by Kaitlyn Hoyt
“I’ll be right back,” Larkin says. He transports out of the room. Jane and Ross both stare at the spot he was for a couple seconds before turning back to us. For people who didn’t know magic existed an hour ago, they are taking everything pretty well.
“Ok, can you continue from where you were before? The part where we were almost attacked before and how Ryanne got stabbed?”
Liam starts explaining everything again. When he would leave something out, we would interject comments. I didn’t realize just how much she’s been through until we put everything out like that. For the next half hour, we explain what has been happening this summer. Ryanne isn’t on an internship like Jane thought. She is out fighting the “bad guys.” I can tell that Jane doesn’t like hearing about all the times Ryanne has been injured. Liam doesn’t go into too many details when it came to the injuries. None of us like hearing about them again.
Occasionally, she will glance over at Ryanne, who is still sleeping on my lap. I know it is a lot to take in, especially after finding out that everything you were told was a lie. “So, she’s supposed to defeat this Dravin guy, and Dravin was the one who sent all those men to kill us. You guys are all here training.” She turns to Tom. “You told me that she was on internship, so she could work on her magic…without me knowing.”
“I’m sorry, but it was for your safety. We didn’t want to get you involved in everything. It’s dangerous,” Tom says.
“And it’s not dangerous for her?”
“Look Jane, Ryanne knew and still knows what she’s getting into. She’s saved all of us numerous times. We’re trying our best to protect her. She’s stronger than she looks. You can’t underestimate her. She’s proven that to us,” Tom says, “countless times.”
“I know, I know. But I mean you have to look at it from my perspective. I’ll never replace her mom, I know that, but I was the one there when she cried herself to sleep every night. I was the one there when she didn’t have anyone else. She didn’t have any family or friends, and I tried to be that for her. I just found out that she was bullied in school, that she has magic and is basically being hunted because of it, and that she’s supposed to stop some freaking dude who wants power. I can tell you all care about her, but it’s a little overwhelming. I mean, I thought she was on some boring business internship this summer, and I find out that she’s been risking her life the whole time. That she actually died!”
Natalie reaches up and grabs onto Jane’s hand. Jane takes a few deep breaths and instantly calms down. “How’d you do that?” Jane asks.
“Magic. I can sense emotions, feelings, and intentions. You were starting to get worked up, so I helped calm you down,” Natalie explains. “Look, I’m pretty new in this group, but I’ve seen the loyalty they all have. They’re doing everything that they can to keep her safe.”
Jane nods and looks around the room. Her eyes stop on me. She looks at me and then to Liam. “So you’re not actually with Ryanne even though you were her date to my wedding?”
“No, I’m not with Ryanne. I’m her protector,” Liam says.
Jane turns and looks at me. “And you are?” Her eyes linger on Ryanne in my lap.
“Her soulmate.”
Jane’s eyebrows raise, eyes widen, and her mouth falls open. “Her soulmate? You actually know that?”
“Yes, soulmates are the only ones that can bring each other back from the dead. When she was stabbed, she died. I was able to heal her. When Dravin stabbed me, I died, and she healed me. We’re meant for each other.”
“But she’s only eighteen,” Ross says. “How old are you?”
“I just turned nineteen. I know what you’re thinking, but I’d never do anything to hurt her. I love her.”
“Wow, when I was eighteen, all the guys I met were jerks, and her first legit boyfriend is her soulmate? Not fair.”
Ryanne sighs and starts moving. I stop rubbing her arm, hoping to keep her asleep. She needs the rest. Jane turns and glares at me. “You haven’t slept with her, have you?”
Emma and David snort, trying to hide their laugh. Liam and Natalie both pinch their lips together, trying to hide their smiles. Logan and Bragden aren’t as successful at being discreet. They both openly laugh. “Slept as in sleep, yes; slept as in sex, no.”
Jane nods once. “Good.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Natalie confirms.
