What the Heart Takes

by Kelli McCracken

  As the last of the water poured into her mouth, she pulled the bottle away and returned the cap with a single twist. The more silence dredged on, the more energy she sensed—her mother’s worry, her father’s disgruntlement, and Delia’s curiosity.

  She understood the relevance of those emotions and why each felt the way they did. What she couldn’t accept was the distance and hurt in Layne’s energy. He was the one who wanted space between them, even went to the trouble of stressing how much he wanted it. Where did he get off directing the hurt in his soul toward her?

  Pushing the thoughts aside, she refocused on her mother, who sat on a bench near the bay window. Her statuesque posture concerned Heaven, as did the way she stared toward the patio doors. The glass didn’t interest her, but Layne did. She looked at him as if he were a puzzle she needed to put together.

  Heaven wanted to save her the time and trouble. She’d spent the last five months trying to do the same. It gained her nothing but an anger-filled argument on the side of the interstate and a very pissed off husband.

  Crackling wood drew her eyes to her father. He knelt in front of the fireplace, poking a log he’d placed inside when they first came to the den. Though he seemed focused on getting the fire started, she knew it was a means for distraction. What he really wanted was to knock some sense into Dylan and Layne, which didn’t surprise her in the least. She had no doubts he’d read their thoughts the second they walked into the house.

  Once the silence reached its limit on awkwardness, she leaned to the edge of the couch, gaining Delia’s attention as she sat in the chair across from them. “I don’t mean to be rude or impatient, but your silence concerns me. We sacrificed sleep because we wanted to get here as soon as we could. You and my parents are the only people who can answer our questions. Yet here we sit, none the wiser. Please, give us something.”

  Delia flashed her the same warm smile she always did, the one that spoke of understanding and patience. “To be honest, Heaven, we don’t have answers. Not as many as we’d like. While we can give you our take on things from our experience as a trinity, our knowledge of supreme trinities is limited. We know that you’re going to be very powerful.”

  It never failed for one of them to do this, to keep secrets or give half-truths. Would she, Dylan, or Layne ever get the whole truth about this mystical world they belonged to?

  “So you’re saying you have no idea why the three of us had the same dream, but it has to do with Dylan and I being part of a supreme trinity?”

  “We have ideas,” her mother cut in as she continued staring at Layne, “but we have no proof. We know that your supremacy affects every part of your life.”

  The answer did nothing to alleviate Heaven’s confusion. If anything, it raised more questions—questions that wouldn’t get answered.

  The soothing pulse of Dylan’s energy said he wanted her to relax, but she couldn’t. Didn’t he realize that he was part of the problem, that she had sensed his anger toward Layne and his disappointment with her?

  Relaxation was the furthest thing from her mind. Too many things needed explanations. Until she found those answers, he wouldn’t stop worrying about her connection with his best friend.

  Ignoring the second round of pulses he sent, Heaven focused on his mother. Her mother was too consumed with Layne to glance her way. “Even if it’s just an idea, it’s better than not knowing. Can you at least share your theories?”

  “Yes,” Delia answered, taking a sip from the coffee cup she held in her hands. “My theory revolves around the different planes of existence. The plane on which we live and breathe every day is where our soul takes physical form. We call it the physical plane. When most people dream, they enter another plane where the mind isn’t bound to the physical body. They’re still connected, but the mind can go beyond physical limits. This state of existence is the etheric plane.”

  “Is this where Heaven and I met in our dreams?”

  The sound of Dylan’s voice had Heaven gazing over her shoulder. She detected the emotion in his voice, emotion that reminded her of the love he had for her. He wanted to focus on that love and nothing else.

  He moved his eyes from his mother long enough to meet hers. For such a brief moment, it seemed to last forever. His energy settled from the anger-fueled jolts that consumed her earlier. In fact, she sensed his remorse.

  Once he looked away, she did the same. Both refocused on his mother, who leaned forward in the chair and placed her cup on a coaster. She pressed her lips together in preparation to answer her son.

