What the Heart Takes

by Kelli McCracken

  “How,” she cried against his neck. “How can you get it out without taking him to a doctor?”

  Pulling away from Layne, she narrowed her eyes on her mother-in-law. The urge to scream and yell grew harder to resist. It would be easy to lash out at Delia, but it wasn’t her fault. She knew that, which is why she choked down her anger instead.

  “If you try to remove it, you’ll rip out his heart…as if Faith and I haven’t done that enough.”

  “Your father wouldn’t have brought him here if we couldn’t help him. Doctors can’t, Heaven.” Delia pointed to the arrow. “This arrow is similar to one you’d use to kill an animal. It’s meant to cause damage, lots of damage.” She placed her palm flush to Layne’s forehead, like she was checking his temperature, but she continued her explanation. “Unlike normal arrows, the metal is very poisonous because it’s forged through magnokinesis, or metal bending. The bender was a Hunter. They’re an elite group of assassins for The Fallen. I’m guessing that you didn’t find a bow, did you?”

  “No, but I thought maybe Layne burned it when he burned the man.” Her eyes moved across the room, landing on her father. “Did you tell them about the flames Layne created?”

  “He told us, Heaven,” Delia chimed in before he could answer, “but you wouldn’t have found a bow either way. A magnokinetic creates these. It’s their ability. They can create different arrowheads too. If he used a mechanical broadhead, it’s a miracle Layne isn’t dead.”

  The tone of her voice sent a new wave of fear cascading through Heaven. She hesitated on asking anything else, but she had to know what Delia meant. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because the blades on the tip deploy as soon as it hits its target.” Delia used her hands to demonstrate her answer. She worked her fingers together and then suddenly opened them as wide as she could. “They project outward and cause more damage.”

  “How are we going to get it out?”

  Her father gained Delia’s attention. She never said a word, but he nodded at her and stepped into the hall. He wasn’t gone but ten seconds when he came walking back inside, and he wasn’t alone. A man walked in behind him. He looked to be her father’s age, and just as tall, with short sandy hair. Gray-blue eyes peered around the room through gold-rimmed glasses. As he made his way toward the bed, she noticed the way Dylan’s brows knitted.

  “Uncle Spencer?” Dylan asked. “What…what are you doing here?”

  It was his mother who spoke up as she stood from the bed the second Spencer entered. “He’s here to help your friend, Dylan, but he’s also here for me.”

  Dylan’s face pinched tighter. Waves of confusion crashed within his energy as he shook his head. “I’m not following you.”

  Delia averted her eyes, looking at Spencer instead. He gave her a nod and released a sigh. “You need to tell him.”

  “Tell me what?”

  The gruffness in Dylan’s voice made his mother flinch. She gazed across the bed to the spot where he stood not far from the edge. “Spencer is my Keeper.”

  It took a moment, but realization flashed through Dylan’s eyes. He shot a quick glance in Spencer’s direction, and then his mother’s. “I never knew you had a Keeper. Guess this explains why you’ve always been good friends with our neighbor. I can’t believe you hid this from me. Why?”

  “The same reason I hid everything else.” Weariness wavered in her voice and her dark green eyes. “I did it to protect you. I’d planned to tell you once you found out about your heritage. After all the chaos your father caused, I never got the chance. I’m sorry.”

  Dylan studied Spencer, shaking his head. “So how is he going to help Layne?”

  “Spencer is a metal bender too. He can liquefy the metal and draw it out of Layne’s body. It will prevent his heart from suffering more damage. He’ll be able to hold on until the Healer gets here.”

  “So what are you waiting for?” Heaven blurted. “Get it out of him already.”

  “I don’t think you should be in here for this, Heaven,” her mother piped in. “It’s a little graphic.”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  “Heaven, please,” Dylan begged as he stepped closer to the bed. His knees bumped the mattress, drawing her attention to him. “It’s not going to do you or the baby any good to sit here. If you get too upset—”

  “You think making me leave this room will keep me calm?”

  “Sweetie,” her mom cooed, “we want you and the baby to be safe.”