“What would you have done if I said yes?” I ask curiously—not that I’d openly admit that.
“I would have said “go Ryanne” and then I would have castrated you,” she tells me with a smile. This time everyone laughs. Even Tom smiles.
“Understood.”
Ryanne starts moving again. I remove my arm from around her shoulder as she slowly sits up. She stretches and rubs her eyes. Turning toward me, she smiles. As her eyes move past me and land on Jane, her smile falls.
“Oh my gosh, did I actually do all that?” she asks.
“Are you talking about you going all ninja on everyone? Totally kicking butt? Scaring all the big bad guys? Yeah, you did that,” Emma says.
“Hmm…” She looks proud of herself, but that look quickly leaves her face. “Uh oh,” she winces and looks around the room.
“What?” I ask as she stands up and walks out of the room. Every eye in the room follows her as she moves. When she comes back into the room, she is holding the sketchbook and a pencil.
“Ryanne, don’t draw anything.”
“You know I can’t help it. Someone needs me.”
“Larkin’s not even here to help bring you back!” I tell her.
“I think it’s Larkin that needs my help. If not, then I’ll find another way back. Don’t worry about me. Liam will know if anything happens.” Opening up to a blank page, she starts to frantically draw a door. It looks like the back door of Dravin’s compound.
“Ryanne,” I groan. I know she can’t help it, but I don’t like her going there on her own.
“What’s going on?” Jane asks. She is watching Ryanne as she is drawing. Ryanne finishes this drawing a lot quicker than the others and grunts in pain. Jane jumps up and looks around. I shake my head at her. There is nothing we can do right now. I watch as Ryanne disappears. Jane gasps. “Where did she go?”
I pick up the sketchbook and hand it to her. “There.”
Chapter Seventeen
I fall onto the ground behind some bushes. I still don’t understand this transporting power I have, but based on the sounds around me, I know that I am definitely supposed to be here. All around me, I can hear grunts of pain and the distinct sound of punches being thrown. I peek through the bushes and see Larkin and Kyril both fighting, but both clearly outnumbered. Dravin is standing in the background, against a tree, smiling at the scene in front of him. I’ve had it with him.
Larkin and Kyril have their backs to me, so they won’t see me until I’m literally standing beside them. I jump up from behind the bushes and run up besides Larkin. I call my magic to me and kick the man he’s fighting in the side. He’s not expecting anyone to come up behind him, so I easily surprise him. He grunts and falls to his knees. While down, Larkin reaches out and punches him in the jaw.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he yells at me.
“I had a vision,” I shout back as I hit another guy.
“Get her out of here,” Kyril yells. He has a black eye and a busted lip, and Larkin doesn’t look any better. He reaches to grab me, so I throw a shield up.
“I don’t think so. You’re not leaving him here to fight on his own,” I tell Larkin while pointing at Kyril. I look back at Dravin and see him staring at me intently. I know that I shouldn’t use my magic here, but I don’t know how else to get out of this situation. I start calling more magic to me while fighting. When Larkin hears the thunder roll, he turns toward me.
“You need to get out of here,” he says while kicking another man.
“I will when you two can come with me,” I tell him as I punch anoth
er man. It is so much easier to do this when I can use my magic. “Duck!” I yell to Larkin and Kyril.
Larkin drops to the ground without question. He grabs Kyril and pulls him down right as I release my magic out. The men standing closest to me fall to the ground, unconscious. The ones in the back stagger but aren’t knocked unconscious. Dravin is getting very angry. I throw up a shield around Larkin, Kyril, and me at the same time as the men in the back start running for us. Instead of waiting for them to come to us, I run to them. I hear Larkin and Kyril running behind me. I stop in front of the first man. I recognize him as one of the guys I knocked out last time I was here. His eyes widen when I stop in front of him. I swing my leg out and kick him in the solar plexus. He instantly falls to the ground. I look around waiting for the next guy to attack, but no one moves toward me.
