What the Heart Takes

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Fear paralyzed Heaven as a dark-haired man stormed across the beach. Five men followed close behind him. All were dressed in dark clothing, like something she’d seen in a movie. But this was no movie. She couldn’t leave the cinema to escape the impending danger.

Layne blocked most of her view and pressed into her as Dylan’s chest warmed her back. She stood there, caught between them, unable to do anything but pray they made it out alive. So much unfamiliar energy thumped through the air.

Her stomach rolled when the dark-haired man raised his hand. One quick flip of his wrist sent another whoosh zipping by them. Then the ground shook. Water spewed toward the sky, at least a hundred yards, before falling to the sand like raindrops.

“What the hell is he shooting?”

Dylan’s voice shook with anger as he took a few steps back. He would do his damnedest to protect her, even if Layne failed.

One thing she knew for sure. Both men would keep her safe, even if it meant doing hand to hand combat. With six men advancing on them, it didn’t seem the best choice, but it might be their only choice.

Unless they wanted to run.

Layne remained in front of her. The heat of his energy built around her like a thermal shield. “I don’t know what he’s shooting, but he’s pissing me off.”

His voice hit a low tone, one that made Heaven’s heart squeeze. She knew what that tone meant. Logic and reason no longer existed in his mind. One thing did—defending her.

“Layne, please,” she whispered, clutching his shoulder. “We’ve planned this out. Let’s get to the Jeep so we can escape.”

“I have to do this.”

“No, you don’t,” she told him. “This isn’t about proving something. It’s about staying safe.”

“It’s okay. Watch this.”

Layne faced their adversaries and drew his hand to his waist, palm toward the sky. Heaven sensed his energy change. The stronger his vibrations grew, the more sweat built at her neck.

She hoped like hell this worked, his plan to draw forth a flame, like he had earlier. But a few seconds passed with nothing accomplished except those wanting to hurt them gaining ground.

Dylan choked back a laugh from behind. “Watch what?”

The dimple in Layne’s cheek deepened as he c****d his head to the side. Then fiery eyes swept past her, landing on Dylan. “Think you can do something better, bro? What can you bend? Oh! That’s right. You can’t bend. You sense people, or is that just Heaven’s ability?”

“I may not sense energy like my wife, but my gut tells me things about people, even situations. So yeah, I guess I can sense a person. Stop your bullshit and let’s get out of here.”

“No,” Layne barked. “It’s too late to go anywhere. I don’t know who or what they are, but I know if we try to run, they’ll kill every single one of us.”

“They’ll kill us if we stand here too. At least we’ll have a chance if we go now.”

“Fine,” Layne huffed. He shifted his eyes to the approaching group. “You and Heaven go. I’ll hold them off.”

“No!” She gripped his shoulder. “We’re not leaving you here to die. Go with us, Layne. I need you.”

A twinge of jealousy fluttered in her bond with Dylan. She’d do her best to relieve his mind when they were safe. For now, she had to make sure Layne joined them.

“You need to go, Heaven. Let me do this. Let me protect you.”

“If you die now, who will protect me later?”

Layne held her gaze for a moment. She sensed his struggle. He wanted to say so much. Instead of baring his soul, he looked at Dylan.

“Your husband will.”

Heaven couldn’t form any words. She watched Layne turn his attention back to the group of benders heading their way.

“Come on, Hev.” Dylan tugged her arm. “We gotta go.”

“I can’t leave him.”

She wished Layne would look at her. If he sensed the fear in her soul, would he still refuse to leave with them?

Dylan pulled her arm a little harder this time. “He’ll be fine.”

“You’re just saying that, Dylan. I feel you. You know he’ll die as much as I do.”

“Get her out of here, Dylan, before this gets worse.” No matter how steady Layne’s voice remained, it didn’t hide the coldness it contained.

She blinked back the moisture in her eyes as Dylan tightened his grip. “Heaven, please. I can’t lose you, or her.”

His words churned their way through her heart. She wasn’t being fair to him. All he wanted was a life with her and their child. Instead, she’d given him a life on the run.

Despite the unfairness of the situation, they had each other. Layne got nothing from the new role he’d accepted. He didn’t have his soulmate or a child. If he stayed behind, he would get nothing but a guaranteed death sentence.

Dylan tugged her arm once more. She waited for him to do it again, but nothing happened.

“s**t,” he hissed.

The thump of their connection had Heaven sucking in a deep breath. Their chance to escape just decreased. Ten yards away, five more men approached them from behind.

“Turn around. Now.” Dylan urged her.

The second she faced Layne, she noticed the crease in his brows. He pressed his lips together and shook his head. It wasn’t the disappointment in his eyes that fed her guilt. It was the way it burned from his soul, lashing at her like an adult scolding a child. She’d endangered all of their lives by arguing with them, even the innocent life nudging her stomach.

Dylan pressed his back against hers and blocked her sides with his arms. A few strands of his hair swept over her shoulder when he leaned back.

“We’re not upset with you. Relax. We’ll get out of this. I promise.”

She sent an encouraging pulse back to him before touching his hand. “I trust you. Both of you.”

