WHAT THE HEART NEEDS
By Kelli McCracken
Praise for What the Heart Needs
“Sexy, dangerous, and consuming. What the Heart Needs is a roller coaster of emotions. Get on the ride! You won’t regret it.”
Tara Torpey-Orsini
Tara’s Reads
“A page-turning, breathtaking, hell of a good read! You won’t be able to put it down until you’re finished.”
Elena Gray
Author of Night Visions
“What the Heart Needs delivers a generous dose of love, magic, and mystery sure to please every paranormal romance reader. If you’re looking for your next paranormal series to get lost in, this is it!”
Jess Macallan
Author of Stone Cold Seduction
“Enchanting to the last page. What the Heart Needs casts a spell on readers. One that will leave you wanting more.”
Maryellen Brady
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To Cindy,
My soul sister
PROLOGUE
Delia’s eyes moved toward the opened window, settling on the moonlit tide. She admired the way the light glistened silver hues over the waves. The familiar scent of coconut suntan oil lingered in the salty breeze coming off the ocean.
As beautiful as they were, full moons always meant one thing. Chaos. Judging by the gooseflesh on her skin, chaos was making its way to her home, wound in a tight little package of frustration and determination.
While she waited for the knock, her eyes fell to the tarot card at her fingertips. The Four of Wands stared back from the recent past position. She studied the wreath connecting the four staves, admiring its resemblance to the flowered arch in a wedding. Marriage. Of course. It coincided with the Knight of Cups in the distant past position. Proposal. The tightness in her cheeks warmed her heart. Dylan tell her the good news soon.
The willow tree would be the perfect spot for a ceremony. She wondered if Dylan and Heaven had given it any thought. With the Chariot card in the goal position, they would probably have the wedding someplace else. Not that she could blame them for choosing to do so. The media would have a field day once they found out. And they wouldn’t be the only ones.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. Any second chaos would be there, spouting his disgruntlements. He would oppose the marriage. Her eyes moved back to the center cards. The High Priestess in the first position only confirmed what Delia knew months ago. Dylan had found the one. But the Emperor in the second position, crossing the Priestess…that proved his displeasure with their union. And knowing him the way she did, Dylan and Heaven would have to endure his bullshit.
At last, the rap on the door came.
“It’s open.” She continued to study the next card in the spread when she heard the door click shut.
“You shouldn’t do that, Dee. It’s not safe. I could have been a serial killer.”
Delia traced the card under her finger once her snort echoed in the room. “I can sense the intentions of those coming to my door.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he grunted. “In fact, I’d tell you why I’m here, but I’m sure you already know.”
“You say that like I’m a mind reader or something,” she said, her eyes still focused on the next card in the spread. The Knight of Swords. The battle card. Not a surprise to see it show up in the future position. “I’m surprised it took you this long to seek me out.”
“Humph. If I’d come when I wanted, I’m not sure you would still be alive.”
As the chain supporting her necklace tightened, she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. His scare tactics wouldn’t work on her. Instead of giving him the response he wanted, she locked her eyes with his.
“Are you reducing yourself to parlor tricks, Nate?” He held her gaze a moment before the chain loosened, allowing the moonstone to fall between her breasts. Though her natural instinct was to rub her neck, she didn’t. Nate would see it as a sign that he’d scared her. And he hadn’t.
Leaning against the back of the chair, she studied his demeanor. “I can see past the shield you’ve put around yourself. If you wanted me dead, you could have done it years ago. But you can’t.”
Her ex husband’s brows knitted in an attempt to conceal his surprise as well as the lie she knew would fly out of his mouth at any second.
And it did.
“How far are you willing to test your faith in that theory?” he seethed, taking a step closer to the table.
“You know the answer to that. Dylan will hate you for even trying.”
Nate shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. He’ll hate me when he finds out what I’ve put in motion.”
Delia’s eyes fluttered shut. She pressed her lips together as air expanded her lungs. “What did you do this time, Nate?”
“Don’t get that condescending tone with me, Dee.” A low vibration traveled across the floor, shaking the table. “You’re partially to blame for all this.”
Air drifted between her lips as her ex husband used his old pet name for her. Some things really never changed. He tried to be a hard ass. But little slips like that proved he was anything but. She raised her eyes to meet his. One questioning brow lifted while she waited for him to continue.
“They need to be separated. Since you won’t do anything to encourage that, I took matters into my own hands.” Nate’s eyes left hers and fell to the spread on the table. “I hope he will understand what I did is for his own good. Can you see that in your cards?”
“If you’d like a reading, I’d be happy to give you one.” A chuckle rippled through the air when her chair began to shake. Nate and his anger. He really should learn how to manage it. “I hate to spoil your great idea, but it’s too late to separate them. They’re bound.”
A small sigh of satisfaction left her chest when she noticed the fury in her ex’s eyes. “You gotta be kidding me? How do you know they’re bound?”
“Are you really questioning me? My insight?”