Larkin and Kyril are both fighting someone. Dravin is the only one left. I focus on the shields I have around us and turn toward him. Dravin turns around and starts walking toward the compound doors. I can’t let him get away that easily; especially not when he’s this close. I take a step forward, but Larkin grabs my arm. “Don’t.”
“He’s going to get away!”
Kyril walks up beside me. “Let’s go.” Larkin reaches out and puts a hand on Kyril’s shoulder and transports us out of there. When I open my eyes again, I am back in the living room. I drop the shield around us and pull my magic back. I sway a little as the magic reels back into me. Kyril reaches out and steadies me. I thank him and grimace when I look up at him. His injuries look worse under artificial lighting. Colton jumps up and pulls me against his chest, hugging me.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” he asks me. I laugh and playfully push against his chest.
“Nope, I’m all good. They however,” I point over my shoulder to Kyril and Larkin, “are not.” I look past Colton to Logan. “Do you think you can heal them?”
Logan nods and walks toward Larkin and Kyril. He heals Larkin first and then Kyril. When he finishes healing them, he turns to me and grabs my arm, attempting to heal me. “I didn’t get hurt, Logan. I don’t need healed.”
“Interesting,” Logan says as he steps away from me.
“If it means that much to you, I can make sure I get punched at least once next time,” I tell him.
Kyril walks over to me. I have to arch my neck to see him. “Yes?”
He continues to stare down at me. I hear Colton growl behind me. Possessive much? I secretly love it when he does that though. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Done what? Saved you?” I poke him on the chest. “I told you not to get yourself killed, and what did you do? You almost got yourself killed.”
“We were handling it,” Larkin says.
“Not this again,” I exhale loudly. “Can’t anyone just say thank you around here? Why does it always have to be I could have handled it; I’m a dude. Big and strong, yada yada. I can’t have a girl come save me, blah blah blah. One of these times, when you need my help, I’m not going to come and then you’ll have wished that you thanked me way back when.”
Kyril blankly stares at me for a few seconds before he reaches out and hugs me. “Thank you, Ryanne.” I hug him back, but it gets awkward when I realize that he is shirtless again.
“You’re welcome. See, was that so difficult?”
“Sugar honey ice tea, am I the only one that sees how attractive that man is?” I hear Jane whisper loudly.
Emma laughs. “I know right? When I first saw him I said ‘Holy crap on a cracker!’ See,” Emma turns toward David, “I’m not the only one.”
Kyril turns to Jane and smiles—a smile that seriously could melt any woman. Seeing Ross’s glare, I reach forward and hit him on the arm. “Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?” He turns toward me and laughs.
“You know what you’re doing. Stop it,” I scold him. Colton walks behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, hugging me to him. I lean back against him, taking comfort in his embrace. I know that he is worried that I’m not feeling well, but I feel fine…well I feel okay. I am pretty tired.
“What happened? Why did Ryanne have to go and help you guys?” Colton asks.
“I was with Dravin when he found out that Ryanne had foiled his plan to get to Jane and Ross.” He turns to them. “I’m assuming that’s you?” When they nod, he continues, “Well he was pissed to say the least. And now he’s even more desperate to stop you,” Kyril looks at me, “especially after he witnessed you doing it firsthand.”
The arms wrapped around my stomach tighten. “Wait, you fought Dravin?” Colton asks me.
“No, he ran into the compound when I started to go after him, but Larkin stopped me.” I know that my voice sounds bitter, but I am upset. I had a chance, and Larkin ruined it. I could have thrown up a shield and stopped his entry in the compound.
“Thank you, Larkin,” Colton says. Seeing Larkin’s subtle nod, I scoff and look up at my soulmate. Of course he would take Larkin’s side…this time. He smiles down at me when he sees my glare. I just shake my head and turn back to Kyril.
“How did Dravin find out you were helping us?”