Neither he nor Layne gave her a response. She sensed what she needed from their energy, including the fact that their enemies had closed in.

Sneaking another glance toward the leader, she noticed how close he stood—close enough that she saw the smirk on his face.

“If it isn’t the elusive Heaven Lewis.” Dark, beady eyes glared at her. “And they said you’d be hard to find, though I don’t know why. The trail to find you blinked like a neon sign.”

He raked his eyes over Layne as his lips stretched in what should be a smile. But smiles warmed the heart. His made Heaven’s skin crawl.

“So the rumors are true, Miss Lewis. You found your Keeper.” His eyes darted to Dylan then back to her. “I’m having a hard time guessing which one it is. They’re both stuck to you like glue.”

She clung to both men, disregarding the other man’s taunts. There was no better way to tear them apart than by playing on their emotions—emotions they were already having a hard time dealing with. This man was aware of it, and he wanted to use it to his advantage. She had to stop him.

Who was she kidding? Even if they escaped this battle, it wouldn’t change the ones awaiting them. There would be plenty. Everything in her soul said as much.

The dark-haired man continued his stare down with Layne and Dylan.

“Let’s play a game. It’s called Find the Keeper.” He raised his hand to his waist, rotating it until his palm faced them. “Maybe I’ll focus on you instead of the ground. Think you could withstand the next explosion?”

Between the rapid jolts of Dylan’s energy and the scorching heat of Layne’s, Heaven expected one of them to snap at any sec—

“Touch her and you’ll be dead,” Layne growled.

“And we have the Keeper.” An echo of satisfaction played in the man’s words. “I knew if I threatened her you would speak. Any Keeper would. It’s in your DNA to be her bitch.”

“Thanks for the lesson in genetics,” Layne said. “Now answer this question. Who are you?”

The gruffness in Layne’s voice had Heaven cringing. Deep down she knew he was trying to remain calm for her sake, but the fire raging within him wanted to lash out. If only he could harness that fire. Then they wouldn’t have to worry about the group surrounding them.

Eerie laughter gained her attention as she exchanged glances with the man before them.

“You can call me Raphe, not that we’ll be chatting much. We’ll discuss that soon, but first, I have to say this. You are the world’s worst Keeper.”

“Is that so?” The muscles in Layne’s back rippled under Heaven’s palm.

“Yeah.” Raphe’s dark eyes twitched as he stepped closer. “The thing with being a Keeper is that you’re supposed to keep your Seeker safe. You have failed miserably. I thought I’d have a fight on my hands when I found you. Was looking forward to it. Too bad you couldn’t fulfill that expectation.”

Layne pushed forward, but Heaven refused to release him. She dug her fingers into his shoulder and leaned in closer to his ear. “He’s baiting you. He wants to pull you in so they can jump you. They are all locked and loaded.”

He tilted his head closer to hers. “So what am I supposed to do? Nothing?”

“Not yet. We have to think, Layne.”

“We don’t have time.”

A gust of wind blew from the ocean as Heaven touched her lips to the edge of his ear. “Listen to me. Don’t go off half-c****d to prove a point. We’ll be dead.”

“I have to, Heaven. You’re preg—”

“Shh! The less he knows, the better. And he doesn’t know much. He called me Miss Lewis.”

Layne parted his lips to argue but snapped them shut when she shook her head. He nodded and faced Raphe again. “Someone sent you on this little mission. Who was it?”

“Telling you will make no difference. It won’t change the fact that I’m here and I’m taking what I want.”

“What do you want?” Layne asked.

“I want your Seeker.”

Heaven held her breath, focusing on the rhythm of her heart. Layne’s vibrations pulled at her. The surrounding air combusted with heat when he glanced at her, but the rage in his eyes softened. He was okay. He even gave her the cocky little smirk.

Once Layne refocused on their enemies, he moved one hand behind his back, reaching for her. The heat of his touch didn’t surprise her, nor did the way it increased when she swept her fingers over his. It was the moment she saw a small flame flicker inside his palm.

The revelation shocked the hell out of her.

“It seems you’re not the only person who wants my Seeker,” Layne said. “But I have to warn you. Her soulmate doesn’t enjoy sharing.”

Any other time, his sarcasm would have caused an argument, but this wasn’t one of those times. His energy beat with amusement. Regardless of the tension they’d dealt with over the last few months, Dylan and Layne still shared a common goal—keeping her safe. She hoped their unspoken truce would last after the fact. For now, she’d take whatever she could get.

The mysterious man before them found no humor in Layne’s words. He crossed his arms before nodding at a man in his group. The other guy raked his hand through his spiky blue hair before leaving his spot near the patio. As he passed the palm tree, the leaves darkened, causing the stems to droop. Within a matter of seconds, they went from bright green to a dull brown. Then one by one, they fell to the sand.

A knot formed in her stomach as Raphe flashed her and Layne a creepy grin.

“You’re quite the clever man with your tongue. Too bad you’re not as skilled with your powers. Now the world will be without one of its comedians…and one of its Seekers.” He wiped a trail of sweat from his brow. “You boys can stay and fight this out. I found what I came for, and I’ll be taking her with me when I leave.”

