Chapter 24
Nate shook his head, staring at the painting. He’d seen that damned lighthouse many times in Evangeline’s dreams. He spent time in hers when she taught him how to Dreamwalk.
“Seriously, Nate, I like it better when you come in here, strip me down, and fuck me in the paint.”
A laugh burst free, and he scrubbed his hand over his face. “Sorry, it’s just, that lighthouse. Evangeline dreams of it all the damned time. And you have her and Bran up there talking to someone I’ve never seen. What if it’s that Fae chick?”
“Well, they’re coming over.” She stepped into the room, fully dressed. She hadn’t been wearing much when she came out of her painting trance. And if he had just skipped looking at the image and focused on her, he would have made love to her.
But no, he set his focus on that familiar lighthouse and Evangeline with Bran and that strange woman.
And instantly, he realized that lighthouse was so much more than a dream. No, it was real. It always felt different than most dreams. There had to be a purpose.
Nate jogged down the stairs when the bell rang.
Savon sighed as she followed. He scented her disappointment. And yeah, he wanted to fuck her silly, but this was important. At the moment, he was worried about the two closest people to him, after Savon.
Evangeline and Bran finally had what they were always meant for, and he sure as hell wanted them to have all the happiness in the world. They had each lost too much.
Shit, this was a damned mess. Nate opened the door, and Evangeline’s brow pinched.
“Your hands are shaking like a leaf,” Evangeline pointed out.
“I have a horrible fucking feeling.”
“Why?” she asked.
He grunted. “I’ll show you.”
Savon spun on her heel and hurried back up the stairs. Nate wanted to pull her to a stop and explain the foreboding that had swept in.
Besides, he wanted to ask her a million questions about if she sometimes painted the future. That didn’t seem likely. Then again, some of the stuff she painted over the years, it might be more possible than not.
Maybe she didn’t even realize she was doing it. And whose side of her heritage did that come from? Not that it really mattered.
Or maybe it did, because maybe Bran had a little of that. After all, he did seem to set things up pretty spectacularly for him and Savon. Well, maybe not. They had their own shit to work out before getting there, but damn, if it hadn’t been for Bran, they wouldn’t have landed where they did when they did.
* * * *
Bran followed Evangeline into Savon’s art studio. On the easel, sat a beautifully rendered painting of the lighthouse from Evangeline’s dream. He stood next to Evangeline, and in front of them was Merova.
A gasp escaped Bran’s mouth. “Shit.”
Evangeline shook her head. “Did you take her to the lighthouse in dreams?”
“No, never. I’ve only been there with you, in yours. It’s not a place I recognize, nor do I feel the same way about it as you. But that—I don’t know. It gave me a chill to see this.”
Bran turned to Savon, knowing it was a dumb question, but he couldn’t help asking, “Why did you paint this?”
Savon shook her head, a slight bit of panic on her face. “I have no clue. It was in my head. It was all I could see.”
And wasn’t that eerie? Savon had tapped into something that showed her an important place to Evangeline. Weird as hell.
Savon rubbed one arm, staring at Evangeline, who was fixated on the painting. Bran moved so he could catch a glimpse of her face. Her face had gone pale, her eyes bugged out of her head, and her chest rose and fell in shallow pants. “This wasn’t from last night’s dream. Look.” She pointed at the shadowy figure on the cliff.
“And you aren’t wearing the same shirt. I’m not wearing the same clothes. And it’s not dark like last night.”
All things he hadn’t noticed.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he admitted. “So, this is the future?”
Savon glanced away. “It happens sometimes. I don’t even realize I’m painting it as I fill in the scene. And when I come to, sometimes I shock myself. Sometimes I burn the paintings.”
“Why?”
She gulped. “Didn’t think it would help you when I painted you holding Margaret as she took her last breath.”
His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. He stumbled back and leaned against the wall, then slid down, his brain fogging out.
* * * *
Evangeline felt Bran’s wave of agony so acutely, she felt as if she were stabbed in the heart. She sank down in front of Bran and captured his face in her hands.
Words tumbled through her head, stupid questions circling. She wanted to beg him to remember their bond, their love…but the words stuck in her throat.
Finally, his deep brown eyes latched on her, and he gulped. “I’m sorry, so sorry. I’m still here, still with you. Still love you more than anything, Eva. Just give me a minute. The pain hits hard, but it fades fast. She wanted me to be happy. You make me happy.”
Fat tears rolled down her face. “Tell me how to help.”
