Soon their motion changed into softer, slower exchanges that savored their sweet reunion. The memory of his silky lips, the ruggedly tempting smell that belonged to only him. The feel of his hands sliding along her bare arms, tickling her skin, circling her palms. He laced his fingers through hers, in and out of her grip, gently smoothing, touching, feeling.
She gave no more than a thought to the potential ruin this would cause if Calvin left her again. She was utterly lost in him, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.
***
Calvin could barely believe the moment was real, that he actually had Evie back in his arms. She had come for answers. He’d give her answers. But for now, he would enjoy the softness of her skin, the slick warmth of her lips and the delicious taste of her kiss. He ran the bridge of his nose along the soft, silky sheet of her hair, took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of her, proving to himself once again that she was real. Entirely lost under her spell, he pressed his mouth to her throat once more, felt her pulse race beneath his lips, and reveled in the quiet sound of pleasure she made. Caressing, cherishing, owning. Evie was his. She belonged to him.
As he pulled her toward the bed, Evie stopped, slid out of her shoes, and stepped past him. She sat on the edge of the bed, and then lay back, looking at him expectantly.
Calvin’s heart sputtered, paused, and then galloped into full speed. He hesitated, but only for a moment. Evie was back in his life. She loved him. She belonged to him.
He nudged the opening of her blouse, just enough to press kisses along the smooth slope of her shoulder, pausing only to whisper her name. It took effort to move softly, slowly, due to the frantic racing of his heart. Still, he wanted to remain gentle, sensual, and tenderly aware of each sensation.
He thrilled in the way Evie responded beneath the touch of his hands, the graze of his lips, and the slight skim of his teeth. Her blouse was thin and silky, and as Calvin slid his fingers from the top center of her back, slowly down to the base, she arched forward, pulled her body closer to him where he secured her in place with his arms.
As a groan sounded from deep in his throat, Calvin realized his self-control was slipping away. Soon it would be lost completely. Just as the thought occurred to him, Evie stiffened, and then shifted away, though still engaged in his kiss.
He forced himself to pull away and let his gaze run along the silky strands of her golden hair, the softness of her face, and the conflicted look in her eyes. Her skirt, recklessly hiked up at one side, revealed her smooth, lower thigh, and the lacy hem of her slip. Her blouse, tossed up slightly at the base, left a trace of skin vulnerable along her abs and waist. He puzzled there for a moment, fighting the intense desire. His desperation to take Evie–to make her his own–was agonizing. Why hadn’t she spoken up? What could be going through her mind?
“Evie, what are we doing?” he asked.
A spark of hurt flared in her eyes as she sat up, straightening her blouse. “That’s a good question.” Her voice was a sad, defeated whisper. She looked up at him, a near pleading in her eyes. “Calvin, why did you leave me?”
He pressed his eyes closed, head aching at the mere thought of approaching the subject. How could he tell her? Where would he even start?
“There isn’t another girl,” she stated matter-of-factly, proving she’d believed him. “So what is it? Is it because of this?” Her bottom lip quivered as she gestured her palm to the space between them. “Because you want to go further, and I don’t?”
Her insinuation distracted him; he thought they were past that. “What? No. Of course not.” Anger flared at the thought. “I would never leave you over something like that, Evie. Never.” His voice had risen, carried the insult he felt.
“Then what?” She came to a stand. “Tell me why you left.”
“I will. Just give me a minute.” He ran his hand through his hair, took a step back, trying to clear his head.
“Why do you need a minute? The truth is easy, Calvin. You just say it. It shouldn’t require a lot of thought.”
“I am going to say it. Just…”
“Just what? Give you enough time to come up with another stupid lie?” She stepped toward him, a rush of pink coloring her cheeks. “Tell me why you left. Just say it. I’m a big girl, Calvin. I can take–”
“Because I’m dangerous for you, okay?” he said, louder than he’d meant to.