  “No. You didn’t find Heaven in the etheric plane. The reason is that for most people, dreams are a way of letting their minds regenerate. It gives them the opportunity to work out subconscious issues, past and present. While we’re able to do the same, our kind rarely dream in the etheric plane.”

  “Why?” Dylan’s question echoed in Heaven’s ear. He’d moved up beside her, near the edge of the couch, brushing his knee against hers. As hard as it was not to turn to him, she kept her focus on his mother, waiting for her to finish.

  “When we dream, our souls regenerate. We leave the physical form behind and project our souls to another plane, the astral plane. Whatever emotions are attached to our soul will cross over with us. We live through those emotions when we’re in this alternate state.”

  “I think I understand, Mom.” His soft-spoken words pulled at Heaven’s heart, as did his energy. She turned to face him, unable to ignore the emotion in his voice. That same emotion played in his eyes, big brown eyes that gazed at her like she was the only person in the room. “My soul longed for hers, and hers longed for mine. That’s why we dreamed of each other.”

  “That’s right, Dylan. Your abilities are strong when you’re in this plane. There is a natural draw between your souls, but your empathy helped you find each other.”

  His eyes danced over Heaven’s face as they glistened with moisture. The love they contained had her holding her breath. It was this side of him that she fell in love with. She wanted to see more of this man, not the bitter one who let a mistake torture him.

  As if he’d read her mind, his eyes fell to her hand, which curled around the cushion. He swept his fingers across the back, moving them in a circle as he sighed. “What about this recent dream? I’m assuming it happened in the astral plane as well, but why was Layne involved? He’s never showed up in any of our other dreams.”

  Sneaking a quick peek at Layne, Heaven wasn’t surprised to find him still focused on the patio door. He tilted his head to the side, as if acknowledging he heard his name but didn’t want to be a part of the conversation.

  The sound of Delia clearing her throat brought Heaven’s eyes back to her mother-in-law, who glimpsed at Layne as well. She offered her son a smile when she turned back, but it didn’t have the same warmth it normally did.

  “Because Heaven’s a supreme, her connection with Layne will be stronger than normal Seeker-Keeper relationships. Once he accepted his role as her Keeper, he bound himself to her. Not the way you are bound to her, but similar in the sense that her soul can summon his whenever and wherever she needs it.”

  Each stunning word she uttered made Heaven’s cheeks burn. “Are you saying that my fear of being attacked pulled him into the dream, because the dream didn’t start out like that?”

  It was with those words that Layne finally turned around. She caught his movement in her peripheral vision but didn’t look his way. She didn’t need to see his face. Not when his energy revealed the emotions raging inside him.

  His anger stemmed from her mentioning the earlier part of the dream. Fear grew over the fact that he didn’t want her repeating anything he’d told her. But the frustration flowing through his soul is what hurt her the most because she knew he regretted showing her a glimpse inside his heart.

  Despite the upsetting revelation, she didn’t let his energy distract her from getting the answer she wanted. Her focus remained on Delia and the explanation she was ab
out to give them.

  “Fear has plagued each of your minds, so yes, I feel it contributed to his being there. Whatever else happened in the dream was brought about by each of you and your emotions. However, this was about more than emotions. Like I said before, your abilities are strong in your dreams. My theory is that the battle you faced resulted from a precognitive experience brought on by the baby.”

  “What?”

  Heaven looked at Dylan as both blurted the question. Confusion spiraled within their connection, leaving both shaken and surprised at Delia’s answer.

  “You know your child has abilities, don’t you?”

  A retort readied on Heaven’s lips, but the reality of Delia’s question hit her. “I…I think a part of me knew, or maybe it’s that I’m not surprised. It makes sense for our child to have abilities if we have them.” A small nudge from within had her touching her stomach. “I’ve been so focused on being pregnant and all the physical changes, I haven’t thought about the baby having abilities or what they could be.”