He pulled her against his chest, and she went, winding her arms around his neck, whispering, “I love you,” in his ear.
Savon paced behind her, her footsteps lighter than Nate’s. Nate watched Savon with haunted eyes. What the hell was going through his head?
But Bran hurt so deeply she didn’t bother asking why. She understood. Later, when everyone was calmed the fuck down, she planned to get some damned answers, because right now, her mind was spinning on overload from the battering of Bran’s emotions.
He nudged her chin up and took her mouth in a slow, sweet kiss. Against her lips, he whispered, “Love you more than anything or anyone, Evangeline. Don’t doubt that. No one will ever replace you.”
And doubt drifted in. She couldn’t stop it. Bran had loved Margaret, and yet, he let her go and moved on with her. Could he do the same if he lost her?
Closing her eyes, she pictured her bed. His arms were gone, his chest, the steady heartbeat. She was alone, on the bed in her room. Her breath stuttered out as she stared at the wall.
Her heart thumped harder as she tried to calm herself, but all she could smell was Neil and Genevieve and a whole lot of sex.
Shaking her head, she walked to the double doors that led to the deck and stepped outside. Her heart kept thumping as she gripped the rail and tried to figure out what the fuck she’d done.
Her phone rang, and she yanked it out, fumbling to keep it in her hands. “He-hello?”
“Evangeline, where are you? What happened? Did you do that thing Robert does?”
“Think so!” She gasped, tears leaking down her face.
“Love you more than I loved Margaret.” His voice cracked, and she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. “That might make me an asshole, but this bond goes soul deep. I know what went through your head, and I wish like hell I could take that away, but I can’t. Just know that I’m baring my soul to you, and you’re everything I need.”
She closed her eyes and imagined being in his arms in that room.
Bran appeared before her, and he crushed her to his chest.
Evangeline stepped back, looking into Bran’s eyes. He caught her trembling hands and placed them on his chest. “I got you. Nothing will make me walk away. This is more.”
“Don’t say that,” she whispered.
He let out a sigh. “It’s true. Maybe it’s the bond, the mating, but it’s true.” His mouth landed on hers, meshing tight, his tongue sweeping in.
All thought fell away. Evangeline had no clue what made her doubt. It made no damned sense. They were together, mated, and he was right, that bond didn’t dissolve until death.
Nate caught Savon and pulled her in front of him. “How often have you seen the future this way?”
A nervous laugh escaped. “It’s nothing I can control. It happens. And half the time I don’t even realize it until afterward.”
He kissed her then, pulling her tight and holding her close. “It’s okay,” he answered.
Bran turned to face his sister. “So, we know this is going to happen. Your buddies are looking for the lighthouse. Until we find that, we won’t be able to go there.”
“And I’m sure Merova is already there. I think she can travel between something she called rifts,” Evangeline added.
Savon shook her head. “Might ask Tremaine about that.”
“Yeah, I should have asked more, but until we find the lighthouse, I don’t see how we’re supposed to get there.” Which meant Evangeline had a little time.
New magic shouldn’t bother her. She’d been around various kinds most of her life. Had been shunned for losing hers. Shit, she didn’t want to be emotional. She couldn’t be a little of everything, could she?
None of it made a lick of sense. Evangeline wanted answers. She wanted to figure out her life. She wanted Bran, and not have to worry about this shit, yet, she felt like she had to. That it was now part of her duty, as stupid as that sounded.
And yet, she was going to go through it all.
Evangeline turned to Nate. “Thank you for calling. I needed to see this.” She hugged him, then wrapped her arms around Savon. “And thank you for showing us. Weird as it is, I think it just proves we need to go out there, and I don’t know what that means for anything else.”
“If you need us, you know we’ll be there.”
“It’s a possibility. We’ll call once we have some news.”
“Keep in touch. And relax. I get why you’re stressed, but really, there’s no reason to be.” Savon pushed her toward the door. “The two of you should help each other unwind. Might I suggest the hot tub?” She winked.
Unwilling to walk back to Bran’s place so she could get Bran naked, she pulled him close and pictured his large soaking tub. Then they were in his bathroom, and he laughed softly. “That talent may come in handy, Eva.”
Another shiver racked her, and she welcomed it. Before, when people shortened her name, she’d hated it. Bran, it sounded right rolling off his tongue.
She started pulling her clothes off while he got busy with the water. “We could go out to the hot tub, but I’m assuming you want privacy for whatever you want to do.”
“Oh yes,” she answered. The desire would never fade.