Evie pulled in a sharp breath, furrowing her brows. Calvin held her gaze through the lengthy silence, and tipped his chin when he saw a spark of enlightenment flitter across her eyes. And then it was gone. Had Evie sensed it before? Known there was something different about him?
She folded her arms across her chest. “You’re dangerous? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“My family. We’re …” He released an angry moan and started again. “Something’s … after us. The women we love, actually.”
The knowing look returned to her eyes. As if she were expecting it. It frightened him. What did she know? He thought back to clues that might have tipped her off, recalling one.
“Do you remember that drawing from art class? The one with the wild-looking woman?”
When she gave him a wordless nod, he gulped. “She has a name. And a purpose.” He shook his head, looked across the room at a sketch of Evie pinned to his wall. “I told you she was just someone my grandpa used to warn us about, though I wasn’t convinced she was real at the time. But what if I told you she was real? Is real. And that she’s after us. What if I told you that she’s been dead for years, but even that doesn’t stop her.” The truth of his statement sent a frigid chill up the length of his arms.
Evie looked at him wearily. “Calvin, I…” She didn’t finish.
“You what? Think I’m crazy?” Of course she did. How could she believe something so impossible? If he hadn’t seen everything he’d seen, experienced all that he–that was it. He needed to show her what he could do first. Let her witness the impossible, and then try to deny it.
A quick rush of adrenalin surged through him as he made it final. “Evie, don’t freak out, okay?” he warned, searching the room. His eyes landed at the chess set on his dresser. He focused on one of the black knights.
Evie turned to follow his gaze, over at the motionless board. From the corner of his eye, he saw her look back to him and over to the dresser again. This time, his chosen piece was hovering over the board. She gasped.
He smiled.
The knight continued to rise, slowly, higher, until it disappeared in a sudden, black flash across the room. Calvin had his hand up, waiting expectantly. The cool, marble piece hit his palm with a thud.
Evie jerked her head to follow its motion, her gaze landing squarely on his closed fist.
He watched her, waiting for her reaction.
“What?” She grabbed onto his arm. “Calvin, what did you just do?” Her expression seemed to be conflicted. A mixture of admiration and disbelief. He was pleased to see hints of a hidden smile.
“Impressed?” he asked.
“Freaked out, actually.” She eyed the knight in his hand, glanced back to the remaining chess pieces across the room. “Do that again.”
Calvin smiled and placed the sturdy knight in her warm hand. Evie rubbed her thumb across the piece, watching the board with anticipation. Her reaction surprised him, settled his nerves a bit. He set his focus on the board once more, and chose a white castle at the edge, willed it to lift.
The piece obeyed by slowly tilting off its base and floating to a height just above the pawns. Before the clock ticked another second, the miniature castle shot across the room in a blurry streak of white.
He caught it in his left hand this time and looked over to check the expression on Evie’s face. Her lips were pulled into an open smile, her chin, dropped. She took the castle from him and held it in the other hand, studying it, seeming to ponder its journey from across the room.
“Calvin, what is going on?” She took her gaze off t
he pieces, looked up at him. “Really. How are you doing that?”
Calvin kept his lips tight, smiling. He’d show her more. “Watch this. You see where I am now, right?” He stood up next to her by the bed.
“Yes.”
He paused time in the room, freezing her as well, walked over to his art desk and leisurely took a seat. He set time back in motion and watched as Evie searched the room for him. Her eyes landed on him where he lounged comfortably at his drafting board. He grabbed a pencil, started to sketch for an added touch.
She shook her head. “I don’t get it. You can teleport?”
Calvin hopped up, feeling excited about finally sharing this with her. “No. I froze you, froze time around us and walked over here.”
Evie’s mouth dropped open. She looked at him warily, shaking her head.
He explained further, “You were frozen in the moment, Evie, so you didn’t see me. It’s actually how I stopped that guy so quickly at the track.”
