What the Heart Wants

Prologue Armageddon would soon begin in a fiery blaze of wrath and fury. The wicked thunderstorm flashing around Dylan McBride forewarned him of the imminent event. His lungs stalled as lightning spread across a steel-blue sky. Wind whipped around him, blowing his hair about his face. He brushed it aside and peered through the willow branches, questioning his decision to stand under a tree. The rain hadn’t begun, but the approaching storm raged on as if hell had been unleashed on earth. Maybe it had. The panic flooding his body left him anxious and desperate. If the apocalypse had begun, he wouldn’t know. One thing kept him glued to this spot—the beautiful angel standing before him. Nothing, not even the devil himself, could deter him from his fascination with her. He examined her delicate features. Chestnut curls fell past her shoulders. High cheekbones flushed with color. Full, voluptuous lips tempted him. The longer Dylan stared at her, the harder he sought an answer. Did she sense the same magnetic force drawing them together? The urge was so powerful it was irrefutable. Even the chaos unfolding around them couldn’t tear him away. When she closed the distance between them, he waited for her to speak. Her fiery gaze met his, burning him to his soul. So did her touch. The moment her fingers caressed his arm, his muscles flinched. Electric currents shot from his fingers. Fear paralyzed him as her lips parted. Had he shocked her? The thought of hurting her twisted his gut. She was a treasure, one he wanted to claim, not harm. Instead of crying out in pain, she sighed. Her subtle reaction increased his pulse. It wasn’t what he’d expected, but it filled him with desire nonetheless. Dylan knew women, how to please them, how to make them shout his name. The unfortunate part was that none of those women knew him, not the real him. They witnessed a performance. They never found the secret chamber that held his heart. No one had even come close to touching it, except the magnificent angel in front of him. She discovered his soul and brought it to life. “We can’t stay here,” she warned him. “It’s not safe.” He pulled her into his arms, but her questioning gaze tugged his heartstrings. He whispered, “I can’t leave until I know.” “Know what?” He swept his thumb over her cheek, staring at the electric currents arcing against her skin. They lit up a faint tattoo underneath her eye. As soon as he eased his hand away, it disappeared. “Something exists between us,” he said. “Tell me what your heart wants. I need you to say it.” Instead of speaking, she stood on her toes and brushed her mouth against his. Before Dylan deepened the kiss, the ecstasy enveloping them ended. A gut-wrenching sensation overcame him as she pulled back. The heat of her body—of the passion consuming him—left his soul cold. “What is it?” He already knew the answer but remained desperate for her to prove him wrong. “We have to stop. You need to wake up.” Her tone grew urgent. “I’m not asleep.” She backed into the dangling tree branches. “None of this is real.” “I don’t care. Just stay with me.” His voice betrayed him when nothing but a whisper passed over his lips. This time, when he touched her, the warmth of her skin disappeared. “No!” The sky darkened further and lightning struck again. Dylan’s nerve endings sizzled as he absorbed a bolt before it hit the ground. It should have killed him, or anyone else it touched, but fate kept his heart beating just so it could break. When he reached forward, his fingers brushed through the beautiful angel’s transparent image. God, no… She stretched her hand toward his face as if to stroke it. All he felt was the wind blowing his hair. The moment she disappeared, her voice carried to him once more. “Open your eyes…” The scenery before him vanished, leaving Dylan to tumble in an abyss of darkness. Despite how hard he searched for an object to stop his descent, he found nothing. It was pointless to try. The farther he plummeted toward the ground, the less he resisted. Any second, he’d collide with something and all of his suffering would end. Within seconds, his body jerked into a sitting position. Lightning reflected off the walls. He gazed around the room in desperation, hoping to find a clue to what had happened. His angel…had she…? Violent heartbeats left him breathless. As much as he wanted to scream and beg her to return, it was impossible. He didn’t know her name. Even if he did, it wouldn’t change anything. Thunder crashed outside. Dylan gazed at his hands, half expecting to see currents shooting from his fingertips. All he saw was a crisp, white bed sheet clutched in his palms. Everything spun. He released the sheet and grabbed his head, holding it with both hands. After a few deep breaths, the fragrant scent of sandalwood tickled his nose. What the hell…? He searched the room, taking in beige-colored walls, an oak chest, and clothes strewn across the floor. When his gaze settled on a pair of black snakeskin boots, his heart ached. He was home, in his bedroom, alone. Falling back onto the mattress, realization burned Dylan’s stomach. There was no beautiful angel, and no electricity shot from his fingers. It was just another dream. All that remained was a wicked headache. He’d like to cover his head and never leave the bed, but the aspirin in the bathroom called to him. A beer can crunched under his foot when he stood. He winced at the sharp edges digging into his skin and hobbled to the chest of drawers. As soon as he gripped the edge, he held on long enough to peel away the can. Before he could chuck it into the trash, he spotted an empty vodka bottle across the room on its side. It finally made sense why his temples pounded. Hangovers sucked. Laughter escaped him as he remembered why he’d gotten drunk in the first place—to forget her—the angel from his dreams. What a joke. All the liquor in the world wouldn’t erase her image from his mind. His soul grew restless. She would never be his salvation, only his tormentor.