What the Heart Takes (15 page)

“That’s funny. I was about to ask you the same thing.” She concentrated on the vibes thrashing within her sister’s energy. Irritation reared its ugly head along with impatience, anger, and spite. None of the emotions surprised Heaven, except the flickers of panic she sensed. Faith kept it hidden in a deeper level of her conscience, but that didn’t stop Heaven from discovering it. With each passing second, it wavered in intensity, a sure sign that Faith didn’t allow the emotion to rule her. Yet the fact she felt panicked was enough to convince Heaven that her suspicions were just. Faith
was
hiding something.

Another gust of wind blew at Heaven’s back, causing her to shudder. She cradled her arms to her chest, rubbing the chill from her skin. “It’s freezing out here,” she chattered through her teeth. “Are you at least going to invite me in, or do you really hate me that much?”

A snort echoed from the other side as the door closed in her face. Prickles of anger poked Heaven’s skin, making it itch with goose bumps. The cool air didn’t help, nor did each second the door remained shut. More clicking resonated behind the door, like Faith had relocked it. God help her if she—

When a gust of wind blew the door ajar, Heaven proceeded forward. Yet the moment the oak door met her palm, she sensed another disturbance from Dylan and Layne. Their conflicting energy crashed together, sending soul-shaking vibes through her connection with both.

She fought to stay on her feet, cursing them under her breath. They’d get an earful once she’d finished with Faith. Right now, she had to deal with her sister.

Pushing the door open, Heaven stepped inside and gazed around the living room. It hadn’t changed much in décor, except the mess of clothes spread around the room. The disarray surprised her. Faith was a neat freak. She’d flip if a throw pillow weren’t situated perfectly on the couch.

Her eyes swept the room, trying to locate her sister who was heading for the kitchen. Dressed in a nightshirt and matching shorts, her retreating figure struck Heaven as odd. Faith had always been slim, more so than she or Hope. Her sister used to have curves and toned muscles. The woman before her was skin and bones.

Faith disappeared around the corner wall. She reappeared a second later in the opening that functioned as a bar area between the kitchen and living room. The half-wall hid most of her frail figure, except her face and chest. Her profile revealed sunken cheeks as she busied herself with something on the counter.

The passing seconds increased Heaven’s concern. Something was wrong with Faith. Something serious. She’d never looked this bad. Whatever reason brought her home had taken its toll on her body, mind, and soul.

Her aura is a murky green, which signals depression.

The more she thought about their mother’s words, the more they made sense. Withdrawal, irritability, weight loss, loss of interest—they were classic signs of depression. Nothing about Faith’s energy contested the possibility that their mother was right, but one question remained. If Faith was depressed, what was the source of her pain?

“Are you going to stare at me or tell me why you’re here? If it’s to stare, you’ll have to come back later. I’m too tired to be envied right now.”

Heaven parted her lips with a retort, but hesitated. The bitterness in Faith’s words was normal, the way her voice shook wasn’t. She kept her eyes lowered, but made a slight turn in Heaven’s direction. The track lights above the opening illuminated her face along with the bags beneath her eyes.

There was only one other time Heaven had noticed bags under Faith’s eyes. The night before their final exams when she’d stayed up all night to study for her English test. She had no other choice unless she wanted to repeat her senior year of high school.

As Faith moved about the kitchen, Heaven stepped further into the living room. She stopped at the edge of the recliner, less than ten feet from the wall that separated her and her sister. Even if Faith was depressed, it didn’t give her a right to be hateful.

“You’re always such a joy to be around, Faith. Believe me, I’d rather be anyplace but here. The thing is, I have questions that need your answers and I’m not leaving until I get them.”

“And you couldn’t wait for a more decent time to come knocking on my door?”

“I think we’ve waited long enough.”

A clanking sound echoed from the kitchen as Faith grew still. She averted Heaven’s gaze, staring at the door instead. She looked away then back once more before opening a cabinet door above her. Panic rushed through her energy, lingering a little longer than the first time Heaven sensed it.

“Are you sure you’re not expecting someone?”