“God damn it, Dee,” Nate barked, digging his fingers into the table. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“You know that I do. You’ve chosen your path. I’ve chosen mine. Dylan has the right to choose his. He’s a grown man. Do what’s best for him. Accept their union and leave them alone.”
Nate’s jaw dimpled as he clenched his teeth. “You told him, didn’t you?”
This time, the table shook so hard, the deck of cards fell to the floor.
“Not everything. I only told him what their joining would do. He’s smart enough to figure out the rest.” She sat up in her chair, pulling her hand away from the cards. She needed to focus her attention on Nate to get her point across. He was so thickheaded. “They already have a strong bond. Whatever you’re planning, you’re wasting your time.”
“Why would you let him do this?” Nate’s voice changed to a softer tone. He leaned forward, resting his hands on the table between them. “You know what will happen if she—”
“Yes. I do. So ask yourself this question. How much is revenge worth? Your son’s life?”
“I see where this is going. I should have known they would be a part of your scheme”
Delia’s eyes flashed back to the moonlit waves. She watched the shimmering light, allowing it to calm her nerves. Dealing with Nate could drive anyone crazy. She’d refuse to allow him that type of control over her when they separated years ago. Now he wanted to control Dylan.
Over her dead body.
No matter how much Nate thought he was helping their son, she wouldn’t let him ruin Dylan’s happiness.
Once the tranquil effect of the ocean brought her heart to a normal beat, she met her ex’s eyes again. “They aren’t, though they have just as much right to be included in this. She is all the reason they need.”
“She will be the death of him!” Nate said, slapping the table with his hands. “He was protected by the music. Now you’ve messed that up. He’s just as vulnerable as she is. Probably more.”
“The music didn’t do what you wanted it to, Nate. You didn’t see the pain he was in when he was dreaming about her. He’s suffered far too long. You can’t deny love. Or fate.”
“Love?” Nate grumbled, falling back into the chair across from her. “You know nothing about love. None of you do.”
“I know it’s what keeps me alive. It’s what will keep Heaven and Dylan alive, too.”
“You have too much faith in your beliefs.”
“My beliefs have never led me astray.” She slid her hand across the table until her fingertips teased compressed paper. “The cards have shown me things. Things you are too stubborn to see. I don’t know what craziness Dylan and Heaven will face, but I know the end result.”
His eyes snapped shut as he shook his head. Releasing a long sigh, he reopened them. The hardness that once filled them to the brim had dissipated. He didn’t hold her gaze long before his eyes fell to the ring on his finger. He swished it back and forth. “Those cards can only show you so much. You can’t build futures on them. It didn’t work for us.”
“That’s because we were cursed from the beginning. We were the unfortunate pair of the trinity. And so you know, the cards did show me that.”
His fingers left the ring as he pushed on the arms of the chair, straightening his body. “Then why did you marry me?”
Delia didn’t bat a lash as she stared into Nate’s eyes. Even when they divorced all those years ago, he’d never asked her this question. She’d always wanted him to. It would have been a sign that he’d cared about their marriage. That she’d—they’d—meant something to each other. That even though they’d been cursed from the beginning, their reason for joining had a purpose. A good purpose.
“I wanted a child, Nate. The cards showed me I’d get Dylan. And that he would be special. Just like me…and you.”
Nate brought his hands together in front of his face. His fingertips pressed and parted a couple times before he drew them to his lips. “I know Dylan is special,” he replied. “But whose abilities did he get? Yours or mine?”
CHAPTER 1
A loud thump startled Heaven from the subconscious haze she’d spent the last hour trying to reach. Perfect. Another loss in her weeklong battle with insomnia. Come tomorrow, Dylan would want answers as to why his fiancé looked like a zombie. There would be no chance at keeping the truth from him, either, no matter how much she wanted to protect him. She loved their emotional connection, until it came to situations like this. Thank God he couldn’t read her mind.
She glanced over her shoulder, half expecting to see something in the window. Or someone standing in front of it. Maybe she’d disturbed Dylan with all her tossing and turning. Adjusting her eyes to the moonlit room, she searched for clues to what made the noise. Nothing looked out of place. She tilted her head to the side, straining to hear something, anything, to prove she hadn’t lost her mind. When silence answered, she leaned back against her pillow, mentally cursing herself. Her imagination. That’s all it could be. Or fading fragments of a dream.
Blinking twice, she tried clearing the confusion from her sleepy brain. She shouldn’t have watched that movie with Dylan before going to bed. She made it a point not to watch thriller movies for a reason. The chase. The mystery of not knowing what lay in wait. It brought back too many memories of Mick. And Zeke. Most people never faced a stalker situation, much less two.
Now she jumped at the smallest sounds. Did she honestly believe someone could scale the side of the house and get to the second floor? They’d have to get past the large shale wall surrounding the estate. Not even the paparazzi or their cameras had managed that. And if they tried, what an electrifying experience that would be.