  “And I want to know my Keeper will survive this. I have to be with him.” They didn’t get it. None of them. If she couldn’t be by Layne’s side, watching over him, she’d drive herself crazy with worry. How could that be good for the baby?

  “Please, Heaven,” Dylan begged as her mother tugged her from the bed.

  “Stop it.”

  She hissed the words, jerking her arm back, but her mom held on tighter. “You’re not thinking clearly.”

  Delia walked over to assist. She slid past Dylan, gripping Heaven’s other arm. “Your connection with Layne is clouding your judgment.”

  “No. It’s. Not.” Eyeing her mother-in-law, she dug her heels into the carpet, doing her best to prevent them from escorting her from the room.

  “Come on, Heaven,” her mother huffed, using both her hands to pull on Heaven’s arm. “Fighting us isn’t helping your baby.”

  “Then leave me alone. Please, just leave me alone.” The fire fueling her fury faded, leaving her with the strength of a rag doll. Another round of tears fell down her cheeks. They’d manage to get her halfway to the door when she grabbed her chest and bent forward.

  “Heaven—”

  Panic filled her mother’s voice when they came to a stop. The moment she tucked her finger under Heaven’s chin and lifted, Heaven seized the opportunity to plead her case.

  “Please, Mom,” she begged. Another stream of tears descended down her cheeks. “Please.”

  Her mother started to argue, but a loud commotion behind them had her looking toward the bed. She turned to see what had her mother’s eyes widening, but the moment she saw what caused the commotion, her breath caught.

  “He’s convulsing.” Her father shouted the words as he and Spencer bent over Layne.

  Her mother released her arm and ran back to the bed. “His aura’s fading, Spencer. Just do it. We’re losing him.”

  “No,” Heaven shouted, struggling to get back to the bed. She’d nearly made it to the corner before Delia pulled her back.

  “There’s nothing you can do, Heaven.”

  “You’re wrong,” she screamed. “He needs me.”

  “Dylan,” his mother called as she struggled to keep Heaven from going to the bed.

  Her chest heaved harder when he walked their way. She could tell by the way he pressed his lips in a tight line that he didn’t want to force her to do anything. Yet he worried about their child as much as her.

  “Don’t you dare,” she seethed once he pulled her to him. No matter how much she wiggled her body, she couldn’t escape.

  “Please, calm down. I don’t want to do this to you, but I have to think about the baby. This isn’t good for either of you.”

  “Neither is Layne’s death.”

  She watched her parents fighting to keep Layne’s body from flopping. Spencer stood just behind her father, stretching his arm toward Layne’s chest as if he were reaching for him. The arrow inside shimmied back and forth. Blood spurted around the wound leaving crimson splatters across Layne’s shirt, as well as the white sheets. Each droplet that hit made her stomach lurch. Pain seized her body. It came with such force that she swore someone was ripping the arrow from her chest like they were from Layne’s.

  “You’re killing him!” She meant to shout the words, but her voice failed to form the harshness she intended. It sounded more like a squeak than anything and did little to deter them.

  A moment later, the visible part of the arrow shot from Layne’s chest. It bounced
off his arm, falling to the floor a second later. Her mother grabbed a wad of gauze from a first aid kit she’d brought with her. She pressed it and her hand against his chest.

  The arrow was out. Layne should have been doing better, but he wasn’t. His body continued to twitch underneath her parents’ grasps.

  “Did you get it?” Her father asked, staring up at Spencer, who opened his hand. An orb of silver hovered above his palm as he nodded. “Then why is he still convulsing?”

  “You know the answer to that, though I doubt you truly understand what it means.” Spencer’s voice was steady and sure. He carried the orb over to the trashcan and flipped his hand over, allowing it to drop inside. After he swiped his hand over his pant leg, he turned back to look at Layne once more. Then his eyes found Heaven’s. “He may be unconscious, but his soul isn’t. He senses his Seeker’s presence. What you said is true, Heaven. He needs you.” He turned his slate-colored eyes toward Dylan’s mother and raised a brow. “Why would you force her to leave? You know better, Delia, or have you forgotten about this?”

