meruke, but Drake was not going to reconcile with his counterpart. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter Seventeen
Wyeth stared at the television while the lights flickered. The meteorologists were baffled at the path the storm was taking and the sheer size of it. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have been, too. In the days since the fire Savanna had moved in with him, and the winds had only picked up. The icy fingers of the waves curled along the cliffs, and the spray sprinkled over the top of the rock wall. Black clouds hung over the sea like a bruise, turning darker colors as the storm approached. The weathermen were telling everyone it would be the storm of the century.
The whole town had started to prepare for landfall. He had given his crew the rest of the week off and told them to grab whatever supplies they had on site to help board up their homes. With Savanna’s help, he had pulled the heavy storm shutters closed and secured the house the best he could. The mansion might have been built of stone and weathered other maelstroms, but this one was a sea monster in comparison. Some stations predicted it was going to be bigger than Sandy or Katrina. They had gotten supplies and had stacked them in the ballroom so they could take refuge in the tunnel to the cave while the storm hit. They decided it was best to go there in case the water level rose high enough and flooded the cavern. Savanna had tried to reach out to Kestrel once more, but she couldn’t break through. It frustrated her, but she figured maybe there was too much interference. They had boarded up her storefront and hoped for the best.
They hadn’t seen or heard from Drake in the last few days since he had walked out. They checked the lighthouse, but none of his personal effects remained. The light was on automatic, but it could have also had a little bit of magic. Where he had gone was anyone’s guess. She hadn’t seen Chastity, but thankfully there were no fatalities from the fire. Although crazy, at least she wasn’t dead.
“Any change from the forecasters?” Savanna put down the last bag of food she had brought in from the car. They had everything they would need. Wyeth suspected Drake would try and take Savanna from him and head into the eye of the storm. He would fight him with everything he had. Just in case, he had a gun in one of his bags, within easy reach. He didn’t want to hurt the other man, but he would protect Savanna no matter what the consequences.
“Nothing. They don’t know how big it’s going to be, just that everyone should stay inside and wait it out. They’re saying that the waves are going to be fifty feet high and the flooding, well, they have no idea yet.”
“It’s a shame we can’t do anything about it,” she said.
“I know, but at least we know why the storm is going to be so big.”
“True.”
A look of worry passed over her face as her gaze traveled to the window that faced the lighthouse. It was one of the few that didn’t have a storm shutter. Wyeth had taped the glass, just in case. “You shouldn’t be concerned about him. He set you aside. If he’s determined to get home, he will come for you tonight.”
“I know he will. I can feel it. You already know it.”
Wyeth took her hand. “I won’t let him hurt you. Even if it means hurting him. Understand.”
She nodded. “I know.” The rain clobbered the shutters as though little gremlins pounded on them. The light from the lighthouse swished across the room. “The storm is coming in faster than what the weather guys are predicting.”
Wyeth slipped his arm around her waist. Touching her comforted and anchored him. “How do you know? Are your psychic senses tingling or is it from the bond?”
She kept staring out at the rolling sea. Gray and encroaching darkness surrounded the harbor, while clouds swirled and boats bobbed before them. The siren sound of the gale rattled the windows and the shutters. “I can feel it. It’s the strangest thing, like the echo of my heart. I can feel the pull—its pull. I’ve never been in touch with the elements lik
e this before. It has to be the link and something stirring the magic from the other worlds. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling it. This storm is unlike anything the modern world has ever encountered. I fear for anyone who gets caught in the middle of it. It could open up a hole so big that it could swallow the world. I don’t know how it’s going to go.”
“You can’t think about that. You have to think about us. We have to get into the cave and made sure that Drake doesn’t come for you.”
Savanna turned from the window and placed a hand on his cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. All of this is a little more captivating than what I’m used to. I’ll be ready for Drake.”
“Good.”