  Dylan cleared his throat a second later. He stroked a small space on her belly, stopping when the baby kicked. “I just made the connection right before we left Montego, at least to the fact that the baby is gifted. I don’t know what those abilities are, but I think it’s the reason I’m having a hard time sensing you.”

  “You’re right, Dylan.” Delia added. “It’s also the reason you lost your connection with Heaven in Aruba. The baby felt her devastation when you walked out. Your child did what it could to protect her. It’s still feeling that need, which is why Anna sees the lavender aura. It represents psychic shields.”

  Worry wavered in Dylan’s eyes. She knew he still carried a lot of guilt for the pain he’d caused her in Aruba. Now he carried the guilt for everything that happened on their last night in Montego. Learning that he was partially responsible for stressing their child had him loathing himself even more.

  She sent him a comforting pulse, hoping it would ease his mind. He would be a great father. She knew it in her heart as much as her soul. He needed to believe it too, not focus on the negativity.

  Another caress of his fingers tingled her skin. All the love he had for their baby replaced the worry in his eyes. They twinkled each second he stared at her stomach. “So does our baby have some type of shielding ability?”

  “I believe so, because I believe the child needs to be able to shield itself.”

  Dylan’s hand stilled. He flashed Heaven a puzzled look before doing the same to his mother. “Why?”

  “This is just a hunch, but I’m thinking your child is clairvoyant. He or she has the ability to see the future. In order to protect their visions from negative influences, clairvoyants have abilities to shield themselves and others.”

  A strong, steady thump grew in Heaven’s temples. She gave in and pressed her hands to them, wishing she could clear her mind. The more she tried to understand what Delia was explaining, the more confused she became.

  “I can’t wrap my brain around any of this. You still haven’t told us about the supreme trinity or why Dylan and I are a part of the trio. Now I’m learning about other planes and the fact that our baby has abilities. My head feels like it could explode.”

  It was her mother’s voice that filled the air, cutting off whatever words hung on Delia’s lips. “There will be plenty of time to discuss this after you’ve had rest. Your mind can’t process anything if you’re sleep deprived.”

  “Just point me to a bed and I’ll go,” she grumbled, still rubbing her head.

  “Actually, I prepped the old cottage for you. When Delia told us that she sensed you guys were coming home, I wanted to have everything ready.”

  The thought of staying in the old cottage made Heaven smile because that same house had been her sanctuary growing up. “I love that house. I used to go there to read when I was younger. In fact, I went there a lot when I needed privacy.”

  Her mother nodded. “I know. I thought you’d be comfortable there. It keeps us all close but gives you the privacy you need. And it’s big enough for the three of you.”

  An icy chill covered Heaven from head to toe, as if she’d met a bucket of ice head-on. She couldn’t believe her mother just touched on the one subject she wanted to avoid, the one subject that would upset Dylan and piss off Layne even more.

  “Layne is not staying in the cottage with us, Mom.” The words came barreling out before she could stop herself. Every ounce of harshness they contained reflected on her mother’s face.

  “Excuse me?”

  “What I mean is, he needs his space. I think the garage apartment would be better for him. He’ll be close enough if I need him, but far enough away to have his privacy. He needs his privacy.”

  She tried to ignore the men in her life, but the pull of their energy wouldn’t let her. She gazed at Dylan first, then Layne, who’d left his spot near the door. Between her husband’s creased brows and Layne’s gaping mouth, she didn’t know who she’d surprised the most.

  Doing her best to ignore their reaction, she turned to her mother, who couldn’t meet her eyes. Instead, she looked out the window just behind her. “I’m sure you’re probably right, Heaven, but it’s not possible. The apartment is already occupied.”

  “By whom?”

  Silence reclaimed the room as she waited for her mother’s answer. The first sign of dawn brightened the outdoors, but she couldn’t take time to appreciate the beautiful scenery. Her mother’s eyes shifted from the window to her lap, where her hands lay folded.

  “Your sister’s in the apartment.”

  Sitting up straight, Heaven shot a quick glance at Dylan, noting the confusion on his face. “When did Hope get here?”