  He raised his shirt midway, showing off well-sustained abs and a three-inch scar just below his ribcage. Layne’s chest came back into view as Heaven wondered what type of scar he would have.

  “Would one of you please explain what’s going on?” she asked.

  Delia eased her grip on Heaven’s arm. “The night that Nate and I split up, Spencer was there. He was holding Dylan, keeping him away from Nate, who was using his abilities to destroy the house. When Nate saw that I wasn’t scared, he threatened to kill me.”

  A sudden shift in Spencer’s stance had Delia pausing. The anger he felt for Nate rushed from his soul, slicing through Heaven’s thoughts. He hated her father-in-law, would rather see him dead than allow him to hurt Delia or Dylan. She doubted he would hesitate on killing him now, if the need arose.

  Once his energy settled, Delia refocused on her story. “I knew Nate wouldn’t hurt me because we’re soulmates. It would have caused him pain too, but Spencer didn’t care. He handed Dylan to me then punched Nate. There was a struggle and Nate was losing, so he used his kinesis to pull a knife from the kitchen. He stabbed Spencer with it.”

  Heaven’s eyes fluttered shut. She couldn’t believe Delia had experienced a situation similar to the one she faced with Layne. “What happened?”

  “I was able to remove the knife, but he was losing a lot of blood. I knew he needed help, so I called a friend who was a Healer. She came over to assist. For two days, I watched him fading in and out. I didn’t know if I’d lose him. My friend stayed to help with Dylan. She had a little boy the same age and—well, it’s a long story.”

  “She had to be near me because she knew I needed her,” Spencer added, coming to a stop in front of them. “It’s the natural bond between a Seeker and Keeper. She’s my reason for living, just like you are Layne’s. The fact that you and he share an affinity makes his need all the greater.”

  Every word he uttered mesmerized Heaven. He really understood the desperation pounding through her. She didn’t doubt that Spencer cared for Delia a lot like Layne cared for her. They were friends, foremost, but the way he gazed at her mother-in-law said it ran deeper than friendship. Something about Delia’s energy proved it wasn’t one-sided.

  It wasn’t long before Delia released Heaven’s arms. She moved past her, straight to Spencer, who wrapped her in a tight embrace. The painful memories had shaken her mother-in-law, but a few minutes in the arms of her Keeper had her energy stabilizing.

  She waited to see if Dylan would release her too. She had to go to Layne. He needed her, especially since the Healer wasn’t there yet. There was no way her husband could refuse her request to be with her Keeper, unless he wanted to appear like a heartless jerk.

  As if he’d picked up on her thoughts, his shoulders slumped. A battle raged within him, but he did his best to keep it hidden. He didn’t want her staying there, stressing herself over her Keeper, not if it put their child in danger. Yet he couldn’t demand she go. Not after promising to support her and Layne’s connection.

  The heat of his hands faded from her body once he pulled them away and grabbed her face instead. His lips brushed against hers, a sense of satisfaction soothing his soul when she leaned in further. All the passion within him—the passion he felt for her—tingled through her lips. Then he whispered against them, “Go.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered back then moved toward the bed. Her mother finished taping the bandage before stepping out of the way, leaving her father to hold Layne down. The second Heaven eased onto the bed, the convulsions ceased.

  “It worked,” her mother mumbled from behind, but Heaven paid little attention. She trailed her hand down his chest, using care not to touch the bandage her mother had placed over his wound. The arrow was gone and the convulsions had stopped. It was enough to give her hope that he’d make it. The only thing she needed was for Layne to open his eyes.

  She wouldn’t leave his side until he did.

  * * *

  Dense fog spread as far as Dylan could see, blocking his view of the front yard. He shuffled his feet against the concrete porch until the rail prevented him from going any further. The rising sun did little to disperse the fog when rain continued to splash to the ground. As hard as he tried to focus on the weather, the only thoughts running through his mind were his wife’s pain and his friend’s critical condition.

  No matter how much he wanted to help Heaven, he couldn’t. Not with this. Layne waking up would be the only thing to bring her out of her frantic state. Yet the more he thought about his friend, the more his jealousy tried to resurface.

