"But that"s a good thing, right?" I crane my neck to get a better look. Confirming that the water is indeed back to the way I first encountered it-bubbling, enticing, and free of dead, bloated fish. But one look at Dace tells me he remains unconvinced.
"There"s no doubt they"ve gone-but where did they go?" he asks.
I screw my mouth to the side and stare hard at the spring. Noticing for the first time how everything about this place appears brighter, lusher, than all the other times we were here. The vines are springier-their blooms fatter. Even the water seems extra sparkly. The bubbles skimming the surface resembling delicate crystal orbs that float "til they pop and then reform again.
"It"s like it"s been restored." I blink, stare, blink again-unwilling to trust what I see. Glancing at Raven and wondering if he"s maybe not nearly as corrupted as I thought.
Is there a small part of him that"s still on my side?
Is he trying to show me that things are not as bad as I think?
"It"s like it never happened-like it was never contaminated. Unlike the rest of this place."
Dace looks at me, alerted by the edge in my tone. "I came straight here. Horse led me. I haven"t had a chance to explore. Is it bad?"
I nod. Hoping my look can convey what words can"t. I"m exhausted. My feet hurt. My finger is still a bright angry red, only now it"s swollen to twice its normal size. I study the spring once again, longing to take a quick dip. Surely a short break will rejuvenate me enough to go hunting again?
I kneel beside the water, about to immerse my finger, when Dace stoops beside me, grasps my hand, and says, "What happened?"
"Nothing." I jerk free of his grip. "Really. It was just a small cut, but then I dipped it into the ocean and it came out like this. The sea is polluted. It"s awful. You gotta see it to believe it. But if this place truly is enchanted, if it truly is exempt from all the other contamination around here, if it really can heal itself, well, then it should also be able to heal me too, right?"
Dace meets my gaze, not the least bit convinced.
"Look," I say, unwilling to argue. "I"ll either keep a finger or lose a finger. But either way, I have to try."
Then before he can stop me, I plunge my hand in. And the relief I experience is so overwhelming, it"s not long before the rest of me plunges in too.
six.
I submerge myself underwater-wonderful, warm, silky, soft water. Holding my breath for as long as I can, intensely aware of my cells being rejuvenated, revived. The knots in my shoulders unraveling, while the seeping blisters on my feet shrivel and close, leaving the skin smooth and healed, bearing no trace of injury.
My transformation complete, I spring to the surface-resurrected, reborn. Finding Dace right beside me, his icy-blue eyes glittering, his smile beckoning bright as a beacon, guiding me into his arms.
He covers my mouth with his-our lips merging, colliding, tasting, exploring-while our tongues swirl and dance-finding and losing each other again and again. Our bodies melting, conforming, as his hands seek my flesh, causing ripples of pleasure wherever they pa.s.s. Drawing away ever so slightly, he presses his forehead flush against mine. His gaze blunted by a yearning matched by my own.
I hasten my breath and press toward him, eager to claim his kiss once again. But Dace holds me firmly in place, voice thick with meaning, as he says, "Daire-I love you." His lids narrowing, jaw tensing, as he studies my face, waits for me to respond.
Those same features softening in relief when I say, "And I love you." Surprised by the way the words just rolled off my tongue. It was so much easier than I imagined. The big, st.u.r.dy wall I"ve spent a lifetime building, in an effort to shield myself from moments like this, came crashing down with one little push.
Though it"s only a second later when my heart fills with panic-feeling vulnerable, exposed. Unused to baring itself after a lifetime spent frozen in ice, placed under quarantine, and neatly tucked away in a corner no one could reach.
If I know one thing for sure, it"s that nothing lasts forever. Relationships end, good-byes must be said, and that"s the part I"ve never been any good at. It"s always been easier just to skip out of town, board the next flight, and never look back.
I take a deep breath. Fight to steady myself. Forced to acknowledge that the words have been spoken, the walls have crumbled, and there"s no way to reverse it-no way to return to that safe, lonely place I called home.
But when I meet his gaze once again, seeing the way it brims with reverence and love, my heart swells until the panic"s edged out. Replaced by the pure joyful giddiness of breaking free of my cage.
I say the words again.
And then again.
And then a few more times after that.
My lips moving along the edge of his jaw, slipping down to the hollow of his neck, where I seal the words in his flesh.
Each declaration leaving me increasingly strengthened. Finally understanding what they mean when they say that love heals-empowers-that love conquers all.
I shift until I"m sitting astride him. Running my palms up a chest slick as silk, I cup my hands to his shoulders. My gaze deepening, my intentions laid bare. The declaration was just the beginning-the act will now follow.
"Are you sure?" he asks, reading the look on my face.