Evie lowered herself onto the bed, scooted back toward the center, and took a long, deep breath. “Calvin, I think I need a drink or something,” she said. “I’m not feeling…”
Before she could say another word, Evie dropped flat to the bed. Calvin rushed to her side, pressed his palm on her flushed cheek. She’d passed out. He shook his head, let out a short chuckle, and wondered if she’d be able to take any more of it.
He grabbed a washrag from the bathroom and dribbled some cool water over it. While he swept it across Evie’s forehead, her lashes flickered. He leaned over, waiting for her to come to, appreciating her beauty as she lay there unconscious.
After spreading the damp, cool cloth over her cheeks, he watched how her moistened skin reflected the lamp’s light, an angelic glow. How he’d missed that face, her touch, the utter warmth and light she exuded–effortlessly. How he’d missed Evie Mae Wylder.
Calvin’s need to protect her seemed to grow ten-fold in that very moment. “Evie,” he whispered. He swept the cloth across her cheeks once more, back over her forehead. Her eyes flickered open. A flash of confusion quickly gave way to a weak smile, and then her eyes closed again.
“Evie?” He leaned over her ear.
She nodded.
“I’m so sorry I left you,” he said, voice thick with remorse. “I love you so, so much. I’m never going to let you go again.” He announced it with certainty, making a mental promise. Leaning down, he kissed her cheeks, her forehead, and her lips.
Evie rolled to her side, secured her grasp around Calvin’s forearm, and buried her head into his chest. He wondered when she would remember. Snap out of her slumber and want an explanation for what he’d done. Yet as her grip on him loosened, and her breaths came slower, Calvin let his lids close as well. Feeling, for the first time in weeks, whole again.
Chapter Thirty-four
“What part are you thinking about?”
Evie looked into Calvin’s warm, brown eyes, unable to fathom his new reality. Their new reality. She shook her head, shrugged. “All of it. I just can’t believe you’ve known this. That you’ve been dealing with it this whole time and you’re still … okay.”
“I am now.” He caressed her cheek with his hand.
Her body heat rose at the gesture. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around them, and thought some more.
“C’mon, tell me what you’re thinking,” Calvin said. “Are you panicked? Nauseous? Wishing you’d never met me, what?”
That one pulled a laugh from her.
Calvin’s face remained still. “I’m serious.” His expression spoke volumes. He was anxious to know how she’d taken it all.
“I might be panicking inside,” she said, “or feel a little nauseous, but I’m not wishing I’d never met you, Calvin. Of course not. I’m just worried about losing you again.” Of all the horrors he’d told her, one pressing detail haunted Evie the most. “I can’t believe this lady … I don’t even know what to call her.”
“Jocelyn?”
Evie nodded. “I can’t believe she’s going to try to take you.”
“What?” An angry crease furrowed his brow. “Didn’t you hear anything else I said?”
“Yes. But it sounds like we can deal with the rest. I get abducted, you guys will be watching me, and you’ll follow. At some point you’ll kill the possessed guy, who’ll kill us if you don’t, and that’s how Jocelyn will enter into our…”
“Realm,” he said.
“Yeah. Then she’ll use her mind thing on you guys and try to persuade you to join her and what if she wins? Convinces you to go. The idea makes me sick.”
“Evie, do you realize you may have a choice here? I mean, if you–”
“If I what?” she interrupted. “Stop loving you?”
Calvin looked away, his jaw clenched tight.
“I’ve already tried.” She scooted beside him, rested her head against his chest, fumbling with the fabric of his shirt. “I want you in my life, Calvin. And I’m not scared about what’s going to happen to me. I’m not sure why, but I mostly feel … relieved. To finally know what’s going on. Why you left me.” She didn’t want to say more. It would sound desperate. Needy. But the fact was, Evie had felt entirely incomplete without Calvin, and now that she had him back in her life, she’d do whatever it took to keep him there.
“So tell me about the dreams,” she said. “When did they start?”