Green eyes pinned Heaven in place. They trailed over her face, hesitating around her eyes before darting back to the door and then the cabinet. “I already told you that I’m not. It’s just…” The hardness in her soul radiated through every quake of her energy. She finished removing a cup from the cabinet, slamming it against the counter as her eyes flashed back to Heaven’s. “Should I be worried about
him
coming up here?”

Leaning against the side of the recliner, Heaven searched her sister’s face for clues to her sudden outburst. To which
him
was she referring? The longer she stared at Faith, the more obvious it became. “Are you talking about Layne?”

Faith hugged her chest with one arm, moving the other toward her face. She cupped her palm over her forehead, pressing her thumb and middle finger on her temples. Every second she spent in silence confirmed Heaven’s suspicion. She had been referring to her ex.

“Your arrogance is unbelievable.” Heaven snorted. She waited for Faith to look back up, but she didn’t. “No, Faith. Layne will not come up here. You are the last person he wants to see. Which is why I’m here. I want you to stay away from Layne. Don’t look at him, don’t talk to him, don’t even bat a lash in his direction. He’s here for Dylan and me.”

“Pft. Yeah, right,” Faith mumbled. “His reasons have nothing to do with Dylan. He is here because you’re here. I’m not stupid, Heaven. Layne is in love with you.”

Anger stirred Heaven’s heart as her cheeks heated beyond relief. Faith would do anything to avoid their impending conversation, including throwing her sister off track with wild accusations.

“Layne is
not
in love with me.” The rebuttal didn’t pack the same convincing punch she’d hoped it would. Maybe because she feared there was a small amount of truth in her sister’s words. “He
cares
about me, Faith. We’re friends,” she grumbled,
or at least we were
. She ignored the way the thought made her heart pinch and refocused on her sister. “There is a reason he cares, just like there’s a reason he’s here. He’s my—”

The explanation clung to her tongue as a thought came to her mind. Had their parents told Faith about their mystical world? Did she know about their abilities or hers, about Seekers and Keepers, and how each had a role in their secret society?

“What’s the matter, Heaven?” Faith taunted from the kitchen. “Didn’t you think the lie through before you began spouting it?”

“It’s not a lie, but I can’t explain this without knowing if Mom and Dad have talked to you.”

The response gained her sister’s attention. She peered around the cabinet and tilted her head. “About what?”

“Our
mystical
nature.”

Faith’s eyes widened for a split second. Recognition burned brightly within them before she looked away. “Yeah,” she huffed. “They fed me a bunch of lame stories about psychic abilities, good and evil, and how we all have a soulmate. Don’t tell me you bought into all of that shit.”

“Yes, I did.” She studied her sister’s face a moment, focusing on the energy flowing from her. “And you did, too, Faith. Sure, you’ll deny that, but there is one thing you can’t deny.”

“What? That my family is crazy.”

“Nope. You can’t deny energy, and guess what, little sister? I read energy. It’s one of my abilities, so I know you’re lying through your teeth.”

Her sister’s lips thinned as she pressed them together. She jerked her hand out of the cabinet, slamming a canister onto the counter. “Let me guess,” she said, twirling a finger toward Heaven. “You do that aura thingy like Mom. Are you here to tell me how
depressed
I am? Hmm?”

“No. I don’t read auras. I sense emotions and energy. Through those, I can create an image in my mind and pretty much know what’s going on inside your heart and soul.” She thought about telling her that Hope could sense auras, but decided against it. Faith could figure it out for herself.

Instead, she continued across the floor, passing the entrance to the hallway. She stole a glimpse toward the bedroom at the end. A twinge of disappointment fluttered in her stomach when she noticed the closed door. If Faith did have someone over, her secret would be safe.

She came to a stop by the table, unable to ignore the ache in her lower back. Each spasm spread from her spine, down her legs, making her wince. She didn’t dare look at her ankles. Judging by the way her feet burned, they were probably swollen. The trip from Florida hadn’t helped, nor had being up the night before.

She stroked the fullness of her belly, saying a special prayer when she didn’t feel any hardness. With all the anger rolling inside her, she didn’t want to upset the baby, especially now that she knew her child was trying to protect her.