“Adam saw Larkin transport me back to the compound after you did the enchantment. He told Dravin. He used his magic on me and made me call for Larkin. When Larkin came, he attacked.” Kyril and Larkin were both almost killed because they were helping us. They were getting information for us, and Dravin tried to stop that. I bite my lip and look toward the ground. No one is safe around me.
“Ryanne, stop,” Liam says. I look over at him but don’t say anything. Liam always knows what I am thinking about.
“It’s not your fault,” Larkin tells me.
“How do you know that’s what I’m thinking about?”
“Because your aura turned a dull pink,” he says. Am I supposed to know what that means?
“She feels guilty,” Natalie says while turning around and looking toward me. Larkin nods, agreeing with her. Dull pink means guilt. Got it.
“Esh, you can’t hide anything around here,” I mumble. All this magic use is starting to catch up to me. I try really hard to stifle a yawn. Natalie looks over at me and winks.
“Well, I’m starting to get tired. I think I’m going to call it a night.” Standing up, she starts walking upstairs after saying goodnight to everyone.
“That’s actually a good idea. Kyril, Jane, and Ross, you are all welcome to stay here tonight. Jane and Ross, you guys can have my room. I’ll stay down her on the couch.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary. We’ll be fine on the couch,” Jane says.
“Nope, I won’t have it. You’ll stay in my room. I insist.”
“Good night all,” Colton says as he starts pushing me toward the stairs, his hands on the small of my back. I follow his moves—too tired to argue with him.
“Remember what I told you,” Jane yells after us.
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget it,” Colton says back with a small laugh.
I turn around half-way up the stairs and ask, “What did she tell you?” Colton just shakes his head, laughs slightly louder, and continues pushing me up the stairs. I open the door to our room and walk in. I sleepily walk over to the corner of the room and open the armoire. I grab a large t-shirt and some yoga shorts. I change in the bathroom and start brushing my teeth. Standing in front of the mirror, I get a good look at my reflection. My hair looked like this all night, and no one said anything?
Rinsing out my mouth, I try to tame my hair. Nothing I try works. Giving up, I open the door and walk toward the bed. Colton walks past me and goes into the bathroom to brush his teeth. I crawl onto the bed and sit down, waiting for him. I don’t want to lie down because I don’t want to risk falling asleep.
Colton walks across the room and sits down on the bed next to me. I watch him as he moves closer to me. “What?” he asks me.
“Nothing, just watching you,” I tell him, while biting onto my bottom lip. He reaches out and gr
abs my shoulder, pulling me down so I am lying in his arms. I move so that I am pressed against his side. Resting my left arm on his chest, I start lightly tracing patterns into his shirt.
“Still think I need to get more fat on me?”
“What?” I prop myself onto my elbow and look at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You were a little slap happy when Liam brought you back here.”
“Are you serious?” I must have done something pretty funny because Colton starts laughing. I can’t even remain embarrassed because I love his laugh.
“You told me that my chest was too hard, and I needed to get some fat on me.” I can feel a blush rising. I don’t want to know what else I said. There is no telling with me. Colton starts laughing again. “Don’t worry; we all thought it was cute.”
“We? Everyone saw me acting like a crazy person?” He nods. Great. “I’m never going to live that down. You know Bragden and David will make jokes about it.”
“And that’s when you bring out the magic,” Colton suggests.
“Hmm, this could actually be fun.”
I can feel something lightly caressing the skin on the small of my back. I take a deep breath and am hit with a familiar scent. Without opening my eyes, I mumble a good morning. Colton laughs and slightly turns toward me. I still keep my eyes closed; I’m not ready to wake up yet. The arm I am resting against pulls me closer to him.
Colton kisses my forehead. I tilt my head up toward him. Next, he places light kisses on both of my eyelids. I sigh and lean into him. He trails kisses across my cheekbones and down the left side of my neck. He moves the collar of my t-shirt down a little and traces kisses across my collarbone. “Colton,” I whisper.
He chuckles against my skin, and I feel his lips brush against mine. “Yes?”