I nod. I"ve never felt surer. Of anything. Ever.
He runs a finger down my cheek, his touch tender and sweet, as he moves to kiss me again. His lips falling lightly upon mine, when something odd and slick skims past my shin and plops to the surface beside me.
I gasp. Already bolting from the spring, scolding myself that I should"ve known better-that it was too good to be true-when Dace stops me and pulls me back to his lap. Displaying the object now cupped in his hand-an overripe bloom that must"ve fallen from the canopy of vines overhead.
He smiles softly, lifts me out of the water, and deposits me on a soft patch of gra.s.s where he lies down beside me. Studying me with a look so conflicted-so full of longing, wonder, and nervous antic.i.p.ation-I can"t help but draw him to me, eager to a.s.sure him that this is exactly where we"re both meant to be.
His lips find mine, but just as the kiss grows deeper, more heated, he pulls away, saying, "I hope you don"t think this is weird, but-I"ve only done this one other time."
"Anyone I know?" I avert my gaze, biting back a small stab of jealousy.
Please don"t let it be Lita. Or Jacy. Or Crickett. Or Xotichl. Or anyone else I"ve befriended ...
"No," he murmurs, gaze far away. "No one I know anymore."
I weave my fingers into the soft silken strands of his long, glossy hair, trying to temper my relief. I say, "Well, that"s still one more time than me." My eyes meet his, fielding his curious look when I add, "Despite what you may have heard about my wild Hollywood past." I know what he"s thinking: That someone who"s lived the kind of life I have, who"s hooked up with someone as presumably hot as Vane Wick, must"ve been here at least once, and I"m quick to refute it. "Seriously, I never quite got to this point. Guess I was waiting for you."
He angles closer, not saying a word. His face clouded with emotion as he traces a finger along the strap of my buckskin pouch, circling the place where it rests just over my heart.
Leaving me so dizzy with his touch, I can"t help but whisper, "Though I have seen enough movies to know this is how it starts..."
My fingers inch lower, peeling his briefs from his hips, as he rids me of my underthings. Absorbed by the sheer glorious sight of him, I allow my hands to roam the curve of his shoulders, the taut muscles of his chest, the lean valley of his abdomen. My skin sliding deliciously against his when he pulls me tightly to him, trails his lips over my flesh, and eases his body into mine.
I gasp-stunned by a sharp stab of pain that"s soon eased by his hips pressing and circling, as his heart pulses wildly. And it"s not long before I lose myself in sensation. In the feel of him-the magick of him-the euphoria of him.
All of him.
Surrendering to the wave of splendor rolling through me-leaving me untethered-released. Floating free of my body. Soaring beside him.
Two souls ascending at dizzying speed-swirling through constellations-skimming across a bright pool of stars.
The words unspoken but true all the same: This is the moment that joins us-unites as-for all of eternity.
His gaze never once leaving mine, he cradles my face in his hands and guides me back toward the earth where he draws me into his arms and nestles his body around me. His face buried in my hair, he breathes deeply, slowly, seeking rhythm with mine, as I fight to hang on to the moment. Desperate to fend off all thoughts of the real world but not coming close to succeeding, I say, "I refuse to feel guilty."
Dace lifts himself onto his elbow and stares down at me, unsure of my meaning.
"For this." I roll over to face him, flattening my palm against his taut bare chest, aware of his heart beating against it. "I refuse to feel guilty for us-for pausing the hunt to be with you." My gaze burns on his, wanting so badly for the words to be true. But with so much chaos occurring around us, it"s a pretty tough sale. Still, I go on to add, "I"ve been down here for hours. I was an exhausted wreck when Raven led me to you. And look, the spring really did heal me." I wiggle my finger as proof, smiling when he latches onto it, curls his around it.
"Daire, you don"t have to make excuses," he says. "Love is the highest energy of all. It needs no forgiveness, no apology."
"I like when you say it." I grin. "In fact, I was wondering when you"d get around to it."
He laughs, tossing his head back and exposing a glorious column of neck. "That"s a pretty big declaration to put out there, you know. Guess I wanted to be sure there was a chance it might be reciprocated."
I study him closely. Amused he couldn"t see what I thought was so clear. "Did you seriously doubt me?" I slide my leg across his, reveling in the deliciousness of his skin.
He smiles softly, focusing his gaze on the vines overhead. He summons a glorious red bloom to his fingers and tucks it into my hair. "You can be a little guarded sometimes-a little tough to read." He shrugs.
"Oh yeah?" I grin. "Then tell me, Dace Whitefeather, how would you read this?" I pull him back to me.
He replies with a kiss.
seven.
"I"m glad this place was spared." I pull my sweater back over my head, as Dace pulls on his jeans. "It really is enchanted, able to heal itself-just like it healed me."