Faith continued moving behind the counter. The nutty aroma hinted to the fact that she was fixing a pot of coffee. She came to a stop in the corner, focusing straight ahead as tapping filled the air, tapping that resembled fingernails on a countertop. Guess she didn’t want to talk anymore.

Tough shit.

“Now that you know about who and what we are, I can explain why Layne is here. He’s my—”

“Keeper. Yeah, I know.” Faith mumbled the words, never taking her eyes off whatever held her attention. “Guess that explains why he had his tongue down your throat.”

For the love of… “He did
not
have his tongue down my throat. And while we’re on the subject, I’d like to know how in the world you knew he kissed me. Were you spying on us?”

“Please,” Faith snorted. It was the first sign of the old Faith that Heaven had grown to dislike, not the rundown version that answered the door. “Would you believe me if I told you that I didn’t know until we spoke in the villa?”

“I’d consider it if you tell me how it’s possible.”

Taking a step back, Faith turned to grab something at her side. The sound of trickling liquid resonated through the air, followed by clinking, most likely a coffee cup and spoon. Faith did like tons of sugar in her coffee.

More clinks filled the air as she kept her eyes on the cup. “If you think back to that day, you’ll remember how we argued about Layne and the whole pregnancy fiasco. I was about to leave, but we ended up hugging before I did.” She acknowledged Heaven long enough to see her nod. “That’s when it happened.”

A few seconds passed without any words. If Faith thought that was a good enough explanation, she didn’t know how wrong she was. Before she could tell her sister as much, realization shuddered through her soul.

“This has something to do with your abilities, doesn’t it?”

Faith didn’t want to talk about her abilities because doing so would reveal that she did believe in their mystical nature. Their roles as Seekers were important in keeping the balance of good and evil. It meant responsibility, something Faith ran from every chance she could, unless it benefitted her.

A slurp echoed from the cup in her hands—one long, annoying slurp that kept her from having to answer Heaven’s question. She tried to hide the smile on her lips when she pulled the cup away, but Heaven saw it anyway. Would her sister ever grow tired of tormenting her?

“According to our parents, it seems I have retrocognition. I’m what they call a psychometrist. I can see events from the past if I touch a person or an object.”

Their previous confrontation made sense now. How Faith pulled away from their embrace and stared blankly. The way her sister’s energy contorted around her soul. Even the words Faith whispered before knocking her into the dresser. It was the precise moment when Faith had the vision, the vision of an event that remained on Heaven’s mind since the day it happened…Layne’s lips pressed to hers.

She tried to shake off the thought, but Faith’s lips twisted in the same wicked smile she wore when Dylan walked out the door. Her eyes dropped to Heaven’s stomach as she took another sip of her coffee. They lingered a moment, making Heaven’s skin crawl, before working their way back up.

Placing the cup back on the counter, she leaned forward and raised a taunting brow. “As if your expanding waistline isn’t enough, the band on your finger is proof of how big a fool Dylan is. Guess he bit the bullet and married you anyway. How is married life, especially with your lover hanging around?”

“You’re a bitch, you know that?” The sound of Faith’s laughter incited her more. She rushed over to the bar, slapping her hand against the top as she glared at her sister. “I’m so glad to know you care, Faith, seeing as how you did what you could to prevent my marriage. You hurt Dylan more than you can imagine.”

Faith showed little remorse as she shrugged her shoulders. “He’s a casualty of war. It happens.”

“Your little plan didn’t work. My husband is a forgiving man. He knows what happened resulted from a drunken mistake. Ironically, Layne chose those same words to describe his relationship with you.”

The smile curling her sister’s lips began to recede. Good. That meant she’d finally gotten under Faith’s skin for a change. It wouldn’t last, but knowing it happened was satisfying.

Right on cue, Faith shook her head as she eyed her sister from top to bottom. “Not everyone can be as perfect as you, Heaven, not that Layne seemed to mind. He devoured me every second I allowed him to be near me. Bet you wish he’d do the same to you. Tell me this much, since you kissed him. Do you like the way I taste?”

“Excuse me?”

“Think about it, Sis. Layne kissed you with the same lips and tongue he had all over my pu—”