As another wail of the wind trailed through the mansion, Wyeth heard the doorbell. He stiffened. If it was Drake, then he was early. He didn’t think the eye of the storm was coming this fast. Then again, if it was the dragon at the door he wasn’t going to sweet talk Savanna into risking her life and flying into the center of a hurricane. Even if she said no, Drake would attempt to do anything to get them home. He would be crazy enough to climb into the sky and try and open a portal to another world.
“I’ll get it,” he said to her. He walked out of sight and fished the gun out of the bag he had stashed behind one of the large suit of armors, just in case. The revolver had been his father’s. It was a .32 caliber revolver, something his father would bring with him in case on the jobsite, but he had never used it save at the shooting range where he taught Wyeth to shoot. Although he didn’t like using guns, he didn’t know of any other way to keep Drake from taking Savanna from him. He didn’t think his mate had any idea that he had the gun. He shoved the gun in his jeans’ pocket and made sure the safety was on. He didn’t want to shoot himself in the foot or in the family jewels. The doorbell rang again in a series of long pushes, annoying him. Drake wasn’t about to keep on ringing. He would do it once and then waltz in.
Wyeth opened the door and found Chastity outside, looking like a drowned rat. It had started raining outside, and the thunder clapped overhead so that it shook the house. “What do you want? You shouldn’t be here.”
She rubbed her arms over her wet sleeves and shook her head. “Aren’t you going to let me in? It’s raining, and I could use a place to stay, considering mine burnt down. You could be a dear and let me in. I know you want me here.”
“Chastity, that’s not going to happen.”
She smiled. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
She slung her arms around Wyeth. He cringed, but she pushed her lips against his. He tasted alcohol on her breath and some kind of lemon flavor mixed with fish that left a sour taste on his lips. She rubbed herself against him so he could feel all her curves. It only made him recoil even more. He wrapped his hands over hers and pulled them from around his neck.
“Chastity, that’s enough. I told you we are nothing. I’m seeing Savanna. After all those texts and messages, I thought you would have gotten the hint that I wasn’t interested when I didn’t return any of them.”
She chuckled and hiccupped. Her hands slid around his waist and rested on the top of his ass. “Silly. How can you be with that fat bitch?”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Savanna said from behind him.
He turned halfway and saw the look of disgust and anger painted across her features. He took the chance and shoved Chastity away from him. She landed on the wet marble steps. He shut the door and turned back to focus on Savanna.
“I have no idea what she was doing here. I didn’t—”
She covered his mouth with her hand to shut him up and smiled. “It’s fine. I’ve known she’s irrational for a long time now.”
He picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her as she squealed her glee. “I love you.”
Her eyes widened. This was the first time he had said it to her openly, and he meant it. Wyeth loved everything about her. “I love you, too.”
The door burst open and Chastity stood in the doorway. The look on her face was twisted into a thing of hatred and malevolence. It chilled him to the bone.
“I’m tired of you taking everything from me, Savanna. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still have a home. I’d have Wyeth. Hell, I’d even have Drake, but he couldn’t get it up because of you. I tried everything, but I saw it in his eyes that all he was thinking about was your fat ass.”
Savanna stepped out from behind Wyeth and held up her hands. They didn’t have time for this. Thunder boomed and shook the house. Wyeth sensed the change in pressure in the atmosphere weighing down on his bones. “Chastity, you’ve been a thorn in my side since the day you moved into the apartment. I didn’t steal Wyeth or Drake from you. This fucked up infatuation you have with them, or me, is ridiculous. Wyeth told you to leave him alone. And regarding Drake’s condition, I bet he realized you aren’t all that and the bag of chips that you thought you were.”
Chastity shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled out the gun. Wyeth patted behind his pocket and realized she had taken it. She pointed it at Savanna and moved it over to him. Chastity pushed the door shut behind her with her foot. “You know, Savanna. I’m tired of all the bullshit. I’m tired of hearing all about your psychic mumbo jumbo, when none of it’s real anyway. There are no such things as psychics. You’re a fraud. No matter what people say, you’re a fraud and swindle people out of their money. It was the same way how you manipulated me into moving in with you. You lured these men into your arms. You put Wyeth and me under your spell. I know that he’s pining for me. I can see it in his eyes. The way he’s held onto me, and the way that he’s been kissing me, and all the little messages he’s been sending me. I know how hot he is for me.”