  This whole ordeal was nothing but a mess of pain and confusion. Would things ever get better? Dealing with his father’s death threats was bad enough. Adding Heaven and Layne’s connection into the mix made a perfect recipe for disaster, their hearts the unknowing victims.

  A soft brushing sound resonated from behind. He stole a glance over his shoulder, noticing his mom walking out of the door. She wore a tight-lipped smile as she joined him near the rail.

  “I’d ask if you were okay, but I already know the answer,” she said, gripping the rail in front of them.

  “I don’t know what I am, besides a mess of confusion. I’m angry. I’m scared. I’m sad. I want to blame Layne for all of this, yet I know I’m just as much to blame. My selfishness pushed him too far. His selfishness led him to his deathbed.”

  “It isn’t easy, Dylan,” she affirmed while rubbing warmth into her arms. “No one expects you to be perfect. What you’re feeling is natural.”

  His brows shot toward the sky as he twisted his head to glare at her. “Is it, Mom? Layne’s upstairs fighting for his life, and I’m down here resenting his connection with my wife. It’s not natural. It’s sadistic.”

  “You have more important things to worry about, Dylan. Nicholas told us that Heaven spotted the man you guys dreamed about. If they’re really here, we have to focus on keeping Heaven safe until Layne pulls through.”

  “Will he pull through?”

  The weight of the question hung between them, filling the air with bitterness and tension. It was a solid minute before she released a sigh and shook her head. “I don’t know, Dylan. We can only hope.”

  “I want him to be okay, because of our friendship, because he will protect my wife. But part of me doesn’t want him to make it. If he was gone, their connection would be gone, and…” The guilt of his words choked him. He gritted his teeth and looked back at the yard. “See what I mean? There’s something wrong with me.”

  “Nothing is wrong with you, sweetheart. Being mated to a Seeker is hard. Especially when you’re not her Keeper. You’re feeling what other male Seekers have felt. Ask Nicholas if you don’t believe me.” She waited for him to quit shaking his head before continuing. “Male Seekers aren’t the only ones who battle these feelings. When a Keeper is mated to a Seeker who isn’t his ward, he goes through the same thing, even u
nfortunate pairs. Your father was always jealous of Spencer.”

  The topic of his uncle had him grinding his teeth. When his jaws began to burn, he stopped. “I can’t believe you lied to me about him. My life has been built upon a stack of lies. Now that the truth is coming out, everything is off kilter.”

  “I know, Dylan. I’m sorry.” Her bottom lip trembled when he finally faced her. “I hope you can forgive me someday.”

  “Do you have feelings for Spencer?”

  “Yes,” she nodded. “I always have. He’s my Keeper. Remember how I told you that unfortunates can go on to live happy lives without their soulmate?” She waited until he nodded his head and then said, “I moved on with Spencer the day you moved out. I love him a lot, Dylan, but your father will always have the biggest part of my heart. He’s still my soulmate.”

  “You said you’ve always had feelings for Spencer. What does that mean for Heaven? I know she cares about Layne, but… Will her feelings evolve?”

  “I promise you, she’ll never love anyone more than she loves you.”

  It was the same answer she always gave him. The more she said it, the more he questioned it. “Just because she loves me doesn’t mean she’s always going to be with me. I’ve brought this on myself, Mom. My bitterness has pushed her toward him.”

  “That’s not true,” she said, stepping back from the rail. She grabbed both his arms and turned him to face her. “You’re her soulmate, Dylan. Neither of you could bare a separation, but I won’t lie to you. An affinity complicates things.”

  A sharp, stabbing pain consumed his heart. He still didn’t completely understand the affinity or what it meant for his relationship with his wife. “Am I going to lose her?”

  “No. I’ve already told you this.”

  “Then we have to be the unfortunate pair.”

  She shook her head adamantly. “You’re not, but I believe Faith is. A lot of what’s happening started with her. It’s the unfortunate affecting the fortunate.”

  There was more to this story than she was saying. His gut said as much. The fact that she’d kept so much from him didn’t help ease his mind.