The flame inside Layne’s palm danced higher. “Over my dead body.”

“My point exactly.”

Darkness filled Raphe’s eyes as much as his voice. It made Heaven shudder, but Layne’s energy didn’t regress. It beat stronger, sending out fire-filled vibrations that engulfed her soul. As her face heated, she pressed her back against Dylan. His fingers laced with hers, and said, “Let him do his thing, Heaven. He’ll be fine.”

Would he be saying that if he sensed the level of energy surrounding them? How could Layne take on every single one of their enemies? He was one Keeper—one that hadn’t mastered his abilities. A fully fledged kinetic would need backup in a situation like this.

Layne didn’t appear fazed by the challenge. He stepped forward, clenching his hand behind his back. The flame inside widened until it consumed his entire hand. He said nothing and took another step. Neither did their enemies. The only sounds filling the air were coughs and groans.

Heaven glanced at Raphe. Even he struggled for a breath. A second later, his knees hit the sand.

“What are you doing?” he groaned, extending his hand toward Layne. He tried flipping his wrist, but no whooshing filled the air this time. Instead, his hand met the sand as he fell forward on all fours.

“You broke the number one rule for a Keeper, Raphe.” Layne taunted. “Never underestimate your opponent.”

A wall of fire spread from Layne’s hand as he thrust it forward. One by one, their enemies ignited in flames, even those that stood behind them. Cries pierced Heaven’s ears before she covered them. She wanted to close her eyes to the horror unfolding before her, but she didn’t. Something told her to watch.

A foul odor of charred skin made its way to her nose. She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth, hoping she wouldn’t cover the sand with vomit.

Dylan must have sensed it. He turned and wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t watch this. Close your eyes.”

“I have to watch,” she whispered.

It didn’t take long for their enemies to drop to the ground. Most had turned to dust and bone. Only Raphe’s body remained intact. Flames blazed around him.

Layne stood a few feet from his burning body. He dropped his hand back to his waist as the flame inside died to a small flicker. When he spun around, he met her eyes. She sensed sparks of regret in his soul, but the curve of his lips revealed his relief.

“It’s over,” Dylan whispered. “We’re safe.” His hands trailed to her stomach, caressing it with his fingers. A hint of laughter escaped his lips when her stomach moved under his hand. “I think she senses our relief.”

She turned to face him and pressed her lips to his. Sweet cinnamon teased her tongue when he rolled his with hers. She wanted to celebrate their victory, as did Dylan, but now wasn’t the time. They needed to thank Layne for saving their lives.

Feeling eyes upon them, she pulled away and faced her Keeper.

“You did it, Layne. You saved us.” She smiled.

His eyes widened a second later.

“Layne, what’s wrong—?”

The question caught in her throat. A crimson trail leaked from his lips. When he parted them, blood spewed from his mouth and splashed against her yellow shirt. Its rusty scent swept through her nose, making her knees grow weak.

Layne’s body shifted forward as he collapsed face-first into the sand.

His vibrations grew weaker by the second, not that Heaven could concentrate on anything other than the knife buried in his back. A dark form shadowed him above. She followed the smoky object until she met dark, beady eyes.

Her heart sank.

The heat of Dylan’s embrace decreased. She turned to see a few more burned bodies dragging him back to a palm tree. He fought them, even knocked one to the ground, but two more came to assist. Then they pinned him against the trunk.

“Heaven, run!” He shouted before a bony arm pressed into his throat, silencing him.

She turned back to the other form, but her eyes fell to Layne instead. He wasn’t dead. His energy still pulled at her, but it grew weak. Every beat of her heart spoke a truth that she didn’t want to face. If she didn’t get help, he would die in a matter of hours, maybe less.

Raphe’s dark figure stepped over Layne’s bleeding body. She yelped as his charred fingers wrapped around her arm and singed her skin.

“Did you honestly think he would save you?”

“Yes,” she whispered. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She wanted to swipe them away, but she couldn’t move. A menacing gaze held her in place.

“This situation would have ended better had you listened. Now, two deaths are on your hands.”

Though he hadn’t confirmed it, he planned to kill Dylan too, unless she stopped him.

As soon as the thought entered her mind, Dylan’s energy beat faster. She sent him a soothing pulse, hoping it would calm him. It wasn’t the time to fall apart. They needed to figure out a way to keep each other safe, defeat their adversaries, and get Layne to the hospital before he bled to death.

“Don’t worry, little Seeker,” Raphe hissed. “I won’t kill your soulmate.” Heat bit at her skin when he squeezed her arm, jerking her forward. “But he’s about to lose you.”

Heaven wasn’t sure if she’d heard him right until she noticed an eerie grin reclaim his lips. Then he shifted his arm forward.

An icy sensation consumed her, as if she’d fallen into a frozen lake. The coolness lingered across her skin, but only for a heartbeat. A surge of fire replaced it. The sensation built behind her navel. It spread to every nerve. She tried sucking in a breath, but none came. Only one thing did.

Pain.

Her eyes fell to her stomach. Dylan’s energy quaked around her a second later, but she couldn’t look back to see if he was okay. She stared at the knife buried inside her belly.