“Chastity, I don’t want anything to do with you. Honestly, the only reason I ever decided to go out with you was because Matthew said you were easy, and I wanted to get laid.”
“So you were going to fuck me and then leave me?”
“Well...” Wyeth hated to admit it, but that was what he had planned. He glanced at Savanna.
Chastity stepped toward them, shaking the gun at him. “Tell me the truth.” She screamed and the gun went off, lodging the bullet into the floor only a few feet from them. Smoke wafted up from the floor. They all jumped back. Chastity cackled. “That was fun.”
“Chastity, why don’t you put the gun down so we can talk about this like rational people?” Savanna suggested.
“Yes. I’ll tell you the truth. I promise,” Wyeth tried to reason with her.
Her grip on the gun tightened. “Right. Now you have a gun pointed at your head, you’ll tell me the truth. Oh, this is going to be fun. You have to do as I say.”
Savanna took a step toward her. “Come on, you don’t want to hurt anyone with that.”
“Get on your knees,” Chastity said to her.
“What?” Savanna asked.
“You heard me. Get on your fucking knees and take his pants off. I want you to get him hard.”
“She’s not going to do that. I won’t let her do that.” Wyeth held Savanna.
“If she doesn’t, then this happily ever after you have planned and getting to be Prince Charming won’t happen. Because I know she’s no princess.” Chastity pointed at Savanna.
Wyeth saw the panic in her eyes. If there was a chance they could talk to one another telepathically, this would be it.
“Chastity, let’s talk about this,” Savanna said.
“I’m done talking.” She jabbed the gun at them. At the same time, a thunder clap hit above the house so loud it deafened them.
* * * *
Drake stared up at the raging storm. It was getting stronger. It was building faster than what they had predicted. Magic swirled in the air. It was the most he had sensed in a long time, and it made him giddy. The wind and rain caressed him, but he didn’t mind. From his view in the guesthouse he saw the ocean froth. The waves grew higher and would soon crash over the cliff. He wasn’t sure if the mansion or the guesthouse would be safe, not that
he cared about the structures or the inhabitants. Drake shoved the idea of Wyeth and Savanna away. She was the key to unlocking the gateway that would get him home. She had to be with him. Once she said those words and he shed his blood, he was going home. It didn’t matter what happened to her.
She was nothing to him, a human, a witch in this world, someone he could use and nothing more. Meruke grumbled when he thought this way about the woman. His dragon and he had never been further apart. That was fine with him, except for one thing. No matter how long he had tried to take on his dragon form, it was not something he could do. Meruke was not letting him. It was the beast’s way of punishing him for the night he had tried to screw her roommate and set her apartment on fire.
After he left he had nowhere to go. He couldn’t return to the lighthouse, because it would be too obvious. Wyeth was sure to say something to him about what he had said before he walked out, and he just didn’t want to face the man until it was time. He decided to take advantage of the empty guesthouse. The Blackmores were never grateful for the wealth they had gotten through him. They were all greedy bastards. After he had shown them his true nature, they had called him monster and demanded he leave them alone.
I should have just eaten the original Blackmore, and then these troubles never would’ve begun. I wouldn’t be tied to them and this drain on me would never have existed.
“You say that now, but you know that’s not how you truly feel. You’re rationalizing everything to make it easier to exit this world and have no regrets for your decision,” his other half chimed in.
“Quiet, Meruke. I’m a king. When I get home I’m going to take my rightful place on the throne.”
The dragon chuckled. “Do you really think that, assuming you can make it home, Kestrel and her husband, the queen and king, are going to let you overthrow them? At this rate you’ll need a hot air balloon, because I’m never lending you this form again. You deny me Savanna, then I deny you our heritage.”