I look to Dace for confirmation, but he"s no longer listening, his attention"s been claimed.
"What is it?" I start toward him, halting when he turns, presses a finger to his lips, then continues creeping ahead.
I s.n.a.t.c.h my jacket from the ground, shrug it onto my shoulders, and rush to catch up. Nearly smacking into his back when he stops without warning, only to peer past his shoulder and find a familiar coyote with gleaming red eyes and Dace"s twin brother Cade standing beside it.
So this is where he"s been all this time.
His ultimate plan-despite a few hitches-has been a success.
Those undead Richters-initially fueled on the pure love and goodness of Paloma"s soul, which allowed them to breach the Lowerworld-a world long denied them-have managed to wreak just enough havoc, just enough damage and corruption, to allow Cade the admittance he sought all along.
Clearly reminded of the last time we met when he ripped a hole in my jeans and I reciprocated by slamming my foot in his snout, Coyote lowers his head, flattens his ears, and springs into attack. His burning red gaze fixed on mine, he comes at me in a blur of glistening fangs and razor-sharp claws. Jaw gaping wide as though starved for my flesh, about to claim a piece, when Dace shoves before me, offering himself in my place.
I shriek in horror, regain my footing, and try to intervene, only to have Dace drive his shoulder into mine and push me away once again. Somehow managing to stand his ground, as Coyote descends on him in a snarling rage. Clamping hard on Dace"s arm, he tears at his flesh, savagely biting him again and again, until Cade calls him off by grabbing the beast by the neck and dragging him back to his side. Leaving Dace"s arm a mess of bite marks and blood I try to attend to, but his pride won"t allow it.
Sparing an impa.s.sive glance at Dace"s wound, Cade says, "A n.o.ble display, brother. Very n.o.ble indeed. And yet also incredibly, absurdly naive." He makes a face of disdain, then turns to me with an icy-blue gaze fixed on the bloom still tucked in my hair. "Trust me when I say you couldn"t protect her if you tried. Only I can do that."
"What the h.e.l.l are you doing here? What do you want?" Dace presses his mangled sleeve hard against the wound in a vain attempt to stanch the flow of blood. Confused by his brother"s sudden appearance, the strange tone he"s adopting, the invasive look that he gives me. So uninformed, so out of the loop, I can"t help but curse Chepi. Leftfoot too. They should"ve told him. Heck, I should"ve told him. But now it"s too late. Leaving no choice but to see where Cade leads.
"I think a better question is-what are you doing here? Aren"t you scheduled to work?" Cade tilts his head, staring hard at his brother, as my gaze veers between them.
They share the same strong brow, the same high cheekbones, square chin, and generous well-shaped mouth. Yet their demeanors are so different it"s easy to forget they"re identical twins. Dace is tense and confused, while Cade remains confident, poised, all too aware he"s in charge.
"Not to worry." Cade waves it away. "I"ll find a way to cover. It"s the least I can do after what you"ve done for me. In fact, I should thank you-though I probably won"t. Expressing appreciation isn"t really my thing."
Dace narrows his gaze, keeping a wary eye on Coyote, as he clutches hard at his arm with blood-slickened fingers.
"You have no idea what"s going on here, do you?" Cade smirks. Spikes a hand through tousled black hair that"s an exact match to Dace"s in both texture and color, though Cade keeps his shorter. "Guess Chepi never got around to telling you. And it looks like your girlfriend didn"t bother to fill you in either. Speaking of-h.e.l.lo, Daire." He flashes me an insincere smile-the kind that used to melt the hearts of all the girls at Milagro, or at least until they got their souls back. Holding the look for so long, I fight not to squirm under the weight of it. "You"re looking quite ... radiant. Guess it"s safe to a.s.sume you two enjoyed your little retreat?"
At the sound of his words, my entire body goes tense. Veering close to full-blown panic when he gestures toward the place just behind us.
"You know, your little oasis. Your Enchanted Spring. Same one you used to dream about, right?" He flicks his tongue across his front teeth, leering at me. "I staged it especially for you. Doubled the amount of bubbles and flowers, made the lawn just a little bit springier-which I thought made for a nice romantic touch. Judging by the flush at your cheeks, you thought so too."
My breath stills. My hands grow clammy and cold. And when I reach for Dace, I find he"s experiencing the same physical reactions as me.
"What"s going on? What is this?" Dace looks between us, his expression pained and confused, while I remain silent. Knowing only part of the story. His brother holds the key.
"You want the short version or the long version?" Cade fishes in the pocket of his brown suede jacket, retrieving a silver-and-turquoise lighter along with a cigarette he shakes free of its pack.