Calvin swept a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You know that day I mentioned the curse in art? Not that I believed it at the time.” He shook his head. “I had the first dream that night, though that one was isolated. The consecutive dreams didn’t start until Christmas night.”
Evie nodded, thoughtful. That was the day he’d first said he loved her. Something she’d never forget. “How long do you think we have?”
“Well, my latest dream keeps showing this certain flower. Dark pink petals, thick red stems. Here, I looked them up online.” He reached over to his nightstand, handed her a printout.
She studied the photo. “I’ve never seen this kind of flower before. What are they called?”
“Bleeding Hearts. We think they relate to Jocelyn somehow. You know, the whole sacrifice on the altar?”
Evie nodded, shaking off the visual in her head.
“According to Fiona, Jocelyn’s into theatrics. She believes the Bleeding Hearts represent her. Besides the obvious, the fact that she stabbed herself in the heart, there’s her ability to come back after death the way the flower does. Bigger, stronger and more beautiful than before.”
Evie studied the enchanting flower. Broad green leaves framed heart-shaped flowers that clung to thick ruby stems. The elegant flowers had an opening at their base where drop-sized pendants of pink dangled below, bleeding.
“Some bloom as early as late spring. They’re usually gone by the end of summer, first frost at best.” His voice got quieter. “It’ll happen sometime before then.” He looked away almost guiltily, but not before she detected the pained look of regret in his eyes.
She leaned over to check the time. Four a.m.
“What’s your dad going to think about you being out so late?”
Evie shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m guessing he’s ready to give me about as much freedom as I’d ask for, but I’m probably better off to get there sometime before he wakes up, just to avoid any awkward, entirely unnecessary … talks.” She smiled at him. “But I can stay a bit longer.”
Calvin smiled back, causing her heart to flutter. “Good,” he said. “I’m not ready to say goodbye to you yet.”
The thought of facing her father had caused panic to rise within her. But when Calvin lay back on the bed, suggested she do the same, Evie cuddled up to him and let the strength of his warm embrace offer comfort.
“Evie,” he said in a whisper. “It hurt so bad, leaving you the way I did. I thought I would die. I know it was a mistake, but it was one that I had to make. I hope you understand.”
She brought
his hand to her mouth, kissed the warm center of his palm and let his words sink in, heal her wounded heart as a tear made its way down her cheek. So much had happened in the last few hours, and she didn’t know how to digest it all. Where to start even. She closed her eyes and focused on the one detail that put all else to rest: Calvin Knight was hers again, and with that, nothing else mattered.
***
The sun was high and bright as Evie pulled away from Calvin’s house. Light pierced through the leafy trees above as she wove through the narrow Ogden streets. She shook her head, remembering her state of mind while she’d driven recklessly down that very road the night before. She considered the change of events, and worked to organize the chaos in her mind, sift through the pressing details of what lay ahead. What they faced was dangerous, life-threatening even. So why did she feel so good? Almost giddy?
Because he loved her. Calvin Knight was back in her life. Her heart soared at the thought, caused a squeal of delight to escape her smiling lips. She must be crazy, but she didn’t care.
A mile closer to home, and elation gave way to anxiety. What would she tell her dad? It was different for Calvin. Jack had been in and out of town for the last few months and was now away for the next ninety days. She, on the other hand, would have to face her dad daily, all the while keeping a secret so big, so impossible. So deadly.
A quick flash of fear struck her like a bolt of lightening–white and hot. What they faced was deadly. Undeniably so. A tremor of panic rumbled up the back of her neck as she considered the dangers that lurked ahead. While Calvin had explained the terrible curse on the Knight men and what it meant for her, Evie had stayed focused–fiercely determined to accept whatever it was. To prove she could handle it.
Being with Calvin had felt like a dream; yet now, with each passing mile of distance between them, the euphoria was beginning to fade, and the stark truths of what lay ahead slowly became a frightening reality.
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