  Her mother’s eyes darted to hers as she answered, “Wrong sister.”

  CHAPTER 8

  A burst of rage ignited in Layne the longer he stared at Anna. Each passing second gained him another set of curious eyes. Their stares didn’t anger him as much as knowing they were waiting for his reaction. And he felt a reaction, one that made his head pound with each thump of his heart.

  He questioned whether he’d heard right. That the one person who’d ripped out his heart was there. The thought of seeing Faith, much less dealing with her, had him clenching his fist—and his jaw. The centers of his cheeks began to ache.

  A quick turn had him facing the back wall, though he avoided the mirror that hung above the mantle. Shutting everyone out wouldn’t erase Anna’s words, but he couldn’t be a part of the impending conversation. Not until he controlled the anger smoldering within him. Knowing Heaven sensed that anger was bad enough.

  The ringing in his ears died away as snapping and popping echoed through the room. He stared at the wood inside the fireplace, swiping the beads of sweat from his neck. The faint embers Nicholas stoked had grown into flames in a matter of seconds. Flickers of yellow and orange danced around the logs, consuming the outer edges. They mimicked the fire building inside him as Anna’s words replayed in his mind.

  It wasn’t just the fact that Faith was there that pissed him off. It was the possibility that Heaven had somehow known and chosen not to tell him. She could sense energy, after all. Wouldn’t she have sensed Faith’s presence?

  If he went off the expression on her face, the answer would be no. Her wide eyes and parted lips said the news had floored her as much as him, if that was possible. Hell, he hadn’t recovered from the verbal punch she’d given him—how he wouldn’t be staying in the cottage with her and Dylan.

  She’d played off the harshness in her voice, pretending like she was concerned about his privacy. What a crock of shit. This was her lashing out. All the hurt he’d caused her resonated with each word she spoke. Those words continued haunting him, even at this moment when he avoided her gaze. No matter how hard he tried to block her from his mind, he couldn’t ignore the pull of her soul. Each sorrow-filled tug ripped him apart.

  Regret churned his stomach. Yeah, he wanted to put distan
ce between them, but not like this.

  He shouldn’t be surprised by her reaction. He’d all but demanded the distance when they stood on the side of the road just behind the rental car. Each vicious word he’d sputtered in her face caused damage. He hadn’t cared at the time. Hurting her seemed like the only way out of the mess he’d caused. Yet hearing her put his words into motion…

  His gut twisted tighter. He wanted to be her friend, but he couldn’t. Didn’t she realize that fact hurt him as much as it hurt her? There was nothing he wanted more than for them to grow closer. Too bad it clouded his mind and judgment. How could he worry about her safety when other images played through his mind, like the silky skin he’d touched, or the soft lips that once caressed his? Guarding her required his full attention. He needed to be on alert for danger, not obsessing over his feelings for her.

  Laughter bubbled inside his chest. He’d proven his point again. She possessed his every thought. Made everything and everyone disappear from his mind. He fought against the urge to look at her, though he knew he’d lose the battle. She’d grown too quiet since her mother’s announcement.

  Self-discipline had never been one of his finer points, nor was it now. He finally caved and turned back to the couch where she and Dylan sat. Her mother occupied her attention while Dylan tried to gain it. He kept whispering something in her ear as he held her close.

  A twinge of jealousy pinched Layne’s heart. He wanted to be the one to comfort her, wanted to be the one who held her tight and soothed the angst inside. He understood her apprehension better than anyone because her mother’s words upset him too. Yet no one consoled him. No one asked how he felt about Faith’s presence, and he was fine with that. He didn’t need kind words or empty apologies.

  What he needed, he couldn’t have.

  Shifting his eyes to the floor, he cursed himself. The anger raging inside him wasn’t about comforting Heaven. It wasn’t about guarding her life twenty-four hours a day. He could do either as her Keeper. This was about the ache in his heart, about the inconsolable urge to be by her side. He wanted to be the last person she would see at night and the first in the morning. He wanted her bearing his name and his children.