"I want the truth," Dace says, his jaw so clenched he"s forced to grind out the words.
"You sure you can handle it?" Cade lifts a brow, flicks the lighter"s metal wheel with the pad of his thumb. The resulting flame illuminating his blank empty eyes in a way that chills me to the core. "After all, the women in your life didn"t seem to think so."
Dace curses under his breath, advances on his brother, ready to end this before it begins.
The sight of it prompting Cade to laugh, as he says, "Relax, brother. No need for big shows of false intimidation. Truly." Seeing Dace take another step forward, he rolls his eyes and adds, "Trust me and do as I say. I"m only trying to save you from yourself. Whether you like it or not, you and I are connected in ways you cannot imagine, and it"s time you learned the truth."
Dace pauses, stopping halfway between his twin and me. It"s enough to allow Cade to continue.
"See, we"re not just twins, brother-we"re a split soul. Identical on the surface and yet very different inside. They tell me yours is the good and pure half." He makes a face of exaggerated gagging distaste. "While mine is pure only in its darkness-evil to the bone. Though it"s really of no interest to me." He shrugs to ill.u.s.trate his indifference. "Evil is just an unimaginative label used by pathetic losers who never accomplish anything interesting in their dull wretched lives. They cling to their false beliefs-use it to sh.o.r.e themselves up. Convincing themselves they"ll someday be rewarded for living a useless life of no conceivable consequence-while I"m doomed to an afterlife spent burning in h.e.l.l." He slips his cigarette between parted lips and takes a long drag, exhaling as he says, "Tell me, brother, do I look worried to you?"
Dace remains silent, still. His expression guarded, though notably lacking the shock I would"ve expected.
"Truth is, they can"t bear to see the truth. Can"t bear to face the fact that their lives are worthless, and their suffering pointless. So they exalt themselves with false promises-while wagging a finger at me. Idiots." He laughs as though greatly amused by the folly. "Make no mistake, it is I who will inherit the earth. It"s my destiny. It"s what I was specifically designed to do. You see, our father, Leandro, is a powerful sorcerer who set out to make a perfect heir, which he did." He runs a flattering hand over himself, the tip of his cigarette sparking and flaring as it works its way down. "On the Day of the Dead, when the veil between the living and deceased is lifted, he called upon some of our long-dead ancestors to work a little black magick on our mother. You and I are the result of their handiwork. Only Leandro didn"t plan for you. His goal was simply to split the soul in two-nurturing the dark half while extinguishing the light. But something went wrong, and he accidentally made you as well. For years we considered you a deviant aberration-an embarra.s.sment to the Richter El Coyote clan. We thought you were worthless, of little value or use. h.e.l.l, it wasn"t long ago when I begged Leandro to let me kill you." His gaze turns inward, as he muses at the memory. Returning to Dace when he says, "He was just about to give in, when I stumbled across some interesting information hinting that you are far more useful than we ever imagined. Turns out, you have a purpose far greater than embarra.s.sing us..."
He pauses dramatically, relishing the way he"s claimed our attention. And I can hardly believe that it"s here-the answer I"ve been seeking-or at least one of them anyway.
Cade drags on his cigarette, squinting as he exhales a series of perfectly round smoke rings he pauses to admire. Purposely delaying the reveal, if only to prove he"s in charge. "As it turns out, you were born to help us achieve our destiny. It"s the reason you survived. You see, you ... my brother ... are the Echo."
I cast a nervous glance toward Dace, seeing him shudder, as a jolt of anxiety shoots through my limbs. Needing to hear what comes next but dreading the reveal all the same.
"You are the Echo of me-and I am the Echo of you. We share the kind of connection I am only just beginning to understand. While I"m far too dark to personally experience this supposedly wondrous emotion you refer to as love-as it turns out, the love you hold for Daire and the love she holds for you allows me a sort of all-access pa.s.s. The Seeker loves you, and you love the Seeker." He spreads his arms wide and bows low before us. Rising with a flourish, he says, "I couldn"t have asked for anything better! And now, thanks to a little smoke and mirrors on my part, a little tweak in your perception, you"ve not only seen fit to declare your love-but also to share it."
"You were watching?" Dace rushes him in outrage, failing to stop even when Coyote lunges for him yet again. His razor-sharp fangs veering for Dace"s other arm, intending to maul it as well, when Cade catches him in midflight and hauls him back to his side.
"Don"t flatter yourself." Cade balks, makes a face of outraged distaste. "Trust me when I say I couldn"t bear the sight of it. The very thought of your tender moment makes me ill. Though make no mistake." His face hardens, turning his eyes to mere slits. "I"m always aware. I know everything about you, brother. It"d be smart of you to never forget that."