As a gust of wind blew through the blinds, it twirled the curtains like tiny ballerinas performing their first recital. The full moon cast a hazy, light across the bed. She followed the pale blue path until it brought her to Dylan’s face.
The moment her eyes landed on him, the hum of their connection steadied her heart. She released a sigh, tracing his features with her eyes. His dark brows. Long lashes. Perfectly full lips. And that square jaw… He was God’s perfect masterpiece created for her to love. And she would love him. Always.
Her eyes fell to the diamond on her finger, the princess cut jewel that stole her breath each time it entered her vision. The ring signified many promises for the future. Their future. Soon, there would be another ring beside it. One that would prove their bond to others, like Dylan’s father. He would never believe in the bond they already shared. Hopefully, he could respect the legal one. The state of California would.
The thought of Nate McBride made Heaven’s stomach knot. She wanted to push away the image of him, wanted to forget the way his malevolent eyes made her feel like gum on the bottom of his shoe. Nothing, not even snapping her eyelids shut, removed the image from her mind.
How would he handle the news of their engagement? How would anyone? Maybe she and Dylan should have made the announcement right away instead of taking a few weeks to prepare. They knew there would be pushback from their friends. Hell, Layne had already voiced his opinion, as had Nate. No one would understand or believe in their connection. But now that they had adjusted to it, they didn’t really care. At least, Dylan didn’t, but when she thought about it…
Heaven’s stomach fluttered.
Swallowing back the bitter taste in her mouth, she sat up. Maybe too quickly because the walls rocked from side to side. She grabbed the edge of the bed, crumpling the sheets in a fist as she waited for the dizziness to pass.
But it grew worse.
If she could get to the window, could feel the cool night air against her face, her head would clear. God help her, she needed the strength to make it across the room without falling down. The soft threads of the carpet caressed her feet as she rose from the bed. Glancing back at Dylan, she checked to see if her movement had disturbed his sleep. It hadn’t. His energy intertwined with hers until she couldn’t identify one from the other.
Thank goodness. If he knew how much stress their engagement caused her, he’d insist they elope. But she didn’t want to do that. She wanted to celebrate the special day with her sisters and her parents.
Allowing his presence to comfort her, she finally turned back to the window. With each step, she concentrated on their connection, basking in the strong pulse of their vibration.
When she made it to the window, she pulled the dangling string to raise the blinds, followed by the window. A soft breeze blew through her hair, lifting the curls from her shoulder. The cool air was like a long awaited breath that she’d denied herself. She drew in several until her vision straightened.
Releasing the tension from her shoulders, she pressed her hips against the window, taking another deep inhalation. Maybe a few more would help steady her heart. Something had to give or Dylan would be awake, asking her what was wrong.
As she leaned forward into the night, swaying branches beckoned her attention. The weeping willow. One glimpse of the magnificent tree made heart take an extra beat. It was a symbol of her and Dylan’s journey to find each other, a symbol of their love. Of course she would be affected by it.
The memory of Dylan’s proposal played in her mind. How he bent down on one knee, took her hand in his, and told her the sweetest words she’d ever heard. She wanted to go back to that day. To live in that moment when the rest of the world ceased to exist. It was just him, her, and the love they sha
red.
She had to get past the fear of how their family would react to their engagement. The people that mattered would be happy. Except Faith. She’d have something smart to say. Then again, she had her own issues to deal with.
Wood casing pressed her temple as she leaned her head against the window. Faith. Still no word on her test results. Was she pregnant or not? It didn’t surprise Heaven that neither she nor Hope had heard from their sister, save a few text messages. Faith knew how much they worried for her and she loved tormenting them.
But what about Layne? Had Faith talked to him yet? He had a right to know if he was going to be a father. Unless Faith didn’t plan on keeping the baby. No! She wouldn’t do something like that. Would she?
Heaven thought back to her conversation with Hope. The one where Faith explained Layne’s distance. Their problems couldn’t have gone away yet. Especially if Layne had shut down. Dylan hadn’t mentioned him much, either. In fact, Heaven could only recall a few phone calls between the best friends. Mainly about the band. Dylan spent the last few weeks concentrating on their relationship, nothing else.
The more she focused on the window pane, the harder Heaven’s temples pulsed. She had enough to deal with on her own. Her sister’s issues would have to wait.
As a wave of nausea hit her, she gripped the wood where her hips remained. Any second the room would spin again. She took a deep breath, waiting for her mouth to stop watering. But the sensation worsened. Her skin cooled as if the blood in her face had drained to her navel, making her belly flop like it would on a roller coaster.
When the tunnel vision began, she knew her body would greet the floor in a moment. But instead of seeing darkness, a mirage of images flickered before her. Flashing lights of a camera. Nathaniel’s discouraging face. Caramel eyes staring deep into hers. White-crested waves of a teal ocean. Dylan’s full lips curved toward the sky. The round belly of an expectant mother.
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